development of some thought that was waiting utterance. At that time there was no prospect that the youth would ever receive a liberal education. He was a farmer's son, and his father was unable to educate him. The most the author had in view was to provide him-a bright, active, promising boy, fond of reading-with a source of improving entertainment and profit. But he caught the idea with so much enthusiasm, and reduced it to practice so thoroughly, that an unquenchable desire for an education was nursed into controlling power; and he went through college, studied theology, became pastor of one of the largest Congregational churches in the country, stood among the most eloquent preachers in the land at thirty, received the degree of Doctor of Divinity at forty, and now, at a little more than fifty, is the beloved and able pastor of a large church in a New England city. This result was brought about by the discipline of reading and writing in his youth, very similar to that which made Benjamin a statesman and philosopher. ΙΟ "THE XV. THE "COURANT" IN TROUBLE. HE Legislature is calling you to an account," said customer to James Franklin, as he entered the office. "The officials can't put up with your cutting criticisms." "I am aware of that. I heard that they were going to haul the Courant over the coals; but I don't see what they can do about it." "They can stop your printing it, I suppose. It would be an intolerant act, of course; but Governments have never been tolerant towards the press, you know." "The day is coming when they will be," responded James. "A free press is indispensable to human progress. So long as I run the Courant it shall speak plainly of intolerance and hypocrisy of every form. I shall hit the corruption of the times in high places or low." "I "That is sound doctrine," replied the customer. endorse it, but Government officials do not. They feel very sore, and will make trouble for you if they can." At that moment Benjamin came rushing into the office under considerable excitement. "The Assembly are having a hot debate over the Courant," he said. "I heard a gentleman say that they would stop the publication of the paper, if possible." "Perhaps they will, but I doubt it," replied James. "The Courant will not be muzzled as long as I own it." "It ought not to be," responded the customer. "We need an outspoken paper that will rebuke corruption and shams everywhere." "And that is all the trouble," said Benjamin. "That is what the Assembly and the ministers denounce. They are better friends of the British Government than they are of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay." "True, very true," rejoined the customer. “The tyran nical control of the English press is a shame; and yet these. officials who truckle to the English Government want to try it on here. But such intolerance ought not to be borne." This was The Courant was exceedingly sarcastic, and no writer was more so than Benjamin, young as he was. the real cause of the action of the Assembly. A letter appeared in the Courant, justly rebuking the Government for dilatoriness in looking after a piratical craft off Block Island. The letter purported to come from Newport, and represented that the Colony were fitting out two vessels to capture her. It concluded thus: "We are advised from Boston that the Government of Massachusetts are fitting out a ship (the Flying Horse) to go after the pirates, to be commanded by Captain Peter Papillon, and it is thought he will sail some time this month, wind and weather permitting." This thrust at the Government for tardiness would be regarded as a good joke now, but it was a crime then, and the aristocracy of the Province, always working in harmony with the King and Parliament, was stirred up by it to intolerance. James was summoned before the Council, and his apprentice also, both of whom stood upon their dignity, refusing to answer some of the questions put. Benjamin was dismissed, because it was found that he was only an apprentice. But James was put on trial and pelted with questions. The legislators were determined to find out who wrote the "scurrilous article aforesaid," as they called it, but James refused to tell. He placed himself squarely upon his personal rights as a citizen, and heroically stood by his guns. Come what might, he resolved to defend his course before this august tribunal. The Council became more exasperated by his defiant spirit, and threatened him with incarceration. But James stood his ground like a martyr, without thinking he would soon become one. Benjamin was equally defiant, and refused to answer some questions, but was excused on the ground that "an apprentice was bound not to betray his master's secrets." James was convicted of "a high affront to the Government," and the sheriff was directed to commit him to the Boston jail. These new quarters were unexpected to him, but he went thither with the consciousness that he was suffering for a brave effort to correct public wrongs. We have called attention to a single paragraph reflecting upon the Government in the Courant. It should be told that such criticisms were frequent in its columns. The Governor, Council, and nearly all the ruling class of the Province were in full sympathy with Great Britain, while others were restive under what they regarded as oppressive rule. Most of the ministers belonged to the first class, and so came in for a share of the Courant's sarcastic utterances. The Courant represented the second class—the common people who read its columns gladly. Dr. Cotton Mather attacked the paper in a paragraph that shows what the paper contained :: "We find a notorious, scandalous paper called the Courant, full freighted with nonsense, unmanliness, raillery, profaneness, immorality, arrogance, calumnies, lies, contradictions, and what not, all tending to quarrels and divisions, and to debauch and corrupt the mind and manners of New England." Increase Mather, also, assailed the Courant over his own signature, denouncing it as a "wicked libel," because it represented him as one of its supporters, using language uncommonly expressive. "I do hereby declare," he said, "that although I had paid for two or three of them, I sent him word I was extremely offended with it. In special, because in one of his vile Courants, he insinuates, that if a minister of God approve of a thing, it is a sign it is of the Devil; which is a horrid thing to be related! And he doth frequently abuse the Ministers of Religion, and many other worthy persons, in a manner which is intolerable. For these and such like reasons I signified to the Printer that I would have no more of their Wicked Courants. I, that have known what New England was from the Beginning, cannot but be troubled to see the Degeneracy of this Place. I can well remember when the Civil Government would have taken an effectual Course to suppress such a Cursed Libel! which if it be not done I am afraid that some Awful Judgment will come upon this Land, and the Wrath of God will arise, and there will be no Remedy. I cannot but pity poor Franklin, who, though but a Young Man, it may be Speedily he must appear before the Judgment Seat of God, and what answer will he give for printing things so vile and abominable?" It is quite evident that neither James nor Benjamin had that respect for the "Judgment Seat," which became Christians; but James replied in the Courant to this onslaught, maintaining that Mather had garbled his quotations from the paper, or based his opinion on parts of paragraphs which did not convey the full and correct mean. ing. He turned the tables upon him, also, by declaring that, while Mather ceased to be a subscriber to his paper, "he sent his grandson every week to buy it; and, paying in this way a higher price, he was more of a supporter of the paper than ever." In the same issue, too, James said : "I would likewise advise the enemies of the Courant not to publish anything more against me unless they are willing to have the paper continued. What they have already done has been resented by the Town so much to my advantage, that above forty persons have subscribed for the Courant |