5 Essays 123
bled, and ruined ourselves, to conquer for them; and now
they come and tell us to our noses, even at the bar of this
House, that they are not obliged to us,” &c. But his clamor
was very little minded.”
A few years since the editor stumbled upon an original
edition of this Examination, in a pamphlet form, and
bearing the following title:
THE EXAMINATION OF
DOCTOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
RELATIVE TO
THE REPEAL OF THE AMERICAN STAMP ACT IN MDCCLXVI
MDCCLXVII,
Price ONE SHILLING.
No publisher’s imprint is given. In the margin, how-
ever, and in a chirography which seems more recent than
the printed text, are written what purport to be the
“names of the interrogators.” When or by whom, or
upon what authority, this list was made, there are no
indications; but the fact that the list differs so widely
from that given in Delaplaine’s, and the further fact that
Franklin so frequently confesses his inability to recall
the names of some of his interrogators, seem to justify
me in giving this anonymous list here for what it is worth.
As Grenville is always spelt Greenwille, and Burke
Bourke, the presumption is that all the names were writ-
ten by a foreigner, who had taken them from the lips of
his informant.
By the Speaker ; Nos. 1, 2, inclusive.
“ Mr. Huske : Nos. 3 to 42, “
“ Lord Clare : . Nos. 43 to 49, 98 to 103, “
“ Mr. Townshend . Nos. 50 to 77, pe
* Mr. Bourke . Nos. 78 to 89, 106, 107, “
06]