The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-01-17


cities, London and Paris, and he
brought the young American nation
prestige and popularity throughout Eu-
rope.
Franklin's first service Us q repre-
sentative Of the colonies came long be.
fore the Revolution, when he went to
london Oh behalf Of Pennsylvania to
bring about the taxation Of the Penn
proprietary estates. These great hold.
ings had been exempted. which made
the burdens Of taxation fall more heav.
lily OH others. In this effort he was
finally successful. He afterward spent
years in London, representing Pennsyl-
vania and indirectly the other colonies
in the growing troubles with the moth
.er country. His tactful. able and con.
vlncing testimony before Il parliament.
tary committee had much to do with
the repeal Of the obnoxious stamp act.
He wrote anonymous pamphlets In be-
half Of the colohIes that were 70 unique,
so witty and 80 full Of meat that they
had great vogue vel in England,
where public opinion was hostile. FL
nally, when the feeling grew more bit.
ter, Franklin. because of some letters
he had received and would not divulge.
regarding them ~ confidential, was
subjected to an outrageous cross Ques-
tioning and castigatiOn by Mr.. Wedder-
burn and was deprived OF his office Of
deputy postmaster general for the COL
onies. TO Wedderburn's accusations
he answered not a word, but stood Sc
rene and unmoved to the end, when he
took his departure. This compOsure
gave him the moral victory In the on
test eve In the eyes Of his foes.
1t was probably with sincere regret
that Franklin decided to leave Eng
land. He had been immensely popular
there, had g made II member Of
nearly all the learned societies, had
been given degrees from the leading
universities aud had been on terms Of
friendly intimacy with most OF the
celebrities in London. He had also
striven to prevent a break between the
colonies and the mother country to
such an extent that Mt times he had
gained the i'll will Of both. Relations
had grown So strained, however, that
it was useless for him to remain
longer, so with a sQre heart he re.
turned to Philadelphia on the eve Of
the Revolution.
Benjamin Franklin's last diplomatic
mission and most celebrated of all was
to Paris. Here he went as the repre-
sentative of the united colonies shortly
after the outbreak Of the val for indie
pendence. His reception vas even
more catering t4eQ y bad been in
London. His fau6 10 tcle4tist. au-
thor aud friend q liberty &J6da him a
popular idol. He Became the fashion.
His quaint sayings, which he issued
from time to time from a little printing
press which he set up at his rooms,
We're quoted by every II Even the
plainness Of his dress did not detract
from the universal esteem in which he
was held. 1t Is said that when Frank.
lin sent to the king a request that he
might be permitted to wear the sort Of
clothes he had worn Mt home, knit
stockings and all. the king smilingly
gave his assent. and his court soon for
got the LONELINESS Of the Quaker
statesman's attire in the brilliancy Of
his mind. In the language Of his friend
Paine, he was willing to ''let those
yea fine clothes who need Them" His
inner adornment was such he did not
require the outer.
Franklin's great popularity in Paris
continued to the end, and that in spite
Of the fact that Lee. one Of his fellow
commissioners. tried to create Il preju-