. Benjamin Franklin: his autobiography : with a narrative of his public life and services. lled with earth. We boughtsome old cannon from Boston ; but, these not beingsufficient, we wrote to London for more, soliciting,at the same time, our proprietaries for some assist-ance, though without much expectation of obtain-ing it. Meanwhile, Colonel Lawrence, Mr. Allen, Abra-ham Taylor, and myself were sent to New York bythe associators, commissioned to borrow some can-non of Governor Clinton, He at first refused usperemptorily ; but at dinner with his council, wherethere was great drinking of Madei
. Benjamin Franklin: his autobiography : with a narrative of his public life and services. lled with earth. We boughtsome old cannon from Boston ; but, these not beingsufficient, we wrote to London for more, soliciting,at the same time, our proprietaries for some assist-ance, though without much expectation of obtain-ing it. Meanwhile, Colonel Lawrence, Mr. Allen, Abra-ham Taylor, and myself were sent to New York bythe associators, commissioned to borrow some can-non of Governor Clinton, He at first refused usperemptorily ; but at dinner with his council, wherethere was great drinking of Madeira wine, as thecustom of that place then was, he softened by de- 176 LIFE OF FRANKLIN. grees, and said he would lend us six. After a fewmore bumpers he advanced to ten ; and at lengthhe very good-naturedly conceded eighteen. Theywere line cannon, eighteen-pounders, with their car-riages, which were soon transported and mountedon our batteries, where the associators kept a night-ly guard while the war lasted, and among the restI regularly took my turn of duty there as a com-mon My activity in these operations was agreeable tothe governor and council; they took me into con-fidence, and I was consulted by them in everymeasure where their concurrence was thought use-ful to the association. Calling in the aid of reli-gion, I proposed to them the proclaiming a fast, topromote reformation, and implore the blessing ofHeaven on our undertaking. They embraced themotion ; but, as it was the first fast ever thought ofin the province, the secretary had no precedent LIFE OF FRANKLIN. 177 from which to draw the proclamation. My educa-tion in New England, where a fast is proclaimedevery year, was here of some advantao;e : I drew itin the accustomed style ; it was translated intoGerman, printed in both languages, and circulatedthrough the province. This gave the clergy of thedifferent sects an opportunity of influencing theircongregations to join the association, and it wouldprobably
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