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their rights; and if they resisted when those were
attacked, it was a resistance in favor of a British constitution,
 which every Englishman might share in enjoying,
 who should come to live among them; it was
resisting arbitrary impositions, that were contrary to
common right and to their fundamental constitutions,
and to constant ancient usage. It was indeed a resistance
 in favor of the liberties of England, which
might have been endangered by success in the attempt
 against ours; and therefore a great man in
your Parliament * did not scruple to declare, he 7ejoiced
 that America had resisted. I, for the same
reason, may add this very resistance to the other
instances of their loyalty. I have already said that
I think it just you should reward those Americans
who joined your troops in the war against their own
country; but if ever honesty could be inconsistent
with policy, it is so in this instance. I am, etc.,
B. FRANKLIN.
1 The first Lord Chatham.

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