Lone Traveler: The Singular Life of Benjamin Franklin
Chapter 25 Unity & Independence True to his nature, George III rejected the olive branch petition, declared the colonies in open rebellion and in December, 1775 his Prohibitory Act barred trade with the colonies. Lord Dunmore, Virginia’s Royal Governor responded by forming a loyalist army and offering to free the slaves who took up arms on Britain’s side. This force, which included between 1,000 and 2,000 blacks, attacked and burned Norfolk. As a result Congress passed a resolution on January 2, 1776 directing local authorities to crack down on those who supported the royal government. The head of the New Jersey State militia, William Alexander, who improperly referred to himself as Lord Stirling, had his men seize the Governor’s mail. In it they found a thick packet addressed to Lord Dartmouth that contained William Franklin’s assessment of the independence movement, his reports on the speeches given by Dickinson, Wythe and Jay and other materials. Particularly damaging were examples of radical propaganda that would be used as evidence of treason if Britain won the war. Militiamen surrounded the Governor’s mansion at 2 A.M. on the night of January eighth and the colonel in command ordered Franklin not to leave the province. William agreed stating that he had no intention of leaving “unless compelled by violence.” Apparently Benjamin Franklin didn’t tell Temple or the others in his home about the incident in Perth Amboy. A letter to William from Temple written on January 15 didn’t mention the affair but William’s reply was heated. He described the scene and Elizabeth’s frightened response telling his son about “being awakened with a violent knocking at the door about two o’clock in the morning and seeing the house surrounded by a large party of armed men with guns and bayonets.” Temple wrote back to his father immediately to express his sympathy and concern but Benjamin Franklin remained silent, choosing not to contact William. His son had chosen his own path and there was nothing the father could do. On February 15th Franklin, now seventy-years-old, was assigned by Congress to go to Canada to convince the French Canadians to join the colonies against Britain. On the 27th he resigned from Pennsylvania’s Committee of Safety and from the Assembly, saying, “It would be a happiness to me if I could serve the public duly in all these stations but aged as I am, I feel myself unequal to so much business and on that account think it my duty to decline a part of it.” Another reason for choosing to leave the Assembly may have been John Dickinson, whose power was increasing. Dickinson was still against independence and if his influence over the others in the State Assembly resulted in another appeal for reconciliation Franklin did not want to be a part of it. Also in February Washington and his men were working to liberate Boston. By March 4th they’d finished placing heavy artillery on Dorchester Heights above Howe’s encamped troops. The guns were seized at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point on Lake Champlain by troops led by Colonels Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold in May of 1775. Throughout the winter troops pulled them on sleds through New York and Massachusetts. Howe was completely exposed so he loaded his troops on ships and evacuated Boston on March 17th. Franklin’s trip north was arduous and its chances for success minimal. Most of the French Canadians were Catholic and the animosities the English colonists felt toward the Pope and Catholicism were well known. In November of 1775, after word came that the British were planning to raid New York from Canada, Generals Phillip Schuyler and Richard Montgomery led American forces north and captured Montreal. The occupying forces did not respect the Catholic Church and its role in public affairs. The American commander even ordered all churches closed on Christmas Eve and told the committee of Catholics who sought a hearing, “I regard you all as enemies and rascals.” Benedict Arnold, then a Brigadier General, attacked Quebec on December 31, 1775 but failed to take the city and for the rest of the winter managed only to maintain a weak cordon around it. Bishop Jean Briant, the ruling Catholic prelate, denounced the Americans from inside Quebec and instructed all priests to withhold the sacraments from anyone who supported the Americans, who he called the Bostonnais. Making the journey with Franklin were Maryland delegates Samuel Chase and Charles Carroll of Carrollton and Charles’ cousin John Carroll, a Jesuit priest who would eventually become the first Roman Catholic bishop in the United States. Chase, the Carrolls and Franklin got along very well. When Chase told Franklin of Charles Carroll’s role in the burning of a tea ship in Maryland Franklin knew his companion was a man of conviction and they became friends. Carroll wrote
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