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'M
W
y.^
S:
A N
\
i\
A N S W E R
To an invidious Pamphlet, intituled)
A Brief State of the Province of .
PENSYLVANIA.
Wherein arc expofed ^^
The many falfe Aflertions of the AuAor or
Authors, of the faid Pamphlet, with a
View to render the Qt^ers of Penf^hania
and their Government obnoxious to the
British Parliament and Minidtry %
AND THE
Several Tranfadions, moil grofly miiirepre- ^
fented therein, fet in their true light
■•■^
LONDON:
^ Printed for S. Bladon, in Paiir'n^<r-R9W»
^ MDCCLV,
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A N
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ANSWER to, ^c.
I
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I
\.
1 v;:
*.•.. ;,.♦
■•^ :
WH£N pcrfons in pcmcr and ofEcc have
given offence to the people over whom
they are fct, by attempts to dellroy
their privileges or other rights, and find them on
the point of addrefling the Crown againll their
unwarrantable proceedings •, their ufuai method is
to endeavour to get the (lart of thf m, and publilh
fome falfe (late of the cafe, calculated to juftif/
themfelves, and malign their opponents, in order
to prejudice the Government, as well as the Pub- ,
lic,againft them, only till fuch time as the injured
people have tnade their cafe known. In which
they propofe no farther to obtain their ends, than ,
to take fome little revenge for their dilappoint-
ment, by vilifying the authors of it for a feafon.
This is in reality the cafe with the author, or
rather authors^ of a malicious pamphlet lately pub-
liHied here, and induftrioudy propagated by the
friends and cfpoufers of the party, in favour of
whom the brief ftate of Penfylvania was written.
For thofc gentlemen, finding they were not able to
carry the point which they aimed at, and that the
alTcmbly, by their meflage to the Governor, of
B ^he
CO
the 26th of Dec. laft, ♦ " had come to a ferolution
** to addrefs the Crown, in fupport of their civil
" rights am! liberties," which they efteemed to be
grfaity infringed by the Governor's rcfufing to ac-
cept any of the fums offered by them for the
King's fervice, though tendered in rhe manner
and form which had always been ufed in the pro-
vince ; they refolved to be before hand with them,
and publifh the prcfent pamphlet, full of invec-
tives, falfities, and unjuft reflexions, againft the
affcnibly and their condti6t.
The perfon f who wrote the letter is very well
known to be a Smith, a proper tool enough for the
club who employed him : but not to enter farther
into his chara^^er (which is {q black, that wer** MWf
to difplay i; in its proper colours, it woulci be f(if-
ficient to difcredit his work) we fliall beginV with-
out farther detaining the reader, and refute his ap
fertions ; either from our own perlonal knowledge
of matters, or from the tranfadtions themfclvcs,
which pafl: between the Governor and thej>flembly,
particurarly in December and January laft, printed
in the Penfyhania and New Tork Gazette. , hzz^i ;
The title page has more the appearance of a
pufF, compofed of feveral falfehoods, to fet oflf the
pamphlet to which it ia prefixed, than any thing
elfe : for in what part of it is the true cauftof the
continual encroachments of the French dtfplay*d?
where is the fecret deftgn of their late invafiofiy and
fettiement on the river Ohio, fet forth ? ftrong ex-
prelTions to raife the cxpedations of the Public,
without any thing of a,; performance . like vfrhat is
promifed. However, we may chance to fupply
* See the Penfyhania GazettQ, for the 31(1 of Dec. 1754.
•f- In a letter written on this occafion it is (pelled par/on,
perhaps by miftake, as n-par/cn and a fmifh (tern to have no
real t^onne^ioD, whatever 'ihdy may in a metaphoncal fenfe.
;, / a their
i
ply
54-
f 3]
their dcfc£ls, and fet forth the affair in i tfirc dnd'
clear, not, as the letter does, in a falfe and obfcurc
light. '
Of the fame nature with the fbrmer are the words
following, to which are annexed. An eafy plan for re-
fioring quiet in the public meafures of that province^
and defeating the ambitions views of the French in
time to come. ' ^ V*^"
One would imagine that his plan was calculated to
defeat the defignsof theFr^«f^,not only .againft this
province of Penjyhanidy but all the other Englifh
provinces in/fj^mf^ 5 and fo doubtlefs theauthor.or
authors, would have it undcrftood : whereas their
fcheme is altogether particular, and confifts folely
in obtaining^ the ends which they have in view ;
namely, to ftrip the Quakers of their rights and
privileges, and (bbmit them to the arbitrary will
of their governors. Let us now fee whether what
is farther declared in the title be true, namely, if
the conduSf of the ajjemblies ^j/Penfylvania is impa:''
tia^ examined.
The \^riter of the pamphlet begins with a very
fallacious cjueftion, as if put by his friend, fp^hy
toe tvho are efteemed one of the richcfi colonies in A-
merica, are the mofi backward in contributing to the
deferice of the ^rm(h dominions in thefe parts ?
' Penfylvama unhappily, like the reft of the colo-
nies, is divided into two parties, one for the true
intereft of the province, the other againft ir. The
letter writer would not be thought to be of the lat-
ter, but as he ftates the queftion, he makes him-
felf of it, why are we the mofi backward ? and this
will appear to be the truth of the cafe ; altho* by
we he doubtlefs means the oppnfite party, or thofe
of the aflembly ; in which he advances a great fal-
fity : for the aflembly of Penfyhania have always
been as forward to contribute, upon any emergency,
B 2 as
Ul
ts any of the other colonics. As a proof, in the
prelent cafe, in their roelTage to Governor Morris^
of December 12, 1754. they declare, •* As we ac-
*' count it our duty to do every thing in our pow-
** er to comply with his Majcfty's royal orders,
** or that may concribute to the welfare of the
'' people we reprefent, we have chearfully and al-
*' moft unanimoufly refolved to grant 20,000 /.
" for the King's ufc/* This they did in the ufu-
al manner as they have heretofore done } but the
Governor has refufed it, on thofe terms, for rea-
fons the author is unwilling to aflign. — The two
greateft privileges under the conftitution of that
government are, the right which the alTembly have
to adjourn themfelve?, and meet on their own ad-
journments, and the application of all publick mo-
ney ; or, which is the fame, a right of knowing
in what manner it is applied. The advantages of
thefe two privileges, and how nece0ary they are
to the well-being of the colony* appefu-s from the
confuQon and difcontents which fome neighbour-
ing provinces, at certain times, have laboured un-
der for want of them. The alTemblies have been
harrafled by their governors with tedious lengths
of fitting : and it has been known, that when large
fams have been demanded, under a pretence of ap-
plying it to the ufe of the public^ the Governor,
as foon as the money was raifed, has put it all in
his own pocket, without applying aqy , of.it, tptbi^
Ipfvicc for which it was demanded. ^^ rr-rr ,n? </
i/ The Governors of Penfylvania have, for fome
time pad, been ufing their endeavours, under va.*
rious pretences, of getting the difpofal of the pubk
lie money into their own hands, without being ob-
liged to give an account to the alTembly \ and this,
we apprehend, will appear to every impartial per-
fon to be the true caufe why the Governor has fo
often
[5]
oFrcn refufed to accept the confidcrable fums of-
fered by the aflcmbly, though tendered in the u-
fual form, and in reality nnuch greater than could
reafonably be expelled from fo imall a fund of on-
ly 6 or 700 /. ptr annum, to defray all the charges
of the Government, and other occafions of the
province, and cfj>ccially as there was, at the fame
time, fcirce 500 /. in the trcafury. This dcmon-
ftrates that the aflcmbly are neither backward, nor
fparing, in their Contributions for the King's fer-
vice 5 and as a farther Jnconteftible proof likewifc,
that they are not againft the defence of their coun-
try by military methods, as the letter writer fo of-
ten falfely aflerts ; they, not only in their frequent
meffliges to the Governor, declare their readincfs
to provide for the defence of the colony, but, be-
fore they adjourned themfclvcs on the 3d of Janu-
ary iaft, they ordered ♦ ** 5000 /. to be borrowed
** on credit of the Houfe, to be laid out for pur-
*' chaHng frefh viftuals, and fuch other neceflaries
*' as they fliould think expedient, for the ufe of
" the King's troops at their arrival." Pu'rfuant to
the inftrudions fcnt from hence by the Secretaries
of State.^*^^ 5'^ilOnr.»IlA. 'Jij A fii:>i./ to "»ii< -v ]iv; ••.^.;
The Governor, and his men, as they are called
in Penfylvania^ who have been watching all oppor-
tunities to compafs their defign u^ on the affembly,
imagined that the prefcnt encroachment*; of the
French gsivt them a fair occafion of efFeding it,
and therefore, hcfolv'd to lay hold ofit.They thought
by this means either to decoy them out of their right
of knowing how the public money is dlfpofed of,
or elfe to force it out of their hands. They apply
for money to defend the colony : the aflfembly
rcadilyjeomply upon terms confident with their
'Oi! !l.^ i. f See Pcfi/jh. Gaz. 14 >». 1755.
B3
right*
1:
I'oif J
[6] , .
rights and powers. No ; that won't do, fay the
party \ wc have you now in a cloven ftick :_ you
fliall cither give up your privileges, or be expofed
to the ravages of the French » for you (hall nei-
ther defend yourlclyes, jior be affifted by any pro-
vince elfe, on any other terms. The circumltan-
ces of this affair, 1 think, clearly evince that t^i^
is the real ftatc of the cafe.
The Letter-writer, p. 4. fays, " We arc now in
*• an alarming fituation i but we have broughc
'* the evil upon ourfclves." He might have
gone farther, and faid, '* And we are refolvcd
*' to augment it, unlefs theaflembly comply with
*' our expectations.'* Although he owns, that
his party have brought thi evil on themfelves,
which is true enough ; yet his modedy, poor
gentleman ! will not permit him to let the world
know in what manner they brought it on them*
felves and the whole province. Well, to lavo
him his biuflies, I will venture to difdofe thefe-
cret for him. The prefent encroachments of the
French had its rife from a flagrant piece of iniqui-
ty, in burning the houfes ot a great number of
families, who were fettled on the Juniatia^ a
branch ol Safquehanna river ; whofe lands were not
at the time purchafed of the Indians by the pro-p
prietor, whatever intentions he might havq h^
that way. ,■
, This unjuflifiable proceeding, in the year 1750
or 51, drove near threefcore families over to the
French^ then in the neighbourhood of the Qhio^
where they have continued ever fince ; big with
refentment and revenge for fuch cruel ufage,
which fhocked thofe people whom we call favar
ges : a name which more properly belongs to fuch
mercilefs incendiaries, fome of whom have me^
. "- with
[7]
with the puniHimenc on other occafions, which
they had before deicrved on chat (ore.
This moft inhuman a<^ion, which is cried up
as a noeritorious exploit by the party, W4S com-
mitted by the Secretary, and other Magi Urates
fubjed to his directions, as appears from his own
letter to the Governor, by way of journal of his
proceedings ; which on his return in triumph from
that glorious expedition, was printed at Philadel-
phia, This was a copy from Governor B—g's
new way of eje^ment (as it is called in the colonies)
in North Carolina^ which perhaps exceeded the
original itfelf. Is it to be wondered if fuch men
as thefe give up the provmcc to the French, foon-
er than depart from their unwarrantable purfuits.
We fhall pafsover what our author fays on the
flourifhing condition of Penfylvania^ and his wife
refledtions on the nature of popular governments,
as well as fly infinuations applied to the Qua-
kers, that a conftitution, although extremely pro-
per at firft for preferving liberty and encouraging
induftry, may at length, on the alterations o\ cir-
cumftances, prove prejudicial to both: thole things
we leave for politicians to confider. Before we
proceed to other fafts, however, it may be pro-
per to take notice of what he lays, in the page
before cited, with rcfpe(5t to the trade of Penfyl-
vania, " That from the port of Philadelphia
*' (only) at lead 400 fail of vellels clear out an-
" nually." This article requires fome kind of
elucidation, which our author, not fo much thro*
hafte, as unwillingnefs to enter into particulars,
has omitted ; for that might have led him to re-
veal certain fecrets which carry no very favourable
afpedV, anddeclarc,for inftancf. howmany ofthofe
vcffels go annually with provifions to the French
and Spaniards in ihe IVeft- Indies^ and how many
B 4 con-
31
in-
contrails and factors were kept there all the hdt
war? Likewise how (ix or eight particular perfons
of the Governors party claimed an exdufivc right
t(' that trade? and why, if any body clfe attempD*
cd the fame, their veflcls were fure to be feized ? '^
'^^Thc Letter- writer having inveighed againft the
power which the Affertibly have of managing the
public money, as a thing attended with very per-
nicious confequences *, his next defign is to make
it be thought, that this power is a kind of ufur<«
pation, by reprcfenting ic as having been obtained
in feme coilufive and unwarrantable manner.
This is evidently his meaning, p. 9. where, af*.
ter telling us, that the heirs of the old pro-
prietor, after his dtath in 1723, being at law
among themfelves about the government and foil^
«* Sir fVilUam Keitby who was then Governor,
*' falling into the bands of the aflfembiy, paffed a
•^ law, giving them the fole difpofal of all pub^
** lie money, in manifcft contempt of all the in-
*' ftru6lions of the proprietary family.*' - fr-^^c"
This paragraph would infinuate to the world,
that Sir IViltiam Keiib, without the proprietor's
diredion or knowledge, for a fum of money given
him by the aflembly for that purpofe, paffed the
a£l he mentions. This is a very charitable re-
fleftion on Sir William Keitb and the then affem-
bly ; but the faft was thus : at the death of Mr.
William Penn^ the old proprietor, as the writer
calls him, the province of Penfyhania was not in
that rich and flouriHiing condition which it is in
at prcfenr, or has been for fome years paft } on
the contrary, it was involved in great difficuliies,
and even reduced to a low ebb, being charged
with a heavy mortgage : in order therefore to
extricate the proprietors, his heirs, and difchargo
|he province from that niortgage which was then
threatened
lo
r
in
d
[9l
threatened to hz foreclofcd ; the Quakers,^
rcfpefted thcfr dlB proprietor, as he was one of
their pcrfuafion, and to prevent the government
falling into other hands, unanimoufly joined to
raife the fums neceflary for that end, which could
not be done without palTing the a^ in queftion :
and had it not been for the Quakers exerting
themfelves upon that emergency, the foil and go-
vernment of that province, in all likelihood, mufl
have been alienated. But this explanation of thQ
matter the oppoHte party are on this occafion
willing to forget, though they have been the greats
eft benefiters by it.
The grievance is, that by this a£t, the Gover-
nor, and other provincial officers, cannot have
as exorbitant falaries as they might demand ■, and
moft of them, it is well known, are never faiis-
fied ; efpecially when they happen to be fuch as
go over to retrieve a broken fortune, which has
been too often the cafe, boih in this and other
colonies. v • , : ,.,,. .^ r
'The complaint is expreflfcd in the next para-
graph, where the writer fays, " The aflembly
♦* aim at rendering all fucceeding governors de-
pendent on them , for that now they annual-
ly cither vote or withhold the lalaries of the
Governor and all fuch officers, according as
they are or are not the creatures of the alTem-
bly.**
It is true, that whatever fums the aflembly
\ ote for the Governor, is a benevolence, and what
he has no right to demand : but he may expeft
a gratuity according to his behaviour ; and if by
his conduft it appears, that ' : has the public in-
tcrefl in view, more than h>s own private, never
fails of having a good one. Ample provifion
Jikewife is otherwile made for him, and the reft
of
«c
c«
C(
«c
♦«
II
;:
[ lO]
oF the officers of government What propor-
tion does the officers in the appointment of the
affembly, enumerated by the author of the letter,
bear to thofe in the appointment of the Governor?
I will anfwer : not more than ten does to ten
thoufand. What /s the authority, profit, and
honour of the chief juftices and other judges of
the fupreme court ? the judges and magi Urates of
all the counties and courts in the province ? the
prothonotaries, attorney-general, rangers, i^c. ?
Let the balance be ftruck between the officers in
the nomination of both parties, and fee which will
preponderate. . ^ v v ; ,- ' , hr t- ^ .k^..^ w-At .,
The writer next exclaims, p. lo. «« That the
** aflembly being poffefled or fuch unredrained
«* powers and privileges, feem quite intoxicated,
<« are factious, contentious, and difregard the
** proprietors and their Governors." This is tq
be underftood, becaufethey will not diveft them-
fdves of thofe powers and privileges, which they
have purchafed in great part by their wealth, and
furrender them up to their proprietors and their
deputies, to be treated by them at difcretion. He
adds, " Nay, they feem even to claim a kind
•* of independency of their mother-country, de-
*' fpifing the orders of the Grown, and refufing
to contribute their quota^ either to the general
defence of America, or that of their own parti-
cular province." • c^ . .
Te latter part of this nivedive is a repetition
of the falfe allegation, refuted before, whereby
it appears that the charge may be juitly turned
upon thofe of his party ; who when the affembly
would have willingly and largely contributed for
the general defence, hindered them from giving,
by refufing to accept their offers, but on conditi-
ons injurious to their rights. As for the reft, thj2
Qiiakers
«c
cc
quakers to a man throughout the province, are
iq far from clashing an independency of their
mother country, or defpifing the orders of the
Crown, that they and every inhabitant in the
province, fave ihe party, would be glad to fee the
government reaflumed and in the immediate pof-
feflion and appointment of the crown.
To confirm what he had advanced, with rcl^
peift to the aflemblies refufing to contribute to ihe
general defence of the colonies ; he charges them
with " oppofing Governour Thomas in raifmg
*' foldiers to fend againft the Spaniards in the
*' JVefi Indies, and an abfolute refufal to contri-
** buce a farthing for that fcrvice.'*
In anfwer to this glaring inftance, as it is termed
by the letter writer, it mufl: be obferved firft, mat
the Crown had made a provifion for defraying
the expence in railing men for that expedif'on,
which rendered the afTiftance of the affembly in
that cafe needlefs. Secondly, tliere was no op*
pofuion given by the aflembly to Governour
Thomas or any body elfe in raifing foldiers for
that fervice, where the men inlifted were free and
proper to go upon that duty. The controverfy
was about the taking indented fervants and ap-
prentices, which mufl be condemned as illegal :
but fuch tyranical influence was ufed by the Go-
vernour's partly at thai lime, that the diftreffed
were obliged to fend to New Tork, loo miles
diflant, for lawyers to fet forth their privilege of
exemption.
Becaufe the writer does not think a fingle in-
flance, tho' fuch a glaring one, fufficient to prove
his charge, he endeavours to muftcr up a great
number of inf^ances, by telling us " that fince
** that time, during the whole courfe of the late
*' war, they have often been calkd upon by the
Crown,
i
[ .2 ]
«' Crown, and by Governour Shirley oF the
*' Maflachufcts, for the expedition againd Cape
« Breton ^c** Why this f/ cetera? Why ftop
fhort at this inilance ? perhaps he could not Hnd
that there was any other occafion during the war,
for their being called upon. However they were
called upon often it feems, and fo it matters not
in his opinion, whether it was upon feveral oc-
calions or only upon one. It nnight be fuppofed
alfo from the manner of introducing the charge
that they never anfwered to any of rhofe cal5,
efpccially that for Cape Breton which he men-
tions.
But here we are baulked a fecond time, for in^
flead of faying they did not anfwer to any of the
calls, or contribute towards the war, he in cflfeft
acknowledges that they did anfwer to them all ;
but would have their compliance thought no bet-
ter than a rcfufal, by depreciating the manner of
doing it. " To all which (fays he; if they have
•' at any time contributed, it has been done, in-
** direftly. and' in a manner (hameful to that
«* rich province j fo grudgingly and in fuch fmall
*' fums, as rather lo hurt than ferve the common
•« caufe."
Methinks the writer feems much put to his
fbifts how to make out a charge upon this head,
and comes but lamely off in pretending that their
contributions rather did hurt than good.
He might be a{kcd whether they did more
hurt than good on occafion of the Canada expedi-
tion, fet on foot juft before the conclufion of the
Jaft peace, when they voted 5000 pounds for the
raifing, arming and maintaining a number of
companies to go on that fcrvice, which was three
times the number furnished by Virginia. But this
and other tranfadtions in favour of the Qiiakers,
perhaps
[ i3l
perhaps flipt his memory *, which with perfons of
his lying turn is commonly ihorc ; or clfe he
thought himfelf not obliged to mention any mat-
ter which was not for his purpofe. 'Tis true
their money on this occaQon did no gcod to the
public, but rather kurt to themfelves, as the ex-
pedition perhaps was never defigned to be put in
execution ; or if it was did not proceed, being
knocked in the head by the enfuing peace, jxi U4»
Now methinks their contributing fo largely
and freely to this expedition, might have atoned
with this writer, for their Teeming backwardnefs
to advance a fum towards that of Cape Breton :
but there was good reafon for their different be-
haviour : the Canada expedition was a promifing
one, and afforded a very rational profped: of fuc-
cefs ; whereas the latter was looked on in jime-
rica as a piece of Don ^ixotifm^ and it is iaid
was carried in the afTembly of New England by
no more than one voce. This might well juftify
their not contributing at firfl more than mod of
the other provinces j tho' after it was over they
did contribute. .:v,ni iiur o, r .. • -^ .'im*
Governour Shirley in a fpeech, obfcrved
*' that fcarce fuch an indance is to be found in
<^ hiftory \* and a certain colonel in the expedi-
tion expreffed himfelf thus. " li i\it French hzd
not given up Lmjhurg^ we might have en-
deavoured to ilorm it with the fame fuccefs,
as the devils might have ftormed Heaven. If
any one circumliance, fays Dr. Douglafs of
Bofion, had taken a wrong turn on our fide, or
any one clrcumllance had not taken a wrong
turn on the French fide, the expedition mud
have mifcarried >yith (hame to our forces
and the people of New England from genera-
tion to generation, would have curled the ad-
vifers
cc
cc
tit
«
cc
cc
cc
cc
cc
C(
<c
t t4]
vifcrs and promoters of this anaccountahty rafh
" adventure."
When this French American Dunkirk was given
op, the Efiglijb found 600 regular troops in gar-
rifori, with about 1300 miiitiai the main ditch
So foot wide, the ramparts 30 high, mounted
with above 6^ pieces of cannon ; the harbou/'
mouth defended by a battery of 30 guns 4^
pounders; and tbe ifland battery of as many 28
pounders : provifions for 6 months and ammuni-
tion fufficrcnc. It was imagined by fome that rfti^
place might have been taken by 1500 raw nt^fii
ria, and a few armed fmall craft of New En^ldHct i,
but GoVernour Shirley thought 3000 militia' itid
two 40 gun men of war much better. VerV
happily, but unexpededly, Sir Peter fp^arren wim
hislquadron came to their afliftance, befides other
men of war, which greatly intimidated thfe
French ; who imagined we were much ftroriger
and better prepared for the fiege of flich A for-
trels than we were : for our guns were bad, and
the fcahng ladders were too fliort by ten feet;
fo that it might well be ftiled a romantic exfJejdi-
tioh, which fucceeded with io,oco to one again ft
them : rt was in thislr^ht that the Penfylvania af-
fembly, as well as alljudicious people, cohfidered it.
But tO' proceed, the writer contihuing his
charge, 'fays, p. 11. that the Quakers " have not
*' been more attentive to the defence of their
*' own particular province, than of his majefties
*' American dominions in general.'* After what
has been faid in the preceding article, perhaps this
articfc^may be true and yet no reflexion on them :
for if they have contributed as well for the de-
fence of their own province, as they have for
that of all in general, I (hould be apt to think
they have not done left than tlicy ought to do 5
and
[ 15 1
and it is likely they would do itWrc for themfelvcs
than for others.
!n caie they have not fortified this province fuf-
ficicntly, they have not done worfe than moft of
the other colonies : For want of proper defence
is the general charge to which almoft all of them
are liable. I do not fay this as if I thought
the Quakers exciifable, in cafe they have not takea
fuflicient care for the fccurity of Penfylvania^ be-
caufe other provinces have neglcfted theirs : but
for that rcafon they ought not to be charged with
this fault as if it was peculiar to them : and, in-
deed, if any arc excufablc for fuch a neglcdt, it
fhould be thofe who make it a point of con-
fcience not to bear arms ; and, perhaps, was the
power in other hands, Penfylvania would lie as
dcfencclefs as it is rcprcfenied to be in the handl
of the Quakers •, that is, as moft of the other pro-
vinces arc.
The letter-writer fays, they have but one rrtlall
fortification in all Penfylvania ; and takes card to
extol the gei^erofity of the proprietors, in making
them a prtfcTit of 12 large cannon; part of" the
26 which they have mounted, and giving the gun-
ner a falary of 20 1. a year. It doubtlefs was an
acceptable prefcnt : but we fhould not have Won-
dered if they had built the whole fort and beftow-
ed all the cannon upon it ; For, who would not
fence and' fecure a valuable efiare; rather tlian
leave it open and expofed to be ravaged, efpccially
when it lies in a bad neighbourhood ? this charge,
therefore, thcr* intended agriinft the Quaker inha-
bitants, may more properly be turned againft the
proprietors. • He fays, ** the fort was raifed and
'* is maintained at the expense of private people.*'
But he does not mention ^in what manner, or by
whom. Ft may be, for any thing that appears, by
4 (he
hi
i i
t i6 ]
the very people he finds fault with as not having
done it. Of the firdof thofe two particulars I will
fupply the wilful defe(^, by explaining in what
manner it was built. The money raifed for that
ufe was by public lotteries : and this is what the
letter- writer calls being built by private people $
As if it was done by a voluntary fubfcription of a
few individuals. So candid and fincere is this
author in relating Y*^ h&,s. But lottery, perhaps,
is one of thofe terms which he did not care to
make ufe of, as it might giveoccafion to the peo-
ple on this fide the water, to fee that while he is
blaming the Quakers for fome afts of omifiion,
there are others in Penfyhania who make no fcru-
pie of afting in open defiance of pofitive laws of
the country. For there is one there particularly
againft public lotteries : fo that this forr, however
neceffary for the defence of the colony, was erec-
ted in an illegal manner, which no friend of li-
berty can approve of. But this was done by the
governor's men, and that is fufficient. The ma*
nagers of the lotteries have fome thoufands yet in
their hands unapplied, arifing from that (ame
fund.
To fet forth the defencelefs ftate of the coun-
try for want of forts by an inHance, the writer
Cells us, *' that in the laft war, one of the Spamjh
*' privateers came up the Delaware within a few
•' miles of Philadelphia** Now he could nor,
perhaps, have pitched on a more improper in-
nance than this : for (i) from New Tork all the
way io South Carolina, there are no fortifications
along the coafts ; fo that the Penfylvanians in this
refpcift are not more blameable than their fouthern
neighbours, (2) the reflcdion falls on IVeJi Jerfey
as much as on Penjylvama^ as lying on one fide
of the river, and therefore equally concerned to
fecure
[ >7]
fecure the entrance of the river againft an cne-
nvf, {^) Philadelphia lies r50 mrlcft from the
fca, and the river is of very difficult naV.gaiiof^,
efptcially for veflcis of 2 or 300 tons v bcfides
(o large that the whole armada of Spain might
have run i*}) and returned again, u.'Tmolefted, pro
vided they afcended no farther than the pKri'arecr
did : for, what but a naval force could hurt them
in any o}:)en bay, near 20 miles wide? < ' '< •
So chat in cffccfl this is the part of the Wholfc
province, with relpc6l to which leaft danger is to
be apprehended. If he had brought an inftance
of an invafion by land, it might have been fome-
thing to the purpofe ; and, indeed, not many
years ago there did happen a very terrible one in
the weftern borders of the province, on the Ju-
viatta branch of Sufquebanna river, where the let-
tiements of above 60 poor families were deftroytd
by fire^ and themfelvcs reduced to the utmoft di*-
llrefs. This was not only ?i glaring but ?i flagrant
inftance ; however, one of this kind would not
have ferved his turn : for the conflagration was
not the a<5l of an enemy, but of the governor or
his party •, an a£t not lefs illegal, and infinitely
more deteftable than that of the lottery.
I fay again I would not be underftood as if
I cxcufed the neglcdfc of fortifications, or thought
them neediefs : on the conrrary I am of opinion,
that they are very neceflfary for fccurity of die co-
lonies ; and that forrs ought to be built all along
their coafts, as well as borders, in the places molt
expofed to the invafion of an enemy, either by
fea or land. And altho' a Tingle privateer in fucK
a river as this might find mm h difficulty as well as
run much hazard in landing-, yet in cafe a dcfperate
crew of fellows fliould Iand,and venture up into the
c>.^untry, they might do vcrv confiderablc damage
,. • -. , C ' ■ •
to the inhibliants ; a fort therefore in the narrow-
ing of the river would be very convenient. It
would likewise be proper on iuch alarms for the
people to fhcw a proper zeal for defence of their
country, and fpiric againtt the invaders : But the
aHociation, which the author tells us was formed
on this occafion was a vain odentatious piece of
parade, fct on foot by the few to intimidate the
people, and awe them at the cnfuing cledion to
chufe them. Bcfides,the proprietors themfelves,'tis
faid, when informed of ir, thought it a very un-
warrantable procedure. What more need be faid
to juftify the behaviour of the: Quakers, who con-
fidered it in no better a light than the proprietors ?
But it is the bufincfs of the letter- writer to
condemn the Quakers in every thing, and to mif-
rcprefent the fads well known in America^ in or-
der (o blacken them here : Of which we are come
to give the reader an inftance, or to ufe his phrafe
a glaring inftance, from the fame page. There
he tells the public, " that the proprietors of Pen-
♦* fyhan'ta five years ago propofcd to the aflfem-
" biy, that if they would give money forbuild-
*' ing a ftrong houfc on the Okto^ they would
•* contribute any realbnable proportion to the
building and fupport of it : but this propofal,
continues the author, was rejeded with Icorn,
merely, perhaps, becaufe it came from the pro-
prietors : nor was it (o much as thought wor-
thy of a place in their minutes. Ah ho' it is
clear, concludes he, that if it had been compli-
" ed with, the French had not been fortified in
** the fame river as they now are."
This charge with regard to the Obto^ which, if
as the writer has reprefented it, would have af-
forded matter itfclf for a pamphlet, in the hands
of a parfon or parfons, who knows fo well how to
/J improve
C(
((
(C
cc
[ «9]
improve (he moft diftant hint, is thrown by him
into a note, as an article which required no far-
ther notice j altho* if the encroachments of the
French on the Oi»/<? wree really owing to their re-
jeftion of the proprietors propofal for eroding a
ilrong houfc there, I know not any thing in iiis
whole pamphlet which deferved his expatiation
more, or would have gone (o far to render the
Quakers obnoxious to the government o^ Great
Britain, But preparatory to what we Ihail fay
on this head, the reader is defired to take notice
that he does not lay the proprietors had any right
to make fuch a propofal, cither by having pur-
chafed the lands of the natives for building fuch
a (Irong houfe upon •, or by having obtained a
grant or licenfe of them for fo doing. This it was
abfolutcly neceflary for him to have done, in order
to fix the heinous offence, which he lays to the
charge of the Quakers, as the caufe of the prefenc
bad ftate of our affairs in America, as well as the
trouble which we are involved in here on that ac-
count , and this the public may be fure he would
have done had it been in his power •, or at leaft
would have ventured to aflcrt, if he could have
had the lead hopes of not being deteded. But
the cafe is fo well known to be otherwife, that he
durfl not go too far on this head. The true
caufe of the French encroachment on the Ohh is
as follows :
One George Cragban an Irijh papift, as an Indian
trader, was frequently employed by the govern-
ment of Pettfyhania to carry prefcnts to the Indi-
ans living on or about the Ohio^nndi to bring their
anfwers back. About the year 1 730, he fent a let-
ter to the alTcmbiy of Penfylvania then fitting, to
inform them, that the Indians on the Ohio^ and in
that neighbourhood, had invited the Engli/h to
C 2 build
•Vi.
[ »o]
build a ftrong houfc for the , rote^ion of their
traders. The alTembly taking the matter into
confideration, thought it very extraordinary that
the Indians (hould now defire a thing to be done
which they had always, and but jult before, fo
warmly oppoled and denied. To be better in-
formed, and know if it was not a defign in
Cragban to iinpofe upon them, tho' earneftly re-
commended by the governor in his fpeech to
them, they fent for Conrad fVeifer the provincial
interpreter, and one of the council of the fix na-
tions, to know his fentiments. Weifer acquainted
them, '* that the Indians had heard the Englijh
" were forming fuch a fcheme, and therefore
gave him in charge to let them know they
muft make no fuch attempt, for that the na-
tives were determined not to permit or fuffer
any fuch thing as a (trong houli; to be built on
their lands.** Cragban being thus detcfted in
a vile attempt to impafe upon the allembly, who
had often entrufted him in Indian affairs •» in or-
der to difculpate himftlf, fent a letter to the
fpeaker, which was written to him by the go-
vernor for that purpofe : but the governor de-
nied, or in lome meafure excufed it ; and his
tool Cragban fell a facrifice to the affembly's re-
fcntment. He has never fince dared to come
within I CO miles oi Philadelpbia, Having quitted
Penfylvania, he went and offered his fcrvice to the
Ohto company in Virginia : but they rejedted it ;
upon which he crolTcd over the mountains, and
now lives at Logftown or at /hgbwik, doing all the
mifchief he can in revenge, by influencing the
Indians and French againft the Englijh. This
whole affair appears at large upon the journal and
in the votes of the affembly of Penfylvania. It
is well worth the ngtice of the curious : but as
an
C(
<c
cc
«c
t *' ]
an account has been already publifhed of ir, in the
ft ate of the Britifh and French colonies in North A-
nicrica, 6^^. we fhall refer the reader to that trea-
tife, only obierving that the author has been mifin-
formed, where he fays, *• on the Governor's pro-
" polal to build a fort on the Ohiot the alTembly
" voted 10,000 /." whereas they difcovcred the
impofition In time, by their fagacity, and icjedled
it, as hath been fet forth above.
From hence therefore it plainly appear?, that
the proprietors had neither purchafed any land for
building a flrong houfe, nor obtained any licence
from the Indians for that purpofe : confequently
that the aflembly were in the rif>ht to rejcdt the
propofal ; and they did not rejed it, as the letter
writer would infinuate, merely becaufe it came from
the proprietors. It likewife appears, that if they did
not regiftcr the propollil of the proprietors, they
gave a place in their minutes to fignify that the
propofal was an impofition on them *, therefore
their refufai was not the caufe of the French being
now fortified on the OKo. On the contrary it is
evident that their invafion is more likely to be ow-
ing to the attempt of his party to impofe upon the
aficmbly, and build a fort on that river, without
the confent of the Indians ; and this is demonftra-
ble from the event. For the Virginians ^ by pur-
fuing the fame unfair and precipitate fcheme, loft
both the country, and the afFc<5lions of the Indians^
who went over to the French on that occafion, if
they did not in reality call them in.
If therefore the French have invaded the pro-
vince of I^enfylvanla, and built three forts, as he
fays, within the limits of it, who are to blame, but
liis party and the Virginians ? TheFrench hive been
brought down upon the province by thofe who
broached and purfued the projeft •, not by the
Quakers, who rejedled it when they found it an
C 3 urjuft
[ 22 ]
unjuft, fraudulent, and dangerous undertaking, as
it turns out to be.
For the lame reafon therefore, the Quakers
may have fome realon to exped, that fince the
Virginians have brought an enemy upon their
backs, the Virgivians ought to be at the whole ex-
pence of driving them off again. If the juft mea-
ibres which the alTembly of Penfyhania took, had
been obfcrved in their filler colony, none of the
; refcnt calamity could have happened to them:
and it feems very hard that they Ihould be at the
expence of repelling the danger which their neigh-
bours have brought upon them. This might have
cxcufed them in good neafure if they had been a
lictlc backward to contribute on thisoccafion : But
this Oi.^mtltfs writer has the confidence, not only
to ch.rge them with the crime whic.i his own par-
ty was guiltv of-, but alfo with refufing I j grant
moi>ey to: their defence, although they adualiy
did grant it, and the fame party would not accept
ir, without they alfo gave up their privileges.
Thus hey are not content with bringing the ene-
my upon their province, but at the fame time
would adl the enemy within, by ftrippihg them of
their other rights.
The writer fays indeed, that the other enemy
alfo is in ihe province: if fo, the poor Quakers
have gotten two enemies within their borders, one
a foreign, the other an inreftine enemy ; which
laft perhaps they are in mod danger from. But
if a body IhouM deny that the French have erefted
three cr any fort within their limits ; I apprehend
the letter wriLtr, ami his conlVituents wouki be hard
put to it to prove what they affcrt, as they have
neither had any aftronomicalobiervationsmade to
aiirertain the place, or places, ro which the weftern
bounds of PenJl^'-cania may extend ; nor have yet
even
as
[ 23 ]
even fo much as run a line, with a view to deter*
mine the matter. Methinks the proprietors ought
long ago to have hac* the lands granted cliem accu-
rately furvcy'd,and their limits, both as to latitude
and longitude, precifcly determined •, for nothing
el(e can do it uncxccptionably. However the
writer, to make the charge appear the heavier,
ventures to declare what he cannot pofflbly know ;
and that in contradiction to whac he does know,
namely, that the Virginians claim the country of
the Ohh^ where the French have encroached, as
belonging to their province, and that their invallon
is, in Great Britain^ called an invafion of the ter-
ritories of Virginia. He does fo, in effedt, himfcif,
p. 13 and 18.
After all, fuppofing the French forts were with-
in the limits of the province, or rather on this fide
of a line drawn 5 degrees weft of Delaware ri\^er ^
I would afl< whac rigiit have the proprietors to the
Jands on which thole forts are ficuated ? have they
bought diem of the Indians ? for nothing elfe can
gir;; them a right to them, even though they were
actually within Penfyhama-, and if they have not
bought them, may not the negleft be confidered as
an abufeof royal bounty? Had that been done,
and proper encouragement given, thofe lands
might have been fettled before now ; and confe-
quenily might have been fecure againft the at-
tempts of an enemy. For then they might have
built forts, without giving offence to the Indians^
who, in cafe of an invafion from the French^
would rtadily have afiifled to repeil them. But
this opportunity is now loft, perhaps, beyond a re-
medy ; for fhould the French be driven out again,
the Indians fcem determined not to fell them any
more J as from the infincere proceeding of the Eitg-
/^' of other colonies, they are become fufpicious
C 4 of
■ ':){
r 24 ]
of their having a ckfign to fcize their countries by
torcr.
Befidcs, fhould they be inclined to Ml them
any more lantis, they would doubtlefs hold them
up at fuch a rate, that the propriecors would not
care to purchafc : for they have Icjrned how ex-
travagantly dear the proprietors fdlthe land which
they bought of them for trifles j and therefore
feem refolved no longer to part with them, for
what, as they phrafe it, will run through their guts
hefore th^ get home, ^ ; ,
The rule which prevailed inPenfyhama, inftead
of making a confiderable purchafe at qnce, and on
the frontiers, in order to fortify the province, was
to buy a fmall traft at a time ; and after the pro-
prietor and his ofiicers had culled them in order to
jobb, and parcel out at an extravagant rate, then
the reft was fold occafionally by the proprietor's
officers, to the higheft bidder, for his fole benefit
and advantage. The lands fo bought were to be
fettled before the proprietors would purchafe any
more. Nor was it poflible, under fuch reftridlions,
to fettle the colony fo faft as otherwife it might
have been ; for there is a pofitive law in force
which prohibits every perfon to purchafe from the
Indians: the preference by fuch law being given
to the proprietor, of whom every individual is ob-
liged to purchafe, as that law is conftrued by the
officers of the proprietors, and courts of juftice of
their own conftitution.
Was it not for that obftacle, the greater part of
Penjylvania, and particularly the weftern part of ir,
would have been fettled long ago, and a frontier
formed too ftrong for the French to force. What
is very extraordinary with regard to the proprietary
purchafcs, although they wtre made for his own
private benefit, yet they were chiefly paid for by
' ' the
[ '5 ]
the afTcmbly, out of the public money ; a thing
which they have long complained of, and reluc-
tantly complyM with.
Upon the whole, I think it may be a proper
queftion to afk the author, or authors, of the let-
ter, why ought not the propriet6r to contribute to
the defence of the province as well as the afTem-
bly ? fince they claim the right and profit of the
lands within it, and have little lels than (hrec
fourths of the whole i^ -heir palTcflion, ought they
not, in that cafe, as (landing in place of the Crown,
to defend them and his people i or at lead con-
tribute to their defence ? but although he draws
fo many thoufands a year out of the province, it
does not appear that he ever contributed any thing
either to the defence of the colonics, or even that
of his own, excepting the old guns. If he iiad, his
party would have proclaimed it, with a noife as
loud as th^C which all his 1 2 pieces of cannon CQuld
make. ^ . . . •
To proceed. He fays, " It may juftly be
prefumed that, as foon as war is declared, the
French will take poflcflion of the whole pro-
vince •, fince they may really b^ faid to have
ftronger footing in it than we.'* He muft here
be fuppofed to fpeak of the fuperior footing of the
external enemy, the Frencby to that of the internal
enemy, his own party •, for he could hardly be lo
ridiculous as to mean that the French^ with their
three forts (fuppofing them to be fuuatcd within
the borders of Penfylvania) had a ftronger footing
in the province than the inhabitants, who are ac-
tually pofTcfifed of the body of it, to the amount,
as he confeflcs before, of 220,000. However that
be, he is comforted to think *' that i\\q Virginians
" have taken the alarm, and called on them for
^' afliilance.'* He is all of a ludden n.conrilcd, it
fecnis,
cc
II
[46 ]
fcems, with his brethren of yirginia^ and ready to
aflift them -, although they noc only helped to bring
on the the danger he fpeaks of, but not long be-
fore gave his party as terrible an alarm as the
French have done, nay a much greater one in all
probability. For the French may be faid to have
deprived them of little more land than their forts
are built on, and their cannon can command ; but
the Virginians^ b'^fore their coming, had furrepti-
tioufly deprived them of a great deal more, as they
conceived, from che eredion of the Ohio company.
And although this writer flifles the matter, he ve-
ry well knows that to revenge the injury, thofe of
his party gave the firft intimation to the Indians of
that grant, and inflamed them againft the Virgini'
ens i whom, on that account, they ftiled falfe bre-
thren, and branded with the mofl opprobrious
names. ' ' ' 'j ' ♦
We are now come to the writer's two queftions;
The firft of which is, '* Why are our aflemblies
againft defending a country in which their own
fortunes and cftates lie, if it is really in dan-
ger r
Before the writer put this queftion, he ought to
have proved thaf the aflemhius are againft defend-
ing their country. But he himfclf hath ftiewn that
they are not againft defending it, by acknowledg-
ing that they have ofFcred to advance money, not
only for defence of their own province, but alfo
for that of other provinces. Nay his fecond quef-
tion is a contradi6lion of the firft, as it confefles
that they have offered money forth'' King's ufc,
but the Governor and his party will not accept of
it. Therefore the only proper qucftion fhould
have been. Why will he not accept of the money ?
which is the fecond queftion. ,
But
ct
tc
<(
But before we proceed to it, we fhall expmine
the wife rcafons hcaiTigns why iJcrfons at a diftance
r.iiglit imagine ihe Quakers arc indifferent whe-
ther or not the French (hall make themfclves mat-
ters of Penfilvania.
His firft reafon is the continued refufal of the
aflfcmblies to defend the province : which is no
more than the queftion reduced to an aflertion,
which we have already proved to be a falfchood
out of his own moiuh. And as, by his own con-
fefllon, they have offered to advance money to
defend the province ; it follows, in effect, from
his own confeflion, that they are not indifferent
whether or not the French ihall make themfclves
mafters of Penfylvania. On the orher hand, as
he l.kcwife acknowledges that the Governor and
his party would not accept of the money fo offer-
ed by [hem i it follows, from the fame way of rea-
fon ing, that the Governor and his party are in-
different whether the French fliail make ihem-
felves mafters of it. If the queflion was put,
who are mod againft defending the province, they
who offer to advance money for that purpofe, or
thcfy who refufe to accept ol it, would not every
body fay the latter? > / <
Methinks this fjggeftion, that the Quakers are
againft defending their own country, comes with
a very bad grace from perfons, who at the fame
time find ihem fo tenacious of their rights. If
they are fo unwilling to give up their privileges
to thofe of his party, is it to be imagined that
they would readily furrender both thofe and their
country alfo to the French ? Nothty don't intend
to part with either, they would willingly defend
both : but becaufe they will defend one, his party
will not permit them to defend the other.
- ;-: .The
[ 28 ]
The Quakers are fcnfible that the province is
in danger from the French^ as appears from their
nieflagcs to the Governor in the Penfyhania Gazette:
but they are fatisBed that it is not in fo great danger
as the party would make them believe •, for which
end to terrify them into a compliance, they have
raifed many falle reports : but that of the 6000 men
bting landed one day at ^ebek without (hips,
and tranfporicd the next to the Ohio without be-
ing feen or heard by any body, has quite ruined
their credit, and proved them no conjuiers.
His fecond reafon is the extraordinary indul-
gence and privileges granted to Papifts in this
government •, privileges, faith he, plainly repug-
nant to all our political intereds, confidered as a
Proteftant colony, bordering on the French.
The fadt is fo far true, that the Papifts have
an equal privilege with thofe of other religions.
But what he would fuggeft on. the occafion is
falfe, as if the prefent generality of Qiiakers,
inhabiting Penjylvania, had out of their great love
and affection for Papifts, granted them thofe ex-
traordinary indulgences and privileges j whereas
it was done by the father of the prefent proprie-
tors, who therefore muft be afFcded by this
ftigma, if it be one, and not the affemblies, who
have pafled no toleration adl in favour of Papifts,
It may be proper therefore to clear up this
point. The original charter or grant from King
Charles lid. to fFHliam Pen elq-, bearing date the
14th March 1681, gives to the proprietor a pow-
er to make by-laws. In conlequence of fuch
power, the 28th of 05iober 1701, he granted a
charter to the inhabitants, wherein is included
the following claufe;, viz. " I do hereby grant
" and declare that no perfon or pcrfons inhabiting
*' in this province or territories, who ftiall con-
<« fe.'s
[ 29 ]
fcfs and acknowledge one Almgbty GoJy Sec,
(hall be in any cafe molefted or prejudiced in
his or their perfon or crtate, becaufe of his
or their confcientious perfuarion or pradti-
ccs, ^c.'*
In the firll place, the public fees that the prc-
fcnt body of Quakers have done nothing in this
cafe of ihcir own voluntary motion ; and if they
have ftriftly conformed to the tenor of the char-
ter in allowing the liberty which is granted by it,
methinks it is a very great article in their favour,
as it (hews that they have not abufed their power ;
and this is a ftrong reafonjfor believing that they,
will not abufe it, and an inftance of moderation,
as well as fidelity to the truft repofed in them,
which cannot be produced by moft of the neigh-
bouring colonies -, who have perfecuted their fel-
Jow Proteftants, and even put fome Quakers to
death for obeying the dilates of confciencc.
How far the father of this colony was in the
right for granting fuch an extenfive liberty of
confcience to all religions wiihout diflindlion or
reftriftion, I will not pofitively fay •, but I dare
venture to affirm that he did it from no bad mo-
tive. He doubtlefs confidered thofe evil do«5lrines
in the Romifh church, which are inconfiflcnt
with humanity and fubverfive o*" the rights and
liberties of mankind, as no parts of religion, or
matters of confcience ; any more than roi^bery or
murder, which fall under the cognizance of the
civil magiftrate, with whom fuch pleas would not
be admitted. It may be likewife conficiered than
every religion contains doftrines which more or
lefs tend to the prejudice or deftrudion of all
other religions ; and therefore thought, if he ex-
cepted one religion, he muft injullicd except more :
aldio* it muft be confciTed that Popi^y exceeds
by
r
30 3
l!' I
by many degrees all other religions now on earth
inthofe principles, which Teem not intttled to to-
leration. But as 1 am a zealous advocate for li-
berty, and think it cannot be fupported but on
general principles, 1 (hould be for excluding no
people from liberty of confcience or their civil
rights, who fhould formally difclaim and re-
nounce all fuch tenets as feemed inconfiftent with
ihe fafety of government or good of fociety ;
which for that purpofe fliould be picked out of
their fcvcral fyftems and made a tcft^.
After having fuggefted agiinft the alTfrnbly
that they afted in favour of Papifts, he fubjolns
a kind of draw-back to (hew his great modera-
tion in favour of rhe generality of Quakers.
" Altho* this, faith he, might be infmuated,
•' yet from obfervation I have reafon to believe,
" that moft of the Quakers with'Hit doors are
*' really againft defence from confcience and their
•* religious tenets ; but for thofe within doors, I
*' cannot but afcribe their condud rather to inte-
" reft than confcience.'*
This writer imagines that his feemingly cha-
ritable opinion for the many would make his fug-
geftions have the mere credit and weight with the
reader againft the few. But he did not confider
what a blunder his hypocrify has led him into ;
for can it without an abfurdity be prcfumed, that
the confcientious many^ without doors, would make
choife of the few^ who have no confcience, to
rcprefent them within ? Be that as it will, Go-
vernour Morris himfelf has in dirc6"t terms de-
clared himfelf of a contrary opinion in his mef-
fage to the affembly cf the i8th of December,
[fee Penfyl. Gaz. the 26th of December] w-here he
fays, " tie is convinced they adl ft cm upright
'* motives, and what they cftecm to be the true
** inttrcft
[3> 1
o
ke
to
rO-
he
jht
rue
•eft
cc
((
«' intereft of the province.'* Need I a(k the
public which of the two they will believe, the
governoiir or the letter writer ? who, it appears
from this fingle inftjnce, defcrves no credit in
any thing which he affirms or fuggcfts.
The writer next undertakes to enter into the
views of the aflembly in not complying with the
defigns of his party : " Our aflembly appreherid,
** lays he, thit as foon as they agree to give fuffi-
*' cient fums for the regular defence of the coun-
try, it would ftrike at the root of all their
power as Quakers, by making a militia-law
needful.'* If they do fo apprehend, they ap-
prehend righdy ; Such a law, efpecially fuch a
one as the party aim at, would certainly produce
the effeds which he mentions ; and be the direft
means of enflaving and depopulating the country.
The importation of Germans and other foreigners,
fo much exclaimed againft by this writer and his
principals, has been the chief means of bringing
the province of Penfylvania into that flourifhing
condition, which it now enjoys ; the greateft if
not the fole motive for thtir preferring that colony
to all others on the continent for fettling in, was
the privileges now complained of, the principal
of which with them is that of their affirmation
beirjg admitted inftead of an oath. If the inha-
bitants were deprived of thefe privileges, its
flourifhing days would be at an en:! ; few of thofc
foreigners would pafs over to fettle there : and
numbers of thofe who are there now would re-
move to other countries. The Quakers them-
felves would be forced to abandon thtir pofici-
fions ; for the party's view in obtaining fuch a law
would be to make it the inftrument of rl^ir re-
u
ill
i 1 1
J. -
I 32]
vengf, and oblige them to fcrve pcrfonally in
wars.
If a militia law was to be cflablifhed in Pen-
fylvaata unit Is it was •■ lanaged bcicer than ic is in
other jTovinccs, this colony had better be with-
out it. In niort of the others there is fcarceany
miliiia, and what there is of fuch is of very
little or no fcrvice. 1 hey are drawn out by their
officers when they wane to make a Hiow and dif-
piay their addrefs in military diverfions : but the
men get little by it but lofs of time and a habit
of idienefs and drinkiner, fo that thefe reviews
or cxercifes do more hurt to induftry, than fer-
vice to the public fecurity. As every American
is a good marklman, has a gun, and other arms,
'tis thought by many that they will fight better
if left as they are without that fort of training ;
and all would be ready enough to defend their
property.
But why are the Quakers blamed for not hav-
ing a militia law r* did they ever refufe to pafs
one ? does the Governour expedl that the aflem-
bly will of their own accord propofe a bill of that
kind ? why dots not he get the attorney general
to draw one up in a proper manner fuirable to
I he principles of the people whom they arc to ap-
ply to, and fee if the afiembly will not accept
ot it?
We come now to the fecond queftion of the
letter writer. ** Why have not the feveral fums
*' been accepted, which they have offl^rcd for the
*' King's ufe." Here it is acknowledged, as be-
fore obferved, that the Qiiakers have otiered feve-
ral fums for the King's fervice : but it fcems thefe
never could be accepted ; becauie while they hive
** the afoiefaid apprehenfions from a militia-law,
*'• it mud be repugnant to their interclt ever to
*' offer
«i
<(
ofTer money for this purpofe, unlcTs in fuch a
manner as thiy know to be inconfillcnt with
the duty of a govcrnour to pals their bill into a
law.''
Now fuppofing they did know it to be inconfill-
ent with the Governour's duty, by his inftrudtions,
to pais their bill into a law after the manner they
would have it pafs ; that can be no rcafon why
they ought to oflfcr it in a manner agreeable to
the Governour, in cafe that manner which would
be agreeable to him, be as prejudicial to their
/ighis (he allows it would be fo to their intcreft) as
the manner which th.y have offered it in is re-
pugnant to his inftruftions. They plead a right
by charter from the Crown, to certain privileges
relating to the manner of raifing as well as dif-
pofing of the public money •, a^.id the Govcrnour
will not pafs any of their money bills unlds they
give up that right. Here is a contcft of inftruc-
rions, (and which appear to be only thofeof the
proprietors) againft charter right. Which ought
to give way? furely the inltru6lion?, otherwife
what wiM become of private property ? who
would be fecure in his poffchions if a landlord
could at his will and pleafure break the covenants
which he makes with his tenants ? what in that
cafe would deeds or leafes fignify ? But if a land-
lord cannot at pleafure make void his own con-
trad:, how Ihould his inftru«5lions to his fteward
or deputy operate againft that of the crown ?
muft it not be the higheft prefumption to attempt
it ? will not the King fupport his own charter,
and punifli any perfon who fliould offer to invade
or controll it? befides a proprietor ought to be
the more cautious how he proceeds in fuch a cafr,
and confider that on the fame principle by which
D he
^
'1 •
i.!-
ri
t 34 ]
he would ftrlp his tenants of their right, he him-
fclf might be (tripe of his own. Be that as it
will, mcthinlcs he would run a great hazard
of being lliipt of it, if it appeared that fums
offered for fbe Kmg*s feriice can never be accepted
of by his deputy governors, unlcfs their own
ends are fervc'd.
The writer comes now, p. i8, to give an ac-
count of what had pifTf'd between the governour
and the afTembly for the laft two or three years,
relating to their ofl'cr of money for the King's
fervice on one fulc, and the reafon for not ac-
cepting it on the other •, and it is certain that a
full and impartial ftate of this tranfa«5lion was the
moft proper way of laying the condufl of both
parties before the public, and enabling them to
form a judgment who were in the right and who
in the wrong : but fuch a (late of the cafe would
not ferve the writer's purpofe, which is to blacken,
and even criminate the Quakers ; and therefore
he hath thought fit to ftate it neither fully nor
fairly.
However we fliall endeavour to fupply fbme
of his wilful imperfedions, as well as corredl
fome of his wilful miftakes, from more credible
and authentic evidence than his own.
In the fame page he tells us that " Mr. Ha-
** miltony on receiv-ng an account that the French
** had driven the Vir^:tmans from their fort, again
** called the alTembly and conjured them to obey
«* his Majefty's orders. He at the fame time Jet
" them know thataltho' his inftrudlions reftrained
** him from pafTing any paper money at all with-
*' out a fufpending claufe, yet in the prefenc
*« prefTing emergency he would rifle ir, provi-
*' ded they would vote handfomely and fink it
*' within the time prefcribed, by a6l of parlia-
" ment
ed
h-
nc
vi-
ic
la-
Knc
C(
cc
[35]
•* mcnt in the cafe of New England : then and
•* not till then, continues the writer, they voted
*• 10,000/. for his Majclly's iil'e, rcdeetnablc by
•* the cxcife in twelve years, for which tunc the
** bills were to be funk annually in equal propor-
•• tions."
The reafons afligned for the Governour's not
pafTing this bill, are ( i ) that it would be givini^ the
Governnncnt out of his hands and rendering h)m-
felf and fucceflfors unneccflary in the adminillra-
ration for 1 2 years.
(2) That as the excife would amount in that
time to 45,000/. it would flill more increafj their
own power and enable them to abridge the Go-
vernor's by putting 35,000/. (thcfurplus when the
io,ooo/. was paid) into their hands. *' For thefc
reafons fays the letter, and confiderifior alfo that
the money was to continue 7 years longer than
" the a6t of parliament allows, the Governouc
*' refufed his affent ; upon which they adjourned :
** altho' continues the write;, they knew very
" well before they propofed the bill that he could
'* not give his aflcnt, without incurring his ma-
*' jefty*s higheft difpleafure."
Here in the clofe great ftrefs is laid on this cir-
cumftance, as if the Governour's chief motive for
refufing his alTent was the danger of incurring the
King's difpleafure •, but, from the mariner of re-
lating this paffage, that appears to have been the
lead of his concern : for the true motives were
ihofe which affedled tl\e Governour himfelf, as
contained in the two firH: reafons : That of the
money continuing 7 years longer than the ad of
parliament allows, is only brought-in in the laft
place, and as it were by-ihe-by, as a matter of lefs
moment, with a cortftderin^ alfo,
D I To
[ 36 I
To render our anfwer to this objc£lion more
intelligible to the reader, I muft previoufly obfcrvc
certain matters antecedent to this tranfadlion.
The province of Penfylvania (landing in need
of a paper currency to fupply the want of real
money, to circulate in the province *, the aflfem-
bly in the year 1739 applied to their Go vernour
Colonel Tbofjtas, at prefent governour of the
Leward tflands, to pafs a bill for eftablifhing a
fund of 80,000 /. in paper money for the conve-
n'mcy of the inhabitants of the province in car-
rying or. their trade and bufirt^rs among them-
felves. While this bill lay before him, in order to
enforce an a<5fc of the 6th of Qiieen y^««, for re-
gulating the coins in the plantations of Americay
the lordsjuftices of England fent him an inilrudi-
• on, requiring him or the commander in chief /<?r
the time beings not to pafs any a6l whereby bills
of credit (hould be iffued in lieu of money with-
out a claufe to fufpend the execution of it till the
pleafure of the crown fhould be known.* But
it appearing to Governour Thomas that the crown
had by charter, granted full powers to th people
for pajfing all laws whatever they fhould judge fit
for the benefit of the colony •, and alfo that the
paper currency which they applied for, was not
only ufcful but necefiary, he the i3ih of May
1730 gave his afTent to their bill, which being
recommended to the Crown by the board of trade, it
received the Royal fandlion on the 12 th of May
1 740. + Afterwards in 1 746, the fame Gover-
nor gave his aflent to another bill, granting
5000 /. for the King's ufe, to be funk on the ex-
cife in 10 years, without a fufpcnding claufe ^
• Penjy/, G^z. 26th of Dec. AlTemb. mefT. 20th of Dec.
■f Ibid. 14th of jfau, Aflcmb. xnelT. loth of Jan.
notwithflanding
137]
notwithdanding the inftrutSkions which he had re-
ceived as aforefaid.
Since the 80,000/. was enabliflied, the in-
crcale of people in Penfylvania has been fo confi-
derable that it requires a much greater quantity to
fupply their occafions ; for this reafon in offering
10,000/. for the King*s ufe, the aflembly propo-
fed an additional fum of paper money to be added
to their prefent flock.
Altho* the inftrudions to Colonel Tbomashtm^
direded to him^ or to the Commander in chief for :he
time being, feemed equally to affeifl MrMamiltonyyet
he made no fcruple after his prcdeceflbr's example
to pafo the bill wii'-'^'U a fufpending claufe : But as
mot long bv^fore an adt of parliament had paflld in
England for rellraining the four provinces of
New England from emitting paper currency, ex-
cepting in cafes of extremity, and limited the
term of fuch emiflion to 5 years, he cither
thought it proper, or elfe took upon him, to make
it a rule in Penfylvania j and on the aflfembly's not
Submitting to what they !ioked on as an innova-
tion and infringement of their charter rights, he
refufed to pals the bill.
Now let any p^.rfon who has the lead tin(5ture
of impartiality, judge in the cafe, who was to
blame the Governor or the Affembly : the af-
fcmbly hi.ve a charter and privileges in their fa-
vour, which no friend to liberty and property
can blame them to defend. The Governor on his
part had apparently nothing to juftify his not
pafTing their bill. The a6l of parliament which
he went upon related folely to l^ew England'^
and confequently can affe<5l or bind Penfylvania
no more than Canada. Nor had he fo much as a
diredl inftrudion from the Crown (I don't fay
D 3 that
B ii
H
m
[ 38 ]
that he had not one from the proprietors^ fo ref-
train him from pafTing the bill.
Of the two authorities which he alledged the
general inllriittion of the Crown to Governor
Vi'homa.':^ and the a(5t of parHament made to bind
the provinces of New Englandy the firft doubtlefs
was moft, if not only, to be regarded, (whe-
ther then in force or not) as it related direcT^.y to
Penfyhania •, if therefore he made no fcruple to
difpenfe With that^ he had fuitly much lefs rea-
fon (if any at all) to fcruple difpenfing with the
fccond : and fince he was willing to rifk palling
paper money, altho' he apprehended his inftruc-
tions (" that is the Royal in(lru6lions abovemen-
** tioned,) reftrained him from pafling any,, '
how could he juftify his unwillingnefs to rifk giv-
ing more time than 5 years, when he had no in-
ftfudions ro reflrain him ? could he imagine that
he fhould incur his Majefty's difpleafure more
highly for not conforming to an ad: of parlia-
ment which does not concern Penfyhania^ than
for a<5ting contrary to a Royal inftru6tion drawn
up f :)r a governor of Penfyhania^ and by which
he judged himfelf to be bound ?
It leems evident therefore that the aft of par-
liament made to reflrain the people of New Eng-
land^ could not be the Governor's motive, as the
letter writer lilledge^ for not pafTingthe alfembly's
bill for granting 10,000 /. for his Majtfty's Ser-
vice ; but mull have been urged by the Go-
vernor as a bugbear, with a view to terrify them
into a compliance with his demands ; and in the
letter, by the writer of it, ro impofe on people
here : by endeavouring to make them beheve
that the Qiiakers had flown in the face of tha
government of England^ and obflmately pcrfilled
to
,
l\
[39]
to get a bill paficd by the Governor, In direft
con trad i 61 ion to an exprefs aft of parliament.
It h therefore to be believed, that in not re-
ceiving the 10,000 /. under the faid pretence, that
the Governor &6tcd folely in conformity to his in-
ftrydlions from the proprietors i and tha- rather
as it appears from the public papers, that he com-
municated to the alTembly the inftrudions of
his majefty, but refufed to fhew them thofe of
hisconiftituents.
Although the letter-writer, as before obferved,
brings in this argument of the aft of parliament
binding New England, in the laft phcc, as weakeft
of the three he alledge?, thro* a fenfe of its infuf-
licicncy ; yet as it is the principal, and in reality
only argument urged by the Governor for his
extraordinary conduct in this affair, I have dwelt
the longer in (hewing how little it was to the pur-
pofvf. I fhali now examine the writer's other two
reafons for the Governor's not pafTing the bil!,
which he lays the chief ftrefs on. Firlt, " That
*' if he had accepted the 10,000 pounds offered
by the aiTembly for the King's ufe, and allowed
them ten years to fink it on the excile •, it would
be giving the government out of his hands,
* and rendering himfelf and his fucceflbrs en-
" tirely unneceflary in the ad minift ration for
'* twelve years.'*
This reafon is a downright paradox, which
the author ought to have explained ; but which
can be explained only by fuppofing his meaning
to be, that the Governor would in that cafe have
confented to their having the difpofal of the excife
branch of the public money for fo many years \ a
fecret however which he did not care to difclofe,
and through his whole letter is very induftrious to
conceal : for in what fenfe otherwife could the
D 4. Governor'*
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^''•rn^^ly^ ftill morc to incrcafc their power,
ge thofe of their proprietors and Go-
[40]
Governor's hands be tied up ? It is true, he
would have allowed five year?, in which caleit
may fctrn his hands like wife would have been
tied up for fo long time: but then he would, in
fo doing, have fct afide their right by charter,
to have what laws foevcr they think fit to pro-
pofe pafll'd by their Governors ; and fubjcdted it
to the contioul of an a<5t of parliament, made to
bind other provinces, and in fhort, for the future,
to the will of a Governor, by wrefting that pri-
vilege out of their hands..
The writer's fecond reafon is, " That it would
** be putting 35,000 pounds into the hands of
" thi
«' and
*' vernors. ' To make this out, he fays, p. 19,
That in the; fpace of twelve years the excifc would
raife 45,000 pounds *, and that when the 10,000
pounds for the King's ufe was paid out of it, the
remaining 35,000 would have been at their dif-
pofal for what ufes they might think fit.
In thefe few lines the writer has committed
four^//7n«^ falfehoods, to ufe his own term.
Firil, in flying, that the excife would amount
in twelve years to 45,000 pounds, he would
make it, one year v/ith another, to be 3750 pounds,
whereas it arifes but to about 3000, and has a
charge of 500 poundsper an. on ir, as the aifembly
alledge to their prefent Governor *, who in his
calculation for a particular year, makes it no more
than 3519 t'
Secondly, inftead of 45,000 pounds, ground-
ed on that wrong affertion, it ought to be no
more than 30,000 pounds, out of which deduft-
-* Penjyh. Gaz. 7 Jan.
f Ibid. I4 7tf«.
ing
I*' 1
ing the 10,000 for the King's ufe, and iherc will
remain but 20,000, 15,000 Icfii than this writer
affirms.
Thirdly, That remainder would not have been
at their difpofal more than ic was before, as the
excife is always in their power for applying to the
ufes of the Government *, and it docs not appear,
from his (hewing, that it was to be converted inro
paper currency. It may be prefumed, thac no
more than the money granted was to be made
current in that (hape, and for no longer time than
the twelve years; as in the cafe of the 5000 pounds
before mentioned, granted by Collonel Thomas in
1 746, which was to be funk in ten years, at the rate
of 500 pounds a-year, and is not yet difcharged.
The affcmbiy extended it for that length of time,
as well to prevent incumbering their fmall public
fund, as that ihey might have the fmall addition
of paper bills during that interval, though they
gradually decreaied by finking every year.
The fourth falfity in the foregoing paragraph,
is the writer's affirming, that the affcmbly might
have difpofcd of the 35,000 /. at pleafure. This
falfe aflcrtion is farther aggravated at the bottom
of the fame page, where it is faid, " That aliho*
•* the preambles to all our money-ads and to
*' the excife fay, that the intereft-money, and
what arifes from the excife, are to be applied
to the fupport of Government ; ytt they
(meaning the aflembly) apply it as they pleafe,
viz. to diftrefs all who oppofe their mealures,
and for building hofpitals, purchafing lands,
*' libraries, £sff.
This faliehood, which might pafs at a diftance
from Penfyhania^ would appear ^/^r/'w^ there even
to the moderate of his own party, nothing being
better known to every body than the contrary :
fur
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for the intci eH: arifing from the 80,000 pounds in
paper currency, which is lent out at 5 per Cent.
on land-fccurity, is annually examined and fettled \
and a juft account of it, together with the excifc
returned to the alfembly, and by thtm printed,
that every individual may be latisfied in what man-
Ticr the lame is difpofed of. The truftecs of the
Ixan-ofHce are alfo obliged to render an account
to the aflcmbly, and give ample fecurity for the
faithful difcharge of their office, before they en-
ter upon it. Can any better regulations be made,
to prevent embezzling the public money ? Too
well they know this. In (hort, the thing which
in reality grieves the parry, whofc tool the writer
is, murt be, that too much care Is taken to prevent
embezzling ir, by requiring <?« account to be ren-
dered from all who have the handling of it.
The reader may perceive from hence, how
much this writer pei verts the truth of things; as
well as how little t!ie pafilngthat bill would have
crealed the powers of the aflembly, and more ena-
bled them to abridge thofe of the Governor than
they were before, had that been their intention.
For better explanation of what goes before,
as well as follows, it may be proper to obfcrve,
that the revenue of Pejtjylvania is no more than
7000 pounds a-year, arifing out of two articles :
The interert of the 80,000 pounds above men-
tioned, lent ou: at 5 per cent, intercft, which brings
in 4000 pounds a-year; and the excife above-
mentioned, which is alio paid into the loan-office.
Out of thefc two funds all the falaries of the pub-
lic officers, excepting the Governor's, are paid,
and the remainder is to defray all other expen-
ces of Governmenr.
This fund is lb fcanty, that many years it is
not fufficient to pay thofe falaries, and other con-
tmgcnt
[43 J
tingent charges ; Co that it is not to be cxpeflcd*
that ever confulciable funis ot public money, if
any at all, fliouki be found in the treafury. In
cale of an emergency ihcreforc, when money is
to be raifc 1, the ufual meih3d is for the aflTcm-
bly to borrow it of the pubhc, and difcharge in-
tereft and principal out of the cxcife, by finking
fo much yearly, more or Icfs, according to the
fituati on of affairs.
The loan is made by bills, which they call
paper currency ; and when they borrow money of
the people, they give them fuch bills in lieu of
it: or which is the fame, they emit lb many bills
as the Turn, fuppofing 20,000 pounds, amounts
to i and having divided it in equal proportions, for
inftance, twelve parts, burn every year in an oven,
fo many bills as amount to the proportion, till the
whole is funk -, as in the cafe mentioned a little
before of the 5000 pounds granted towards the
Canada expedition in 1746.
The author of the letter proceeding in his nar-
rative fets forth, that " on the news of PFaJhing"
*' ton^s defeat lad fummer ( 1 754^ the Governor
*' again fummoned the aflembly, and again en-
*' treated them to fall on ways and means to re-
pel the enemy, confident with his duty to pafs
their bill ; he having in the mean time received
Sir Dudley Rider^s opinion, that he could not,
with Uf^iy to hinifelf, pafs fuch 'an a(5t as they
*' wanted. They then voted him 15,000 pounds
*' to be raifed cxadly as before, being certain the
** Governor could not venture to pafs it. Ac-
" cordingly on his refufal they adjourned j and
to intimidate other Governors from daring to
difpute their commands, with-held his yearly
falary."
The query on the cafe which Mr. Hamilton
ftated
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/latcd to the Attorney-General here, wa«, *' Wlie-
tncr he might legally and iatcly, or without
breach of his oath, bond, or dury to the king,
pais an adl of aflcmbly, whereby bills of cre-
dit may be iflued in lieu of money, without
the fufpending claufe before-mentioned being
infertcd therein.*' The letter writer, with his
iifiial fincerity, omits the reafon here afTigned,
why Governor Hamilton could not with fafety
pafs this 1 5,000 pound aft, for two reafons : firlt,
becaufe Mr. Hamilton had, before he received the
faid opinion, made no fciuple to pafs the a6t for
papp- currency without the fufpending claufe. Se-
condly, Becaufe notwithftanding this opinion of
the Attorney-General, the prefcnt Governor, Mr.
Morris, offered to do the flime, provided the bills
were to be funk in five years ; and therefore the
writer, by that omifllon, would have it believed,
the reafon for Mr. Hamilton^ latter refufal was ftill
the fame with his firll, and that which his fuccef-
Tor alledged •, namely, that the ulTcmbiy would
*not fubmit to fink the money in five years, con-
formable to the ad of parliament binding New
' England. Mr. H. feeing this aft not tenable, quit-
ted ir J and ftared the cafe for an exciife to C(ime off.
The affembly alledged, " That the cafe, as it
was dated to the^then Attorney-Gene; al, re-
garded only emiffions of bills of credit on com-
mon and ordinary occafions, and fo in their
opinion very little, if at all, affcfted the bill
then depending.** They hkewife obferve.
That Mr. Hamilton feemed clearly, in his rea-
fonings with former affemblies, to h-^vc acknow-
ledged he thought himfelf at liberty to pafs a6"ls
of the fame tenor with that bill, for granting
*' money for the king's ufc ; and never offered a
** fufpending claufe^ notwithflanding his bonds to
5 »* the
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** the Crown. But, continue they, the poinr, whe-
•* ther he might or might not be (ate ia palfhig a
•* bill, mentioned in his llatc of the eafc, could re-
*' gard himfelf only, and docs by no means de-
*• tcrmine the right which we claim under the
•' royal charter :" A right which they fay they
have hopes will never be taken from them by a6t
df parliament -, and the rather, as three bills, to
extend the royal inftrudions over countries and
affcmblies in America^ had been attempted in par-
liament without fuccefs*. . -.
The alTembly apprehended that Mr. Hamilion
was prevented from pafling the bill, not fo much,
if at all, from Royal, as from proprietary in-
fl:ru6lion.«, which he feems to have looked on ia
a very bad lighr, and of pernicious tendency to
the colony : for the aflcmbly obferve, *» That
'* he declared, in the journals of their houfe, and
*' in a letter to the proprietary family themfelves,
** (i.) That fome inftrudt ions given to him con-
" elude abfurdly, and therefore are impradicable.
•* (2.) That they are a pofitive breach of the Char-
ter of privileges to the people. And (3.) That
they are inconfiftent with the legal prerogative
of the Crown, fettled by ad of parliament.'*
This being the cafe, it may be prefumcd, that
the afiembly's (lopping his falary was not diia-
greeable to him, as it furniflied him with a handle
to write to the proprietaries to fubftitute antnher
in his place : for that Gentleman, who is fingle,
and of an independent fortune in the province,
the place of his birth, cojld not but have ba^n dif-
gurted with inftrudlions, which, in his opinicn,
tended to fubvcrt the liberties and privileges of
the inhabitants, in which common calamity he
xnult have been involved himfelf; and therefore
the
• Pfufyl'v. G^X. 26. Dectmbtr.
«
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!;
[ 46]
the Icttfr, mentioned by the author of the (late
of Penfylvania^ to have been written by Mr,
Hamilton to the proprietaries, wus doublcfs that
cited by the alTembJy, as before obfervcd. This
appears, in fomc meafure, from what our author
iays, *' That he wrote over to them to fend him
•* a fucceflbr, afluiing them, that he would no
•' longer continue to aft as Governor :** altho*
the brief Jlaie would give it another turn.
We come now to the lafl: part of the hiftory ;
which relates to the government of Mr. Morris.
This Gentleman, he fays, on his entering on the
government, fpoke in the moil pathetic terms
to the new afifembiy, confiding of the old mem-
bers, who " offered a bill for 20,000 pounds,
*' conceived in the fame terms as before, viz.
*' to make the paper money extend for twelve
** years, though the new Governor had told
*' them before-hand, that he was fubjedted to
•' the fame inttrudions as his predecefTors, and
" could not pafs any fuch bill into a law."
This is all he fays of this laft tranfadion, which
however being the mod material of all, I ninll
ftate the particulars fomewhat more minutely. Mr.
Morris having, on the 3d of December laft, laid be-
fore the affembly the dangerous ftare of the pro-
vinces, and exhorted them to conttibute for their
defence; in their anfwer or mefla^e of the 12th,
they acknowledge, *' That the efforts which the
•' French have made (on the fide of the Ohio)
are truly alarming, and dangerous to the Bri-
iijh iniereft: in JSorth America •, but add, that
** they had good reafoiis to believe, that the fums
granted to the King in their late affembly, had
the then .Governor been pleaicd to pafs the
'' bills.
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«* bills, oftcred to him for tint purpofe, mi^bt^
in a great meafure^ if not totally^ hui'i prevented
the badfituation of their ajfairs at frcfcnt^ and
have pliccd their du y lo the befl of Kings, as
they always'dcfire it lliould appear, among his
moil loving and loyal lubjc<fts ♦,"
As their bill propoRd *' emitting 20,000
*' pounds for the King's uH', to be current for
«* twelve years, lie declared in his mefTage ot De-
*« cember i8th, that he could not by any means
agree 10 it, as be'inQ/orifidiien by a royal inftruc-
tion, to pafs any lav^ for creating money in pa-
per bills without a fufpending claufe ; and aU
iedged the Attorney Generars opinion before-
mentioned, by which he faid it clearly ap-
-' peared that the inftrutflion was mofl: certainly
** in foice, and binding on himfelf : that how-
** ever, as the a6l of parliament retraining the
*' four ealtern governments from emitting papiT
*' currency, gives them a power to make bills of
*' credit in cafe of emergency, — he would there-
f fore join with them in any bill, for fbrilcing
*' what fum they thought their preffing occa-
«' fions demaiidtJ, provided a fund was efta-
«* blifhed for finking the fame in five years.*'
It feems to me very odd, that this Gentleman
fhould Hrft tell the aflembly, that he could not
by any means agree to pafs the bill without ajuf-
fending claufe, as being forbidden by a royal in-
flrui5tion, backed with the Attorney-General's
opinion ; and yet prefently after promife to pafs
it without fuch a claufe, provided they would fink
the bills in five years conformable to the afl of
parliament binding iV(?t£;£/;^/(^;/i^; as if their com-
phance with the terms of this ad took 00' the force
i
•
• Pen/yh. Gaz. 19, December,
or
[4«I
or obligation of the royal inftruftion ; wliich yet
at fetting out is rcprcfented as an infupcrablc ob-
Oaclc^ and has no connexion with the a<^, or tht
At\ vf ith Penjlhania. -^;';.'' .'
' However, as the Governor had, between thefe
two declarations, introduced the late Attorney-
General's opinion in Ibpport of the firll^, the af-
fcmbly niiftook his meaning; and concluding h(i
intended to infift on inferring the fufpending Ciaufe^,
entered into debate about it. In their anfwcr of De-
€embtr 20th, they controvert the force or validity
of that royal inftrudion, as Governor Thomas^ to
whom it was firft direded in 1746, patFed the
5C00/. bill before-mentioned, w'i&.out a fufpending
claufe, by extending the '^xcife aft for ten years ;
to which number they hod reduced their demand
of time in the new bill.
They fay, that as Collonel Thomas gave his af-
fent to that act, after the receipt of the faid in-
ftrudion, they hope he will not be more reftridl-
ed by it than the Gentleman to whom it was im-
mediately direfted, and at prefent holds a govern-
ment of great importance under the Crown, or
than his predcceffor Mr. Hamilton, who never of-
Icrcd afufpending claufe.
Governor Morris made them fenfible, that he
never intended to injiji on the Jufpending claufe^ pro-
vided they would link the paper bills in five years.
As they did nor, he undertakes to prove, that
the inftrudion (which he in his former meffage had
confcntcd' to lay afide) was binding on him, and
that Collonel Thomas'j conduSi was no rule to him.
In fhort, the difpute is carried on as if the fufpen-
ding claufe was the only obftacle, and the ad: of
pailiament for reducing the ten years to five, which
before was the grand impediment, was no longer
infilled on. The reafon he gives why he had in-
filled
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CHcil on it is, lh.it he thought the reaf^n of thai a^
txt ended here (to Penfylvapun) ultUugh the force of
it did not *. Was not this reafon enough why he
fhoii!d not fo long have cncieavuu red 10 force this
a6l upon the aflc-mbly i efpccially fincc, as he con-
fcflfcth, the renfon ot its txtcnuing thither was
no more than a conjecture o\ his own ? whence it
follows, that it was fuel) conjcdure or thought ot
his, which made him urge its authority, not any
if.flrudion from tile Crown : yet two or three
paragraphs after fays, " He had before informed
thom that he could not pafs their bill in the
fhape they had fcnt it, (that is requiring ten
years time to fink the bills) as being contrary to
his Majefty*s inflrudlion i** which inftruflion
mufl, by thefe words, relate to the a(5c reft raining
the emiflion of paptr currency to five years : and
yet it is no where exprcdy faid by him to extend
to that ad, Cfuppofing it concerntd Penfyhania)
but to rtlate merely to the not palTing of bills for
creating paper money, wi;hout a fufpcnding
claule.
Ail this feems to mt like playing at crofs pur-
pofes, or fall and loofe with royal inrtruflions :
ibmetinies they are treated as of no importance,
and an a6t of parliament made only to bind ohe
country, brought in to bind another : at another
time the adt feems to be neglefled, and the in-
flru(ftion only regarded. In one part of the Go-
vernor's mefTage the reafon of the a6ts extending
to Penfyhania is only his coiijtrdlure, and he al-
lows it has no force in itlllf to oper<ite there -, in
another part it is made to operate by a royal in-
ftruilion. So that the royal inllruftion feems to
be made a tool of by him to oblige the alTcmbiy
\
* Gazette Deit/r.her 31.
E
cither
•4 '
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either to fuhmit to have their bill clogged with a
fufpending claufe, which as they fay would be the
fame as to render it ineffectual, or elfe to reduce
the number of years for finking the money from
ten to five ; which feems extremely unreafonable :
for the excifc on which 20,000/. was to be
funk, would difchargc but 15,000/. of the debt
in 5 years, fuppofing it amounted to full "^000 /,
a year. But indeed it frequently falls fome hun-
dreds fliorr, and in time of war becomes very
inconfiderable -, as the danger of being taken at
fea cuts off m( ft pa**! of the trade of wine and
rum, 6ff. out of which the excife arifes: hence it
might poffibly happen that the excife income
(already clogged with 500/. a year) might be
reduced fo low as not to afford a fum in 10
years fufficient to difcharge the debt of 20,000 /.
So that was the whole to have been paid in 5
years, they mud have been forced to bieak
into their intereft money alfo : this would
have farther difiblcd them from defraying the
charge of officers and other expences of govern-
ment, by engaging more than one half of
the public fund for difcharge of the 20,000/.
It feems from the reafon of the thing that the
more money whjch is advanced, the more time
ought to be allowed for repaying it out of fo
fcanty a fund ; and therefore if the affembly had
afked longer time than either 10 or 12 years, it
could not have been looked on as unreafonable,
efpecii»lly as they law a war was near at hand, if
no*" already commenced.
The letter writer was confcious of this, and
therefore altho* he labors all he can to make thtir
demand of it years appear unreafonable on their
firft offer of 10,000/. he fays not a word about
it, when he mentions their tender of 15, and
20,000 /. his fole argument for the Governor's
6 refufal
r.fufal being, that it was contrary to the adl: of par-
liament to grant Co long time, which we have al*
ready fhewn to be an impofition.
As the Governor a6led contrary to the rule
juft mentioned, the reftriflion propoicdto belaid
on the bill leems as if done with dcfign to diftrcfs
the aficmbly. At this rate what encouragement
have they from the Governor to advance large
fums, (which yet he was always prclling, al-
ledging 20,000/. as inconfidcrable) if ihey have
ho mor(^ time allowed for finking large than
fmall ? Governor STi'^w^J granted them 10 years
on the excife for only finking 5000/. which was
at the rate of 5O0/. a year or one tenth of the
public fund ; and now they muft be allowed but
5 for finking 20,000/. which is 4000 a year ouc
of 7000, or more than half of their whole fund
every year.
Why fhould they be compelled to fuch a hard-
Ihip ? the reafon is plain : the inftruftion to Co-
lonel Thomas was by the Crown referred to the a6t
of parliament the 6th of Queen ^nn-, but the
p.relent Governour by his fuperior power and au-
thority, has extended the fame infl:ru6tion to the
a<5t made, not only to bind a different country
(not Penfylvania) but alfo fince that inftrudlion
was ifllied, and withouc the lead reference to it.
The aflembly having mifapprehended the Go-
vernor's meaning as hath been obferved, and im-
agining that he had then infilled on the fufpending
claufe, acquaint him that in CiS: he would not
pafs their bill, after all which they had fiid to
induce him, *' they fiiould be obliged, as their
**' lait refource, to apply to the Crown for redrefs,
" or to the Lords of trade, or to their piopiiet*-
*' ries." That therefore they might be enabled to
(late tlieir cafe more fully, they entreat him to
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inform them " whether the royal inftrii^llon 14
** the only in-hpedime.it ; or whether he had any
*• farther inftrudions from their proprietaries
'* whicli influence him in refufing his aflcnt to
" their bill/*
Governor Morris in anfwer fays that " altho'
he thought it not quite decent, and he believed
it unprecedented ior a Governor to be called
upon for a fight of his inltrudtions ; yet, adds he,
I (hall commji/.vare them to the houfe (,of af-
fembly) whenever ihe public fcrvice (hall re-
quire it." And accordingly, as by way of
advance, took that opportunity to acquaint them
with feme of his inftrudtions from the propreitors,
particularly to recommend to them to provide for
defence of the province -, not only by granting
aids from time to time to the King, but alfo by
cftabli(hing a militia, providing arms, (lores of
war and magazines in convenient places.
Here the Governor had a fair opportunity of
trying if the aflembly would pafs a militia aft,
by propofing to them a bill for that purpofc
ready drawn as btfore •, and it may feem ftrange
to many that this never was done by the Gover-
nor. But as it might be more agreeable to his
views that they fliould rather appear refractory
than compilable, he did not care perhaps to ha-
zard a point of fo great importance, left their
anfwer might have deprived him of the pretence
of declaiming on that head.
The afTcmhly in their me(rage of the 26th of
Dcxemkr^ thank the Governor for offering to
communicate the propri::'tary inftrudions ; and
fay ihofe ro former Governors had been repeat-
edly laid before them, of which they produce
fome indances
"^Kejib in 1724,
particularly thofe of Sir JVlliam
and Colonel Tbomas in 1738.
They
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They tell him that as they arc of opinion, ** his
•* proprierav'y inftrudions arc tht* psincipa! if not
*' the folc obftrudion to his pafllng their bill i
and that as whatever bill they might prepare
for the then prefenc, or any other piirpofc, af-
ter all the cxpencc to the country and all their
paif s in framing them, would be liable to the
fame difficulties, unlcfs they could knew what
thofe proprietary inftrudions are ; they there-
fore requeft he would then candidly communi-
" cate thofe inftrudlions, as the tin:e ivhcn the public
** fervice requires^ fincc they intended to mak'*
'• them the great end of thtir humble addrefs to
« hisMajcfty.'*
Governor Morris^ whether piqued with their
feeming to claim a right to fc« his inftru6lions,
orpeihaps never intendmg to produce them, as
his offer was equivocal ; in his anfwer or mefl'age
of December 30th, refufes to communicite them,
*' as he could not at that time think it either for
** his Majefty's fervice or the intereft of the pro-
*' vince." He feems much dilgufted likcwife
with their telling him they :rc of opinion that
the proprietary inftrudions w.i^ the principal or
fole obfiru5iien to his pafTing their bill a^cer he had
told them he was hindered by a royal inftruflion :
on which occafion he afks " how they came fo inti-
'* niately acquainted with his private f. ntiments, as
*' to know that when he /aid one thing he meant ano-
" ther r* upon my word this was a proper queftion.
The Qiiak^rs fu^e mufl: be conjurors if they pene-
trated fo deep. *Xi'^ much the letter writer did n r
take the hint from thiscircumftance to charge thenj,
among other thing'i, with forcery.
To be ferious ; how could ihcy think othcrwife
when they knew that he couM not be bound by
the royal inftri/tion on the lulpendjng claufc, be-
E 3 caulb
I .
I
l!
[ 54 ]
caufc he had offered lo pafs the bill without fuch a
claufe •, and that as the ad of parhament reftrain-
jng the remiflion of paper currency in i^ew
England io 5 years, could not affed Penjylvania^
he could not be bound by that aft. Since then he
could not be bound by either of thefe, what could
bind him but inflrudlions from the proprietaries ?
that proprietary iuftrudious may be contrary both
to the royal inftru6tions given to the Governor,
and royal charter granted to the people, as well
as abfurd in themfelvcs, appears from Mr. Hamil^
ton's declaration before fet forth. The affembly
likewife produce an inftancc of a faving claufe or
reftri(5lion in the commiflion of Colonel Evans ^
fo inconfiftent with their charter rights, that being;
laid before the council {of Perjjylvania) in 1724,
of which William Penn the younger, was the
principal member, they determined that faving
claufe to be void in itfelf.
* As things (land, therefore the Penfylvania
Quakers are in a very bad fituation, lying as it
were, between two millftones, unable to move;
this verifies the text, one cannot ferve two makers:
if their commands be contrary and the people do
not know ihem, whicfi of the two (hall they obey,
or rather how fhall tlicy know which to obey ?
to enable them therefore to ad at all, it is abfo-
lutely neccllary that they, Ihould fee one of the
Governor's inftiudions, and confequently the
pr(iprietary, as they ought to give place to the
royal. After all the having proprietary Govern-
ments in a country is incompatible with the rights
of Crowns. It is a kind of impcrium in Imperio^
and confequently a lolecifm in politics.
To proceed in our relation o fads : as the af-
fembly miftakes the Governor's meaning (I would
be underflood with rcfpcd tj the lufpending
claule.
f 55 ]
cljufr, not to the indruf^ions which he aifled
from) fo the Governor on his fii^ midaACS that
of the aflfcmbly. Altho' the bill which rhcy fent
up to him was for no more than 20,000/. he
would perfuade them it was for 40,000/. on
which in their mcflage of January the 3d I755»
they fee forth the title as follows, " an aft for
" ftriking 40,000/. in bills of credit and for
*• granting 20,000/. thereof to the King's ufe,
** and to provide a fund for applying the remain-
*' der to the exchange of torn and ragged bills
*' now current in this province." On which oc-
caficn they tell thegovernour, that he well knew,
it added no more to their paper currency than
the very 20,000/. granted the King-, and even
that ftruck for no other reafon than to anfwer
the immediate call of the crown, and to make
the grant effectual.
On this faux pas or flip (willful or un willful)
cf the Governor, the letter wrirer, no doubt,
grounded his faife aflertion before- mentioned ;
that the excife would amount to 45,000/. in 12
years, and the aflembly by their bill would have
had 35,000 of it at their own difpofal. But he
has imfproved the hint confiderably, by adding
5000/. to the Governor's 40,000/. and transfer-
ring the cafe from the 20,000 to the io,oco/.
grant, in order to make their demand appear more
unre?fonable, from an augmentation of 15,000/.
After this fome little altercation pafl b:;tween the
Governor and the aflTembly with reference to the
Hate of the fund?. The Governor infifted that
they had, or ought to have, i4or 15,000/. in
bank. They make aptx*ar that they had not half
that fum, including mortgages and debts j and
that there was not 600 /. in the treafury.
E 4 To
ft
r 56 ]
To conclude this account of tranra(5lions : tha
aflembly finding the Governor inflexibly bent not
to pafs their bill but with his own unwarrantable
reftriflions, they gn the loth of January \*JSS\
adjourned themfelves to the 12th of May follow-
ing ; after voting 5000 /. for accommodating the
King's troops when they fliould arrive, as hath
been mentioned before.
This is the fum and iflfue of the affair. It is
now left to the public to judge, which of the two
parties ought to have receded from their preren-
iions ? who was to blame the afTembly for infift-
ing to tender the money in the accuftomed form,
or the Governor for perfiiting not to receive it in
that form ?
If they think the Governour was in the wrong
they will naturally conclude, according to what has
been before fuggefted, that he was wiiheld from
pafTingthe alfembly's bill bya proprietary inftrufli-
on, not a royal one ; and this being admitted, they
cannot be long at a lofs to difcover the purport of
that in/tru6lion, which notwithftanding the writer
fo induftrioufly avoids to mtntionjr, tranfpires in
two or three places of his letter, where he fpeaks
fomuch againft thcaffcmblies having thedifpoliil of
the public money, and of what blefTings would arifc
to the province from having that power lodged
in the Governor. To wreft this pov/er out of
their hands was doubtkfs the foje motive of his
condudt ; the fole objtft which he had in view.
Had they given up this power, it is not to be
doubted (according as the cafe is ftated in the
letter) but that the Governor would readily have
paiTed the bill, had the time afked been 24'nft^a<i
of 12 years; 4nd all hisfcru^jles would h^vebeen
removed.
But
1^
i «
r 57]
But if tins power be fo much wanted by cither
the proprictaritrs or the Governor, how comes ic
that the acquifition of it was not attempted be-
fore ? why is this dangerous jundure pitched on
to begin a contcli, when the affairs of tht: colo-
nies are too much diftradled already ; and me-
thods fhould be ufed to unite the people, rot to
divide them?
The writer after having given a fallacious Hate of
affair, and faid all the falfe and malicious thing?
which his fertile imagination could invent of the
Penfyhania Quakers, endeavours to cajole the
Qiiakers here into a bad opinion of their brethren
in America, and lift them into his party, pretend-
ing p. 22, " to be well alTiircd that the conduft
" of the aflemb'y in Penfylvc:ma^ is very much
" difapproved of, and condemned by their brc-
" thren the Quakers in England ^ who are juftly
" efteemed a quiet people, fuch as wc already
•* obferved the firft Qtiakers in this province
" were."
As the Quakers are in reality a quiet upright
people ; quiet and perhaps upright for the general,
beyond any fed(jf Chrillians in all the King's do-
minions ; people who have been off en oppreffc d
by other feels both in Europe and America, but
never retaliated on others the injuries which were
done themfelves, it is not probable that thofe of
P^«/}'/i'^«Mfhould fo far degt^ncrare from the met k-
nefs of their anceflors, or deviate from the man-
ners of their brethren here, as to renounce (heir
fundamental principles, and become turbu'cnr,
much Itfs abettors of injuftice. Bur^ by this
time the reader muft have learned how to inter-
pret the writer's words : with him to hold their
privileges is to be unj>.ift ; and to refufe delivering
them up to his party, is to be unquiet.
In
11
<*!■
<!i'
[ 58 ]
In like manner when be lays, " it is very plain
•* that they have no mind to give a fingle /hilling
•* for the King's ufe, unlels they can thereby
** increale their own power." It is the fame
thing as to fay that the Governor will not re-
ceive a (hilling from them unlefs they gave him
wp their power. After what has been faid muft
not the people have reafon to think, as he con-
fcffcs they do, ** that every fuch rejcftion of a
*' money bill, is a dcfign againft their liberties,
** and throw the whole blame on their proprietors
** and Governors ?'* As it is too well known that
the people, and all but thofe of his paity, are on
the fide of the aflembly, he judged it could be
of ho ufe to conceal it : but he had better have
faid nothing than given fo filly a realon for it,
namely, " that they are not well enough ac-
** quainted with the nature of Government, to
** underftand why the money bills cannot be
•* pafled i*' their underilanding mufl: be very
weak indeed, as weak as this writer's, if they
cannot tell why the bills canno. be paffed, in caie
the reafon is, as he pretends, becaufe they afli 1 2
years for finking them inftead of 5.
He goes on p. 23, reprefenting the miferable
condition of the province and imputing it all to
the aflembly, in terms which may juftly be turned
on thofe of his party ; and then alledges two in-
flances, firft of a petition from 1000 poor families,
who inhabit the back parts of the colony, to the
aflembly in Auguft 1754, foon after WaJhingtotC^
defeat, prayii.g that they might be furnifhed
with arms and ammunition for their defence ; but
this petition, he fays, was rejeded with fcorn :
tlie fecond is of a mcflage in December following
from their Indian allies to (he Governor, begging
that he would direct the building of a wooden
fort.
» '
[59]
fort, in which they offered to dtfend thf mfelvfs
and the inhabitants of P^z/jJ^/ra^/a irom incurfions:
this alfo he tells us the alfrmbly refufcd, bidding
them, if (hey were afraid, to retire farther wiih.m
the province. '■ ' : •/ 'i ir» v «- - ► .
1 he reader, we prefume, has feefi too much of
the malice and infinccrity of this writer, to believe
any thing which he affirms upon his bare tefti-
mony ; and after he has been fo often detected in
fa'fehoods, will not condt-mn the aflcmbly on his
lingle evidence : but at leafl fufpend their judg-
ments till they may have time to clear thcmfelves,
if neceffary ; and the rather as we find this laft
particular very differently reprefented in ih«» Pen-
fyhiinia Gazette of Dec. 19, which contains both
the Governor's mtfTigt and the affembly's anfwer
on that occafion. Mr. Morris^ on the 4th, re-
commended to them to make " provifion for the
maintenance of the Indians at Augbuoik^ and
for fetting up fome f^achados round the place
they fliould hx on for their winter's refidence."
The aflembly on the 6;h, nfer declaring " their
wiliingr.efs to treat uitm with juftice, humanity,
and tendernefs, as till then they had done •, una-
nimoufly refolved to defray the rcafonablc
charges for fupportof the Indians^ till their next
meeting : but as Craghan feemcd refolvcd to
remove from JughiL':k, whereby the Indians
would be left wiihout any proper perfon to take
care of providing for their fubfiltence, they re-
commend it to the Gcvcrnoi's confideration,
*' whether it might not be more convenient for
*' the Indians themfelves, and Icfs expence to the
*' province, if they were invited to come nearer
" tiicir back inhabitants, till by hunting, or other*
** wife, they n-ight be able to iiibfill themfelves
«♦ with fufc-ty.'*
Is
C(
cc
«c
4«
«C
CC
«c
«(
C(
«(
(C
[Co]
Is tlvere any thing in all this f) rude or r?gard-
Ids of the Indians as he- reprc^fents the cafe ? All
liiggcftlons th.it the Quakers will not defend them-
selves and their property, mufl: Ix: falfc, from the
inftances already produced to the c ;ntrary. Their
oppofition to the dcfigns of rhc party is a confuta-
tion of the charge. They know ic would be but
of little fignificancy to fccure their rights againft
the attempts of a Governor, if at the fame time
they fuffcred a foreign enemy to ftrip them of both
Jibcriy and property, without makiog any refift-
ancc. They know too that they could nctexpeft
to be left in poffeflion of a country, unlefs they
were rcfolved to defend it ; and that the readied
way to be divefted of the pofTcfTion, would be to
refufe contributing their utmolt to prcferve it :
fmce, in reality, the province is the King's, from
whom they have it in truft, on a prefumption that
they will lecure it for him againil all enemies -, and
who, in cafe of their failure, will refumc chc pof-
feffion, in order to prevent thelofs of it.
Although the Quakers, out of religious prin •
ciple, are averfe to bear arms themfclves ; yet they
will, no more than thof^i of other perfuafiuns, fuf-
fer their property to be taken from them for wane
of making a pr^psr oppofition. If they do noc
fight in perfon, they are ready to pay thofj who
will ; which is as mjch as the generality of thofe
do, who fcruple not going to war out of confci-
ence : and that Penfylvania will atTord men enough
willing to figiit, without compelling the Qiiakers,
appears from the p oprietary inftructions to the
prcftrnt Governor, requiring men to be railed, but
yet fo as not to oblige any to bear arms who may
be confcicntioudy fciupulouf.
In Y^xnglFilliams, war, Mr. Hull, a Quaker of
Rhode IJIand, who commanded a veffel of which
he
t6l ]
he was owner, w.is met at fea by a French pri-
vateer, which coming up wiih him, the captain or-
dered him to ftrike. The Quaker made aijfwcr
that he could not refolve to pare with cither his
fhip or cargo, which were his property, and of
confidcrable value* ; neither could he, by the laws
of hi. religion, fight: but he would fpeak to his
man Charles^ who was of another perluafion, and
in cafe he was inclincil to fighr, he would not hin-
der him. Accordingly CbarUs was called, who
accepted the encounter ; rind falling to work with
the Frenchwan, loon obliged hini to flieer off. This
Churles was no other than the late Sir Charles fFa-
ger, who then fcrved that honelt Quaker ; and the
report which Mr. Hull made, when he arrived ac
London of th\s gallant adlion, wasthefirft rife of that
worthy admiral. The Qtiakeis therefore, in effect,
will fight i but the party are not content, that tlw
fj^iakers, like themfclves, ffiould fight by proxy ;
they want to oblige them, againft both law and
confcicnce, to fight in perfon, though without any
neceffity. This is one part of the wicked tyrannic
fcheme which they are driving at. The Quakers,
befides contributing their quota in the Lift war,
behaved with more circumfp clion, as obedient,
dutiful and loyal fubjedts to i.is Majefly and Go-
vcinmenr, than the party did who would reprefcnt
them in a contrary li^^^ht. For it is notorious, that
the few now complaining and arraigning their con
duft, held condantcorrejpondence with the King's
fnpmies, and fupp'icd them wirh all forts of (lores
and provifirns -, and, the bertcr to carry on tliis
trijafonable trade, they had fadors refidiog in all
the remarkable ports of tiie Frencb and ISparii'h
/^^-/W/fJ, during th.: lall w^^r.
In fine, as the Quakers do not profef. loyal y to
the King, and dilhonour him in thc;r actions, nti-
thcr
i
r
fii
* 'f
r 6» ]
ther do they refufc to advance money for his fcf-^
vice ; all they dcfire is to fee (according to a legal
right which they have to fee) that luch money be
laid out for his lervicc, as to anfwcr the public uti-
lity, for which it was voted ; and not to be funk
in the pockets of venal Lieutenant-Governors.
Some of whom formerly have been fent over as
hungry as fharks, in order, as it were, to prey up-
on the vitals of the inhibitaiKs, and devour all the
profits of the land. Thefe mt n are not content
with a handfome provifion arifing out of licerxes
for public houfcs, to the amount of 2500/. per
unnun, exclufive of what the aflembly gives tliem,
which is feldom lefs than 1000/. more. How
many gentlemen of luperior merit and abilities for
governing a province, would be pcrt'clly e.ily with
half fuch an appointment ? bat lliarks can never
be fatisfy*d.
" From what has been faid (fiith the letter-
«* writer, p.. 25.) it clearly appears how much we
•* fuffer, by having all public money in fuch
" hands." By we^ muft be underftood ibiely of
his party *, for all clfe think themfelves great gain-
crf, as he himfelf, in effect, allows but a few lines
before, in the concern he exprefles to find not only
the Germans, who make one half of the inhabi-
tants, but all the people in general in the intereft
of the affembly, whom they confider as their belt
friends.
He goes on " were the cafe otherwifv.'," (that is,
was the difpolal of the public money in the hands of
his party) '* matters might be managed with fecrcfy,
** eafe, expedition, fuccefs,and a fmall expence, by
*' embracing the proper opportunities/' O ! no
doubt of ir, as all the wifdom, intt^grity, and fru-
gality, muft need* be on the fide of the Gover-
ned and his party, every thing would then go on
Iwim-
[ C3 ]
fwimmmgly. The charge of Government woiildl
be but a trifle to what it is now ^ the number of
officers would be reduced halt in half, as well as
their falarics ; and the Governor hixnli.lt would be
content with looo, o* 1500/. a year, inilcad of
4000/. But will ihty find any without doors to be-
lieve them ? or any within, among the aircmbly,
weak enough to try them ? »
It muft be obferved, that this is one of the two
places in the letter, where we meet with glimmer-
ings of the grand point which the Governors arc
driving at, and the true caufe of their not pafllng
the money-bills, all along fo induftrioufly fupprcfiVd
by this writer •, namely, their not having the dif-
pofal of the money : which tranfpires a littltf in the
words, " were the cale otherwife ;** but fomewhac
more clearly in thofe which follow ; ** the fcttic-
" menis of the French at Grown Pointy and on the
'* Ohio, might both have been prevented at firft,
«« with one 50tli part of the expence it will now
•* take to diQodge them, had not the hands of all
•' our Governors been tied up, by having the dif-
''* pofal of no monies on fuch emergencies nor any
*' hopes of obtaining it (the difpofai of the money)
•« from the aflTcmblics, if they Ihould advance any
*' furns for the public fervicc."
Neither the difpofai of the monie?, nor hopes of
obtaining fuch difpofai from the alfcmbly ! poor
gentlemen, hh}f il'ie lachryma : who does not pity
their deplorable cafe ? who would not graufy their
longings to finger the public money, but fuch hart!-
hcurted men as the alfcmbly, the Quakers, and
the reft of of the people ot Penfylvnnia ? But vvh;it
need they fret ? let tlicm piuck up a heart arid
comfort thefiifelves ; fii.ce if they difappoint tho
Governor of his darlino; views, he will have ic
a' ways in his power to be revenue d on them,
fcy
■,|S
. ,1
ff
J
t C4l
t>y rcfufing to receive the [1100.7 which they ftflci*
for the King's fervice, and putting the province in
danger of being taken out of their hands by th(^
French — provided the Governtiient here does not
interpofe in lime. If ihe Governor h;id been im-
powered with the dilpofai of the money, he would
have done more than was incumbent en hin-«, or
perhaps would have b^ers p-r-rmitted him : he
would not only have prevented the French en-
croachments on the Ohio^ but would alio huvft
hindrcd their building Crown Point forr, although
in another Governor's province. But as the af-
fcmbly will not give up to him the dilpotul of the
money, he will neither defend his own province
bimfelf, nor fuffcr the aflcmbly to defend ir. What
Ihould the Governor care if the French do take it,
fince they will not let him have his will ? why
fhould he have any care for the colon v, if they will
not give him the difpofal of the cafh? what is the
colony to him without that?
Some indeed think, that if the Governor iri-
• tended to a6l honeltl) , he would readily accept of
' the Turn voted b^ the affembly for the King's ufe,
and not be afraid to render an account whenever
called upon : but they fay they can have no good
opinion of a Governor's defigns-, >^ho unjuRly at-
tempts to wrcffc out of ihe hands of the people, a
power which he knowj they have a legal as well ^s
natural right to.
*' But here it may be juftly sOced, by what
** means the Quakers, who are lb fmall a p'^rt of
*' the inhabitants, and whofc meafures are fo un-
** popul.ir (fuppofing them to be fuch as this wri-
" ter repreients ihem) get continually chofcn into
*' the alfemblies of Penjylv.ima ?"
It is cafy to fee chat this would be a confidcrable
(lumbin^-block to the readers of the letter, and a
grand
•w^
grftnd obje<Stion againd the truth of the writer's ac-
cufaiions : for this reafon he puts the qjcftion him- ^
felf, and p. 26. undertakes to anfwer it. Hisan*
fwen^ in fubftancc, is this j •* that in the late Spanifh
war, Governor Thomas calling on them to arm tor
their defence, they were alarmed with the profpedt
of lofmg their power, if they fhould comply, as hath
been (hewn above : that they therefore entered in-
to cabals, and perfuaded the Germans there was a
defign to enflavc them, and force their young men
to be foidiers : that a military law vv^s to be made,
infupporcable taxes laid on them, and what not,
unlefs they joined to keep in the Quakers, under
whofe adminiftration they had long enjoyed eafe
and tranquillity ; and to force out of the aflcmbly
all thofc who were likely to join the Governor, in
giving money for annoying the enemy,"
The inftrumenC it feems they made ufe of to
cfFedl this, was one Saiier a German printer, who
publifhes a news-paper entirely in the German lan-
guage. *' Jn confequcnce of this, the Germans
*' who had hitherto been peaceable without med-
*' ling in ele^ions, came down in (hoals, and car-
** ried all before them. Near 1800 of them voted
*' in the county of Pbiladelpbiay which threw the
*• balance on the fide of the Quakers •, who hav-
** ing found out this fecret, have ever fincc cx-
*' eluded all other pcrfuafions from the aflembly.
*• conftantly calling in the Germans to their aid,
" by means of this printer." A terrible and dan-
gerous man to be fure !
This anfwer to the objeflion is plaufible : and
yet was it in the main true, it ought to throw no
refle£lion on the Quakers: for firft the land is pro-
perly their birthright, and the polfeflion in juftice
belongs to them. They cannot therefore be blanked
for ufing their endeavours to keep polTcinon, and
F hinder
1 11
if 'I
[ 66 ]
^hinder others from reaping the fruit of their la-
bours, after taking fo much care to bring the pro-
vince into its prefent Hourifhing condition. Pru-
dence therefore, as well as julbce, evinces the ob-
ligation, and even neceffity, of returning and con-
tinuing the Quakers in the alTembly : not onJy as
having been ihe firft fcttlersand ellabhlhers of the
Govcinment-, but alfo as having, by their good
management and conduct ever fince, (hewn them-
fclves to be the fitted pcrfons for keeping up the
profpcri y of the colony, as well as the fafeft guar-
dians who could be intruded with the cftablifhed
rights and liberties of its inhabitants, againft the
many iniquitous attempts of the Governor's men.
If therefore they did folicit the afllftance of the
Germans to preferve their own interefts, they were
certainly in the right of it •, and in cafe they, for
that end, endeavoured to perfuade thofe ftrangers
that the Governor had in view, to make flaves of
them, I cannot fee how jliey can be thought to
have been in the wrong, fince an attempt to wreft
from them by force their mod valuable rights and
privileges, might well be looked on in that light.
They certainly had, or at lealt judged they had,
juft reafon to call the Germans to their aid, or elfc
they would not have done it -, fince the writer
himfelf acknowledges that this was the firll time
that they had taken fuch a ftep.
To prevent a difcovtry, he conceals the time, or
year, of the ehftion which he mentions : but in all
likelihood c was that of the year 1744, when
they had very great reafon indeed to make all the
friends they could among the other inhabitant*:, to
prevent the violent meafures which were then fee
on foot t« deflroy the freedom of eledions, and
fill the aflTcmb'y with creatures of the Governor :
for all the privateer failors in the harbour of Pbil-
6 adelphiaf
[ 67 ]
eJt'ipbia, under the influence of the Governor's
men, tame armed to the Court Houfc, where the
Sheriff was then taking the pole j and with open
violence hindered the legal voters, who were in the
intereft of the Quakers, from voting : knocking
down, and beating in a tnoH barbarous manner,
all who appeared not to be of their party; And
when the houfe of alTembly came to fit, and take
cognizance of the affair, in order to find out and
bring the delinquents to juftice, the Governor
granted noli profequi*s. However, this alarming
and lawlefs tranfadion, which ftruck terror into
the minds of the people, throughout the whole
province of Penfyhania^ Hill remains frelh in the
memory of every independent voter, and is to be
feen, with all its circumftances at large, on the
journals and votes of the affembly.
Is it then to be wondered after this, if ever
fince, as the writer fays, they call in the Germans
to their aid ? but although he keeps thcfe violent
meafures of his party from the knowledge of his
readers, he does not pretend to charge the Ger-
mans with any unlawful or diforderly behaviour
on the occafion ; and yet if they had repelled vio-
lence by violence, nobody could have blamed
them when they were provoked to it, and had
afted merely in their own defence.
Z.I is likewife worth obferving, that although this
writer would have calling in the Germans to vote
to be reckoned a crime in the Quakers, yet his
own party fet them the example : for, previous to
the eledtioi: above-mentioned, the Germans were
tampered wirh by the Governor's men ; and, on
their proniifing to vote for them, he, to qualify
them for the purpofe, procur^^d many hundreds of
them to be naturalized. The Germans however,
voted afterwards on the Quakers fide, from a con-
F 2 fcioufnefs
il
^
I
I
? 1
[68]
fcioufnefs, or apprehenfion, that if the other p^rZf
got a majority in the affcmbly, they would make
fuch laws as ferved their own intcrefts, however
detrimental to the liberty of the people, and good
of pofterity ', which, ahhcwgh the higheft earthly
blefTings, are no longer dear to men than their
principles remain uncorrupted.
From the partial account given of this affair by
the author of the le ter, ih« reader has a farther
inftance of his difingenuity, and how litde his rc-
prcfenration of any matters which relate to the
Quakers is to be regarded. I fliall not therefore
take up his time with refuting the groundlefs re-
flections, which, for want of real matter to acciifc
them with, he throws out againd them on this, as
on all other occafions. It is fuBkient to obferve,
that they are only general charges, fupported by
the bare iiHcrtions of a pcrfon who rewlved with
himfelf, when he fat down to write, to relate no-
thing truly •, and as no one fa6t is charged upon
them in direft terms, they ought to be treated,
like himfelf, with contempt, and as the hateful oflf-
fpring of malice and detraction.
However wb muft not pafs on without taking
notice of one very remarkable perfonage ; I mean
the German printer : he fpeaks of him in terms
which fhew the deepeft concern,, as well as dread
of his power: as if all the diftrefe of his party was
owing to him 5 and that they can never hope to
compafs their ends, till the authority of that for-
midable foe IS either leflened or deftroyed. This
printer fcems to. be nK)re terrible to them than the
Quakers themfelves, as he hath above 100,000
Germans ar his devotion, who, if ht but whiftles,
come down in (hoals^ and carry all before fhem^ as he
fliall dircCt.
When-
1 69 1
>V"hen€vcT they want to call in ihffe foreigners
to their aid^ they do ij ^ means of this prinier : by
means of this primer^ they reprefent all regular cler-
gymen as fpies and tools of fiat e : whenever they
know efany fuch minifier in goodtermj with hispeo-
pte^ they immediately attack his charoMcr^ hy means
cf this printer i and to be fure his bufinefs is done
at once, for a Tingle man has no chance to (land
againft fuch a printer as this dominus fac totum^
who commands fo many thoiifands, and obliges
them to do whatever fervice he pitafes to fend them
on.
Who would imagine that printers, and German
printers too, (hould become fo formidable in yf/;;<?-
rica^ as to ftrike terror in o the hearts of even Go-
vernors themfelves, for the general, the moft
dreadlefs and alTuming mortals of any to be found \
Yet we have had, it fecms, of late, two inllances of
the kir.d^ Zenger in New Torky and SaHer in Pen*
Jyhania,
Nat daring to try his ftrength at fair weapons,
with this Herculean typographer, he has rccourfc
to his ufual method of calumny, and befluws
invidious names on him, as thole of French pro-
phet, andpopilhemiflary. Nor is it any wonder,
that a printer who has wrought his party fo much
mifchief, and blown up their dcfigns againft the
aflcmbly, (hould be the objed of his kcrenefl re-
fentment Accordingly the remainder of his let-
ter, confifting of near one half, is employed in
blackening the charader of this printer, as well as
the Germans^ and contriving expedients to abridge
his moil cxtenfive influence and authority in Pen-
fylvania.
This German printer has been a ufeful member
in the focicty. i^ no otherwife than in prefcrving
the liberty of the fubjed, by communicating and
F 3 expofing
Ai
i**
[70]
expofing the evil defigns and opprcfTions of the
Governors to the people, in the fanie mariner as
Zenger^ bcfore-mcniioned, had done at New Tork,
not many years before : a proof of public fpirit
which an Englijh printer at Philadelphia had not
the courage or zeal to give, with-held by govern-
ment-conneftions, and influence; which too gene-
rally deftroy patriotifm, and hinder men from
difcharging thofe duties which they owe to their
country.
The writer has expatiated fo much on the
danger and ruin which muft attend keeping the
Quakers in the aflembly, that one would have
imagined it was the greateft evil which could pof-
fibly befdl Penfylvania : but it feemSj after all,
that this is not the greateft evil : there is a worfe
than it, attending thofe infidious praflices, car-
ried on by means of the faid printer with the Ger-
mans. For thefe people, it feems, " Inftead of
•* being peaceable and induftrious as before, now
*' finding themfclves of fuch confequence, are
** grown infolent, fullen, and turbulent, in fome
counties threatning the lives of all who op-
pofe their views.** Surely fuch fons of flaugh-
ler cannot be averfc to arms !
*' They give out, that they are a majority, and
•* ftrong enough to make the country their own.**
Surely then they will not let the French take it
from them for want of defending it. " They
have fuffered the greateft oppreffions under
Poplfli Princes in their narive countries, where
ihc-y could enjoy neither liberty of confciencc,
nor their riches with lafety : furely then it can-
not be a'l one to them which King- gets the
country," George or Louis: the Proteftant or the
Romifh monarch. And altho' many of them
' ' -' . •' . fliould
ce
C(
C(
C(
cc
«
[;■ ]
Hiould be Panids, as this writer afTcrtf, they like a
Protcftanc and Engltflo government btfer than
their own, or they would not have left it to go
live in P^nfyhania \ and their knowing the worft
which can happen^ if a PopiOi Prince fhould get
the dominion, is the greater fecurity to us ihat
they will never fuflfer him to obrain ir, if they
can pcfTibly keep him out. It Teems a very great
inconfiftenjy, that they fhould leave Germany to
avoid the tyranny of their natural princes ancl
yet willingly put themfelves under the power of
the Frenchy who are more arbitrary ftill than the
German. '' '
Yet this writer reprefents m itters as if not on-
ly the French of Canada have turned their hopes
upon this great body ^/Germans fr tried in Penfyl-
vaniay but even that thefe people fn'our their de-
fign : fo that if the French do but fend their Je-
" fuitical cmiflaries among them, to perfuade
*' them over to the Popilh religion, they will
draw them from the Englifi in muli udes, or
perhaps lead them in a body againll u .*'
Surely, a man ^- ho can fo conlidently alTert fo
great an improbability, as if he certainly knew it
would be the cafe, muft be capable of aflfcrting
any abfurdity, as well as falfhood : for, is it polTible
that people who abandoned their own couf)try,
chiefly to avoid the tyranny of the Popifh reli-
gion, (hould fo eafily be reconciled to it, and
induced to embrace what they fled to avoid? fhould
fo fuddenly change their opin-ons, as to believe
Popery amiable, which till then they looked on
as monftroudy deformed ? and fhould all at once
embrace what before they fo greatly abhorred ?
This is the more unlikely ftill, as he confeffeth,
p. 25' that *' The moft confiderable and weigh-
F 4 *' ty
<c
<c
i; !
11
u
<»
• c
[7*1
ty fed imong them is the MenQtiiJlSj whofe
principles are much the fame with thole of the
Quakers ; that many of them are Moravians^
and that there are many other fcfts fpringing
up among the Germans** Which fafts are io
many confutations of what he has advanced *, fmce
it is well known that the Frotedant fedasies, the
farther they dividr, the farther they remove from
Popery, as their aim is to approach nearer to the
fimplitity of primitive Chriftianity,
It is true, he fays, that near one fourth of the
Germans are fiippofcd to be Romanifts j and that
the Moravians are fu^tdcd to be a dangerous
people, bccaufe they conceal their religion, and
ieem to hold fonic tenets and cuUomsmuch d-kin
to the Papifts. But as thefe, if not downright fal-
fities, are only conjcdtures and furmifes of the wri-
ter and his party, as far as they have an opportu-
fifty of judging, they muA yield place t*-» the cha-
rader given of them by thofe who had good oppor^
tunities of judging, and are better acquainted with
them. From luch we learn that the Germans in
Penfylvania are a people eafily governed, without
power, and no vvays ambitious of authority : there
are not above five or fix in the whole province,
who hold any place of either truftor profit; they
dread the thoughts of an abfolute government,
and are fcMifible of the liberty and other blelTings
which they enjoy under an jEiw^/z/^* conftitution ;
they have llich horrible ideas of Popery and arbi-
trary power f»om woeful experience in their own
countries, efpccially that of the French King, that
to a man they won Li prefer dt'ath rather than fub-
mit to live under ir,
The natural hatred which the Germans have
for the French, and ifreconcileablc enmity which
fubfilts
1 i
l73l
iubfi(^s between (hem in America^ will always be
a means to deter, rather than encourage the French
to attempt any cnchroachments in the neigboisr-
hood of the German fettlers. Mod of thctn are
Lutherans and Cahinifts, the reft Moravians and
Menonifts^ a religious people, inoffenfive and fbfxl
of inftruflion ; but tar from being ignorant, as
the letter-writer reprefents them. They have
fchools and meeting-houfes in almoll every town-
(hip through the province, aud have more mag-
nificent churches and other places of worfhip in
the city of Philadelphia iifclf, than thofc of all
the other perfuafions added together. They abound
likewile with able miniilers and teachers. Thus
the mod numerous part of the Germans are pro-
vided with teachers \ and the writer of the letter, '
p. 31, acknowledges that the reft might be made
good Proteftants, and good fighting fubjedls, in
cafe regular minifters and fchoolmafters were fenc
among them to inftruft them. He likewife, p. 41,
allows that a confiderable progrefs is made in a
defign of this nature, and a confiderable fum col-
le6led for it.
If this be the cafe, how little grounds muft he
have for thofe dreadful apprehenfions which he
afFeds, of tlie Germans bei.-ig carried away in mul-
titudes by the Popilh emilfaries, fuppofing them
to be fo ignorant as he aflcrts ? Are thefe Romifh
priefts more aflfiduous and dextrous in their work
of converting, than the Proteftant minifters in that
of inftru6ling and watching their flocks? or, has
Popery a more alluring and captivating afpeft in
Aynerica than it has in Ewope ?
In fhort, all his objedions againft the Germans
are malicious, falfe and forced : the only one which
fcems to be againft them, or rather againft thofe
who
[74 ]
y^ho allotted them their fcitlcmcntfijs their having
fettled too many of them togerher, inftcad of in-
tcririxing them with the other inhabitants. This
method yvould have prevented any apprehcnfions
f(f their power, by dividing them j and might
liavc habituated them infenfibly both to the lan-
fuage and cuftoms, if not the manners of the
*<nglijh : but this courfe with them, which in all
likelihood would have had all the efftds which he
fo ardently defires, the writer never once men-
tions, either becaufc that might have refledled
on his own. party, who fettled them in their pre-
fent diftrifts ; . or elfe, becaufc he had pothing
more in view than to propofe the beft means he
could think on of gaining his point as things now
Hand, and getting the powf-- out of the hands of
the aflembly, without any i 1 regard to the wel-
fare of the province, or the Englijh interefl: in it.
For, if the Germans are fo turbulent, and talk al-
ready of feizing the province, or giving it up to
the French^ as he alledges, the method which
he would have taken with them, by dripping
them of their privileges for thirty years, and com-
pelling them, as it were, to receive the Englifh
language and religion, will only ferve to exafpe-
ra:e them, and fpur them to put fuch defigns in
execution : which, if they are able to do at pre-
fect by their numbers, they will at any time be
able to accomplilh ; as it may be prefumed their
increafe will be in proportion to that of the reft
of the inhabitants oi Penfylvania^ and confequent-
Jy, that they will alway*be the majority.
To che Germans, in a great mealure, is to be
afcribed the prefent flourifhing condition of the
province, owing to their induftry in cultivating
the lands, and the wealih which they brought with
them
i
[ 75 J
them into Pcnfyhania. But as he think* the coiin-
try is already ovcr-llocked with them, he would
have a flop put to the " importation of aijy more,
•* and the migration turned another way. • But,
if they be the ungovernable wretches he rcpre-
fents them to bt.% how will that remedy the evil?
It may remove, but not cure it; and the other
provinces Will not thank him for his advice: but
he cares not whit evils tixy brought on other pro-
vinces, fo t\\?y could be taken off from voting
at elections for the Qiukers.
The reafon which the writer gives, in- a no'e,
p. 32, for turning the migration from them, is,
becaule " If new Lands are continually brought
•' in, and the old familiei go back to other co-
•* lonies, as he Hiys tliey do at prefent, (when-
*' ever they begin to get a little money, and know
•* fomcthingofour language) we fhaJI never make
** Englijhmen of them." But whofe fault is it,
that the old families go off, except theirs of the
writer's own party ? It is in reahty owing to the
opprefllon of the proprietor's officers, entrufted
with his land affairs, elpecially the Secretary of a
certain principal man, who makes others (ly from
their native country, though not for fuch flagrant
crimes as a perfon well known to himfelf fled from
his own. This inrtrument of oppreflion, and an-
other, has been for many years the plague of the
province, by engrofling and monopolizing every
fpot of valuable land, in order to fell again at an
exorbitant price; of which numerous inflances
might be produced, fome whereof were complain-
ed of here about three years ago, and a proper
admonition given to a certain perfon to look bet-
ter to the behaviour of his officers.
After
[ 76]
After uttering fo ^nany fAlfchoocIs, and injuri-
ous reBe6lions againfr the Quakers and the Ger-
manSt which his malice could invent, the reader,
wc prefume, can no more believe that he was for-
ry the taflc fell to bis lot^ as he pretends, p. 37,
than that truth and duty obliged him to take up the
fen. Yet he fcems confident, that his reprefcnta-
bon of things will be taken for granted, and mat-
ters ordered by the Parliament according to his
four inftru^kions.
The firft of them is " to oblige all thofe who
«• fit in the tflcmbly to take the oaths of allegi-
•* ance to his Majefty ; and perhaps a teft or dc-
** claration that they will not refufe to defend
•* their country againfr all his Majcfty*s enc-
** mies."
This article is calculated not only to exclude
the Quakers wholly from the aflembly, by oblig-
ing them to take an oathj but alio to compell
them pcrfonally to take up arms againft their
confciences, which confirms what we before fug-
gcftcd on this occafion. This propofal is fo fla-
grantly unjuft and oppreflive, that if the charac-
ter of the writer was not known, it might be
wondered how he could have the prefumption to
offer fuch^an infult to the Bricifli legiflature. Yet
he has the farther alTurance to fay that is the final-
left teft of fidelity which c^n be required from them :
Altho* he knew that Mr. Penn founder of theco-
Jony in his laft charter of 1683, enjoins ** all
** who ferve the government in any capacity,
folemnly to promife when required allegiance
to the crown and fidelity to the pioprietor
^' and Governor." This (blemn affirmation is all
which can be expedted from Quakers, confident
%viih their religious principles \ and which not
many
«c
9
e
r
1
t
[77]
nwny years a^o the Britifh legiflature eftab!i(Tiei
by law ; as judging ic from the condud of the
people, as well as the nature of the thing itfelf,
to be really in all rcfpefts equivalent to an oath i
as without doubt it is. Many indeed murmured
againd thisadt when in agitation, as if it was in-
dulging the Quakers with a greater privilege than
any other Proteftants, even church men, enjoyed 1
and caft a fiur or reproach on all thofe who take
oaths. To this it may be anfwered, that it is ia
the power of other Proteftants to wipe off the
flur or reproach if they think it one, and intitlc
ihemfelves to the lame privilege with Quakcin,
by only leaving off the ule of profane cuifing and
fwearing. Whenever any fedl or body of them
fhall prove themfelves duly qua'ificd, there is no
doubt but the parliament will on their application
fubftitute the folemii afHrmation Inftead of an
oath, as well for them as they have d^e for the
Quakers.
His fecond dire<5lion is, " to fufpend the righc
of voting for members of aflembly from the
Germans^ till they have a fufficient knowledge
of our language an^ conftitution ; this provi-
fiqn he fays, is as reafoftable as the other,*'
I grant ic ; that is, it is not reafonable at all : for
after what has been faid on the occafitfn, it does
not appear that there is any ground for depriving
thofe people of iheir privileges, cfpecially as the
Quakers would be entirely excluded from the af-
ftmbly by the firfl article. This (hews he is ftill
afraid his party would not be able to obtain their
ends ; and that three fourths of the people muft
be deprived of cither the privilege of fitting in
the aflembly, or voting, before he thinly they
would have a chance for it : and even then it is a
hundred
(C
4«
<(
•C
'I
t 7S]
liandrcd to one but ihey would find themfclves
miftakcn, and be obliged to get three fourths of
the church men and diffenters deprived of their
right of voting alfo, before his party could have
the Icafl hopes of gaining their point : for the ge-
nerality of all the different perluafions are in the
fame way of thinking, and ad on the fame prin-
ciples with thofe of the Quakers.
The three remaining articles relate to the in-
Urudion of the Germans-, and \t^vc\ to be inferted
rather for a glofs to his plan than any thing elfe,
as they are in effe(5t contained in the ficortd. All
that is new in them, relates to having all bonds,
contrads, wills and other legal writings made in
the Engtijh tongue ; and that no new/s papers,
almanacks, or other periodical paper fliould be
printed in a foreign language, at lead, unlefs an
Englijh v^tfon be printed in the oppofite column
cr page rV^'^^^Jch two cautions are certainly proper
and neceffary, excepting that the article which
relates towills, may require fome miiiga»ion.
- Thus haveing gone thro* the writer's letter,
article by article^ it remains only to take notice of
what he fays in the two or three laft paragraphs.
In the firft of them, p. 43, he fays that " during
the late war, they (he means thofe of his par-
ty) p^itioned his Majefly, fetting forth their
difEculties and the defencekfs ilate of the pro-
vince, but received no relief j owing, as they
«* prefumed, to the other weighty affairs whicli
" then cngroflfcd the atttfition of the miniilry."
Now this is notorioufly falfe, and a relied ion
on his Majcfty as well as his minifters : for upon
an application for that purpofe, the Otter floop
of war, captain Baladine vas f:nf: out to their aid
and defence. She arrived and was in the port of
Philadelfhia
C(
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i(
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f-
[79]
Philadelphia when the Spanijh privateer before-
mentioned was in the river Delaware. The af-
fembly voted the captain a handforae preienc,
upon his arrival, to buy Itores, ^c, which it C^n*c
be fuppofcd the author is a ftrangef to, or could
forget i unlefs he has done it willifully, for fear
the conduct and behaviour, to the captain, of the
Governor's party (the few who had the fole trade
to the French and Spanijh PVefl- Indies^) fhould be
cxpofed. Could the au;;hor forget that the c:a|>-
tain or the man ot \yar fell in with one of their
velTcls, in the bay of Deliaware, freighted from
t\\^ Spanijh IVeft- Indies? that he feized her and
fent her to Virginia to be condemned ? and that
thofe people arretted the captain on his arrival at
Philadelphia from his cruize, for the damage they
pretended to have received from fuch capture ?
or could he forget the proceedings v/hich followecl
thereupon ?
Thas, that his condudl niay be of a piece thro*
the whole, as he begins with a fa 1 (hood, fo he
continues his rout and ends with a fallhood. If
there be any thing of truth in his letter, to be
fire it muft be in thofe placfs where he fpeaks in
pniife of the proprietors and the Governors,
-whom he takes his leave of by averring, *' it
may be faid, with the greatcft jutlice, that
they have done every thif^g in their power to
aflill: us (that is his party) )ix\d keep up to an
Englijhcon/litution \*' that is, by endeavouring
to deilroy that of the Quakers, He tjpncludes,
" whatever be the conftquence, ail! our misfor-
•* tunes can b^t charged no where.; but upon our
** people themfeives •/* the Governot's men : I
'* iigree with him, and I have fhewn, con-
'* tinues he, that it would be plainly repug-
** nant to their incercll to remedy grievances.''
I
((
4C
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w
[80]
I agree with him in this point alfo. How
truth will flip out often unawares?— Ke
adds in vthe Jaft place, " all redrcfs thcrc^i>rc
•* muft, if it comes, comefrcn hisMajeftyand
** the Britilh parliament.** In this particular,
the Quakers, both here and in Penfylvaniay are
of opinion with the letter writer ; nor is there
any thing which they more ardently wifli, as hath
been already obferved, than that their gracious
King would take them under his own protec-
tion.
fk:
FINIS.
\%
ERRATA.
P. 5. I. 5. for 700 read 7000.
P, i^. L 4. for wree read were.