Cool Thoughts on the Present Situation of Our Public Affairs - Front Matter
12016-08-19T12:59:58-07:00Will Fenton82bf9011a953584cd702d069a30cbdb6ef90650a72001Cool thoughts on the present situation of our public affairs. : In a letter to a friend in the country.2016-08-19T12:59:58-07:00Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790.LCP Am 1764 Frank Log.1827.O.2Philadelphia [Pa.]: : Printed by W. Dunlap., M,DCC,LXIV. [1764]Caption title: A letter to a friend in the country. With a half-title. Signed on p. 22: A.B. Attributed to Benjamin Franklin by Evans. First published as a supplement to the Pennsylvania journal, Apr. 26, 1764. Dated on p. 5: Philadelphia, April 12, 1764. Signatures: [A]? B? (B4 blank).22, [2] p. ; 21 cm (8vo)Evans, C. American bibliography, 9663; English short title catalogue (ESTC), W16998; Hildeburn, C.R. Pennsylvania, 1990; Howes, W. U.S.iana (2nd ed.), F33322Front MatterWill Fenton82bf9011a953584cd702d069a30cbdb6ef90650a
12016-08-19T13:52:49-07:00Will Fenton82bf9011a953584cd702d069a30cbdb6ef90650aCool Thoughts on the Present Situation of Our Public AffairsWill Fenton2Cool thoughts on the present situation of our public affairs: In a letter to a friend in the country.gallery2018-02-12T11:55:10-08:00Philadelphia [Pa.]: : Printed by W. Dunlap., M,DCC,LXIV. [1764]Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790.Call Number: m 1764 Frank Log.1827.O.2Caption title: A letter to a friend in the country. With a half-title. Signed on p. 22: A.B. Attributed to Benjamin Franklin by Evans. First published as a supplement to the Pennsylvania journal, Apr. 26, 1764. Dated on p. 5: Philadelphia, April 12, 1764. Signatures: [A]? B? (B4 blank). Evans, C. American bibliography, 9663; English short title catalogue (ESTC), W16998; Hildeburn, C.R. Pennsylvania, 1990; Howes, W. U.S.iana (2nd ed.), F319Library Company of Philadelphia.Will Fenton82bf9011a953584cd702d069a30cbdb6ef90650a
This page is referenced by:
12017-03-28T17:48:22-07:00Battle at the Ballot Box: Royalization and the 1764 Election7image_header2017-03-29T07:23:43-07:00Many of those who criticized both the Paxtons and the Quakers thought the problem lay in Pennsylvania’s proprietary form of government, and that the solution would be for it to become royal colony, like most of the others. Benjamin Franklin’s pamphlet Cool Thoughts on the Present Situationpresented one of the most influential arguments for royal government. Opponents of royalization included John Dickinson, who later became to delegate to the Stamp Act Congress, and Isaac Norris, who resigned as speaker of the assembly after the passage of the petition. Both men feared that Pennsylvanians might lose civil and religious liberties under monarchical rule.
The debate continued into the 1764 elections, which hurt Franklin and his allies. Franklin lost his seat, while Paxton apologists and sympathizers voted their representatives into the assembly. In demanding greater representation in the provincial legislature, the Paxtons anticipated future calls for representation during the American revolution.
