The Continental Congress and its Doings: Franklin and Pennsylvania

Franklin, who was by this time back at Philadelphia, was again directing his attention to the more effective confederation of the colonies. Reverting in some measure to his Albany scheme of 1754, he submitted to Congress a plan for uniting the colonies in one nation. Each colony was to have its own Parliament, and the right to amend its own laws and constitution whenever it pleased; and the Federal government was to attend to affairs of national importance, and to govern the waste lands. Congress was to consist of but one legislative body, to be chosen annually, and one of its committees was to wield the executive power. . Some members of Congress, however, were far in advance of the collective sentiment. John Adams, in particular, was for at once establishing a constitution and a general government. . When Congress adjourned on the 1st of August, nothing had been settled in principle; yet a great many steps had been taken which made it all the less likely that the quarrel would be compromised,--all the more probable that a violent separation would take place. .

The Continental Congress reassembled on the 13th of September; but the spirit of hesitation which had perplexed its counsels before still continued in an unabated degree. Dickinson, of Pennsylvania, exercised a great influence over the deliberations of the Federal body, and his love of moderation was carried, in the opinion of the more extreme, to the point of timidity.

The king's proclamation, denouncing the American malcontents as rebels, and requiring all loyal subjects to transmit information of traitorous designs to one of the secretaries of state, reached the New World a few weeks after its publication in England, which was on the 23d of August. It was received in New England with anger and derision, and deepened the resolve of all the popular leaders to declare the independence of the country. .

It was the 1st of November when the proclamation became known to the Continental Congress at Philadelphia. Abandoning their mood of hesitation, the delegates now resolved to act on the petitions of those provinces which desired to institute governments of their own. Wentworth, the governor of New Hampshire, having left his post, the people of that colony requested of Congress that they might be allowed to provide for the administration of their affairs, which had fallen into extreme disorder; and the prayer was granted. South Carolina was permitted to act in the same way. In both cases, the new governments were to exist only during the continuance of the dispute between Great Britain and her American possessions; but it must by this time have been almost universally perceived that the approaching struggle could eventuate in nothing but the entire independence of America or its complete subjugation.

The Pennsylvania Assembly still preserved an attitude of loyalty to the king. Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland followed the example of Pennsylvania. In New York much loyalty was professed. The strong seats of rebellious sentiment were New England and Virginia, and some of the more southern provinces. Franklin, who had broken with the Pennsylvania Assembly and declined to take the seat to which he had been elected, now stimulated Thomas Paine, who had come to America at his suggestion, to the writing of those vigorous democratic pamphlets which did so much towards inspiring the people with patriotic sentiments.

As the Pennsylvania legislature hesitated, the Continental Congress grew more determined and resolute. It empowered a secret committee to import gunpowder, field-pieces, and small-arms, and to export provisions and produce to the foreign West Indies in exchange for these materials of war. It adopted rules for the government of the American navy, which as yet had scarcely an existence except in design; directed the enlistment of two battalions of marines; authorized the colonists to seize all ships employed as carriers for the British fleet or army; and sanctioned tribunals for the confiscation of their cargoes. It was proposed by a Maryland delegate--who certainly went far beyond the feeling generally prevalent in his province--that envoys should be sent to France, with conditional instructions; but the motion was rejected. Nevertheless Harrison, Franklin, Johnson, Dickinson, and Jay were appointed a secret committee for corresponding with any persons in Great Britain, Ireland, and other parts of the world, who might be favorable to the American cause; and funds were appropriated for the payment of agents. These were all acts practically establishing an independent government, though the absolute declaration of independence was still delayed. The leaders of the popular party had already declared that the people are the source and origin of power; and this doctrine grew in favor with all who supported colonial rights. .

In December the Continental Congress determined to build thirteen ships of war and to establish a naval department. . This was another and very important step towards the creation of a national government totally distinct from that of the parent state. Still another was the opening of negotiations with foreign powers. . Towards the end of the year, De Bonvouloir, the emissary of Vergennes [of France], arrived in Philadelphia, and had several conferences with Franklin and the other members of the secret committee. The result of these interviews was that the Frenchman gave the committee to understand, without making an exact promise to that effect, that his king would aid them on certain conditions; and that the committee made it very clear to the Frenchman that they would be glad of such aid in the furtherance of their designs, though they still kept up the farce of pretending that they were even yet indisposed to sever their connection with England and with the English crown. .