to the queen, whose many favours claimed their highest veneration and respect, they voted to raise by way of present to her majesty, the sum of five hundred pounds,' &c. but this must be understood as applying to the general support of the government, and not for the sole purpose of supporting the miltiary. By this grant, they shielded themselves under the cloak, that they were not to be answerable for all the uses to which the money might be applied. The assembly closed this grant in the following words. "We therefore humbly intreat the governor, to put a candid construction upon this our proceedings, and represent them favourably to our gracious sovereign the queen, to whom we trust, we shall ever approve ourselves, (though poor,) her most loyal and dutiful subects," &c.

The governor expressed his disapprobation of the grant, as being totally inadequate to the nature and importance of the service required, and urged the house to a reconsideration of the subject; but without effect, the house were fixed, and passed a vote of adjournment until after harvest; viz. on the 15th day of August. Pending this adjournment, the nature of the service required further supplies from this province, and the governor convened the assembly at an earlier day: when he thus addressed them.

"Gentlemen, &c.

"Our enemies having plundered Lewistown, and watered in the bay, sounding along, as though they meant to make us a nearer visit; I demand therefore some immediate provision to be made in case of emergency. As the heads of several Indian nations are in town, it is necessary to make them some suitable present; that the importance of their friendship, and the easy terms of maintaining it, were too evident to be neglected. That of the money already

granted, nothing now remained; and although money cannot be so promptly raised as the immediate services of government required; yet he hoped that by the means of a credit, their friends might not go away empty, &c. and consequently, their immediate attention to the subject was of importance, to contribute what was immediately necessary on this point; otherwise you must expect a change that will become more chargeable."

The house expressed in their reply, the alarm they felt from the motions of the enemy at Lewistown; regretted their defenceless situation; requested the governor to cause the conduct of the former administrations to be enquired into upon this point, and then met his requisition with an additional grant of 300l. for the service, and 2007. towards the governor's support. In their turn, they renewed their former request, for a redress of grievances under the late administration.

The governor accepted their grants; but again politely waved their demands, for redress of grievances, &c. and thanked them for their provision which they had made for the Indians, and the session closed.

At their adjourned session in August, the governor remonstrated against their proceedings, with regard to the 300l. they had voted for the queen, and the 2001. voted for his expences; because they had refused to raise these sums, unless he would redress their old grievances, and thus legislated with a rod over the shoulders of their governor. His excellency endeavoured to point out the absurdity of such legislation, but all to no effect; and the governor declined any further concern in the legislative affairs of the province. The warmth of the assembly, next became pointed in a list of charges exhibited against James Logan, their secretary, and ascribed all their grievances, as well as calamities, to him. In this state of the

parties, this assembly closed and dissolved, and a new assembly was chosen for the October session of 1709.

On the 17th of October, an assembly newly chosen, met, and chose David Lloyd speaker, and the governor opened the session with the following speech.

"GENTLEMEN,

"You are met for no other end but to serve the country, whom you represent; I hope therefore you will study all possible means, that may contribute to the real happiness of that; which, I believe you will find may be much promoted, by improving a good understanding between you and me, in our respective stations.

"I would not look back, willingly, upon some of the proceedings of the last house; only from thence, I must give you a necessary caution, to dwell less, than has been done, upon that general language of evil counsel or counsellors, generally used, as an artful method to strike at the counselled; but with me, I believe without occasion; or that of grievances, and oppressions; words by God's blessing, understood by few (I find) in this province, who form them not in their imaginations; for I assure you gentlemen, if we are not as happy, as the circumstances of the place will admit, it lies much in your power to make us so; of which I hope you will consider, and use your endeavours accordingly, with full resolution to remove whatever may stand in the way," &c.

This address the assembly answered the next day, with their usual spirit, and the old controversy was again renewed, and in this case, as in all others where the parties cannot revenge themselves on each other, they generally select such victim from amongst the friends of the parties, as circumstances will admit, and wreak their vengeance on him. This was practised in this case; the house impeached Secretary Logan, and issued a warrant to the

sheriff of the county to arrest and imprison him for trial, lest he should depart for England, as he then proposed. The governor interfered, and set aside this writ, by a supersedeas, and thus opened the way for the secretary to prosecute his intended voyage.

This act of the governor roused the resentment of the house, and they resolved, "that this measure of the gov ernor was illegal and arbitrary ;" and thus dissolved all further connection between them.

The secretary prosecuted his voyage to England, and with such success as to secure his office from the proprietary, and at an after day he surmounted all the malice of his enemies, and became president of the province; in which office, he presided with popular dignity and respectability.

Party spirit continued to increase in the province, until the government became endangered, and this critical state of affairs called forth the following letter of expostulation from the proprietary.

"London 29th 4th month, 1710.

"MY OLD FRIENDS.

"It is a mournful consideration, and the cause of deep affliction to me, that I am forced by the oppressions, and disappointments that have fallen to my share in this life, to speak to the people of that province, in a language I once hoped I should never have occasion to use. But the many troubles and oppositions I have met with from thence, oblige me in plainness and freedom, to expostulate with you concerning the causes of them," &c.

This letter is too long to admit of being transcribed at full length, I shall therefore compress it into the following substance.

That impressed with the most painful sensibilities at the recollection of what he had done and suffered, through a long life, to promote the happiness, and best interest of that province, together with the ungrateful returns they

had made him, both in their conduct towards him in person, as well as towards his friends; he could not, but with the deepest regret, express the mortifying disappointment he felt, which had baffled all his former hopes, and threatened to baffle all his future expectations. It at the same time reminded them, that all their complaints about supposed grievances, were futile and groundless, and all their attacks upon the executive part of the government, so many direct attacks upon their own best interest, peace, security and happiness; and thus concludes:-"From your next assembly I shall expect to know what you resolve and what I may depend on. If I must continue my regards to you, let me be engaged to it by a like disposition in you towards But if a plurality after this shall think they owe me none, or no more than for some years past I have received, let it on a fair election be so determined, and I shall then without further suspense know what I have to rely upon. God give you his wisdom and fear, to direct you, and let your poor country be blessed with peace, love, and indus try, and we may once more meet good friends, and live so to the end; our relation in the truth having but the same true interest.

me.

"I am, with great truth, and most sincere regard, your real friend, as well as just proprietor and governor." WILLIAM PENN.

When we witness that ardent glow of affection that flows through every line of William Penn's addresses to his people; when we witness the goodness of his heart, that shone so conspicuous in that free and enlightened constitution of government he gave them; when we witness with what condescension and liberality he met their wishes, in such improvements and alterations as they proposed to this constitution; when we witness the ardent zeal he displayed in selecting the wise and prudent, to assist and direct them in