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Catherina

(35,568 posts)

2. “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

Reply to Ichingcarpenter (Original post)

Wed Jun 19, 2013, 01:55 PM

Jun 2013

“Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?”

“A Republic, if you can keep it.”

ATTRIBUTION: The response is attributed to BENJAMIN FRANKLIN—at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, when queried as he left Independence Hall on the final day of deliberation—in the notes of Dr. James McHenry, one of Maryland’s delegates to the Convention.

http://www.bartleby.com/73/1593.html

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Ben Franklin on the surveillance scandal [View all] Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 OP

Ben Franklin "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". His most important quote graham4anything Jun 2013 #1

Bullshit. premium Jun 2013 #4

Did Franklin every actually present an argument in support of that pithy quote? Orrex Jun 2013 #9

Actually here's the quote, premium Jun 2013 #10

Sorry--didn't mean to single you out Orrex Jun 2013 #14

He was a Revolutionary, and the English would have used his meta-data as an excuse to imprison him corkhead Jun 2013 #6

I enjoy history lessons from Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #7

I'm convinced he's either Andy Kauffman, a reincarnated Random Thoughts, a Manny wannabe corkhead Jun 2013 #12

He also said "Early to bed and early to rise" even though he was known as a hearty partier. hobbit709 Jun 2013 #8

Another Franklin quote. hobbit709 Jun 2013 #11

Apparently, he was talking aobut fires: Luminous Animal Jun 2013 #16

His most important quote was clearly... Fla_Democrat Jun 2013 #20

“A Republic, if you can keep it.” Catherina Jun 2013 #2

Good points. MannyGoldstein Jun 2013 #3

In today's world, I am certain Ben's meta-data alone would have gotten him Gitmo'd corkhead Jun 2013 #5

I would be willing to bet you that maxrandb Jun 2013 #13

What BS. hobbit709 Jun 2013 #15

Hmm, sounds to me like Ben would have done anything to catch Arnold maxrandb Jun 2013 #17

They were the right men at the right time in history. But definitely flawed. Franklin wanted to KittyWampus Jun 2013 #19

Franklin would have been labeled a PINO (Patriot In Name Only) By Many On DU KittyWampus Jun 2013 #18

Could you imagine the gnashing of teeth if DU had maxrandb Jun 2013 #21