e articles attracted so much attention that young
Benjamin could not refrain from claiming their paternity. This led his
brother and others to regard him with far more respect than
heretofore.

But the Courant, while popular with the masses, became unpopular with
the governmental authorities and with the religious community. As a
slap in the face of the government, a fictitious letter was written,
professedly from Newport, stating that a piratic ship had appeared off
the coast, plundering, burning, and destroying. It was then stated
that the government of Massachusetts was fitting out an armed vessel
to attack the pirate, and that, wind and weather permitting, the
vessel would sail from Boston sometime during the month.

This reflection upon the dilatoriness of government gave great
offence. The members of the Council summoned Franklin before them to
answer for the libel. He admitted that he was the publisher of the
paper, but refused to give the name of the writer. The Council decided
that the paragraph was a high affront to the government, and ordered
his imprisonment in the Boston jail. Here he was incarcerated for a
week. Crushed by his misfortunes he wrote a very humble letter stating
that his close confinement endangered his life, and begging that he
might enjoy the liberty of the jail-yard. His request was granted, and
for three weeks more he remained a prisoner, though with daily
permission to leave his cell.

During this time Benjamin conducted the paper, editing it, setting
the type, printing the sheets and distributing the copies to the
subscribers. He was still but a boy of sixteen. James was eventually
released from prison, but the general character of the Courant
remained unchanged. Unworthy professors of Christianity were
incessantly assailed. The virtues of true Christians--of the
multitudes of the disciples of Jesus, who were mothers in Israel, or
who were Israelites indeed in whom there was no guile, were forgotten;
while every mean and contemptible act of hypocrites and apostates was
proclaimed with trumpet resonance.

At length the Council declared in reference to a peculiarly obnoxious
copy of the paper, that the Courant of that date contained many
passages perverting the Holy Scriptures, and slandering the civil
government, the ministers, and the good people of the land. A
committee of three was appointed to report upon the matter. After two
days they brought in the following decision: