The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-12
ARTICLE II.
ARTICLE III.
BENJAMIN Franklin-The DiplOmatist
Of the Revolutions.

BENJAMIN Franklin-The DiplOmatist
of the Revolution.
1t is a suggestive truth that the great
men of the world appear in groups.
However we may explain the phenome-
non, the fact remains. Our own coun-
try furnishes no exception. And these
groups have appeared in times of emer-
gency, like consultations that shine with
the greatest brilliancy when the night
is dark, Thus in the gloomy days of the
Civil war we had such men as Stanton
and Seward and Chase and Sherman and
Grant and Lincoln to guide through the
awful storm. At an earlier day, when
the slavery and notification agitation
threatened wreck came such giants as
Calhoun and Benton and Douglas and
Clay and Webster In the Revolutionary
period, when the feeble colonies were
attempting to throw off the supremacy
of the mother country and set up house.
keeping for themselves, they had to aid
them in the task such instructors as
John and Samuel Adams. Jay, Madison,
Patrick Henry, Jefferson, Hamilton,
Franklin and Washington. What a bril-
liant galaxy. Surely If any nation has
reason to point with pride to the men
who gave success and character TO its
early fortunes that nation is the United
States.
In the Revolutionary group no name
except that of the immortal Washington
shines with a more splendid radiance
than that of BENJAMIN Franklin-printer.
journalist, bookseller, author, inventor,
philosopher diplomatist. philanthropist-
in all these fields he stood in the front
rank with few equals aad no superiors
Franklin died in 1880. ITO years ago, but
through all these years his fame has
se, oxrnr
greater today than ever before.
Like many of Americas great ones,
this man was born Of humble parents.
His father was a tallow chandler and
soap-boiler in Boston. There Franklin
was born in 17eS, SO that he was seventy
years of age when he voted for the
declaration of independence. He was
an energetic and enterprising youth, and
when but seventeen years old left his
brother. printer, to whom he had been
apprenticed, and ran away to Philadel-
phia. where. when he was twenty-three
years of age he had established a news
paper of his own.
Few men have had such diversity of
gifts and have excelled in sthem all
He came as near being universal
genius perhaps, as any man that ever
lived 1t is not, however, his multiple
ity Of achievements that We can now
consider. We desire, rather, to set forth
briefly his services to his country, es-
pecially his invaluable work abroad IN
attempting to secure for the colonies
justice from England and recognition
and help from France.
Before Franklin was fifty years old he
had acquired fortune, retired from busl-
ness, established wide and growing rep
1tn,,k 60 irHxyn oof ar
had become the most famous and popu-
lar man in Philadelphia. Nor was his
fame limited to the city of his adoption
He was known and honored throughout
the colony, and his name as wise, learn
ed and patriotic man had become famil-
lar in Virginia and throughout New Eng
land. He was now in a situation to en-
ter upon that wider activity and that
larger usefulness for which he was ges-
tired.
1t was the custom among the colonies
to appoint agents to represent them III
England, especially when legislation was
pending in the mother country that af-
fected the colonial interests, or when
such legislation was sought.
In 1755. at the beginning of the French
and Indian war;" dispute arose between
the assembly of Pennsylvania and the
governor. We must remember that Penn
sylvania was what is called "proprie-
tary'' colony-that is, colony whose ter
ritory was originally granted to single
individual, called the proprietary and
that this proprietary chose the governor.
The dispute in Pennsylvania arose from
the refusal on the part Of the governor
to tax the proprietary lands for the pur-
pose of defending. the colony against The
assault of the French and Indians on the
Western and Northern frontier. Frank
lin met this refusal with such angry re-
menstrances that the governor and then
his successor resigned. 1t became neces-
sary to send someone to England to lay
the matter before the authorities, and.
if possible, to secure relief for the col
onistS.
Who so fit for this mission as Frank
lin? The assembly commissioned him for
the service, and in due time he reached
London. At first his business was with
the Penns, the proprietaries, as success
ors to the famous William Penn, to whom
the original grant had been given. But
the wealthy Quakers were not disposed
just then voluntarily to contribute to
the purposes of war. 1t suited their in
terests better to remain men Of peace
and let others defend their estates. So