“For their sincerity in these declarations, they solemnly call to witness the Searcher of all hearts.

“If Britain can have any reliance on these declarations, (and perhaps none to be extorted by force can be more relied on than these which are thus freely made,) she may, without hazard to herself, try the expedient proposed, since, if it fails, she has it in her power at any time to resume her present measures.

“It is, then, proposed,

“That Britain should show some confidence in these declarations, by repealing all the laws or parts of laws that are requested to be repealed in the Petition of the Congress to the King.

“And that at the same time orders should be given to withdraw the Fleet from Boston, and remove all the Troops to Quebeck or the Floridas, that the Colonies may be left at liberty in their future stipulations.

“That this may, for the honour of Britain, appear not the effect of any apprehension from the measures entered into and recommended to the people by the Congress, but from good will, and a change of disposition towards the Colonies, with a sincere desire of reconciliation; let some of their other grievances, which, in their Petition, they have left to the magnanimity and justice of the King and Parliament, be at the same time removed, such as those relating to the payment of Governours’ and Judges’ salaries, and the instructions for dissolving Assemblies, &c., with the declarations concerning the Statute of Henry VIII.

“And to give the Colonies an immediate opportunity of demonstrating the reality of their professions, let their proposed ensuing Congress be authorized by Government, (as was that held at Albany in 1754,) and a person of weight and dignity of character be appointed to preside at it on behalf of the Crown.

“And then let requisition be made to the Congress, of such points as Government wishes to obtain, for its future security, for aids, for the advantage of general Commerce, for reparation to the India Company, &c., &c.

“A generous confidence thus placed in the Colonies, will give ground to the friends of Government there, in their endeavours to procure from America every reasonable concession or engagement, and every substantial aid that can fairly be desired. ”

On the Saturday evening I saw Mrs. Howe, who informed me she had transcribed and sent the paper to Lord Howe in the country, and she returned me the original. On the following Tuesday, January 3d, I received a note from her, (enclosing a letter she had received from Lord Howe the last night,) which follows:

“Mrs. HOWE’S compliments to Dr. Franklin; she encloses him a letter she received last night, and returns him many thanks for his very obliging present,* which has already given her great entertainment. If the Doctor has any spare time for chess, she will be exceedingly glad to see him any morning this week, and as often as will be agreeable to him, and rejoices in having so good an excuse for asking the favour of his company.

“Tuesday.”

[Letter enclosed in the foregoing.]

Porter’s Lodge, January 2d, 1775.

I have received your packet; and it is with much concern that I collect, from sentiments of such authority as, those of our worthy friend, that the desired accommodation threatens to be attended with much greater difficulty than I had flattered myself, in the progress of our intercourse, there would be reason to apprehend.

I shall forward the propositions as intended. Not desirous of trespassing further on our friend’s indulgence; but returning sentiments of regard, which his candid and obliging attention to my troublesome inquiries, will render ever permanent in the memory of your affectionate, &c.

I ought to make excuses likewise to you.

HOWE.

Hon. Mrs. Howe, Grafton Street.

His Lordship had, in his last conversation with me, acknowledged a communication between him and the Ministry, to whom he wished to make my sentiments known. In, this letter from the country he owns the receipt of them, and mentions his intentions of forwarding them, that is, as I understood it, to the Ministers; but expresses his apprehensions that such propositions were not likely to produce any good effect. Some time after, perhaps a week, I received a note from Mrs. Howe, desiring to see me. I waited upon her immediately, when she showed me a letter from her brother, of which, having no copy, I can only give from the best of my recollection the purport of it, which I think was this: that he desired to know from their friend, meaning me, through her means, whether it might not be expected that, if that friend would engage for the payment of the Tea as a preliminary, relying on a promised redress of their grievances on future petitions from their Assembly, they would approve of his making such engagement; and whether the proposition in the former paper, (the Hints,) relating to aids, was still in contemplation of the author. As Mrs. Howe proposed sending to her brother that evening, I wrote immediately the following answer, which she transcribed and forwarded:

“The proposition in the former paper relating to aids, is still in contemplation of the author, and, as he thinks, is included in the last article of the present paper.

“The people of America, conceiving that Parliament has no right to tax them, and that, therefore, all that has been extorted from them by the operation of the Duty Acts, with the assistance of an armed force, preceding the destruction of the Tea, is so much injury, which ought, in order of time, to be first repaired, before a demand on the Tea account can be justly made of them; are not, he thinks, likely to approve of the measure proposed, and pay in the first place the value demanded, especially as twenty times as much injury has since been done them by blocking up their Port; and their Castle also seized before by the Crown, has not been restored, nor any satisfaction offered them for the same. ”

At the meeting of Parliament, after the holidays, which was on the 19th of January, (1775,) Lord Howe returned to town, when we had another meeting, at which he lamented that my propositions were not such as probably could be accepted; intimated that it was thought I had powers or instructions from the Congress to make concessions on occasion that would be more satisfactory. I disclaimed the having any of any kind but what related to the presenting of their Petition. We talked over all the particulars in my paper, which I supported with reasons; and finally said, that if what I had proposed would not do, I should be glad to hear what would do; I wished to see some propositions from the Ministers themselves. His Lordship was not, he said, as yet fully acquainted with their sentiments, but should learn more in a few days. It was, however, some weeks before I.heard, any thing further from him.

In the meanwhile, Mr. Barclay and I were frequently together on the affair of preparing the Merchants’ Petition, which took up so much of his time that he could not conveniently see Lord Hyde; so he had no information to give me concerning the Hints, and I wondered I heard nothing of them from Dr. Fothergill. At length, however, but I cannot recollect about what time, the Doctor called on me, and told me he had communicated them, and with them had verbally given my arguments in support of them, to Lord Dartmouth, who, after consideration, had told him some of them appeared reasonable, but others were inadmissible or impracticable; that having occasion to see frequently the Speaker,* he had also communicated them to him, as he found him very anxious for a reconciliation: that the Speaker had said it would be very humiliating to Britain to be obliged to submit to such terms: but the Doctor told him she had been unjust; and ought to bear the consequences, and alter her conduct; that the pill might be bitter, but it would be salutary, and must be swallowed: that these were the sentiments of impartial men, after thorough consideration and full information of all circumstances, and that sooner or later these or similar measures must be followed, or the Empire would be divided and ruined: the Doctor, on the whole, hoped some good would be effected by our endeavours.

On the 19th of January, I received a card from Lord Stanhope, acquainting me, that Lord Chatham having a motion to make on the morrow in the House of Lords, concerning

* His philosophical writings.

* Sir Fletcher Norton.