登陆注册
5163300000048

第48章

The office of justice of the peace I try'd a little, by attending a few courts, and sitting on the bench to hear causes; but finding that moreknowledge of the common law than I possess'd was necessary to act in that station with credit, I gradually withdrew from it, excusing myself by my being oblig'd to attend the higher duties of a legislator in the Assembly.My election to this trust was repeated every year for ten years, without my ever asking any elector for his vote, or signifying, either directly or indirectly, any desire of being chosen.On taking my seat in the House, my son was appointed their clerk.

The year following, a treaty being to be held with the Indians at Carlisle, the governor sent a message to the House, proposing that they should nominate some of their members, to be join'd with some members of council, as commissioners for that purpose. The House named the speaker (Mr.Norris) and myself; and, being commission'd, we went to Carlisle, and met the Indians accordingly.

See the votes to have this more correctly.--[Marg.note.]

As those people are extreamly apt to get drunk, and, when so, are very quarrelsome and disorderly, we strictly forbad the selling any liquor to them; and when they complain'd of this restriction, we told them that if they would continue sober during the treaty, we would give them plenty of rum when business was over.They promis'd this, and they kept their promise, because they could get no liquor, and the treaty was conducted very orderly, and concluded to mutual satisfaction.They then claim'd and receiv'd the rum; this was in the afternoon; they were near one hundred men, women, and children, and were lodg'd in temporary cabins, built in the form of a square, just without the town.In the evening, hearing a great noise among them, the commissioners walk'd out to see what was the matter.We found they had made a great bonfire in the middle of the square; they were all drunk, men and women, quarreling and fighting.Their dark- colour'd bodies, half naked, seen only by the gloomy light of the bonfire, running after and beating one another with firebrands, accompanied by their horrid yellings, form'd a scene the most resembling our ideas of hell that could well be imagin'd; there was no appeasing the tumult, and we retired to our lodging.At midnight a number of them came thundering at our door, demanding more rum, of which we took no notice.

The next day, sensible they had misbehav'd in giving us thatdisturbance, they sent three of their old counselors to make their apology.The orator acknowledg'd the fault, but laid it upon the rum; and then endeavored to excuse the rum by saying, "The Great Spirit, who made all things, made every thing for some use, and whatever use he design'd any thing for, that use it should always be put to.Now, when he made rum, he said 'Let this be for the Indians to get drunk with,' and it must be so." And, indeed, if it be the design of Providence to extirpate these savages in order to make room for cultivators of the earth, it seems not improbable that rum may be the appointed means.It has already annihilated all the tribes who formerly inhabited the sea-coast.

In 1751, Dr.Thomas Bond, a particular friend of mine, conceived the idea of establishing a hospital in Philadelphia (a very beneficent design, which has been ascrib'd to me, but was originally his), for the reception and cure of poor sick persons, whether inhabitants of the province or strangers.He was zealous and active in endeavouring to procure subscriptions for it, but the proposal being a novelty in America, and at first not well understood, he met with but small success.

At length he came to me with the compliment that he found there was no such thing as carrying a public-spirited project through without my being concern'd in it."For," says he, "I am often ask'd by those to whom I propose subscribing, Have you consulted Franklin upon this business? And what does he think of it? And when I tell them that I have not (supposing it rather out of your line), they do not subscribe, but say they will consider of it." I enquired into the nature and probable utility of his scheme, and receiving from him a very satisfactory explanation, I not only subscrib'd to it myself, but engag'd heartily in the design of procuring subscriptions from others.Previously, however, to the solicitation, I endeavoured to prepare the minds of the people by writing on the subject in the newspapers, which was my usual custom in such cases, but which he had omitted.

The subscriptions afterwards were more free and generous; but, beginning to flag, I saw they would be insufficient without some assistance from the Assembly, and therefore propos'd to petition for it, which was done.The country members did not at first relish the project;they objected that it could only be serviceable to the city, and therefore the citizens alone should be at the expense of it; and they doubted whether the citizens themselves generally approv'd of it.My allegation on the contrary, that it met with such approbation as to leave no doubt of our being able to raise two thousand pounds by voluntary donations, they considered as a most extravagant supposition, and utterly impossible.

同类推荐
  • 幽明录

    幽明录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 百花野史

    百花野史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Book of Tea

    The Book of Tea

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 蕅益大师文选

    蕅益大师文选

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 六十种曲蕉帕记

    六十种曲蕉帕记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 昨日瘦刀

    昨日瘦刀

    冬雨过后,燕子湖畔竟是笼上一层淡淡的白汽,蛰伏水下的鱼儿此刻争先恐后地潜上湖面,都争着呼吸雨后的新鲜空气。这可乐坏了一直候在湖畔的几位垂钓老者,手中长长的鱼线便纷纷落下,静等鱼儿来吻。白雾之中,燕子湖心的那块巨岩,远远望去犹如一个小小的湖中岛。乐着的垂钓者,却有些焦躁起来,湖中的鱼儿在鱼钩前转来转去,就是不咬钩,似是和老人们嬉闹一般;这一情景吸引了一对年轻的情侣。女子指着湖中,小声对身旁男子说些着什么,男子听后不住点头,又回了几句,女子脸上却腾起两片羞红,抡起一双秀拳就打;男子则是满面春风的与女子一前一后在燕子湖边跑闹起来。
  • 南柯一枕

    南柯一枕

    一枕邯郸,一枕黄粱。人生,终究不过一场南柯,荒唐至极。
  • 再嫁豪门:墨少,请自重!

    再嫁豪门:墨少,请自重!

    婆婆霸道,丈夫无情,小三上门。隋晓甜被逼签下离婚协议书,从此与那豪门再无瓜葛。不料一场意外醉酒竟然让她遇到了城中顶级富豪墨洛寒,可他不是从来不近女色么?墨洛寒将她压在身下,声音低哑:“你可以来试试,我究竟近不近女色!”
  • 我愿你想到我时没有忧愁

    我愿你想到我时没有忧愁

    本书属于当下市场热销的女性情感散文集。以一个成熟、知性又充满情怀的女性视角,用60余篇文章,叙写了对爱情、友情、亲情,对孤独、理想的感悟,并表达了对往昔与未来饱含释然与希望的随笔文集,是一本充满女性智慧、又有情怀并颇有小资情调的文集。
  • 公主捂脸:驸马太心急

    公主捂脸:驸马太心急

    她,曾是集荣宠一世的北梁国辰贵妃,却在皇后和亲妹妹的陷害下,被皇帝活活祭天。一朝魂穿于瘫痪的东周公主身上,刚睁开眼,俊美绝伦的痴傻驸马缓缓逼近:入洞房,生皇孙——
  • 李嘉诚成大事忠告

    李嘉诚成大事忠告

    李嘉诚是一位成大事者,他纵横商海多年,在虎狼相争的商战中,不但脚跟稳立,而且能鹤立群雄,这与他诚信做人,以诚为本是分不开的。就如他的忠告中所述的“拥有了信誉就等于拥有了胜利”,“未立事前先立信”,“诚信是扭转困局的法宝”一样,一辈子踏踏实实,勤勤恳恳做事。这就是成大事者对有志于成就一番事业者的忠告。
  • 好女不宅斗

    好女不宅斗

    穿越了?穿越了!新鲜出炉的许臻娘面对富商丈夫,通房外室,婆婆妯娌等等宅斗关键要素傲娇的一撇嘴:三妻四妾的男人神马的,最讨厌了!老娘的男人与牙刷坚决不能与人共用,宅斗神马的,就让它浮云吧!
  • 世子妃的锦绣田园

    世子妃的锦绣田园

    学霸,才女,记忆超人,商业精英……等等光环满身的唐家第三十三代传人,唯一独女,独立特行的唐黛在新婚旅行第九天徒步穿越雪山时在雪山失踪了。且不说熟识的人震惊哗然,新婚老公赫剑的“失魂落魄”,妈妈的伤心欲绝……当唐黛再次醒来的时候,竟然发现自己穿越到古代一个八岁的同名同姓的小萝莉身上。不想原主唐黛却是个命苦的,亲生爹爹在唐黛出生第二天上山砍树时被倒下来的树压死了,从此爷爷不喜,奶奶不疼,村里都传唐黛是个命硬的,克死了爹爹。一家人被爷奶赶出了祖屋不说,连带着娘亲也时常被爷奶打骂,说是生了个命硬货,克星。哥哥姐姐也受到牵连,经常被村里差不多年岁娃娃欺负,瞧不起。穿越过来的唐黛收敛心神,面对着不管流言依然关心爱护自己的娘亲,哥姐,决心努力赚钱,让一家人过上有钱有闲幸福的日子。对我好的,我对你更好三分;想欺负我和我家人,别说门没有,窗户都有没有。全他娘的给我打残!至于爱情,那个什么玩意儿可以不要,上辈子经历过一次就够了,这一世姐自己过得幸福就好。只是,那个,那个--某男:黛黛,我喜欢你,嫁给我。黛黛:喜欢值几个钱?不嫁!某男:我的身家全是你的,人也是。黛黛:滚,不嫁,哪凉快哪呆着去!啊,啊!无耻啊,无耻啊,以为是仙一般的人,却最是腹黑无耻的,已经被某人强搂到怀里的唐黛脸黑的咬牙切齿……不过,转瞬眨眨眼,呃,某人身家好像不少啊。且看我们美丽聪明的黛黛在这穿越的古代如何将银子,爱情获得大丰收的!
  • 王爷好坏:爆宠渣妃

    王爷好坏:爆宠渣妃

    有事虐别人,无事欺负她。这是乖张邪肆、狂妄无比的睿亲王的日常!陆笙以为重活一世,是要虐爆渣男,然后保护亲人平稳余生的。殊不知,自从遇上自家未婚夫,画风就开始不对劲了。她就想问问,这个嘴贱无比,恶劣程度举世无双的男人,到底能不能要。三番两次表示她陆府伙食不好,嫌弃她身材后,还恬不知耻表示,“爱妃别自卑,你潜力大!”她呵了个呵,可以退婚吗?
  • 剑葬神灵

    剑葬神灵

    两年前,他是佼佼者,曾经被家族列为重点培养对象的天才,曾经十四岁的七节修士。在和对手家族的决斗中,一朝失败,灵力尽失,彻底成了笑柄,被人瞧不起,被人不断的嘲笑。从天才到废柴,从天堂到地狱。机缘巧合之下,他重新踏入灵修之道。强势的回归,立志一雪前耻!