"The next thing will be an order that no one of us shall have a pair of breeches without permission from the Secretary of the Province," remarked one, sarcastically. "The Secretary has not brains enough to pass judgment upon some of our articles, and he is too English to judge rightly of New England necessities."
"We should appear smart, tugging our articles over to the Secretary each week for his permission to print them," suggested James. "I shall never do it as long as my name is James Franklin."
"Nor I," added one of the club.
"Nor I," another.
"Nor I," another still.
There was but one mind in the company; and all were disposed to fight it out on the line of freedom of the press.
"But, do you notice," added one of the club, "that no one but James Franklin is forbidden to publish the Courant? Some other person can publish it."
"Sure enough, that is so," responded James, "and here is our way out of the difficulty."
"Of course you can not publish it yourself," addressing James, "in defiance of this order of the Council."
"Of course not; but Benjamin Franklin can do it, as he is not forbidden. How would that do?"