Governor's 1705. difaffected to him, in the name of the Affembly and people of this province, of which I have formerly Part of the demanded a copy, but was then denied it, under fpeech, &c. pretence (when it was too late) that it fhould be recalled: If that letter was the act of the people truly reprefented, he thinks fuch proceedings are fufficient to cancel all obligations of care over them; but if done by particular perfons only, and 'tis an impofture in the name of the whole, he expects the country will purge themselves, and take care that due fatisfaction be given him. A different "The Proprietary (who, it is well known, has hitherto fupported this government) upon fuch treatment, as he has met with, is frequently folicited to refign and throw up all, without any further care; but his tenderness to thofe in the place, whom he knows to be ftill true and honeft, prevails with him to give the people yet an opportunity of fhewing what they will do, before all be brought to a clofing period. "Methods have been taken to provoke him to this, that there might be the greater fhew of blame for it, when done, though it could not be avoided; but affure yourselves, that he will be justified by all reasonable men, for withdrawing the exercife of his care over thofe, that being fo often invited to it, take fo little of themselves," &c. The nature and confequence of these disputes Affembly appear to have caufed a confiderable change in the chofen, &c. choice of the members of the next elected Affembly, in October 1705; of which Jofeph Growdon was Speaker.* derstanding Better un- This Affembly acted fo very different from the between the two laft preceding, as to produce a much better Governor understanding between them and the Governor, and Affem bly. in * The Names of the Members of this Affembly, which, in general, appears to have been compofed of fome of the most refpectable perfons in the province, were, for the county of Philadelphia. in confequence of which a great number of laws were paffed, and the public affairs of the government, for a time, bore a more favorable and promifing afpect. 1705. vifits the &c. In this year 1705, Thomas Chalkley, one of the Thomas feven perfons before mentioned, who petitioned the Chalkley Affembly of the last year, 1704, a preacher among Indians at the Quakers, paid a religious visit to the Indians, at Coneftogo, Conestogo, near the river Sufquahanna, in Pennfylvania, in company with fome of his friends, of the fame religious fociety.* The Indians, who confifted chiefly of Senecas and Shawanefe, received them with great kindnefs: they were much affected by their visit, more especially a certain woman of eminence among them, who appeared to have autho- Ojuncho. rity, and spoke much in their Councils; the reason for which was, when the Indians were asked, one of them replied, "Because fome women are wifer Queen William Carter, John Cook. William Paxton. John Bennit, Ifaac Taylor, City of Philadelphia,-David Lloyd and Edward Shippen, senior. * Thomas Chalkley, with his wife and family, removed from England, in the year 1701, into Pennfylvania; where he fettled and refided, during the remainder of his life; which was upwards of forty years; excepting that part of it, in which the neceffary affairs of trade and bufinefs took him abroad, in a fea-faring way, &c. but more especially in the discharge of what he believed to be his duty, as a minister of the gofpei; which, it is left on record, was his principal and most delightful employment: This he is faid to have performed through many deep trials and exercifes, various ways, in different parts of the world, with good fuccefs. He was a perfon much beloved and highly efteemed by a very numerous acquaintance; in that he had many virtues, and these of the more amiable kind: he is faid to have been of a meek and quiet fpirit, and to have had an engaging fweetnefs, both in his miniftry and converfation. He died in the iiland of Tortola, in America, in the year 1741, when on a religious vifit there, in the service of preaching the gospel.-Though he had not the advantage of what is called a literary education, or of much learning, yet he left behind him fome printed works on religious fubjects, and a journal of his life, (from which the above account is extracted) written in a plain and fimple, yet very easy and engaging itile; which were an acceptable legacy to many lovers of his memory. 1705. than fome men, and that she was an Empress among them;"-She told Thomas Chalkley, and the other Queen friends, that fhe looked upon their coming to be Ojuncho. more than natural; because they did not come to buy nor fell, nor yet gain, but in love and respect to them, and defired their welfare both here and hereafter. She related to them a dream, which she had three days before; which, being interpreted was, "That fhe was in London, and that London was the finest place fhe ever faw, (it was like Philadelphia, but much larger) and fhe went acrofs fix ftreets, and in the feventh fhe faw William Penn preaching to the people; which was a great multitude; and both she and William Penn rejoiced to fee each other, after the meeting fhe went to him, and he told her, that in a little time, he would come over and preach to them alfo; of which fhe was very glad: and now, fhe faid, her dream was fulfilled; for one of his friends was come to preach to them." And the advised the Indians to hear and treat the friends kindly; which they accordingly did. England at war Spain, pro Pennsylva This one inftance, among many, which might be given, is here mentioned, to fhew the love and regard, these people had for the memory of William Penn; as the confequence of his just and kind treatment of them; and the fenfe which they had of his regard for their real good, and true happiness. England was now at war with France and Spain; with in confequence of which no part of the British doFrance and minions could be entirely exempt from danger. In duces diffi- all times of war Pennfylvania is faid to have been culty in expofed more or lefs to difficulties, on account of the Quakers, who were the most important and confiderable part of the inhabitants, being principled against war of every kind: but then, in confequence of their pacific conduct, it was manifeft, more happy effects were produced, in proportion, pia. as as the arts of peace, in a fober and industrious 1705. people, are preferable to thofe of war; though they were strenuoufly oppofed, as well by the internal as by the external enemies of the conftitution of the province; and that both through ignorance and defign. Note. About this time (anno 1705) the Quakers in America feem to have had reafon to be alarmed by a fingular act of Affembly, paffed in the colony of Connecticut, entitled only, Hereticks: The fubfiance or purport of it appears, by the order of Queen Anne, in Council, made upon that occafion, as follows, viz. "At the Court of Kenfington, the 11th. day of October, 1705. "A Reprefentation, from the Lords Commiffioners of Trade and Plantations, being this day read at the board, upon an act, passed in her Majesty's colony of Connecticut, entitled only, Hereticks, whereby it is enacted, that all, who shall entertain any Quakers, Ranters, Adamites, and other Hereticks, are made liable to the penalty of five pounds, and five pounds per week for every town, that shall fo entertain them; that all Quakers thall be committed to prifon, or be fent out of the colony; that whoever fhall hold unneceffary difcourfe with Quakers fhall forfeit twenty fhillings; that whoever fhall keep any Quakers' books, the Governor, Magiftrates and Elders excepted, fhall forfeit ten fhillings; and that all fuch books be fuppreffed; that no mafter of any vessel do land any Quakers, without carrying them away again, under the penalty of twenty pounds. "And the faid Lords Commiffioners, humbly offering that the faid act be repealed by her Majefty; it being contrary to the liberty of confcience indulged to diffenters by the laws of England, as alfo to the charter granted to that colony. "Her Majefty, with the advice of her Privy Council, is pleafed to declare her difallowance and difapprobation of the faid act; and purfuant to her Majesty's royal pleasure thereupon, the faid act, paffed in her Majefty's colony of Connecticut, in New England, entitled, Hereticks, is hereby repealed, and declared null and void, and of no effect. In gratitude for this order, the Quakers, in London, addreffed the Queen, in the following manner, viz. "WE, thy proteftant diffenting fubjects, commonly called Quakers, in London, having lately been the Queen's humble petitioners, on behalf of our friends, in New England, against a law, made in Connecticut, for 1705. For, though the fidelity of the Quakers to the King and Government, their punctuality in paying The Qua- their taxes, and their confcientioufly and strictly detual in pay. clining all illicit, trade, or defrauding of the royal ing taxes to revenue, in any respect, have, in all parts of the the govern British dominions, never been exceeded by any kers punc ment. others; which, in an industrious people, are things of very great importance and utility, to any government; yet, in this province, by reafon of their not perfonally themselves complying in military preparations, nor joining in actual fervice of that nature, or immediately employing others, as fubftitutes, therein, though they never attempted to lay any restraint upon other people, who were among them, refpecting these affairs, confiftent with the But the law of nations, and felf defence, or agreeable to ces of their the limitations of the royal charter, they have, neprinciples vertheless, frequently laboured under very unjust mirepre imputations, and the charge of wrong confequenfented, &c. ces, formed by the falfe reasoning of their enemies, in this respect. confequen fometimes their fuppreffion, which law, the Queen has been graciously pleased to "May the bleffing of the Almighty so profper and accomplish the "Signed on behalf of the said people, by "Let the gentlemen know, I thank them heartily for this address; and that, while they continue fo good fubjects, they need not doubt of my protection." Note. The winter of the year 1705, was remarkable, in Pennsylvania for a great fnow, in general, about one yard deep. CHAPTER 1 I |