Franklin's Possible Knowledge of Bancroft's Intrigue
There is some debate as to whether Franklin knew that Bancroft was a British spy. Franklin wrote that even though he suspected one associate of being a British spy, as long as he (Franklin) did not provide the suspect with any private information, there was nothing to worry about, and the spy need not be dismissed. Even if Franklin did discover Bancroft's true loyalty, he never revealed it explicitly in any of his extant writings. Regardless, Bancroft was successful but ineffective; that is, he certainly gathered a good deal of information, but the British did not prevent the French-American alliance.
Read more about this topic: Edward Bancroft
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“We are more thoroughly an enlightened people, with respect to our political interests, than perhaps any other under heaven. Every man among us reads, and is so easy in his circumstances as to have leisure for conversations of improvement and for acquiring information.”
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
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“I never had but one intrigue yet: but I confess I long to have another. Pray heaven it end as the first did tho’, that we may both grow weary at a time; for ‘tis a melancholy thing for lovers to outlive one another.”
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