ranklin's military career was
as creditable as it was brief. He was called forward at the crisis of
universal dismay; he gave his popular influence and cool head to a
peculiar kind of service, of which he knew much by hearsay, if nothing
by personal experience; he did his work well; and, much stranger to
relate, he escaped the delusion that he was a soldier. So soon as he
could do so, that is to say after a few weeks, he returned to his civil
duties. But he had shown courage, intelligence, and patriotism in a high
degree, and he had greatly increased the confidence reposed in him by
his fellow citizens.

Beyond those active military measures which the exigencies of the time
made necessary, Franklin fell in with, if he did not originate, a plan
designed to afford permanent protection in the future. This was to
extend the colonies inland. His notions were broad, embracing much both
in space and time. He thought "what a glorious thing it would be to
settle in that fine country a large, strong body of religious,
industrious people. What a security to the other colonies and advantage
to Britain by increasing her people, territory, strength, and commerce."
He foretold that "perhaps in less than another century" the Ohio valley
might "become a populous and powerful dominion, and a great accession of
power either to England or France." Having this scheme much at heart, he
drew up a sort of prospectus "for settling two western colonies in North
America;" "barrier colonies" they were called by Governor Pownall, who
was warm in the same idea, and sent a plan of his own, together with
Franklin's, to the home government.

It is true that these new settlements, regarded strictly as bulwarks,
would have been only a change of "barrier," an advancement of frontier;
they themselves would become frontier instead of the present line, and
would be equally subject to Indian and French assaults. Still the step
was in the direction of growth and expansion; it was advancing and
aggressive, and indicated an appreciation of the enormous motive power
which lay in English colonization. Franklin pushed it earnestly,
interested others in it, and seemed at one time on the point of
securing the charters. But the conquest of Canada within a very short
time rendered defensive colonization almost needless, and soon afterward
the premonitions and actual outbreak of the Revolution put an end to all
schemes in this shape.

CHAPTER III

REPRESENTAT