THE

WORKS

OF

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN;

CONTAINING

SEVERAL POLITICAL AND HISTORICAL TRACTS

NOT INCLUDED IN ANY FORMER EDITION

AND

MANY LETTERS OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE

NOT HITHERTO PUBLISHED.

WITH

NOTES

AND

A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

BY JARED SPARKS

VOLUME IV.

BOSTON:

WHITTEMORE, NILES, AND HALL.

MILWAUKIE: A. WHITTEMORE & CO.

Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, by Hilliard, Gray, AND Co., in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

ANDOVER:

PRINTED BY W. F. DRAPER

CONTENTS

OF

VOLUME FOURTH.

ESSAYS AND TRACTS, HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL

BEFORE THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

Page

1

.

54

78

The Interest of Great Britain considered, with Regard to

her Colonies and the Acquisitions of Canada and

Guadaloupe

A Narrative of the late Massacres, in Lancaster County,

of a Number of Indians, Friends of this Province,

by Persons unknown. With some Observations on

the same

Cool Thoughts on the Present Situation of our Public

Affairs

Petition to the King, for Changing the Proprietary Gov-

ernment of Pennsylvania into a Royal Government

Remarks on a Particular Militia Bill rejected by the Pro-

prietor's Deputy, or Governor

Preface to the Speech of Joseph Galloway, on the Subject

of a Petition to the King for Changing the Pro-

prietary Government of Pennsylvania to a Royal

Government

Remarks on a Late Protest against the Appointment of

Mr. Franklin as Agent for the Province of Penn-

sylvania

93

95

.

101

143

.

.

.

· Letter concerning the Gratitude of America, and the Prob-

ability and Effects of a Union with Great Britain ;

and concerning the Repeal or Suspension of the

Stamp Act

156

· The Examination of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, in the British

House of Commons, relative to the Repeal of the

American Stamp Act, in 1766 .

161

Note containing Dr. Franklin's Remarks on the above

Examination, with Reference to the Members of

the House of Commons by whom the Questions

were asked

199

Remarks on a Plan for the Future Management of Indian

Affairs

201

Hints for a Reply to the Protests of certain Members

of the House of Lords against the Repeal of the

Stamp Act

206

Observations on Passages in a Pamphlet, entitled “Good

Humor, or a Way with the Colonies. London,

1766”

211

Observations on Passages in "A Letter from a Merchant

in London to his Nephew in North America. Lon-

don, 1766"

215

Proposed Colony in Illinois

233

Causes of the American Discontents before 1768

242

Preface to the “ Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania” 256

Queries by Mr. Strahan, respecting American Affairs, and

Dr. Franklin's Answers

258

State of the Constitution of the Colonies, by Governor

Pownall ; with Remarks by Dr. Franklin

270

Observations on Passages in “ An Inquiry into the Nature

and Causes of the Disputes between the British

Colonies in America and their Mother Country.

London, 1769"

281

Observations on Passages in a Pamphlet, entitled “The

True Constitutional Means for putting an End to

the Disputes between Great Britain and the Amer-

ican Colonies. London, 1769"

298

.

a

.

.

302

374

380

381

387
399

405

Settlement on the Ohio River

Appendix, No. I. By the King. A Proclamation

No. II. State of the King's Rents in

North America

Preface, by the British Editor, to “ The Votes and Pro-

ceedings of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants

of the Town of Boston"

Rules for Reducing a Great Empire to a Small One; pre-

sented to a late Minister, when he entered upon

his Administration

An Edict by the King of Prussia .

An Account of the Transactions relating to Governor

Hutchinson's Letters

Note by the Editor, containing other Particulars re-

specting Hutchinson's Letters

Emblematical Representation

On a Proposed Act of Parliament for Preventing Emi-

gration

A True State of the Proceedings in the Parliament of

Great Britain, and in the Province of Massachu-

setts Bay, relative to the Giving and Granting the

Money of the People of that Province, and all

America, in the House of Commons, in which they

are not represented

Letters to Dean Tucker

On the Rise and Progress of the Differences between

Great Britain and her American Colonies

441

456

458

.

466

516

526