Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/36

32 regretted, there being no provision for defence, nor for a compleat education of youth; no militia, nor any college.

His plans for education had been laid aside for the present, we have seen; his plans for defence of his city against foreign invasion did not culminate for four years. Of them he writes,

With respect to defense, Spain having been several years at war against Great Britain, and being at length join'd by France, which brought us into great danger; and laboured and long continued endeavour of our governor, Thomas, to prevail with our Quaker Assembly to pass a militia law, and make other provisions for the security of the province, having proved abortive, I determined to try what might be done by a voluntary association of the people. To promote this, I first wrote and published a pamphlet, entitled,. The pamphlet had a sudden and surprising effect. I was call'd upon for the instrument of association, and having settled the draft of it with a few friends, I appointed a meeting of the citizens in the large building before mentioned, [afterwards the first home of the University], The house was pretty full; I had prepared a number of printed copies, and provided pens and ink dispers'd all over the room. I harangued them a little on the subject, read the paper and explained it, and then distributed the copies, which were eagerly signed, not the least objection being made. When the company separated, and the papers were collected, we found above twelve hundred hands; and other copies being dispersed in the country, the subscribers amounted at length to upwards of ten thousand.

Thus was formed in November, 1747, the new militia, or Associators as they were called. The officers of the companies composing the Philadelphia regiment chose Franklin as their lieutenant colonel, "but, conceiving myself unfit, I declined that station," he writes, "and recommended Mr. Lawrence."

By April following nearly one thousand associations were under arms, and batteries were erected on the river front, the grand battery near the Swedes Church, on ground afterwards occupied by the United States Navy Yard, being named the Association Battery. But the news of the peace concluded at Aix la Chapelle in April reached Philadelphia on 24 August, 1748, and their zeal and resolution had no trial of contest with the dreaded enemy. Franklin adds

It was thought by some of my friends, that, by my activity in these