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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I I I »•■?'*■ !i^l I » •^M" i A BRIEF STAT E Of the Province of \ PENNSTL VANIA. \ ' V, • 1 1 ' « W" ' 1 — — . t Price One ShiUing. ] "" < _i" I 'it A BRIEF STATE O F TH E PROVINCE OF PENNSTLFANIA, IN WHICH The Condud of their A s s e m b n e s for feveral Years paft is impartially examined, and the true Caufe of the continual Encroachments of the F/encb difplayed, more efpecially the fecret Defign of their late unwarrantable InvafioQ jind Settlement upon the River Obio^ To which is annexed. An eafy Pi, a n for rcftoring Quiet in the public Mc» fures of that Province, and defeating the anibitiouJl Views of the French in time to come. InaLETTER from a Gentleman who has redded many Years in Pennfylvania to his Friend in J^ondon* , 1111 I ' ..." ' . ■ ' "* The Second Edition. LONDON: Printed for R. Griffiths at the Dunciad^ in Pattr^ J^ofier-Row. 175^ I . ) . . ■) » . r t . .:! » i-i * ■ ■ [3] A BRIEF S T A T E Of the P R o V 1 N c B of PENNSTL FANIA, "Dear Sir^ IN your laft, you was pleafed to defire fome Account of the State of Pejinfyl- vania^ together with the Reafons why we, who are efteemed one of the richeft Colonies in North America^ are the moft backward in contributing to the Defence of the Britijli Dominions in thefe Parts, againft: the prefent unwarrantable Invafions of the French ? As I have been many Years a Spedtator, and I think an impartial one, of the public Meafures purfued in this Province, B Ifliall ■ [4] I fliall very readily fatisfy your whole De* jTjrc. We are now in an alarming Situat tion, but we have brought the Evil upon ourfelves, and Things are now come to that Crifis, that if I was under no Obliga-* tion to fatisfy your Expedations, yet I (hould deem my Silence an unpardonable Negled of the Duty I owe to my Coun- try. — You were rightly informed when you were told that, of all the Britijh Colonies in North America, Pennfykania is the mod flourifhing. Its Staple is chiefly Provifions, of which it produces enough to maintain itfelf, and aHundred thoufandMen befides. From the Port of Philadelphia, at leaft 4c o Sail of VefTels clear out annually. The Inhabitants are computed at about Two hundred and twenty thoufand, of whom, it is thought near one half are Germans, Of the Refidue not quite two Fifths are ^^- kers. Above that Number are Prejhyte- rians', and the remaining Fifth are of the eflabliffyd Churchy with feme itw Anabaf- fijls, ^k The is] The Leglllature is compofcd of a Gover- nor and AlFembly ; btit the Council makes no Part of it. The AlTembly arc chofcn annually, and claim a Right, by Charter, to fit on their own Adjournment, without being prorogued or dilTolved by their Go- vernors, although the jditorticy-General of Englandy and many other eminent Lawyers, have given their Opinion to the contrary. The Powers they enjoy are extraordinary, and fome of them fo * repugnant, that they are the Source of the greateft Confu- fion in the Government. In order clearly to make this out, we muft look backward a confiderable number of Years. As the Colony was firfl fettled chiefly by ^akerSy the Powers of Government refted for the moft Part in them j which they conducted with great Mildnefs and Prudence, not having as yet conceived any Thoughts of turning Rt.igion into d. polit't-* cat Scheme of Power* ♦ In fomc Inltances they have both a ItgiJIathe and cxs' eutivi Power* s /% II ,: A great many Circumftances concurred to fix them in the good Opinion of the World. The Firft of this Profeffion ftrove to recommend themfelves by their ftridt Honefty, and were a fober, thoughtful People. The civil Conftitution was then in its Infancy, and its Principles found. No great Art was required in the Adminiftra- tion of it, and no bad EfFeds were felt from the extraordinary Privileges granted to the People, for the more expeditious Settlement of the Colony. I Thofe who have made Politics their Study, know very well, that Infant-Settle- ments flourish fafleft under a Government leaning to the republican or popular Forms, becaufe fuch a Government immediately interefts every Individual in the common Profperity, and fettles itfelf at once on a broad and firm Bafis. Moreover, the People being but few, and but fmall Profit in public Offices, the Government may alfo be adminifler'd without the Fadlion and Anarchy incident to popular Forms. But in Proportion as a Country grows rich and popu- ..f ■I ll [?] populous, more Checks are wanted to the Power of the People j and the Govern- ment, by nice Gradations, (hould verge more and more from the popular to the mixt Forms. Thus it may happen that a Conftitution which fliall prefcrve Liberty and excite Indujiry in any Country, during its Infancy, fhall be prejudicial to both, when Circumftances are ahered. . For thefe Reafons, a civil Conftitution can neither be preferved nor completed, unlefs, in the Diftribution or Lodgment of Power, nice Regard is paid to all the Fludluations in Trade, Property, and other Cafualties; and fhould either Wifdom or Opportunities be wanting to adjuft the Con- flitution to thefe Circa nifLances, it mufl fall naturally into Convuliions ; and, unlefs it is able to purge itfelf thro* the Strength of its Stamina^ it mufl linger into certain DifTo- lution. Upon thefe Principles, all the Flux and Revolutions of Empires may be ac- counted for. Now to apply thefe Maxims to Pennfyl- vania. The fakers, as was hinted, could not fail to get Credit by their Adminiftra- tion. 1 l< f [8] tion, under the above-mentioned CirCum- ftances. Their Succeflbrs, who were quite a different Sort of Men from the Founders of this Province, finding themfelves efla- bliflied, quickly enlarged their Views, and have continued the Power in their own Hands till this Time, without leaving a Chance for thofe Struggles and Contentions about it, by means of which the Confti- tution might have been purged, improved, and adapted to the Change of Circum- ftances. I ; Thus^ in diredt Contradidlon to the Rule laid down above, the People, inftead of being fubjeded to more Checks, are under fewer than at firft i and their Power has been continually increafing with their Numbers and Riches, while the Power of their Governors, far from keeping Pace with theirs, has rather been decreafing in the fame Proportion ever (ince. The Con- fequence of this is clear. The Govern- ment, inflead of drawing nearer to the mixt Forms, as it ought in Proportion to its Growth, is now, in fadt, more a pure Re^ public, than when there were not ten thou- fiind Souls in it. The Inconveniencies of this [9] this we now begin to feel feverely, and they muft continually increafe with the Numbers of the People, till the Govern^ ment becomes at lafl fo unwieldly as to fall a Prey to any Invader^ or link beneath its own Weight, unlefs a fpeedy Remedy is applied. — Tho' many Circumflances concurred to bring us into this fad State, yet the chief Source of the Evil was what follows i I In the Year 1723, the old Proprietor William Pewi^ being lately dead, and his next Heirs, at Law among themfelves about the Government and Soil, Sir William Keithy who was then Governor, falling into the Hands of the AlTembly, paffed a Law, giving them the fole Difpofal of all public Money, in manifefl Contempt of all the Inftrudions of the Proprietary Family. This entirely completed the Scheme of Power our AfTemblies had been long aiming at, by rendering all fucceeding Governors, and all the Officers of the Province, de- pendent upon them ; for now they annu- ally either vote or with-bold the Salaries 3 of I' t 10 ] of the Governor and all fuch Officers, ac- cording as they are, or are not, the Crea- tures of the Aflembly. And indeed moft of them muft be fo ; for our Aflemblies have wrefted, out of the Hands of tha Governor, the Nomination of a great many of the * Officers that hold the mofl lucra- tive Pofls in the Government. ■I i PofTeffed of fuch unreftrained Powers and Privileges, they feem quite intoxicated ; are fadious, contentious, and difregard the Proprietors and their Governors. Nay, they feem even to claim a kind of Inde- pendency of their Mother-Country, defpi* iing the Orders of the Crown, and refu- fing to contribute their Quota, either to the general Defence of America^ or that of their own particular Province. As a glaring Inftance of the former, I need only mention their Oppofition to Go* vernor Thomas^ in railing Soldiers to fend againft the Spaniards in the Wejt-Indies^ and their abfolute Refufal to contribute a Farthing for that Service. Since that Time, during * Such &s the Provincial Treafurer j the Truftees of the toan-Ofiu ; the Colleftor of the ExcHe, Bronder of FIouFj^ JJronder of Beef and Pork, Health -Ofiicer, {?V. i I [ " ] during the whole Courfe of the late War, they have often been called upon by the Crown, and by Governor Shirley of the Miiffachulets^ for the Expedition againft Cape-Breton, &c. To all which, if they have at any Time contributed, it hss been done indiredly, and in a Manner fhameful to this rich Province ; fo grudgingly, and in fuch fmall Sums, as rather to hurt than ferve the common Caufe. Forgetful of the public Good, they feem wholly to have employed themfclves in grafping after Power, altho' it is plain they have already too much of this, and fuch as is really inconfiflent and felf-deftrudtive. Nor have they been more attentive to the Defence of their own particular Pro- vince, than of his Majefty*s American Do- minions, in general. In Pennjyhafiia, we have but one fmall Fortification, and that raifed and fupported at the Expence of private People. The Proprietors, indeed, generoufly made us a Prefent of twelve large Cannon, part of the twenty-fix we have mounted, and they have C alfo I:t i I i hi [ i- J alfo given tiie Gunner of the Fort a Salary of twenty Pounds per Annum towards his Support -f*. We are other wife entirely na- kedj without Arms or Ammunition, and expofed to every Invafion, being under no Obligation to military Duty. In the laft War, one of the Spani/Ij Privateers came up the Di'Iaware, within a few Miles of this City ; and when thofe, who were not ^iiakersy took the Alarm, and aiTociated thcmfelves for the Defence of the Country, they not only received no Encouragement from the Aflembly, but were abufed and reproached for their Pains, and the Dutch or Germans kept back from joining in the Aflbciation, by all pofllble under - hand Pradtices. Ml Mi ! \ \ s , « n <\ ' V ' i^- \i > : • ^ '-, . The .';.»'•■'» -a . .'• ■• ' ' •".•'•> f The hon'ourable Proprietors alfo propofcd to Our Aflem- bly five Ye^^rs Hgo, Ihat if tiie Aflembly would give Mo- ney for building a Strong -Houfe on the O/j/'o (not venturing to call it Fort, or any Tjiing that implied Defence) they, the faid Proprietors would, ou their Part, contribute any reafon- al'le Proportion to the building and fupporting of the faid Strong-Houfe. But this Piopofal, like many others, was rejeAed with Scorn, raertly, perhaps, bccaufe it came from the I'roprietors ; nor was it fo rauch as thought worthy of a Place in their Minutes i though it is clear, if it had been complied with, the Trgmh liad not liQW becii fortified in the fame J [-Xk./s^-^vj.,':^ .^^AilI >• f • 1. Why are our Aflemblies againfl de- fending a Country, in which their own Fortunes and Eftates lie, if it is really in Danger? ir- .; ' , ■.''a. '5 i a to In [ 15 1 vince, notwkhflanding Perfons aj^ a Diftance may be apt to judge fo for the following Reafons. iji^ From the continued Refufal of our Aflemblies to defend the Province. 2^/y, From the extraordinary Indulgence and Privileges granted to Fapifts in this Government : — Privileges plainly repugnant to all our political Interefts, confidered as a Frontier-Colony, bordering on the French^ and one half of the People an uncultivated Race of GermanSy liable to be feduced by every enterprizing Jefuit, having almoft no Proteflant Clergy among them to put them on their Guard, and warn them asiainft Popery. I ^;,,i oriJ oiiiivs/ vis: •^ .. f I Tho' this might be infinuated, yet from Obfervation I havq Reafon to believe, that mod of the fakers without Doors are really againft Defence from Confcience and their religious Tenets j but for thofe within Doors, I cannot but afcribe their Condu(5t rather to Intereft than Confcience. . . »■»■ Our Affemblijes apprehend, that as foon as they agree to give fufficient Sums for the regular Defence of the Country, it would ftrike at the Root of all their Power, as i ; ;■ fakers, ' I } : I ( [ i6] ^ahrSy by making a Militia-Lciv need- ful, in Time of Danger. Such a Law, they prefume, would alter the whole Face of Affiirs, by creating a vaft Number of new Relations, Dependencies, and Subor- dinations in the Government. The Mi^ litia^ they fuppofe, would all vote for Members of A^'^mbly, and being depen- dent on their Otiicers, would probably be influenced by them. The Officet-s, again, as they imagine, would be influenced by the Government j and thus the fakers fear they would foon be out-voted in mofl Places. For this Caufe, they will fufFer the Country to fall into the laft Extremity, hoping that when it is fo, our Neighbours will, for their own Sakes, defend it, vyrith^ out obliging them to pafs a Law, which, they fear, would fo foon flrip them of their darling Power. But this Backwardnefs of theirs has quite a contrary Effedt j for the neighbouring Colonies, feeing this Colony, that is immediately attacked, doing no- thing, Fefufe to exert themfelves for a Peo- ple, who are able, but unwilling, to de- fend themfelves. ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^'^ "^''^"^ '^^"^^"^ ''I,, i I ; ■ Thusmiichinanfwertothe/Slr^Queftidn, ' ■ ■ With [ 17] ony> no- Peo- de- vi With regard to the fecofjd, little need be faid to fliew why the Monies they have offered for the King's Service never could be accepted of. i or while they have the forefaid Apprehcnfions from a Law for the Defence of the Country, it mufl be plainly repugnant to their Interefl, ever to offer Money for this Purpofe, unlefs in fuch a Manner as they know to be inconfiflent with the Duty of a Governor to pafs their Bill into a Law. This will be fully under- flood from what follows, which will alfo fhew by what Means they fave Appearances among the People, without doing any Thing for the Public. •/:' i. ««f<.l i-_f There was a royal Inftrudioa fent to all the Englijh Governors in America, upon the humble Addrefs of the Lords and Com- mons, fignifying, That under Pain of his Majefty's highefl Difpleafure, they fliall not pafs any Adl for the EmifTion of Paper- Money, without a fufpending Claufe, that it fliall not take Effcdl till his Majefly's Pleafure is known. Since that Time, upon Petition of the chief Merchants in England ^ an Adl of Parliament was pafTed, entirely 4 reflraining i 1 1 ' ■' III ' .J it i' I Ii t .8] reftraining the four New- En gland Colonies from emitting any Paper-Bills at all, except in the Cafe of an Invafion, or fome great lunergency, and then the fame to be funk in a few Years. But the Southern Pro- vinces dill continue under the Force of the Inftruction. . » <♦ • t » '♦■■ ■?•**"■■ re- ney in uld d- cri- 3ed 1i [ 19] bed by Ad of Parliament, in the Cafe of New- England, Then, and not till then, they voted ip,ooo/. for his Majefty's Ufe, redeemable by the Excife in twelve Years, for wliich Time the Bills were to be funk annually in equal Proportions, :/ . In that Space the Excife would raife 45,000/. viz. 10,000/. for the King's Ufe, and the remaining 35,000/. would have been at their own Difpofal for what Ufes they might think fit. !•( * \*\H ? V »' The Governor, therefore, juftly confi- dered, that if he (hould pafs this Bill, it would be giving the Government out of his Hands, and rendering himfelf and his Succeflbrs entirely unneceffary in the Ad- miniftration for twelve Years. It would be putting 35,000/. into the Hands of the AfTembly, ftill more to increafe their Power, and lay out in Schemes to abridge the Powers of their Proprietors and Go- vernors ; for tho' the Preambles to all our Money-Ads, and to the Excife, lay that the Intereft-Money, and what arifes from the Excife, are to be applied to the Support of Government 5 yet they apply D it m t i [ 20 1 it as they pleafe, viz. to diftrcfs all who oppofe their Mcaiurcs, and for building Horpitals, purchufing Lands, Libraries, Gfc. l**M*t ti ♦• » ■\i ,\^> Jtt% i • }\^4i^ For thifc Rcafons, an*^ confidering alfo that the Money was to continue fcven Years longer than the Adt of Parliament allows, the Governor refufed his AiTent ^ upon which they adjourned, altho* they knew very well before they propofed the Bill, that he could not give his Aflent, without incurring his Majefty's highcft Difpleafure, . 1 . J . !__ .. ^ , ; :^.'' 1 Upon the News of WaPAngton*^ Dc-» feat, laft Summer, the Governor again fummoned them, and intreated them to confider the melancholy Situation of Af- fairs, and fall upon Ways and Mean^ to repel the Enemy, confiftent with hib Duty to pafs it ; he having, in the meail Time, received Sir Dudley Rider'^ Opi-* hion, that he could not, with Safety to himfelf, pafs fuch an A«ft as they wanted. They then voted him 15,000/. to be raifed exadlly as before, being certain the Governor could not venture to pafs it. Accordingly, upon his Refufal, they again adjourned. I t!» [2, ] adjourned, and to intimidate other Go- vernors from daring to difpute their Com- lUands, with-hcld his yearly Salary. 4 • ,1 Mr. Hamilton^ a Gentleman of great Honor, Probity, and good Senfe, having for fome Time forefecn, that with fuch an obllinate and perverfe People, he could never, as Governor, enjoy Eafc to him- felf, nor be in a Capacity either to obey the King's Inflrudtions, or he of any real Service to the Province his native Coun- try, had wrote over to the Proprietors to fend him a Succe/Tor, afluiing thepi he would no longer continue to aft as Go Upon the Appointment of the Pro- prietors, he was accordingly fucceeded by the Hon. Robert Hunter Morris^ Efcjj \ This Gentleman, upon his coming into the Government, immediately fpoke, in the mo^ pathetic Terms, to the new Aflembly, compofed of the old Mem- bers.-^ I'z* \ , . fc-'j » f>v r r*f'\M''" ,\:n: *« .^ » . > I V ! \ !J'S D« After ^>.. ill; [ 22 ] i.*;i)o, V After a fliort Adjournment, they met and offered a Bill for 20,0c j/. 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 Inftrudlions as his PredecefTors, and could not pafs any fuch Bill into a Law. ■J r^ i '.il.ri: ll t^ 'M Thus their whole Condudl lias been of a Piece in this Country, tho* I am well affured k is very much difapproved of and con- demned by their Brethren the fakers in England, who are juftly efteem'd a quiet and upright People, fuch as we already obferv*d the firft fakers in this Province were. It is very plain they have no mind to give a fingle Shilling for the King's Ufe, unlefs they can thereby increafe their own Power ; but they keep continually voting Money in order to keep the People on their Side,' who not being well enough acquainted with the Nature of Government, to underftand why the Money-Bills cannot be pafTed,? think every fuch Rejedtion of a Money- Bill, m W' J h d r ^3 ] Bill, a Defign againft their Liberties, and throw the whole Blame upon their Pro- prietors and Governors, treating their Names in the mod infolent and contemp- tuous Manner. '-*--' .. .X. Hence it is that this Province is rer duced to the mod miferable Condition.—- The People at Variance, and diftruftful of each other I A French Enemy and their Savage Allies advanced far into our Terri- tory I The People on our Frontiers liable to be murdered or driven from their Ha- bitations 1 Our Lives and all our facred Rights cxpofed an eafy Prey ! — And all this owing to the Infatuation and deteft- able Policy of a Set of Men who mind no Confequences, provided they can fc- cure their own Power and their Seats in the Aflembly. •'/< A Petition from a Thoufand of thefe poor Families, who inhabit the back Parts of the Colony, was prefented to the AfTem- bly, laft Augu/l, foon after WaJhingfon*s Defeat, praying that they might be fur' nifhed with Arms and Ammunition for their Mil ., M' ■!' ,il- [24] their Defence 3 but the Petition was rc- jedled with Scorn. Our Indian Allies have often defired us to build Forts, to which their Wives and Children might fly in time of Danger, and have juft * now fent down to the Governor, begging he would diredl the Building a Stockade^ or wooden Fort, in which they offer to de- fend themfclves and us, from the Incur- iions of the Enemy -, but the AfTembly, to be cqnfiflent with themfelves, and fhew that they are religioufly bent on the Ruin of their Country, refufed to give any Mo- ney for this Purpofe, and gave the Indians for Anfwer, that if they were afraid of the Enemy, they might retire farther down, and come within the fettled Parts of the Province. ',....., . v . . , . . O . : !» Thus the nobleft Opportunity was lofl that could have been offered, of keeping our Indians fteady, and for building a Fort at a fmall Expence, in a Pafs fo commo^ dioufly fituated between the Mountains, that it would have effedtually covered and defended two of our Frontier Counties, from f- .*«. -#.; *^i 'tf * December 1754. \\ l-f i [25] from the Inroads of the French and their Indians^ Cl / • 4U * ill:; -111'. ' From what has been faid, it clearly appears how much we fuffer by having all public Monies in fuch Hands. Were the Cafe otherwife, Matters might be managed with Secrefy, Eafe, Expedition, Succefs, and a fmall Expence, by em- bracing the proper Opportunities. But thefe Opportunities!, being once loft, arc often never to be recalled, as is too well confirmed by the Settlements of the French at Crown-Point and on the Ohioy both which might have been prevented at firft, with one fiftieth Part of the Expence it will now take to dillodge them, had not the Hands of all our Governors been tied up, by having the Difpofal of no Monies on fuch Emergencies, nor any Hopes of obtaining it from our Afiemblies, if they fhould advance any Sums for the public Service. • '^i .^d ... '■.' lis- But here it may be juftly afked. By what means the fakers, who are io fmall a Part of the Inhabitants, and whofe Mea- 1 I !l I 1^1 m [26} Meafures are (o unpopular, get continu- ally chofen into our Aflemblies ? , v-.t,\ rx Before the late Spanijh War, a confi- derable Number of our AfTefnbly ]were of other Denominations ; but at that Time being called , upon by Governor Thomas, to arm for their own Defence, and the Annoyance of his Majefljf's Enemies, they were alarnped with the Prpfpedl of loling- their Power, if they fhould comply, as- was fhewn above; and .therefore they entered into Cabals in their yearly Meet- ing, which is convened jufl before the Eledion, and being compofed of Depu- ties from all the monthly Meetings io the Province, is the fined Scheme that could poffibly be projedted, ii^: conduding political Intrigues, under the Maik of Religion. They likewife had Re^gourfe to a German Printer, who was once pne of the French Prophets in Germany ^ a^i§l is fhrewdly fufpefted to be a Popfpo En:^t fary, who now prints a News-Paper. en- tirely in the German Lai^guage, '"^bijih is univerfally read and believed by the for- mam in* this Province. This Man, .whQ.fe NamQ f I -r; I i^7] Kam6 is Sauefy they took into their hiy, and by his Means told the Germans there was a Defign to enflav6 them j to force their young Meti to be Soldiers, make them fervc as Pioneers, and go down to Work upon our Fortifications; — ^ that a military Law was to be made, infupport - able Taxes to be kid upon them^ and in a Word) that all the Miferies they fuller- ed in Germany, with heavy Aggravations, would be their Lot, unlefs they joined to keep in the ^nkers, under whofe Admi- niftration they had fo long enjoyed Eafd and Tranquillity j and to fotce out of thb Aflemblyj all thofe who were like to join the Governor, in giving Money for an- hoying the Enemy. ^ " IS err- m Q.fe mq ' In cohfequence bf this, the Germdns^ who had hitherto continued peaceful, with- out meddling in Ele6lions, came down in Shoalsj and carried all before them. Near 1800 of them Voted in the County of Philadelphia, which threw the flalance on the Side of the fakers, though their Op- ponents, in that grand Struggle, voted near 500 more than ever loft an Election before. IE Th« t.i il m i t 28 ] The ^iakcTS having found out this Secret, have ever fince excluded all other Perfuafions from the Aflembly, conftantly calling in the Germans to their Aid, by means of this Printer. *' v» ■ . > 1 I i \ ■^^ 'y.' '■ -• if>:. ; 'uti* ■^Jt.: I ,•: ' >W"( 'i. li-nJ But the keeping the fakers in, is not the worft Confequence of thefe infidious Pradices with the Germans, The bad EfFedls of it will probably be felt thro' many Generations. — The Germans, inftead of being a peaceable induftrious People as before, now finding themfclves of fucli Confequence, are grown infolent, fullen, and turbulent; in fome Counties threat- ning even the Lives of all who oppofe their Views. The fakers, in order to keep them from taking up Arms in De- fence of the Province, or joining in Elec- tions with their Opponents, have much alienated their AfFedions from the Go- vernment, by telling them there is a De- iign againft their Liberties. They arc taught to have but one and the flime Idea for Government and Slavery. All who are not of their Party they call Governors^ Mm, in Derifion, They give out that • ' they I i%. 1^ [29] they are a Majority, and flrong enough to make the Country their own j and in- deed, as they arc poured in upon us in fuch Numbers (upwards of 5000 being Imported this laft Year) I know nothing that will hinder them, either from foon being able to give us Law and Language, or elfe, by joining with the French^ . to ejedl all the Englijh Inhabitants. ( ' ■'. • ••' ' • i That this may be the Cafe, is too much to be feared, fince, as I remarked already, they refufed, almoft to a Man, to bear Arms in the Time of the late War. They fay it is all one to them which King gets the Country, fmce, if they remain quiet, they will be permitted to enjoy their E- ftates, under the Conqueror, whoever he is j and as they have, many of them, lived under PopiJJj Rulers before in their own Country, they give out tb.ii. they know the ,worft that can happen. And, indeed, it is clear that the French have turned their Hopes upon this great Body of Germans, They have now got PolTefllon of the vaft and exceeding fruit- ful Country upon the Ohio, juft behind E 2 our li ii!t! [ 30 ]. our German Settlements. They know our Gfrmans arc extremely ignorant, and think a large Farm the greateft Bliffihg in Life. Therefore, by fending th^pir Je- fuitical EtniiTaries among them, to per- fuade them over to thr Popijh Religion, they will drav/ them from the Englip^ in Multitudes, or perhaps lead them in a Body againft us. This is plainly ^ Scheme laid by the French many Years ago, and uniformly purfaed till this Jime, with the greateft Addrefs ; being the true Caufe of thpir continual Encroachments, and ho-lding their Countries by FortSy without fettling theii). When they come near enough to hjive Communication with blir Germans, it will be much more their In- tereft to plant their Colonics, by offering the faid Germans eafy Settlements, tKan by bringing new Hands from Europe ^^ for by fuch Mean? they not only get an AccelTion of People who are accuftom- cd to the Country, but alfo weaken us, in Proportion a& thdy ftrengthen thcm^ ■/*!:: .4^f , ,! That now is the Time they propofe to l^ut their grand Scheme in ]^ecutipn is too i ..,.*:' [ 3' 1 too evident. They are already {o near us, that the French Camp, and their Forts upon thp Ohio and the Parts adjacent, are not more than 22$ Miles, horizontal Piftance, from the City of Philadelphia^ and only aboi^t two Days March from fome of oui; back Settlements, By Ac- counts received lad Week, they have 2000 effe^ive |j Men in thefe Parts, together t^i'^li .D!U 'i "isKjU \.y '.i'<\. with H Extra£l of a Letter, dated P^/'/ai^ijJi/tf, January z, 1755. S I R^ ** Since my lafti we have five Days ago received certain 1* Intelligence that a Body Of nighi Six Thoufand of the <' beft Troopi of France^ felefled and fent over upon this " particular Service, arejull arrived at the lower Fort upon *' theO;&/>, and nre 'employed, even in this rigorous Scafon, <« in fortifying that Country, InSeftembtr lall, the French *• Men of War that brought them over were feen not far V from the Entrance into the River St. Laurgyice^ into whicb •^ we are now certain they went, and landed at ^ehec. ** AftCT a fliort Stay in that City, they were feen by our '<< ImUan-Traders pafTmg the Lakes, Of*wego and Erie, in " a prodigious Number of Batioes^ of which the feveral ^* Governors reeeived notice, though we did not then con- ** jefture that it was an Armament from Oid Frame, till ^' 09W thtt. we ;^e coo c«rtain of it. " Notwithlla;nding of this, pur Aflembly continues as ** obftinate as ever j nor have we as yet any Probability of ...<^ their giving any Money for our Defence, although wc " hear they are to adjourn in two Days. The Governor ^* ** h%s befceched them to confider the defencelefs Slate of ^' the t32] witli a great Body of InMans at their Beck, r. V I: " •} ■ J sj; .;*...'* W ( * j-jk/i Now there is no Way of preventing thcfe dreadful Misfortunes with which we are threatened, but to open the Eyes of the Germans to their true Interefts, and foften this ftubborn Genius of theirs, by means oi Injlru6iion, Faithful Proteftant Minifters, and School-maflers, fhould be fent and fupported among them, to warn them againft the Horrorb of PopiJJj Sla- very; to teach them found Principles of Government, and inftrud; their Children in the EngliJJ^ Tongue, and the Value of thofe Privileges to which they are born among us. If this can be done, and the French *' the Province, and eftablifh a regular Militia, but in vain. '' He alfo obfervcs, that the Aftivity of the Freneh at- thfs* •' rigorous Seafon cannot but convince the World, that; " they have formed fome grand Defign with regard to thi^^, •* Continent, and that they have made their firft Attack' *' upgn Pentifylvaniaf as being in the Center, and being . ** not only the moft plentiful, but the moft defencelefs and '* unwieldy of all his Majefty'* Colonies. Having once ** got Footing here, they will iffue forth upon the other *• Colonies on either Side ; and as they have fuch a large *• Body already in the Field, we apprehend it is their De- *• fign early in the Spring to fortify the Paffes in the Mbun- ' " tains ; and if they accomplifti this, and can find ProVi- " fions, they will be aHe to ftand againft three Times their «♦ Numbers." [ 33 ] trench dwven from the O/O/u, (o as to have no G)mmunication with our "f- Gcrmam for twenty or thirty Years, till they arc taught the Value of the Proteflant Reli- gion, underftand our Language, and Tec that they have but one Intereft with us j they will for the future bravely fight for their own Property, and prove an im- pregnable Barrier againft the Enemy, i- i.'>... But as if it had been decreed by Fate, or the evil Genius of the Quakers, that they (hould never have the fame Intereft with their Country in a iingle Inftance, it is a Part of their Policy alfo to oppc^fc every Scheme for inftrudling and making f^nglijhmen of the Germans. In order to keep their Seats in the AfTembly, they have not only, as I have fhewn, faffered the Ftench to fix themfelves on the Ohio ; they have not only corrupted the Princi* pies o£ the Germam ; but, to be confiflent ■>■<''>■ 'd.„^S f4 with -f This fuppofes alfo that a Stop be put to the Impor- tation of Germans into this Province, and that the Migra- tion be turned from us -, for if new Hands are concinuall/ brought in, and the old Families go back to other Colonics, as they do at prefent, whenever they begin to get a little Money, and know fomething of our Language, we fhall liever make Englijhfni^n of them. I \ 134] ^vith their Intcrcft, they muft ftrlvt to keep thcfe poor People in the fame dark State, into which they have endeavoured to fink them. For they know, that if the Germans were infl.ru(^ed, fo as to be ca- pable of ufing their own Judgment in Matters of Governmentj they would no more be milled by the Arts of a ^ua* Jeer Preacher, than of a lurking French Prieft. •mj. ) \»U viy Hence it is that, by mcatis of their hireling Printer, they reprefent all regular Clergymen as Spies and Tools of State, telling the People they muft not regard any Thing their Minifters advifc con* cerning Elections, fince they have a Scheme to eledt Men who will bring in a Bill for giving the Tenths to the Clergy^ as in fome other Countries. It is needlefs to obferve that no fach Law can ever be made here, as being repugnant to Charts ^ for our fakers, though they never fwear, ftick not gravely to affirm and adhere to any Falfhood whatever, provided it will fupport them in their darling Schemes fgr 'Powers ^ •. ,. .„ .S ■ .'>''' ^ .^'.- . ■-#" i i i>ij. '.-■A?^W There ftw [35 ] j^ * ' There is nothing they more fear than "to fee the Germans pay any Regard to re- ' gutir Minifters. Whenever they know of ahyMiich Minifter in good Terms with his People, they immediately attack his Cha- radtcr by means of this Printer, and di- flrefs him by dividing his Congregation, and encouraging Vagabonds and pretend- ed Preachers, whom they every now and then raife up. This ferves a double End, : = 31 '/<:« •J >' Firft, According to the Maxim, divide- & impera — it prevents the People from joining In any new Defign, and hinders anjr Minifter from ever having Influence enough to fet them right at the annual Eledlions, . "^ ., / Secondly, By difcouraging regular Mi- Inirters, it gives the fakers an Opportuni- ty of niiaking more Profelytes, %■ ••f^ V . "This is the true Reafon why the moft i:3hfidetable and wealthy Sed among the ^ermansy is the Menonijls^ whofe Princi- ples are much the fame with thofe of the r F fakers \ ill W.,:, IP [ sH ^aken ; for they hold it unlawful to take Oaths, or bear Arms. Thus encouraged by our ruling Men, this Sedt has a great Influence among the Germans^ and the Menonijh are daily increafing by the Con- verts they make by their great Wealth, which gives them an Opportunity of pay* ing the PalTages of th^ir poor Country- jnen, who indent themfelves to fervc four Year? for ^ne Money thus advanced for tht.:.. " . .,<-.. Befides thefe, there are near one Fourth of the Germans fuppofed to be Roman Cathqlics, who cannot be fuppofed Friends to any Defign for defending the Country againft the French, Many are alfo Mo- ravians, who, as -they conceal their Prin- ciples, are fufpedled to be a dangerous People, mTe eifpecially as they hold fqme Tenets and Cuftoms, as far as we have any Opportunity of judging of them, very much ?i-kin to thofe of the Roman Catholics. There are alfo many other Sedls fpringing up apong the Gernans ; which it would be tedious to name, but moft of them are principled againft bearing Arms, 4 I havf •f, [ 37] >* i have faid enough to (hew that never Was any Country in a more diftrelTed Con- dition than this J and tho* it has fiouriflied ift an extraordinary Degree> as it could not fail to do, wheh it was young, and all thefe feveral Sedls employed only in eftabliihing themfelves 5 yet now> when they ate grown to NVealth and Maturity, and are not Co neceffarily employed in their private Concerns, they will tiirn their Thoughts to the Pub*"Cj or perhaps againft one another j and thence the utmoft Coh- fulion muft enfue, if a timely Remedy is not applied, and more Checks contrived to balance their increafing Strength than wer» neceflkry at tirft* '\r:v f V n V ' 1 1 am iorrf it Has f^allen to my Lot to trace all our gro\Ving Miferies to the mifchievous Policy of my Fellow-Siibjedls, the ^akers^ who regard no Cohfequencesj but holding t^heir own Ground. Truth and Duty obliged me to take up my Pen* We have been too long filent, and had this Reprefentation been made, as it ought to have been, many Years ago, we had ' " • F 2 not !l ■ i i '■i!H' [ 38 ] not now been in fuch calamitous Circum- ilances. « 'I.- 'i . . ».'- ■:i y.ri im I muft, however, in Juftice obferve that there have been fome honcft Spirits al- ways among us, who have left nothing un- attempted for the Redemption of their Country. Even as late as laft OBoher^ tho* they knew it was ftriying againft the Stream, thofe Perfons made a noble Effort to con- vince the Germans of our common Danger, and induce them to join in the Choice of Men who v juld defend the Province, and pay fome Delf^tence to his Majefty*s Inftruc- tions. They reminded the Germans^ that at their Naturalization, they had folemnly engaged to defend hk Majefty's Perfoo and Government againft all his Enemies ; and that, in cafe of Refiifal, they would be guilty of Perjury. But all was in vain. The fakers held them immoveable, by their ufual Infinuations ; and we might as foon have attempted to preach the ftormy Element into a Calm, as, by Rea- foning, to refcue thefe poor deluded Ger-^ manSy out of the Hands into which they are fallen, ^-..ji v^' i - v.4 -^-»' - \u : 'i Never- if I 4 ^ ■I ■'.I 'i II' M' [ 39] ►.J i» ^ ...Jt « II .< Ij ..i •iin:.i« Neverthelefs thefe worthy Perfons \m^ ■gined it their Duty to exert themfelves^ not only to convince the fakers that their Meafures were difapproved of by the bet- ter Part of tbeif Fellow-GitMzen?, but alfo to fatisfy the Government (^England that there are ftill many in this Place, who have not baniflied all Impreffions of Loyalty and Duty from their Bjcafts. -^ -"*5r 4.^ •(>if /(*>■« J., lean, however, now fe|8 no Remedy ^ left among ourfelves. We aiufl look tc our Mother-Country for Suocour, and if i^ is not ipeedily granted, this noble Pro- vince feems irrecoverably loft. We Ihall be driven from thefe beloved Habitations; or clfe forced to fubmit once more, not only to civil Slavery, but to Perfecution, and that religious Slavery, from which oiany of our Anceftors left the Land of ^ jlKjir Nativity^ and fat down in thefe 61- 9 ant uncultivated Places, amidft the Hor- rors of the howling Wildernefs ! ^^^.--^.^ Yet defperate as our Cafe is here, a Remedy in England is cafy. Let the Par- V , ' lianient . u l-T J 'l':^ I [ 40 ] Uament but make a Law to the following Eifedt : - '#'■'■ '• i 1. To oblige all thofc who fit in Af- fembly to take the Oaths of Allegiance to his Majefty, and perhaps a Teft or Decla- ration that they will not refufe to defend their Country againft all his Majeily's Ene- mies. — This feems the fmalkft Teft of Fidelity that can be required from thofe to whom the Conftitution of their Country^ and the * cred Rights of their Fellow* Subjects, aiv committed in Truft» , 2. To fufpend the Right of Voting for Members of AfTembly, from the Germans^ till they have a fufficient Knowledge of our Language and Conftitution. —This Provi* iion is as reafonable as the former. What can be more abfurd and impolitic, than to fee a Body of ignorant, proud, ftubborn Clowns (who are unacquainted with our Language, our Manners, our Laws^ and our Inler^fts) indulged with the Privilege of Returning almoft every Member of Aflem- bly ? Now a Courfc of about twenty Years ^ould make them acquainted with all theie Things, [ 41 ] Things, if, according to good Policy, we make it their Intcrcfl fo to be, and give them the proper Opportunities, as I am going to propofe. And unlefs fomethihg is done this Way, we may incline them to fome bad Meafures, and never procure that Coalition, which we defire, and which is fo much their Honour and Intereft. « ■■.*,- , . 3. It will therefore be abfolutely ncccf- fary to encourage Proteftant Minifters and School-maflers among them, as I hinted already, in order to reduce them into regu- lar Congregations ; to inftrudt them in the Nature oifree Government, the Purity and Value of the Proteftant Faith j and to bind them to us by a common Language, and the Confcigufnefs of a common Intereft *. -' •^^••■^^ ■ ■ •'■' •• ■ ■ 4. But • iV, ^. As a confider^ble Progrefs is made in a Defign of this Nature, and a confiderable Sum collefled for it, by a generous and public-fpirited Society of Noblemen and Gentlemen in London, who are all Perfons of high Rank and Worth, the Parliament could not do a more effeflual Service to the Briti^ Intereft in America, than to afTift the faid Society, by making an annual Provifion for inilru(£lii\g poor Germant in thefc Parts, for the Space of twenty or thirty Years, till they are brought into a regular St^tc., Some Engl'Jh Schools are already begun, and an excellent Scheme laid for their Government ; but without public Ai4, it is feared the charitable Contributions of private Perfons, will prove utterly inadequate to fupport a Defiga of fo great national Importanop. il . I'll , : I :ii! ' [42] r? 4. But after fuch a Proviiion is made, it will alfo be neceiTary, in order the more efFedually to induce the Germans to learn Englijh^ not only to fufpend for a Time their Right of Voting for Aflcmbly-men, as by xhtfecond Article, but alfo to make ail Bonds, Contracts, Wills, and other le- gal Writings void, unlefs in the Englijh Tongue. For want of fome Regulation of this* Nature, the greateft Confufion is like to be introduced into our Laws, and Courts Of Juftice/^'^''^ ■> " ^ ■ J l^'ii .) ^ '5. That no News-Papers, Almanacks, or any other periodical Paper, by what- ever Name it may be called, be printed or circulated in a foreign Language, Or, fhould this be deemed too fevere (which I think it cannot reafonably be) then it may be provided, that no fuch Publication or Circulation be made, unlefs there be ^ juft and fair Englijh Verfion of fuch a fo- reign Language, printed in one Column of the fame Page or Pages, along with the faid foreign Language. ■fi'tW SiiU • i. «■ *«»■•*#- »ir%-^ I '-'1 ?ai. I'i- tvVij.'iA; V il.; £j,jwC> ,. \vi't,:'i u-'cr-.| For m 'f vj^ m [43 ] For want of fome fuch Regulation ai this, continual Prejudites are propagated among the Germans^ without our knowing it, or being able to remove them when they Gome to our Knowledge. Now a Law confifting of the five fore-^ faid Provifions, or fomething equivalent^ would efFcdtually refcue us from all the fad Train of Calamities I have pointed out ; and without iuct Means, 1 fee nothing to prevent this Province from falling into the Hands of the French . r : ■ ',.'■'• 4 > : 1 . » . . t • . ■ » • . • t It cannot be expedied that private Per- sons, without the Aid of the Legiflature^ can long defend the Country, or fupport the Sixpence of military Preparations. A few Men among us have already ex- pended large Sums this Way, and can fee lio End of it. ■^ "» *^-»i,. During ttie late War, they petitioned his Majefty, fetting forth their Difficulties in this Refpedt, and the dcfencelefs State of ihe Province ; in which they vvere cotin- G tenaneed I !'''; if! ml' Ih: ft -1'^ tcnriced by the Proprietors, whb with g . I Sarncftnefs folicited the Matter, and ii3L\ - on every Occafion been zealous and adtive for the defence of the Colony. — The Petition was referred to a Committee of the Privy-Council and the Lords Commif- fioners of Trade and Plantations, who rie- ported in favour of it. But the Petitioners^ at that Time, received no Relief, owingi as they •^refume, to the other weighty Affairs of Government, which then ne- cefTarily engroffed the Attention of his Majefty's Miniflers. Peace being foon af- ter concluded, the Petitioners remained filent, till we are now again alarmed with greater and more threatning Dangers than ever. Longer Silence would be unpardon- able, and the fooner the Britijh Nation is acquainted with our State, the more Pofll- bility of Redrefs will remain, I may be faid, witli the greateft Juftice^ that our Proprietors and our late Gover- vernors, have done every thing in their Power to afTift us, and keep up to an Englijh Conftitution 5 for which they have been reviled, abufed, and all imaginable Steps takm to hurt them in their Intefeft^ by this perverfe and proudcft of People, ^ho, under the Maik of extraordinary Sandity and Confcience, lord it over their Fellow-Subjeds. Whatever be the Confeqilence, all our Misfortunes can be charged no where but upon our People themfelves, and I have fhewn that it would be plainly repugnant to their Intereft to remedy Grievances. Ali Redrefs therefore, muft, if it comes, come from his Majefty, and the Britijh Parliament, to whom our diftreffed and melancholy Condition muft be humbljr fubmitted. If our Cafe is longer over- looked, I (hall foon begin to think of re- turning, to Ipend the fmall Remainder of my Days in quiet with you, and to leave my Bones in the Land where I drew my firft Breath. Mean while, permit me to aflure you, that, I am. ^r. u. FINIS. im