bruary
2, 1765, in which he urged that taxation by act of Parliament was
needless, inasmuch as any requisition for the service of the king always
had found, and always would find, a prompt and liberal response on the
part of the Assembly. Arguments, however, and protests struck
ineffectually against the solid wall of Grenville's established purpose.
He listened with a civil appearance of interest and dismissed his
visitors and all memory of their arguments together. On the 13th of the
same month he read the bill in Parliament; on the 27th it passed the
Commons; on March 8, the Lords; and on March 22 it was signed by a royal
commission; the insanity of the king saved him from placing his own
signature to the ill-starred law. In July Franklin wrote to Charles
Thomson:--

"Depend upon it, my good neighbor, I took every step in my power to
prevent the passing of the Stamp Act. Nobody could be more
concerned and interested than myself to oppose it sincerely and
heartily. But the tide was too strong against us. The nation was
provoked by American claims of independence, and all parties joined
in resolving by this act to settle the point. We might as well have
hindered the sun's setting. That we could not do. But since it is
down, my friend, and it may be long before it rises again, let us
make as good a night of it as we can. We can still light candles.
Frugality and industry will go a great way towards indemnifying us.
Idleness and pride tax with a heavier hand than kings and
parliaments. If we can get rid of the former, we may easily bear
the latter."

In such a temper was he at this time, and so remained until he got news
of the first mutterings of the storm in the colonies. His words show a
discouragement and despondency unusual with him; but what attracts
remark is the philosophical purpose to make the best even of so bad a
business, the hopeless absence of any suggestion of a further
opposition, and that his only advice is patient endurance.
Unquestionably he did conceive the matter to be for the time settled.
The might of England was an awful fact, visible all around him; he felt
the tremendous force of the great British people; and he saw their
immense resources every day as he walked the streets of busy, prosperous
London. As he recalled the infant towns and scattered villages of the
colonies, how could he contemplate forcible resistance to an edict o