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ot only of Philadelphia； but of the world。 In 1769 the original society was consolidated with another of similar aims； and Franklin； who was the first secretary of the society； was elected president and served until his death。 The first important undertaking was the successful observation of the transit of Venus in 1769； and many important scientific discoveries have since been made by its members and first given to the world at its meetings。
Franklin's appointment as one of the two Deputy Postmasters General of the colonies in 1753 enlarged his experience and his reputation。 He visited nearly all the post offices in the colonies and introduced many improvements into the service。 In none of his positions did his transcendent business ability show to better advantage。 He established new postal routes and shortened others。 There were no good roads in the colonies； but his post riders made what then seemed wonderful speed。 The bags were opened to newspapers； the carrying of which had previously been a private and unlawful perquisite of the riders。 Previously there had been one mail a week in summer between New York and Philadelphia and one a month in winter。 The service was increased to three a week in summer and one in winter。
The main post road ran from northern New England to Savannah； closely hugging the seacoast for the greater part of the way。 Some of the milestones set by Franklin to enable the postmasters to compute the postage； which was fixed according to distance； are still standing。 Crossroads connected some of the larger communities away from the seacoast with the main road； but when Franklin died； after serving also as Postmaster General of the United States； there were only seventy…five post offices in the entire country。
Franklin took a hand in the final struggle between France and England in America。 On the eve of the conflict； in 1754； commissioners from the several colonies were ordered to convene at Albany for a conference with the Six Nations of the Iroquois； and Franklin was one of the deputies from Pennsylvania。 On his way to Albany he 〃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。〃 This statesmanlike 〃Albany Plan of Union；〃 however； came to nothing。 〃Its fate was singular；〃 says Franklin； 〃the assemblies did not adopt it； as they all thought there was too much PREROGATIVE in it and in England it was judg'd to have too much of the DEMOCRATIC。〃
How to raise funds for defense was always a grave problem in the colonies； for the assemblies controlled the purse…strings and released them with a grudging hand。 In face of the French menace； this was Governor Shirley's problem in Massachusetts； Governor Dinwiddie's in Virginia； and Franklin's in the Quaker and proprietary province of Pennsylvania。 Franklin opposed Shirley's suggestion of a general tax to be levied on the colonies by Parliament； on the ground of no taxation without representation； but used all his arts to bring the Quaker Assembly to vote money for defense； and succeeded。 When General Braddock arrived in Virginia Franklin was sent by the Assembly to confer with him in the hope of allaying any prejudice against Quakers that the general might have conceived。 If that blustering and dull…witted soldier had any such prejudice； it melted away when the envoy of the Quakers promised to procure wagons for the army。 The story of Braddock's disaster does not belong here； but Franklin formed a shrewd estimate of the man which proved accurate。 His account of Braddock's opinion of the colonial militia is given in a sentence： 〃He smil'd at my ignorance； and reply'd； 'These savages may； indeed； be a formidable enemy to your raw American militia； but upon the King's regular and disciplin'd troops； sir； it is impossible they should make any impression。'〃 After Braddock's defeat the Pennsylvania Assembly voted more money for defense； and the unmilitary Franklin was placed in command of the frontier with full power。 He built forts； as he had planned； and incidentally learned much of the beliefs of a group of settlers in the back country； the 〃Unitas Fratrum；〃 better known as the Moravians。
The death struggle between English and French in America served only to intensify a lesser conflict that was being waged between the Assembly and the proprietors of Pennsylvania； and the Assembly determined to send Franklin to London to seek judgment against the proprietors and to request the King to take away from them the government of Pennsylvania。 Franklin； accompanied by his son William； reached London in July； 1757； and from this time on his life was to be closely linked with Europe。 He returned to America six years later and made a trip of sixteen hundred miles inspecting postal affairs； but in 1764 he was again sent to England to renew the petition for a royal government for Pennsylvania； which had not yet been granted。 Presently that petition was made obsolete by the Stamp Act； and Franklin became the representative of the American colonies against King and Parliament。
Franklin did his best to avert the Revolution。 He made many friends in England； wrote pamphlets and articles； told comical stories and fables where they might do some good； and constantly strove to enlighten the ruling class of England upon conditions and sentiment in the colonies。 His examination before the House of Commons in February； 1766； marks perhaps the zenith of his intellectual powers。 His wide knowledge； his wonderful poise； his ready wit； his marvelous gift for clear and epigrammatic statement； were never exhibited to better advantage and no doubt hastened the repeal of the Stamp Act。 Franklin remained in England nine years longer； but his efforts to reconcile the conflicting claims of Parliament and the colonies were of no avail； and early in 1775 he sailed for home。
Franklin's stay in America lasted only eighteen months； yet during that time he sat in the Continental Congress and as a member of the most important committees； submitted a plan for a union of the colonies； served as Postmaster General and as chairman of the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety； visited Washington at Cambridge； went to Montreal to do what he could for the cause of independence in Canada； presided over the convention which framed a constitution for Pennsylvania； was a member of the committee appointed to draft the Declaration of Independence and of the committee sent on the futile mission to New York to discuss terms of peace with Lord Howe。
In September； 1776； Franklin was appointed envoy to France and sailed soon afterwards。 The envoys appointed to act with him proved a handicap rather than a help； and the great burden of a difficult and momentous mission was thus laid upon an old man of seventy。 But no other American could have taken his place。 His reputation in France was already made； through his books and inventions and discoveries。 To the corrupt and licentious court he was the personification of the age of simplicity； which it was the fashion to admire； to the learned； he was a sage； to the common man he was the apotheosis of all the virtues； to the rabble he was little less than a god。 Great ladies sought his smiles； nobles treasured a kindly word； the shopkeeper hung his portrait on the wall； and the people drew aside in the streets that he might pass without annoyance。 Through all this adulation Franklin passed serenely； if not unconsciously。
The French ministers were not at first willing to make a treaty of alliance； but under Franklin's influence they lent money to the struggling colonies。 Congress sought to finance the war by the issue of paper currency and by borrowing rather than by taxation； and sent bill after bill to Franklin； who somehow managed to meet them by putting his pride in his pocket； and applying again and again to the French Government。 He fitted out privateers and negotiated with the British concerning prisoners。 At length he won from France recognition of the United States and then the Treaty of Alliance。
Not until two years after the Peace of 1783 would Congress permit the veteran to come home。 And when he did return in 1785 his people would not allow him to rest。 At once he was elected President of the Council of Pennsylvania and twice reelected in spite of his protests。 He was sent to the Convention of 1787 which framed the Constitution of the United States。 There he spoke seldom but always to the point； and the Constitution is the better for his suggestions。 With pride he axed his signature to that great instrument； as he had previously signed the Albany Plan of Union； the Declaration of Independence； and the Treaty of Paris。
Benjamin Franklin's work was done。 He was now an old man of eighty…two summers and his feeble body was racked by a painful malady。 Yet he kept his face towards the morning。 About a hundred of his letters； written after this time； have been preserved。 These letters show no retrospection； no looking backward。 They never mention 〃the good old times。〃 As long as he lived； Franklin looked forward。 His interest in the mechanical arts and in scientific progress seems never to have abated。 He writes in October； 1787； to a friend in France；