Benjamin Franklin

An ancient sage valued himself upon this, that though he could not fiddle, he knew how to make a great city of a little one.

And as Canada is chiefly supported by that trade, if it could be drawn into the hands of the English (as it might be if the Indians were supplied on moderate terms, and by honest traders appointed by and acting for the public) that alone…

You are a member of that parliament, and have formed part of that majority, which has condemned my native country to destruction.

Public spirit really exists there, and has great effects.

But let us take a cool view of the general state of our affairs, and perhaps the prospect will appear less gloomy than has been imagined.

The rest depends on a man's own industry and virtue.

The game of chess is not merely an idle amusement.

I have seen generations born, flourish, and expire.

Believing therefore, that it is my duty, I shall honestly speak my mind in the following paper.

But such, it seems, is the unhappiness of human nature, that our passions, when violent, often are too hard for the united force of reason, duty, and religion.

In all cases where the strength of the whole was necessary to be used against the enemy, there would be the same difficulty in degree, to bring the several unions to unite together, as now the several colonies; and consequently the same…

Each union would separately be weaker than when joined by the whole, obliged to exert more force, be oppressed by the expence, and the enemy less deterred from attacking it.

The Indian trade would be better regulated by the union of the whole than by partial unions.

But when Britain values herself as affording us protection, we desire it may be considered, that we have followed her in all her wars, and joined with her at our own expence against all she thought fit to quarrel with.

The establishing of new colonies westward on the Ohio and the lakes (a matter of considerable importance to the increase of British trade and power, to the breaking that of the French, and to the protection and security of our present…

Many quarrels and wars have arisen between the colonies and Indian nations, through the bad conduct of traders, who cheat the Indians after making them drunk, &c. to the great expence of the colonies both in blood and treasure.

Strong forts on the lakes, the Ohio, &c. may, at the same time they secure our present frontiers, serve to defend new colonies settled under their protection; and such colonies would also mutually defend and support such forts, and better…

This Indian knew how to set a true value upon a pair of spectacles: for undoubtedly if those glasses were not so plentiful, and only a few of them could be found, they would, on account of their great use, bear the same price with…

For a piece of baize, or a pot full of brandy, or the like, they could get a piece of ground, which at present would be worth more than 290l. sterling." Ib.

II. p. 118.--The truth is, that the Indians considered their lands as mere hunting-manors, and not as farms.

I apprehend, that excluding the people of the colonies from all share in the choice of the grand council will give extreme dissatisfaction; as well as the taxing them by act of parliament, where they have no representation.

That the colonies have no representatives in parliament.

That compelling the colonies to pay money without their consent, would be rather like raising contributions in an enemy's country, than taxing of Englishmen for their own public benefit.

Our legal method of compulsion is by imprisonment: the Indians cannot and will not imprison one another; and if we attempt to imprison them, I apprehend it would be generally disliked by the nations, and occasion breaches.