Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-07-25
FRANKLIN AND THE FAIR SEX
Some of the Philosophers "Erratao
and His Happy Married Lite.

Some of the Philosophers "Erra ia"
and His Happy Married Life.
"Franklin's Relations with the Fair
Sex is the title of Paul Leicester Ford S
ManySided Franklin" paper i'll the
Century. The writer does not make any
greater claim of ideal perfection for his
hero than did the philosopher himself
One has but to read Fielding or Smol-
lett to know that the Eighteenth century
was a poor school for the learning Of
moral purity; and the runaway prentice,
separated from home and parents, had
fewer influences than most to save him
from adopting the view of the times
that human appetites were given to man
Tor his enjoyment, and that their graft
ncation was a venial fault at most. In
the years Of wandering which followed
MS leaving Boston, he himself frankly
confesses that his ''ha. 1-to-be- gov erned
passion of youth hurried him FIRE
quently into intrigues with low women
that fell in his way" and he probably
had his own JransgreSsionS in mind
When, few years later, in newspaper
essay, he bespoke a charitable Judgment
or such weakness, arguing in behalf Of
the abstract offender that your Youth,
your lneXperience, the Weakness of your
reason, and the Violence of your Pas
slons all plead strongly for you" AS he
grew III years and wisdom, Franklin set
IL
this failing, as in others; but struggle as
ne would, his physique was stronger
than his will: through all his life he
never succeeded in bringing himself to
his own standard, and Poor Richard
could speak Willingly when he asserted
that The proof of gold is fire; the proof
of woman, gold: the proof Of man. a
woman" Yet, though this incontinence
was matter of common knowledge, and
was recurrently used as subject of
attack III political campaigns. his own
generation, both men and women. deemed
MN moral man, whose friendship was
an honor; and it is unfair to Judge him
oy standards that did not exist at the
tine he lived, or to held MS other virtues
III dlsrespect because he lacked this one.
Nothing could have been more cordial
than the relations which existed between
FRANKLIN and his wife, as shown in their
letters and presents TO each other during
MS protracted sojourns abroad, when
aversion to sea voyage kept her from
leaving America.
AS they sent each other numerous gifts.
so, too, they wrote each other fre0uentIy'
ana Franklin boosted that L think no.
body ever had more faithful correspond
ents than have in Mr.. Hughes and YOU.
IL Is impossible to get or keep out of
your debts. Nor was he himself ne
glectful, for he told her once: II know
packet so l write, though | have little
to say Despite this care, the irregu-
larlteS OF the mails produced chidinos
that bespoke her eagerness for news of
him. April this day is Cumpleet :
munthes senes you ie1et your one House
senes that not one line l due suppose that
you did write by the packit but that is
not arrived yit" And again she com
planned: Il have bin verey much dis
Irest bout you as | did not getl aney
letter nor one word from you nor did I
hear one word from oney bodey that you
wrote to so | music submit and indie ed I
do submit. to what L am to bair.' Their
correspondence, too, never failed to ex-
press strong affection. Franklin usually
began his My Dear Child" or My
Dear Love-" and concluded. Il am ever.
my dear Debby, your affectionate hus-
band, varied at times by Il am, dear
girl, your loving husband" a formula
which was so customary that he ended
thus one letter which had taken her to
task for not writing, and then, in post
Crypt, he added: L have scratcher out
the loving words, being writ in haste by
mistake when L forgot l was angry"
In return her letters opened, My dear
child and even MY Dearest Dear
Child, and were signed, Il am, my dear
child, your afeckchonot wife, which was
occasionally modified in photography to
Il am your efeckshonet wife, Il set
down to confab little with my dear
child" she began one missive, and she
ended another, ''Adue my dear child and
take care of yourseef for mameys sake
as well as your one'' Yet a third begged
he ''wold tell men hough your poor armes
was and hough you wan on your voiag
and hougn you air and eyerey thing is
with you wich | want everey much to
know" and she told him that she joined
with him lin senser thanks to god for
your presevevoashon and Safe q rivel 0
what reson have you and | to be thank