Note 152 — IV. THE LOYALISTS.

Franklin’s Memoirs (London, 1818, p. 201), (Sparks, p. 176). “In 1754, 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 in Albany; there to confer with the chiefs of the six nations, concerning the means of defending both their country and ours.

We met the other commissioners at Albany about the middle of June. In our way thither I projected and drew up a plan for the union of all the colonies under one government, so far as might be necessary for defence, and other important general purposes. As we passed through New York, I had there shown my project to Mr. James Alexander and Mr. 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 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; and a grand Council 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 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 different and contrary reasons of dislike to my plan make me suspect that it was really the true medium: and I am still of opinion it would have been happy for both sides if it had been adopted. The colonies so united would have been sufficiently strong to have defended themselves: there would then have been no need of troops from England; of course the subsequent pretext for taxing America, and the bloody contest it occasioned, would have been avoided.”

The plan proposed may be found in Franklin’s Works (Sparks, i. 36), (London, 1833, v. 299); N. Y. Col. Doc., vi. 889. The proceedings of the Congress in N. Y. Col. Doc., vi. 853, other accounts of the Congress by members; Hutchinson, Hist. Mass. Bay, iii. 19–25; William Smith, History of New York, ii. 180; Stephen Hopkins, A true representation of the plan formed at Albany (in 1754) for uniting all the British northern Colonies, in order to their common safety and defence (R. I. Historical Tracts, No. 9). For an excellent brief statement of the attempts at consolidation and plans suggested for that purpose, see Winsor, Narrative and Critical History of the U. S., v. 611.