There can be no national prosperity without virtue. There can not be a happy people who do not "do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God." It was a noble enterprise to send to those naked savages corn and hoes, with horses, pigs and poultry. But the Christian conscience awoke to the conviction that something more than this was necessary. They sent, to the dreary huts of the Pacific, ambassadors of the religion of Jesus, to gather the children in schools, to establish the sanctity of the family relation, and to proclaim to all, the glad tidings of that divine Saviour, who has come to earth "to seek and to save the lost." CHAPTER XI. _The Intolerance of King and Court._ Parties in England--Franklin the favorite of the opposition--Plans of the Tories--Christian III--Letter of Franklin--Dr. Priestley--Parisian courtesy--Louis XV--Visit to Ireland--Attempted alteration of the Prayer Book--Letter to his son--Astounding letters from America--Words of John Adams--Petition of the Assembly--Violent conspiracy against Franklin--His bearing in the court-room--Wedderburn's infamous charges--Letter of Franklin--Bitter words of Dr. Johnson--Morals of English lords--Commercial value of the Colonies--Dangers threatening Franklin. Wherever there is a government there must be an opposition. Those who are out of office wish to eject those in office, that they may take their places. There was a pretty strong party in what was called the Opposition. But it was composed of persons animated by very different motives. The first consisted of those intelligent, high minded, virtuous statesmen, who were indignant in view of the wrong which the haughty, unprincipled Tory government was inflicting upon the American people. The second gathered those who were in trade. They cared nothing for the Americans. They cared nothing for government right or wrong. They wished to sell their hats, their cutlery, and their cotton and woolen goods to the Americans. This they could not do while government was despotically enforcing the Stamp Act or the Revenue Bill. Then came a third class, who had no goods to sell, and no conscience to guide to action. They were merely ambitious politicians. They wished to thrust the Tories out of office simply that they might rush into the occupancy of all the places of honor, emolument or power.