The Complete Works in Philosophy, Politics and Morals of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Vol. 3 [of 3] · Benjamin Franklin
FOOTNOTE:
Mr. Henry Strachey had been secretary to the _first_ commission, attended with the following singular circumstance, as stated in the house of lords. In this commission for restoring peace to America, "(or _in other words_ to induce America at once to put a confidence in the crown, and to believe that the parliament of England is a sufficiently powerful and honest barrier for them to trust to) the secretary (Mr. Strachey) had 500_l._ granted for life out of the _four and a half_ per cent. duty, filched by the crown from the West-India Islands, and in opposition to a solemn address of parliament desiring that it might be applied to the original purposes for which it was granted by the respective assemblies of the islands."--What these original purposes of the grants were, I meant very briefly to have stated: but have not been able to procure the proper documents in time. B. V. _Dr. Franklin's Answer to Lord Howe._ _Philadelphia, July 30, 1776._
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