ce that he was appointed, by the young
colony of Georgia, its London agent. The next year New Jersey
conferred the same honor upon him, and the year after, he was
appointed agent of his native province of Massachusetts. These several
appointments detained him ten years in England.

During all this time he did not visit home. The equanimity of his
joyful spirit seems never to have been disturbed. His pen describes
only pleasant scenes. No murmurs are recorded, no yearnings of
home-sickness.

But month after month the animosity of the British Court towards the
Americans was increasing. The king grew more and more fixed in his
purpose, to compel the liberty-loving Americans to submission. Hostile
movements were multiplied to indicate that if the opposition to his
measures was continued, English fleets and armies would soon commence
operations.

Several thousand troops were landed in Boston. Fourteen men-of-war
were anchored before the town, with the cannon of their broad-sides
loaded and primed, ready, at the slightest provocation to lay the
whole town in ashes. Protected by this terrible menace, two British
regiments paraded the streets, with their muskets charged, with
gleaming sabres and bayonets, with formidable artillery prepared to
vomit forth the most horrible discharges of grape shot, with haughty
English officers well mounted, and soldiers and officers alike in
imposing uniforms. This invincible band of highly disciplined
soldiers, as a peace measure, took possession of the Common, the State
House, the Court House and Faneuil Hall.

Even now, after the lapse of more than a hundred years, it makes the
blood of an American boil to contemplate this insult. Who can imagine
the feelings of exasperation that must have glowed in the bosoms of
our patriotic fathers!

Franklin, in England, was treated with ever increasing disrespect.
Lord Hillsborough, then in charge of American affairs, told him
peremptorily, even insolently, that America could expect no favors
while he himself was in power, and that he was determined to persevere
with firmness in the policy which the king was pursuing. The king was
so shielded by his ministers that Franklin knew but little about him.
Even at this time he wrote,

"I can scarcely conceive a king of better dispositions, of
more exemplary virtues, or more truly desirous of promoting
the welfare of his subjects."

Franklin never had occasion to speak differently of hi