In consequence of a number of murders committed on the frontiers by some villanous Indians, about a hundred and twenty young men of Dauphin county, christians in _name_ but perfect savages in nature, bound themselves by a horrid oath to exterminate a little tribe of about twenty tame Indians, who lived very harmlessly among the whites in York county. Mounted on horses, and with rifles and tomahawks in their hands, they set off very deliberately on this hellish errand towards the settlements of the poor Indians. The old men, women, and children, in the cabins, soon fell weltering in their blood. The rest, who were at work, getting notice, fled to Lancaster, and were lodged in the jail as in a place of security. The blood thirsty whites broke open the jail and butchered every soul. All smeared with innocent blood, and furious as demons, they then pushed off for Philadelphia, to massacre the feeble remains of a friendly tribe who had fled into that city for protection. The governor issued his proclamation. The rioters paid no regard to it, but moved on rapidly, well armed, and determined to cut their way to the hated Indians over the bodies of all who should oppose them. They are now on this side of Germantown, only one hour's march from Philadelphia. The inhabitants are all in terror. The governor quits his palace, and for safety flies to the house of doctor Franklin. He, calm as he was wont to be amidst the lightnings as they darted around him on his rods, went out to meet the rioters. We sincerely regret that we cannot give the speech which he made on this memorable occasion. It must have been impressive in a most extraordinary degree; for on hearing it they instantly abandoned their hellish design and returned peaceably to their homes! CHAPTER XL. Had the fatal sisters, even now, put forth their shears and clipped his thread, yet would not the friend of man "_have fallen without his fame_." Admiring posterity would still have written on his tomb, _Here lies the GREAT FRANKLIN._ But though great now, he is destined to be much greater still. A crisis is approaching that is to call forth all his talents, and to convince even the most unthinking, that in the dark day of trouble the "_wise shall shine forth like the firmament_." By the crisis here mentioned, I mean the events leading to the American revolution. The British cabinet, as if entire strangers to that divine philosophy which commands its disciples to be "_no respecters of persons_," allowed themselves in the most fatal policy of sparing the British subjects in _England_ at the expense of the British subjects in _America_. After having drained much money from them in a variety of unconstitutional ways, they came at length to the resolution of taxing _the colonies without their consent_.