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ԱՆ ՆԱՆՆ ՄԷ u༤ pIVv-ས་༦ ་ས་་སབ་ས པ་8ས་ HVཔ

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The disputes between the proprietaries and th people continued in full force, although a war wa raging on the frontiers. Not even the sense danger was sufficient to reconcile, for ever so sho a time, their jarring interests. The assembly sti insisted upon the justice of taxing the proprietar estates, but the governors constantly refused to giv their assent to this measure, without which no bi could pass into a law. Enraged at this obstinacy and what they conceived to be unjust proceeding of their opponents, the assembly at length dete mined to apply to the mother country for relie A petition was addressed to the king, in counci stating the inconveniences under which the inhab tants labored, from the attention of the proprietari to their private interests, to the neglect of the gen ral welfare of the community, and praying for r dress. Franklin was appointed to present this a dress, as agent for the province of Pennsylvani and departed from America in June, 1757. conformity to the instructions which he had r ceived from the legislature, he held a conferen with the proprietaries, who then resided in En land, and endeavored to prevail upon them to g up the long contested point. Finding that th would hearken to no terms of accommodation, laid his petition before the council. During th time governor Denny assented to the law imposi a tax, in which no discrimination was made in i vor of the estates of the Penn family. They, larmed at this intelligence, and Franklin's exertion used their utmost exertions to prevent the roy

sanction being given to this law, which they represented as highly iniquitous, designed to throw the burden of supporting government on them, and calculated to produce the most ruinous consequences to them and their posterity. The cause was amply discussed before the privy council. The Penns found here some strenuous advocates; nor were there wanting some who warmly espoused the side of the people. After some time spent in debate, a proposal was made, that Franklin should solemnly engage, that the assessment of the tax should be so made, as that the proprietary estates should pay no more than a due proportion. This he agreed to perform, the Penn family withdrew their opposition, and tranquility was thus once more restored to the province.

The mode in which this dispute was terminated is a striking proof of the high opinion entertained of Franklin's integrity and honor, even by those who considered him as inimical to their views. Nor was their confidence ill-founded. The assessment was made upon the strictest principles of equity; and the proprietary estates bore only a proportionable share of the expences of supporting go

vernment.

After the completion of this important business, Franklin remained at the court of Great Britain, as agent for the province of Pennsylvania. The extensive knowledge which he possessed of the situa tion of the colonies, and the regard which he al ways manifested for their interests, occasioned his appointment to the same office by the colonies of Massachusetts, Maryland, and Georgia. His conduct, in this situation, was such as rendered him still more dear to his countrymen.

He had now an opportunity of indulging in the

had been made to his discoveries in philosophy gradually ceased, and the rewards of literary merit were abundantly conferred upon him. The royal society of London, which had at first refused his performances admission into its transactions, now thought it an honor to rank him among its fellows. Other societies in Europe were equally ambitious of calling him a member. The university of St. Andrew's, in Scotland, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws. Its example was followed by the universities of Edinburgh and of Oxford. His correspondence was sought for by the most eminent philosophers of Europe. His letters to these abound with true science, delivered in the most simple unadorned manner.

The province of Canada was at this time in the -possession of the French, who had originally settled it. The trade with the Indians, for which its situation was very convenient, was exceedingly lucrative. The French traders here found a market for their commodities, and received in return large quantities of rich furs, which they disposed of at a high price in Europe. Whilst the possession of this country was highly advantageous to France, it was a grievous inconvenience to the inhabitants of of the British colonies. The Indians were almost generally desirous to cultiviate the friendship of the French, by whom they were abundantly supplied with arms and ammunition. Whenever a war happened the Indians were ready to fall upon the frontiers; and this they frequently did, even when G. Britain and France were at peace, From these

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considerations, it appeared to be the interest of Great Britain to gain the possession of Canada.-But the importance of such an acquisition was notwell undersotood in England. Franklin about this: time published his Canada pamphlet, in which he, in a forcible manner, pointed out the advantages; which would result from the conquest of this pro

vince.

An expedition against it was planned, and the command given to Generał Wolfe. His success is well known. At the treaty of 1762, France ceded Canada to Great Britain, and by her cession of Louisiana, at the same time, relinquished all her possessions on the continent of America.

Although Dr. Franklin was now principally occupied with political pursuits, he found time for philosophical studies. He extended his electrical researches and made a variety of experiments, particularly on the tourmalin. The singular properties which this stone possesses of being electrified on one side positively and on the other negatively, by heat alone, without friction, had been but lately ob served.

Some experiments on the cold produced by eva poration, made by Dr. Cullen, had been communicated to Dr. Franklin by Professor Simpson of Glasgow. These he repeated, and found, that, by the evaporation of æther in the exhausted receiver of an air-pump, so great a degree of cold was produced in a summer's day, that water was convert ed into ice. This discovery he applied to the solu tion of a number of phenomena. particularly a singu lar fact, which philosophers had endeavored in vain to account for, viz. that the temperature of the buman body, when in health, never exceeds 96 degrees of Farenheit's thermometer, although the att

produced by the heat.

In a letter to Mr. Small of London, dated i May 1760, Dr. Franklin makes a number of ob servations, tending to shew that, in North Amer ca, north-east storms begin in the south-west parts It appears, from actual observation, that a north east storm, which extended a considerable distance commenced at Philadelphia nearly four hours b fore it was felt at Boston. He endeavored to a count for this, by supposing that, from heat, som rarefaction takes place about the gulph of Mexic that the air further north being cooler rushes i and is succeeded by the cooler and denser air sti further north, and that thus a continued current at length produced.

The tone produced by rubbing the brim of a drin ing glass with a wet finger had been generally know A Mr. Puckeridge, an Irishman, by placing on table a number of glasses of different sizes, an tuning them by partly filling them with water, e deavored to form an instrument capable of plavin tunes. He was prevented by an untimely end, fro bringing his invention to any degree of perfection After his death some improvements were mad upon his plan. The sweetness of the tones induce Dr. Franklin to make a variety of experiments and he at length formed that elegant instrumen which he has called the Armonica.

In the summer of 1762 he returned to Americ On his passage he observed the singular effect pr duced by the agitation of a vessel, 'containing o floating on the water. The surface of the oil r mains smooth and undisturbed, whilst the water

agitated with the utmost commotion. No satisfa

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