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Ben Franklin

Temple's Diary

A Tale of Benjamin Franklin's Family

In the Days Leading up to The American Revolution

November 18, 1775

History, wake up! I have news for you! This is the day when a new committee has been created. "So what?" you say. "Aren't there a whole lot of committees already?"


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— "Yes, but this one is different. It carries a whole new possibility, the possibility that the not-yet-quite- united colonies, or not-yet-created states want to join in an appeal to their foreign friends abroad, in Great Britain and elsewhere. History, do you want to know the name of this new committee? It's The Committee of Secret Correspondence — a dull name, I admit, but some day, I believe, it will turn into the American foreign service, and I bet that if they send diplomats abroad Grandfather will be one of them, maybe the first. This committee is made up of five members, Grandfather being one. I don't know who the others are.

The idea of this committee makes me so happy because foreign service means diplomacy, and diplomacy might just lead to peace.

Enough of this. Back to my homework.