e message came from king
George III. himself. The letter declared that the perfidious French
would certainly deceive the Americans with false promises, and defraud
them. After making the most liberal offers of popular rights, if the
Americans would continue to remain colonists under the British crown,
the document presented the following extraordinary promise to those
American patriots whom England had denounced as traitors, and doomed
to be hung. It was deemed a bribe which human virtue could not resist.

"As it is unreasonable that their (the American patriots)
services to their country should deprive them of those
advantages which their talents would otherwise have gained
them, the following persons shall have offices or pensions
for life, at their option, namely, Franklin, Washington,
Adams, Hancock, etc. In case his Majesty, or his successors,
should ever create American peers, then those persons, or
their descendants, shall be among the first created if they
choose it."

Franklin, after conference with his colleagues, replied to the letter.
His soul was all on fire with the insults our country had received,
and the wrongs she had endured. He wrote as if personally addressing
the king. We can only give the concluding paragraph. After stating
that the independence of America was secured, that all attempts of
England to prevent it would be impotent, and that consequently it was
quite a matter of indifference to the Americans whether England
acknowledged it or not, he wrote,[32]

"This proposition, of delivering ourselves bound and gagged,
ready for hanging, without even a right to complain, and
without a friend to be found afterward among all mankind,
you would have us embrace upon the faith of an Act of
Parliament. Good God! an act of your Parliament. This
demonstrates that you do not yet know us; and that you fancy
that we do not know you. But it is not merely this flimsy
faith that we are to act upon. You offer us hope, the hope
of PLACES, PENSIONS and PEERAGES.

"These, judging from yourselves, you think are motives
irresistible. This offer to corrupt us, sir, is with me,
your credential; and convinces me that you are not a private
volunteer in your application. It bears the stamp of British
Court character. It is even the signature of your king. But
think, for a moment, in what light it m