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Essays and addresses

Nothing was better adapted to throw suspicion on the Pacifists, whom Franklin looked upon as danger- ous to England, and more dangerous to Am- erica.

(1) Franklins argument prevailed: Canada was re- tained; the fear of French-Canadians and French- Indians was removed; what Vergennes had prophe- sied took place: the Thirteen Colonies rebelled and the old British Empire was rent in twain to be in time destroyed and a new British Empire built on the old foundations, composed of "practically inde- pendent sister States co-operating for the common good," (2) whose Prime Ministers meet on an equality in the Imperial Conference (3).

But Franklin was not done with Canada when he had successfully advocated its retention by Britain.

When the Thirteen Colonies found their grievances intolerable and sent Delegates to a Continental Con- gress at Philadelphia, the Congress soon cast its A T\ \ eyes to the North, and thought of obtaining Can- /U-Af\ ada as the Fourteenth.

Military invasions were made into Canada by Continental troops : Quebec was besieged and Montreal was taken.