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able to deter the good people of Pennsylvania from a firm adherence to your honourable family, so we shall always, to the utmost of our power, support and maintain that government under which we do, with all gratitude, acknowledge we enjoy so many valuable privileges."

To this address, the proprietary returned the following reply:

"Gentlemen

"Permit me to express my hearty thanks to the honorable house, for your affectionate address. As I have ever viewed the best interest of Pennsylvania, and that of my family, to be inseparably connected; this honourable house may rest assured that it shall be my study to pursue those measures, which have rendered the government of my father so grateful to the good people of this province."

In May, preceding the arrival of the proprietary, the boundary line had been amicably run, between Pennsylvania and Maryland, and established and confirmed by the commissioners appointed by the proprietaries of those provinces, in due form.

Notwithstanding this amicable adjustment of this boundary, the proprietor of Maryland made such objections to certain parts of the line, as kept the settlers, contiguous to those parts, subject to unreasonable claims from the proprietor of Maryland, until the year 1762, when the whole controversy was settled by Charles Mason and Jeremiak Dixon, upon their return from an observation of the transit of Venus, at the Cape of Good Hope, where they had been sent for that purpose. Under this survey, the line was stoned out as it now stands.

In October, 1734, Mr. John Penn, son of the late William Penn, another of the proprietaries, arrived in the

province from England, and was kindly received by an affectionate address from the assembly, to which he returned a kind and affectionate reply.

In 1735, Lord Baltimore petitioned the king, that the three lower counties on Delaware, might be annexed to Maryland, as lands belonging of right to his original charter. This petition was opposed by Richard Penn, Esq. another of the proprietaries, and then in England, and upon the arrival of the news of this petition, which was transmitted to Gov. Gordon, John Penn embarked for England, where he died, unmarried, in the year 1740, leaving his two shares, which equalled one half, to his brother Thomas, who with Richard, were now the sole proprietors.

In 1736, Governor Gordon died, greatly lamented, and the administration devolved upon James Logan, as president of the council, a man of talents and integrity, who had been many years in the government, as member of the council. The Maryland claims, upon the contested line, and the restless spirit of the Indians, claimed the particular attention of President Logan; and were both managed with prudence and success.

In 1738, Governor Thomas arrived, and on the 8th of August, he met the assembly with an address, in which heinformed them, that he had been appointed their governor about a year; but the claims of Lord Baltimore had prevented his sailing, until that question was decided against his claim, and his commission extended to the three lower counties in question. In July of the next year, Andrew Hamliton, Esq. who had been long speaker of the house of assembly, retired from his station, through the infirmities of age, and thus by his address, took leave of the house.

"Gentlemen, &c.

"I would beg leave to observe to you, that it is not to the fertility of our soil, and the commodiousness of

our rivers, that we ought chiefly to attribute the great progress this province has made, within so small a compass of years, in improvements, wealth, trade, and nayigation; and the extraordinary increase of the people, who have been drawn hither from almost every part of Europe; a progress, which much more ancient settlements, on the main of America, cannot boast; no, it is principally, and almost wholly owing to our excellent constitution; under which we enjoy a greater share of civil, and religious liberty, than any of our neighbours.

"It is our great happiness, that instead of triennial elections, a privilege which several other colonies have long endeavoured to obtain, ours are annual; and for that reason less liable to be practised upon, or corrupted, either with money, or otherwise by presents. We sit upon our own adjournments, where we please, and as long as we think necessary; and we are not to be sent a packing in the midst of a debate, and disabled from representing our just grievances to our gracious sovereign, if there should be occasion, which has often been the fate of assemblies in other places.

"We have no officers but what are necessary, none but what earn their salaries, and those generally are elected by the people, or appointed by their representatives.

"Other provinces swarm with unnecessary officers, nominated by the governors, who often make it a main part of their care to supply officers, (notwithstanding their oppressions,) at all events.

"I hope it will ever be the wisdom of our assemblies, to create no great offices, nor officers, nor indeed any office at all, but what is absolutely necessary for the service of the country, and to be sure to let the people, or their rep: resentatives, at least, have a share in their appointment. This will always be a good security against the mischievous influence of men holding places at the pleasure of the governor.

"Our foreign trade and shipping, are free from all imposts, except those small duties payable to his majesty, by the statute laws of Great-Britain. The taxes which we pay for carrying on our public services, are very inconsiderable, for the sole power of raising and disposing of money is lodged with the assembly, who appoint their own treasurand to whom alone he is accountable. Other incidental taxes are raised, collected, and applied, by persons annually chosen by the people themselves. Such is our happy state as to our civil rights.

er;

"Nor are we less happy in the enjoyment of a perfect freedom, as to our religious rights. By many years experience, we find that an equality amongst religious societies, without distinguishing any one sect, with greater privileges than another, is the most effectual method to discourage hypocrisy, and promote the practice of the moral virtues, and prevent the plagues and mischiefs that always attend religious squabbling.

"This is our constitution, and this constitution was framed by the wisdom of William Penn, the first proprietary, and founder of this province; whose charter of privileges to the inhabitants of Pennsylvania, will ever remain a monument of his benevolence to mankind, and reflect more lasting honor on his descendants, than the largest possessions. In the framing this government, he reserved no powers to himself, or his heirs, to oppress the people; no authority but what is necessary for our protection, and to hinder us from falling into anarchy; and therefore supposing we could persuade ourselves that all our obligations to our great lawgiver, and his honourable descendants, were entirely cancelled; yet our own interests should oblige us carefully to support the government, on its present foundation, as the only means to secure to ourselves and our posterity, the enjoyment of those privileges, and the blessings flowing from such a constitution, under which

we cannot fail of being happy, if the fault is not our

own.

"Yet I have observed, that in some former assemblies, there have been men, who have acted in such a manner; as if they actually disregarded all those inestimable privileges, and (whether from private pique, or personal dislike, or through mistake, I will not determine) have gone great lengths, in risking our happiness, in the prosecution of such measures, as did not at all square with the professions they frequently made, of their love to our govern

ernment.

"When I reflect on the several struggles which many of us, who are now present, have had with those men, in order to rescue the constitution out of their hands, which through their mistakes, (if they really were mistakes,) was often brought to the brink of destruction; I cannot help cautioning you, in the most earnest manner, against all personal animosity, in public consultations, as a rock, which if not avoided, the constitution will at some time or other, infallibly split upon."

Who that reads with attention, the valedictory address of this aged public servant, can withhold the tribute of respect justly due to his merits, and his virtues, and not say, that man deserved well of his country.

In 1741, Thomas Penn took an affectionate leave of the assembly of the province, and returned to England; and in 1746, as has been observed, he came into possession of three fourths of the province.

In 1742, faction sprang up in this happy government, and greatly disturbed the public peace. Faction, which at a popular election, that palladium of true and rational liberty, finding herself overpowered by the wise and good, felt her disappointment, and as is too often the case, had

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