er, entitled to share with Britain the spoils of victory; even
in the position of an independent power which could refuse the military
allegiance of subjects. English judges would have found abundant treason
in this insubordinate document. It may soothe common men to see the
wise, the serene, the self-contained Dr. Franklin, the philosopher and
diplomatist, for once lose his head in a gust of uncontrollable passion.
Walpole, though a loyal Englishman, was fortunately his true friend, and
wrote him, with a brevity more impressive than argument, that the
memorial "might be attended with dangerous consequences to your person
and contribute to exasperate the nation." He closed with the significant
sentence: "I heartily wish you a prosperous voyage and long health." The
significant words remind one of the woodcock's feather with which
Wildrake warned the disguised monarch that no time was to be lost in
fleeing from Woodstock. But if the hint was curt, it was no less wise.
There was no doubt that it was full time for the sage to be exchanging
his farewells, when such a point had been reached. The next day, as
Franklin relates, Walpole called and said that "it was thought my having
no instructions directing me to deliver such a protest would make it
appear still more unjustifiable, and be deemed a national affront. I had
no desire to make matters worse, and, being grown cooler, took the
advice so kindly given me."

The last business which Franklin had to transact on the eve of his
departure came in the shape of one of those mysterious and obscure bits
of negotiation which are at times undertaken by private persons who are
very "near" to ministers, and who conduct their affairs with impressive
secrecy. Just how much this approach amounted to it is difficult to say;
no less a person than Lord Howe was concerned in it, and he was
undoubtedly in direct communication with Lord North. But whether that
potentate really anticipated any substantial good result may be doubted.
Franklin himself has told the story with much particularity, and since
it will neither bear curtailment nor admit of being related at length,
and since the whole palaver accomplished absolutely nothing, the
relation will be omitted here. In the course of it the efforts to bribe
Franklin were renewed, and briefly rejected by him. Also he met, and
established a very friendly personal relation with, Lord Howe, who
afterward commanded the British fleet in American wate