15 - Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

Penned as a heartfelt letter to his son, Benjamin Franklins autobiography is not just a chronicle of his life, but also a pioneer in the self-help genre in America. The book is an intriguing blend of personal history and timeless advice on success, beautifully edited by Frank Woodworth Pine (1869-1919). Join us as we delve into Franklins wisdom-filled world. (Summary by Gary)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Chapter fourteen. This is a
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, edited by Frank Woodworth Pine,

(00:24):
Chapter fourteen. Albany Plan of Union. In seventeen fifty four war,
with France being again apprehended, a congress of commissioners from
the different colonies was by an order of the Lords
of Trade to be assembled at Albany, there to confer
with the chiefs of the six nations concerning the means
of defending both their country and ours. Governor Hamilton, having

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received this order, acquainted the House with it, requested they
should furnish proper presents for the Indians to be given
on this occasion, and naming the Speaker, mister Norris, and
myself to join mister Thomas penn and mister Secretary Peters
as commissioners to act for Pennsylvania. The House approved the
nomination and provided the goods for the present. And though

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they did not much like treating out of the provinces,
and we met the other Commissioners at Albany about the
middle of June. In our way thither I projected and
drew a plan for the union of all the colonies
under one government, so far as might be necessary for
defense and other important general purposes. As we passed through

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New York, I had there shown my project to mister
James Alexander and mister Kennedy, two gentlemen of great knowledge
in public affairs, and being fortified by their approbation, I
ventured to lay it before the Congress. It then appeared
that several of the commissioners had formed plans of the
same kind. A previous question was first taken whether a

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union should be established, which passed in the affirmative unanimously.
A committee was then appointed, one member from each colony,
to consider the several plans and report. Mine. Happened to
be preferred, and with a few amendments, was accordingly reported.
By this plan, the general government was to be administered
by a President General appointed and supported by the Crown,

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and a Grand Council was to be chosen by the
representatives of the people of the several colonies met in
their respective assemblies. The debates upon it in Congress went
on daily, hand in hand with the Indian business. Many
objections and difficulties were started, but at length they were
all overcome, and the plan was unanimously agreed to, and

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copies ordered to be transmitted to the Board of Trade
and to the assemblies of the several provinces. Its fate
was singular. The assemblies did not adopt it, as they
all thought there was too much prerogative in it, and
in England it was judged to have too much of
the democratic The Board of Trade therefore did not approve

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of it, nor recommend it for the approbation of His Majesty.
But another scheme was formed supposed to answer the same
purpose better, whereby the governors of the provinces, with some
members of their respective councils, were to meet and order
the raising of troops, building of forts, et cetera, and
to draw on the Treasury of Great Britain for the expense,

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which was afterward to be refunded by an Act of
Parliament laying attacks on America. My plan, with my reasons
in support of it, is to be found among the
political papers that are printed. Being the winter following in Boston,
I had much conversation with Governor Shirley upon both the plans.
Part of what passed between us on the occasion may

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also be seen among those papers. The different and contrary
reasons of dislike to my plan makes me suspect that
it was really a true medium, and I am still
of opinion it would have been happy for both sides
the water. If it had been adopted, the colonies so
united would have been sufficiently strong to have defended themselves.

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There would then have been no need of troops from England.
Of course, the subsequent pretense for taxing America, and the
bloody contest it occasioned, would have been avoided. But such
mistakes are not new. History is full of the errors
of states and princes. Look round the habitable world, how
few know their own good or knowing it pursue. Those

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who govern, having much business on their hands, do not
generally like to take the trouble of considering and carrying
into execution new projects. The best public measures are therefore
seldom adopted from previous wisdom, but forced by the occasion.
The Governor of Pennsylvania, in sending it down to the Assembly,

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expressed his approbation of the plan as appearing to him
to be drawn up with great clearness and strength of judgment,
and therefore recommended it as well worthy of their close,
closest and most serious attention. The House, however, by the
management of a certain member, took it up when I
happened to be absent, which I thought not very fair,

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and reprobated it without paying any attention to it at all,
to my no small mortification. End of Chapter fourteen