In 1773, he attracted the public atten tion by a letter on the duel between Mr. Whately and Mr. Temple, concerning the publication of Governor Hutchinson's letters, declaring that he was the person who had discovered those letters. On the 29th of January, next year, he was exa mined before the privy-council, on a pe tition he had presented long before, as agent for Massachusetts Bay, against Mr. Hutchinson ; but this petition being disa greeable to the ministry,it was precipitate ly rejected,and Dr. Franklin was soonafter removed from his office of Post-master General for America. Finding now all efforts to restore harmony between Great Britain and her colonies useless, he re turned to America in 1775, just after the commencement of hostilities. Being nam ed one of the delegates of the Continen tal Congress, he had a principal share in bringing about the revolution and decla ration of Independency on the part ofthe colonies.
In 1776, he was deputed by Congress to Canada, to negotiate with the peo ple of that country, and to persuade them to throw off the British yoke; hut the Canadians had been so much dis gusted with the hot zeal of the New Englanders, who had burnt some of their chapels, that they refused to listen to the proposals, though enforced by all the arguments Dr. Franklin could make use of. On his return to Philadelphia, Con gress, sensible how much he was esteem ed in France, sent him there to put a finishing hand to the private negotiation of Mr. Silas Deane ; and this important commission was readily accepted by the doctor, though then in the 71st year of his age : the event is well known ; a treaty of alliance and commerce was signed between France and America ; and M. he Roi asserts, that the doctor had a great share in the transaction, by strongly advising M. Maurepas notto lose a single moment, if he wished to secure the friendship of America, and to detach it from the mother country.
In 1777, he was regularly appointed Plenipotentiary from Congress to- the French court ; but obtained leave of dis mission in 1780. Having at length seen the full accomplishment of his wishes, by the conclusion of the peace in 1783,which gave independence to America, he be came desirous of revisiting his native country : he therefore requested to be recalled : and, after repeated solicitations, Mr. Jefferson was appointed in his stead. On the arrival of his successor, he re paired to Havre de Grace, and, crossing the channel, landed at Newport in the Isle of Wight, from whence, after a fa vourable passage, he arrived safe at Phi ladelphia, in September 1785. He was received amidst the acclamations of a vast multitude, who flocked from all parts to see him, and who conducted him in triumph to his own house ; where in a few days he was visited by the mem bers of Congress, and the principal in habitants of Philadelphia. He was after wards twice chosen President of the As sembly of Philadelphia ; but his increas ing infirmities obliged him to ask per mission to retire, and spend the remain der of his life in tranquillity, which was granted in 1788. After this the infirmi ties of age increased fast upon him ; he became more and more afflicted with the gout and the stone till the time of his death, which happened the 17th of April, 1790, about 11 o'clock at night, at 84 years of age, leaving one son, Governor William Franklin, a zealous loyalist, who now resides in London ; and a daughter, married to Mr. Richard Beach, merchant, in Philadelphia.
Dr. Franklin was author of many tracts on electricity and other branches of na tural philosophy, as well as on political and miscellaneous subjects. Ile had also many papers inserted in the Philosophi cal Transactions, from the year 1757 to 1774.