Doctor Franklin and Mr. Temple were in the Year 1774, upon one and the same day, and for one and the same cause, dismissed from the several Employments they held under the Crown of Great Britain, Expressly for their Attachment to the American cause; and particularly, for their having Obtained, and transmitted to the state of Massachusetts certain Original Letters and Papers which first discovered, with certainty, the Perfidious Plans then Machinating against the Freedom and happiness of the then Colonies, now united states in North America. Mr. Temple by such dismission lost upwards of a Thousand Pounds sterling per Ann., besides several very Honorary Appointments under that Crown. Doctr. Franklin’s loss was about £500 a Year. Doctor Franklin soon after return’d to America, and met with every Mark of Respect and Gratitude that was in the Power of the state to which he belonged, to confer upon him: Mr. Temple made every effort to Obtain permission to leave England with his Family, but without Success, untill the Summer of 1778, when he with his family, returned also, and was received with Kindness and Respect by the state of Massachusetts, to which he belonged. He was also, by the Honorable Council of that state, as well as by the Council of the state of New Hampshire, by General Washington, By the Govr. of Connecticut, the Governor of New Jersey, the Lt Govr. of Rhode Island and by many of the most Respectable private Characters in the Northern and Middle states, recommended in the most handsome manner to the supreme Power of the united states.
Upon Mr. Temple’s return from Congress to Boston, he found by the speeches (then just Arrived) of Govr. Johnstone, Lord Carlisle, Mr. Eden and others in Parliament, as well as from the Examination of Mr. Galloway and General Robertson at the Bar of the House of Commons, that it was there asserted, and Maintained, that Four fifths of the People of America were well disposed to return under the government of Great Britain—that Congress could not continue a Resistance to the Sovereign Power of Britain even for another Year—that the state of their paper Currency, and their Violent Internal divisions were such as would throw the whole Continent into confusion in less than the course of the Year. Mr. Temple being fully persuaded from personal Observation upon the spot, as well as from the sentiments of the most Respectable and well-informed Gentlemen of the several states he had passed through, that such assertions were totally without foundation, and being at the same time, personally well-Acquainted with those of the Minority in England, who are sincere and faithfull friends to the Independence and welfare of these united states, who wished to know Facts in order to counteract such false Representations, immediately entertained the Idea of going back to Europe; and into England, if he shd. find by some friends then at the German Spaa, that he might with personal safety Venture into that Kingdom, and there Confront, and to the utmost of his Power invalidate, such misrepresentations as had been so made by the said Lord Carlisle, Johnstone, Galloway, and others. Mr. Temple’s Idea met with the Approbation of his particular Friends. He therefore embarked for Holland in the Month of May, and soon after his arrival there, crossed over into England, and in less than 12 hours after he got to London had an Interview and a long conversation with Lord North, when in the most Express and possitive terms Mr. Temple assured his Lordship that the real state of Affairs in America was almost directly opposite to the Representations that had been made in the House, and at the Bar of the House of Commons.
Vide Mr. Temples declaration Published in the London Courant of 6 Decemr last, which, though not apt to attend much to outdoor Clamour, he was in a Manner Compeled to Publish, at that time, when the Ministerial Venjance was leveled at him upon the disclosure of Mr. Laurens’s Letters and Papers, and those found upon Mr. Trumbull.
Mr. Temple never afterwards had any Interview with Lord North or with any other of the British Ministers, though he still continued in England by Advice and at the earnest request of the most sincere and most able Friends to America, that are in that Kingdom; purposely, and for no other business than to serve his Country, by counteracting the Poison that was daily Deceminating there and hoping from day to day that the governing Powers of that Kingdom would listen to Truth, Open their Eyes to the Precipice they were upon, see the utter Impracticability, as well as the injustice, of their Views; and at once Acknowledge the Independence of these United States; but in all this, Mr. Temple found himself much disappointed. He was however continually employed in Invalidating the Falshoods from time to time advanced by Galloway and other Wretched Fugitives from this Country, and in stating Matters as they really were, to Enable our Friends in both houses of Parliament to contradict and oppose to the utmost such false and base assertions, as were made of the state of affairs in this Country, but finding after along and tedious waiting for the happy Event which he had hoped for, that the British Ministers, regardless of the advice and Opinion of the most able men in the Kingdom, were determined to Continue the War with these States, even to the last stage of their own ruin, rather than, (do, what in Mr. Temple’s Opinion they now of Absolute Necessity must do) Acknowledge the Independence of the States, he determined in his Mind to return home to Boston, but could not think of coming away without first endeavoring to assist Mr. Trumbull to Obtain his Liberty; He felt for a Worthy Gentleman in Confinement in an Enemys Country, with few, very few Friends, to do him any kindness, further than making him a transient Visit. Mr. Temple therefore revolved that business in his Mind, and exerted his Interest with his Private Friends to Obtain Mr. Trumbull’s liberation, which in a few Weeks after was happily effected. Mr. Trumbull will gratefully Acknowledge that Mr. Temple was not a little Instrumental to his releasement. The Very day after Mr. Temple had assurances that this business was happily effected, he set out for Dover and Crossed over to Ostend; from Ostend, He and Mr. Trumbull proceded to Amsterdam in Holland there to seek a passage home to New England. Mr. Trumbull Embarked on board the Charlestown Frigate bound for Philadelphia. Mr. Temple on board the Minerva for Newberry Port, he Arrived at Cape Ann on the 23d Instant at Night, and on the following day came to Boston, of which he had the honor to inform his Excellency the Governor of the State as soon as it was in his Power after he got to Town; and also to Acquaint his Excellency, that he was Charged with Letters, he beleived of Importance to the Congress from his Excelly Mr. Adams Minister in Holland, and praying the Governors advice (or direction) how they shd. be disposed of.
On the day after Mr. Temple received a Summons, of which the following is Copy. “To Mr. John Temple” “Common Wealth Massachusetts— “In Council October 26 1781— “Ordered that Mr. John Temple lately Arrived in this Common Wealth from Europe be, and hereby is, directed to attend at the Council Chamber at 4 oClock this afternoon. “a true Copy Attest.”