On my journey to Boston this year, I met at New York with our new governor, Mr. Morris, just arriv'd there from England, with whom I had been before intimately acquainted. He brought a commission to supersede Mr. Hamilton, who, tir'd with the disputes his proprietary instructions subjected him to, had resign'd. Mr. Morris ask'd me if I thought he must expect as uncomfortable an administration. I said, "No; you may, on the contrary, have a very comfortable one, if you will only take care not to enter into any dispute with the Assembly." "My dear friend," says he, pleasantly, "how can you advise my avoiding disputes? You know I love disputing; it is one of my greatest pleasures; however, to show the regard I have for your counsel, I promise you I will, if possible, avoid them." He had some reason for loving to dispute, being eloquent, an acute sophister, and, therefore, generally successful in argumentative conversation. He had been brought up to it from a boy, his father, as I have heard, accustoming his children to dispute with one another for his diversion, while sitting at table after dinner; but I think the practice was not wise; for, in the course of my observation, these disputing, contradicting, and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory sometimes, but they never get good will, which would be of more use to them. We parted, he going to Philadelphia, and I to Boston.
On my journey to Boston this year, I met our new governor, Mr. Morris, at New York. He had just arrived there from England, and I had been intimately acquainted with him before. He brought a commission to replace Mr. Hamilton, who had resigned, tired of the disputes his proprietary instructions forced on him. Mr. Morris asked me if I thought he must expect as uncomfortable an administration. I said, "No. On the contrary, you may have a very comfortable one, if you will only take care not to enter into any dispute with the Assembly." "My dear friend," he said pleasantly, "how can you advise me to avoid disputes? You know I love disputing. It is one of my greatest pleasures. However, to show the regard I have for your counsel, I promise you I will avoid them if possible." He had some reason for loving to dispute. He was eloquent and a sharp sophist, and therefore generally successful in argument. He had been brought up to it from a boy. His father, as I have heard, used to have his children dispute with one another for his amusement while sitting at the table after dinner. But I think the practice was not wise. In my observation, these disputing, contradicting, and refuting people are generally unlucky in their affairs. They sometimes win victories, but they never win good will, which would be of more use to them. We parted, he going to Philadelphia and I to Boston.
In returning, I met at New York with the votes of the Assembly, by which it appear'd that, notwithstanding his promise to me, he and the House were already in high contention; and it was a continual battle between them as long as he retain'd the government. I had my share of it; for, as soon as I got back to my seat in the Assembly, I was put on every committee for answering his speeches and messages, and by the committees always desired to make the drafts. Our answers, as well as his messages, were often tart, and sometimes indecently abusive; and, as he knew I wrote for the Assembly, one might have imagined that, when we met, we could hardly avoid cutting throats; but he was so good-natur'd a man that no personal difference between him and me was occasion'd by the contest, and we often din'd together.
On my way back, I found in New York the votes of the Assembly. They showed that, despite his promise to me, he and the House were already in serious conflict. It remained a constant struggle between them as long as he held the government. I shared in it. As soon as I returned to my seat in the Assembly, I was put on every committee. They were responsible for answering his speeches and messages. The committees always asked me to draft the answers. Our replies, like his messages, were often sharp and sometimes offensively abusive. He knew I wrote for the Assembly. One might have thought that when we met we could hardly avoid cutting throats. But he was so good-natured that the contest caused no personal difference between us. We often dined together.
One afternoon, in the height of this public quarrel, we met in the street. "Franklin," says he, "you must go home with me and spend the evening; I am to have some company that you will like;" and, taking me by the arm, he led me to his house. In gay conversation over our wine, after supper, he told us, jokingly, that he much admir'd the idea of Sancho Panza, who, when it was proposed to give him a government, requested it might be a government of blacks, as then, if he could not agree with his people, he might sell them. One of his friends, who sat next to me, says, "Franklin, why do you continue to side with these damn'd Quakers? Had not you better sell them? The proprietor would give you a good price." "The governor," says I, "has not yet blacked them enough." He, indeed, had laboured hard to blacken the Assembly in all his messages, but they wip'd off his colouring as fast as he laid it on, and plac'd it, in return, thick upon his own face; so that, finding he was likely to be negrofied himself, he, as well as Mr. Hamilton, grew tir'd of the contest, and quitted the government.
One afternoon, at the height of this public quarrel, we met in the street. He said, "Franklin, you must come home with me and spend the evening. I am to have some company you will like." He took me by the arm and led me to his house. After supper, while we enjoyed wine and lively conversation, he jokingly said he admired the idea of Sancho Panza. When it was proposed to give Sancho a government, he requested it be a government of blacks. Then, if he could not agree with his people, he might sell them. One of his friends, who sat next to me, said, "Franklin, why do you keep siding with these damned Quakers? Wouldn't you be better off selling them? The proprietor would give you a good price." I replied, "The governor has not yet blacked them enough." He had indeed labored hard to blacken the Assembly in all his messages. But they wiped off his coloring as fast as he laid it on. They then placed it thick upon his own face. Thus, finding he was likely to be negrofied himself, he grew tired of the contest. Mr. Hamilton did as well, and they quit the government.
The squire Sancho Panza in Cervantes' novel Don Quixote. He is described as "round, selfish, and self-important."
These public quarrels were all at bottom owing to the proprietaries, our hereditary governors, who, when any expense was to be incurred for the defense of their province, with incredible meanness instructed their deputies to pass no act for levying the necessary taxes, unless their vast estates were in the same act expressly excused; and they had even taken bonds of these deputies to observe such instructions. The Assemblies for three years held out against this injustice, tho' constrained to bend at last. At length Captain Denny, who was Governor Morris's successor, ventured to disobey those instructions; how that was brought about I shall show hereafter.
These public quarrels were all, at bottom, owing to the proprietaries, our hereditary governors. Whenever any expense had to be incurred for the defense of their province, they showed incredible meanness. They instructed their deputies to pass no act for levying the necessary taxes unless their own vast estates were expressly exempted in the same act. They had even taken bonds from these deputies to make sure they obeyed such instructions. The Assemblies held out against this injustice for three years, though they were forced to give way at last. Finally Captain Denny, Governor Morris's successor, ventured to disobey those instructions. I shall show later how that came about.
My acts during Morris's time, military matters, etc. Marg. note
But I am got forward too fast with my story: there are still some transactions to be mention'd that happened during the administration of Governor Morris.
But I have moved ahead too quickly in my story. There are still some events to mention that happened during Governor Morris's administration.
War being in a manner commenced with France, the government of Massachusetts Bay projected an attack upon Crown Point, and sent Mr. Quincy to Pennsylvania, and Mr. Pownall, afterward Governor Pownall, to New York, to solicit assistance. As I was in the Assembly, knew its temper, and was Mr. Quincy's countryman, he appli'd to me for my influence and assistance. I dictated his address to them, which was well received. They voted an aid of ten thousand pounds, to be laid out in provisions. But the governor refusing his assent to their bill (which included this with other sums granted for the use of the crown), unless a clause were inserted exempting the proprietary estate from bearing any part of the tax that would be necessary, the Assembly, tho' very desirous of making their grant to New England effectual, were at a loss how to accomplish it. Mr. Quincy labored hard with the governor to obtain his assent, but he was obstinate.
War with France had, in a sense, begun. The government of Massachusetts Bay planned an attack on Crown Point. They sent Mr. Quincy to Pennsylvania and Mr. Pownall to New York to ask for help. Mr. Pownall later became Governor Pownall. I was a member of the Assembly, I knew its temper, and I was Mr. Quincy's countryman. He asked me to lend my influence and assistance. I drafted his address to them, and they received it well. They voted aid of ten thousand pounds to buy provisions. But the governor refused to approve their bill. The bill grouped this grant with other sums for the use of the crown. He would not consent unless a clause exempted the proprietary estate from paying any part of the necessary tax. The Assembly wanted their grant to New England to be effective. They did not know how to accomplish it. Mr. Quincy worked hard to gain the governor's assent, but the governor remained obstinate.
On Lake Champlain, ninety miles north of Albany. The French captured it in 1731. The English attacked it in 1755 and 1756. The French abandoned it in 1759. The Americans captured it from the English in 1775.
I then suggested a method of doing the business without the governor, by orders on the trustees of the Loan office, which, by law, the Assembly had the right of drawing. There was, indeed, little or no money at that time in the office, and therefore I propos'd that the orders should be payable in a year, and to bear an interest of five per cent. With these orders I suppos'd the provisions might easily be purchas'd. The Assembly, with very little hesitation, adopted the proposal. The orders were immediately printed, and I was one of the committee directed to sign and dispose of them. The fund for paying them was the interest of all the paper currency then extant in the province upon loan, together with the revenue arising from the excise, which being known to be more than sufficient, they obtain'd instant credit, and were not only receiv'd in payment for the provisions, but many money'd people, who had cash lying by them, vested it in those orders, which they found advantageous, as they bore interest while upon hand, and might on any occasion be used as money; so that they were eagerly all bought up, and in a few weeks none of them were to be seen. Thus this important affair was by my means completed. Mr. Quincy return'd thanks to the Assembly in a handsome memorial, went home highly pleas'd with this success of his embassy, and ever after bore for me the most cordial and affectionate friendship.
I suggested a way to do the business without the governor. It involved drawing orders on the trustees of the Loan Office, which the Assembly had the legal right to draw. The office had little or no money at that time. So I proposed the orders be payable in one year and bear five percent interest. I believed these orders would easily buy the provisions. The Assembly adopted the proposal with little hesitation. They printed the orders immediately, and I served on the committee assigned to sign and distribute them. The fund to pay them came from two sources. One was the interest on all paper currency then outstanding on loan in the province. The other was revenue from the excise. Because these sources were known to be more than sufficient, the orders gained instant credit. They were accepted not only in payment for provisions, but many people with cash invested in them. Wealthy people invested idle cash in the orders because they paid interest while held and could be used as money. People eagerly bought them, and within a few weeks none remained. Thus this important affair was completed through my efforts. Mr. Quincy returned thanks to the Assembly in a handsome memorial. He went home very pleased with the success of his mission. From then on he showed me the warmest and most affectionate friendship.