d voyage--Savage horrors--Retaliating
cruelties--Franklin's efforts in behalf of the Moravian
Indians.

The general impression, produced throughout the colonies, by the
controversy with the proprietaries, was that they were very weak men.
Indeed it does not appear that they were much regarded even in London.
A gentleman, writing from that city, said, "They are hardly to be
found in the herd of gentry; not in court, not in office, not in
parliament."

In March, Franklin left his home for a post-office tour. Some forty of
the officers of his regiment, well mounted, and in rich uniform,
without Franklin's knowledge, came to his door, to escort him out of
the village. Franklin says,

"I had not previously been made acquainted with their
project, or I should have prevented it, being naturally
averse to the assuming of state on any occasion."

The proprietaries in London heard an account of this affair. They were
very much displeased, saying they had never been thus honored, and
that princes of the blood alone were entitled to such distinction. The
war was still raging. Large bodies of troops were crossing the ocean
to be united with the colonial forces.

Lord Loudoun was appointed by the court commander-in-chief for
America. He was an exceedingly weak and inefficient man; scarcely a
soldier in the ranks could be found more incompetent for the
situation. Governor Morris, of Pennsylvania, worn out with his
unavailing conflicts with the Assembly, was withdrawn, and the
proprietaries sent out Captain William Denny as their obsequious
servant in his stead. The Philadelphians, hoping to conciliate him,
received him cordially, and with a public entertainment. William
Franklin wrote:

"Change of devils, according to the Scotch proverb, is
blithesome."

At the close of the feast, when most of the party were making
themselves merry over their wine, Governor Denny took Franklin aside
into an adjoining room, and endeavored, by the most abounding
flattery, and by the bribe of rich promises, to induce him to espouse
the cause of the proprietaries. But he soon learned that Franklin
could not be influenced by any of his bribes.

There was but a brief lull in the storm. Governor Denny had no power
of his own. He could only obey the peremptory instructions he had
received. These instructions were irreconcilably hostile to the
resolves of the Assembly. Franklin was the all-powerful leader of the