Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/40

21

• " My being many years in the Assembly, the ma

successful newspaper editor, or dishonest jority of which were constantly Quakers, gave me politician newest dead, that the departed frequent opportunities of seeing the embarrassment combined a virtue sterner than Cato's with a given them by their principle against war, when genius much like Shakspeare's, praise loses ever application was made to them ... to grant its force a little, and perhaps comes to be aids for military purposes. . . . Hence a variety discredited

by some. But of Logan it will of evasions to avoid complying, and modes of dis not be immoderate to say, that through the guising the compliance when it was unavoidable. . . . As, when powder was wanting (I think it pale, plain speech and dress with which was for the garrison at Louisburg), and the gov Quakerdom veils the distant colonist, the man's sterling nature ernment of New England solicited a grant of some shines nevertheless, from Pennsylvania . . . not entirely dimmed. they could not grant From the boy of money to buy powder, twenty-five, ready for because that was an in pirates notwithstand gredient of war; but ing his creed, through they voted an aid to the years of stanch New England of three fidelity to those he thousand pounds, to be served, — winning the put into the hands of respect and affection the governor, and ap of the Indians, pioneer propriated it for the pur scholar in Greek and chasing of bread, Hour, Latin, cool-headed wheat, or other grain. judge, with the pos Some of the counc il . . . thumous " Precepts advis'd the governor not to accept provision, as to myself," full of wise not being the thing he and sober thought, — had demanded; but he the figure of Logan reply'd, ' I shall take the is certainly an admi money, for I understand rable one. He was very well their meaning; not a genius. There other grain is gunpow was nothing great der,' which he accord about him except his ingly bought, and they TENCH FRANCIS. integrity. But each never objected to it." thing that he did, The letter of James Logan upon this whether political or literary, seems to have question was the last public act of his life, been done well, bearing in its execution no the remainder of which he passed at Sten- professional wholesale taint, but that secure, ton, his country-seat, dying on the 31st of easy touch of the gentleman and the scholar December, 175 1 . Among his posthumous who respects his undertakings, and yet per petually stands indifferent and superior to papers was found one, " Precepts to my self." These cannot be given here; but them, as he is indifferent and superior to they could not have been written by any life itself. but a true and simple man. During these days a stream of learned Kulogies in our American market are something of a drug; and since persons law began to trickle into Pennsylvania, and with a flow of words are commonly found that reputation of Philadelphia lawyers arose to tell us at the tomb of each rich merchant, which has since crystallized into a saying.