Too often dismissed as the least philosophic of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin had a deep and lasting impact on the shape of American political thought. In this substantial collection of Franklin's letters, essays, and lesser-known papers, Ralph Ketcham traces the development of Franklin's practical-and distinctly American-political thought from his earliest Silence Dogood essays to his final writings on the Constitution and The Evils of the Slave Trade.
A lifelong scholar of Benjamin Franklin's life completes the unfinished "Autobiography" with information on Franklin's attitudes about such topics as the Constitutional Convention, slavery, and Thomas Jefferson.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
The forty-second volume of the collected writings and correspondences of the American statesman, ambassador, and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin In the spring of 1784, Franklin, John Jay, and British negotiator David Hartley exchanged ratifications of the definitive British-American peace treaty. Hoping for permission from Congress to return home, Franklin settled his accounts, negotiated a French consular convention, headed a royal commission to investigate animal magnetism, wrote several scientific theories, and published his well-known satire about rising with the sun. As the volume ends, Thomas Jefferson brings news of a diplomatic assignment that would keep Franklin in France for another year.
Poor Richard's Almanack is one of Benjamin Franklin's most charming creations. He delighted in cloaking his writing behind a variety of literary personas, and Richard Saunders remains one of his most beloved. Some critics have complained that Poor Richard reveals the shallow materialism at the heart of Franklin's homespun philosophy and, by extension, at the heart of America itself. Even so, Almanack holds a central place in understanding Franklin and his evolution from humble tradesman to founding father as well as providing a window into colonial America. Franklin's sharp wit still retains its ability to surprise and delight readers today.
In 1773, Benjamin Franklin was living in London and acting as Commissioner for the colonies of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Georgia. He learned of, and obtained copies of, letters from the Province of Massachusetts Bay Governor Thomas Hutchinson and Lieutenant Governor Oliver written to powerful people in England. These letters called "for suppressive measures" and advised "action detrimental to the colonies." Benjamin Franklin came before the privy council in London, on behalf of the House of Representatives, to petition for the removal of Hutchinson and Oliver from office. This account includes a description of the event from Bancroft's History of the United States , and the text of the letters and speeches relating to the event. It was originally published in Philadelphia in 1860.
In 1758, Benjamin Franklin published the 25th and final issue of Poor Richard's Almanac. As a preface to this final edition, he wrote The Way to Wealth and introduced Father Abraham as the main character in the tale. Father Abraham embodied the financial wisdom that "Poor" Richard Saunders - one of Benjamin Franklin's many pen names - incorporated in the 25 years during which the almanac was a staple on mantels above fireplaces, in personal libraries and on the tables of colonial America. In 2008, on the 250th anniversary year of that event, Jeffrey Reeves is adding a unique and timely perspective to this classic book about money and life. The wisdom that Dr. Benjamin Franklin captured in The Way to Wealth is timeless. However, the vernacular of 1758 sometimes obscures the meaning for today's economy and for the personal economies of 21st Century Americans. Jeffrey's commentary adds clarity to the language and insights found in The Way to Wealth's tested and true principles and practices.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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