from Britain. You may believe me when I tell you
that there is no truth in those accounts. I find all
property in land and houses, augmented vastly in value; that
of houses in town at least four-fold. The crops have been
plentiful; and yet the produce sells high, to the great
profit of the farmer. Working people have plenty of employ,
and high pay for their labor."

There were many imperfections attending the old Confederacy. In the
year 1787, a convention met in Philadelphia, to frame a new
constitution. There was strong opposition to this movement. Washington
and Franklin were both delegates. Washington took the chair. The good
nature and wisdom of Franklin ruled the house. The convention met in
the State House. Franklin, eighty-one years of age, was regularly in
his seat, five hours a day, for four months. He was thoroughly
democratic in his views, and opposed every measure which had any
tendency to extend aristocratic privilege. He had seen that the
British government was in the hands of the nobles. And silent, as
prudence rendered it necessary for him to be, in reference to the
arbitrary government of France, he could not but see that the
peasantry were subject to the most intolerable abuses. This led him to
detest a monarchy, and to do every thing in his power to place the
government of this country in the hands of the people.

Much time was occupied in deciding upon the terms of union between the
smaller and the larger States. It will be remembered that this was the
subject of very excited debates in the convention of 1776. The
discussion was earnest, often acrimonious. Such bitterness of feeling
was engendered that, for some time it was feared that no union could
be effected.

It is evident that Franklin, as he approached the grave, became more
devout, and that he lost all confidence in the powers of philosophical
speculations to reform or regenerate fallen man. He saw that the
interposition of a divine power was needed to allay the intense
excitement in the convention, and to lead the impassioned members to
act under the conviction that they were responsible to God. On the
28th of June, this venerable, patriarchal man offered the following
memorable resolve:

"Resolved, That henceforth prayers, imploring the assistance
of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held
in the Assembly every morning before we proceed to business;
and that one or mo