of a Wilderness was all his Ambition; as if his Purpofe had been to ftay with them always, or at least till he could render every Body fafe and eafy: Said his Heart was with them, whatever fome People might please to think; that no Unkindness or Difappointment fhould, with Submiffion to God's Providence, ever be able to alter his Love to the Country, and his Refolution to return and fettle his Family and Pofterity in it, &c. "Think, therefore, (continued

he in the moft captivating Stile and Manner that "ever was made ufe of) fince all Men are mortal, of fome fuitable Expedient and Provifion for your "Safety as well as in your Privileges as Property, "and you will find me ready to comply with whatfoever may render us happy by a nearer Union of our Interefts. Review again your Laws! Propofe new ones that may better your Circumstances; and "what you do, do it quickly! Remembering that "the Parliament fits the End of the next Month, and "that the fooner I am there, the fafer I hope we fhall "all be here."

66

He then return'd to the 3501. Sterling, demanded by the King: imparted to them the happy Iffue of Col. Fletcher's Conferences with the five Nations; and again recommended Unanimity and Difpatch, fince it might contribute to the Disappointment of thofe who had long fought the Ruin of their young Country.

The Affembly return'd a short but affectionate and refpectful Anfwer; after which they prefented an Addrefs to him, confifting of twenty one Articles. The firft defiring, That, on his Departure for England, due Care be taken, he might be reprefented there by Perfons of Integrity and confiderable known Eftates, who might have full Power and Authority not only to grant and confirm Lands, &c. but to compenfate Short and refume cver Measure. The fecond, That he would grant them fuch an Inftrument as might abfolutely fecure and defend the Freemen of the Province, by them reprefented, in their Eftates and Pro

perties

perties, from himself, his Heirs and Affigns for ever, or any claiming under him, them, or any of them; as alfo to clear all Indian Purchases and others.-And the last, That the Bill of Property, pafs'd at Newcaftle, might be inferted in the Charter, with fuch Amendments as should be agreed on.

To each of the whole twenty-one he return'd a fpecial Anfwer; and to the three recited, those that follow. "To the firft; I fhall appoint those in whom "I can confide, whofe Powers fhall be fufficient and "publick for the Security of all concern'd; and I "hope they fhall be of honeft Character without just "Exception, to do that which is right between you "and me." ['Tis ftrange the Crown fhould not be fo much as mention'd] "To the second: Much of "it is included in my Answer to the firft: However, I am willing to execute a public Inftrument or "Charter to fecure you in your Properties according to Purchase and the Law of Property made lately "at New-Castle, excepting fome Corrections and "Amendments abfolutely neceffary therein. And to the laft, I agree that the Law of Property "made at New-Castle fhall be inferted in the Charter "with requifite Amendments."

..

How fhort thefe Expreffions fell of his Speech is obvious. Nor is it any Honour to himself or his Laws, that the latter ftood in need of fo many Amendments; and that the Freemen found Reason to think they could not take too many Precautions to fecure themselves against him.

To thefe Answers of the Governor, the Affembly return'd as many Replies; most of them expreffing their Acceptance and Acknowledgments: And the Matter of the first being at all Times equally reafonable, deferves to be particularly remember'd, to wit, "That the Commiflioners thou art pleafed to pro“mife, be invested with full and complete Power, and "be oblig'd by fome Claufe in the Commiffion to

act without Refufal or Delay, according to the full

" and

"and public Powers thereof; and that it would pleafe "thee to nominate the Perfons to the Affembly."

The Governor, on the other hand, whether out of Artifice or Complaifance is hard to fay, would have induc'd them to name his Subftitute themselves: But, they as artificially or complaifantly excus'd themfelves; faying, They did not pretend to the Knowledge neceffary for fuch a Nomination, and that they defir'd to leave it to the Governor's Pleasure.

While the Charter of Privileges was under Confideration, the late Breach between the Members of the Province and thofe of the Territory was again open'd, and foon grew wider than ever.

The Territory Men were for obtaining fome Powers or Rights peculiarly favourable to themselves; which the others thinking unreasonable, were not willing to allow: And not being able to carry their Point, the Members for the Territory left the House.

The Proprietary interpos'd his Authority to bring about an Accommodation; and for the prefent prevail'd. But the fame Spirit of Animofity ftill remain'd; and what with the Hurry the Governor was in to fet fail, and what with the warm Difpute which arose between him and the Affembly concerning the Allowance to be made to fuch as had defective Meafure in their Lands, the Remainder of a Seffion, fo plaufibly open'd, and in which the Conftitution was to be finally fettled, was four'd with Expoftulations and Reproaches even to the laft Moment of it: And the Governor and his Freemen at laft parted like People. who were equally glad, they had made fo much of, and were now to be feparated from, each other.

And thus the Courfe of Time has brought us to that Frame or Syftem which, in Subordination to the royal Charter, is, at prefent, the Rule of Government in Pennsylvania.

In May, 1700, the former had been furrender'd into the Hands of the Governor, by fix Parts in feven of the Affembly, under a folemn Promise of Reftitution,

with fuch Alterations and Amendments as should be found neceffary.

On the 28th of October, 1701, when the Governor was fo near his Departure that it might almoft be faid he had one Foot on board, this Promife was made good; the Council, the Affembly, (the Provincial Part of it, that is to fay) and feveral of the principal Inhabitants of Philadelphia attending.

The Charter of Privileges granted by William Penn, Efq; to the Inhabitants of Pensylvania, and Territories, this important Inftrument is call'd: And the main Purport of it is as follows. To wit. ." That because no People could be truly happy, tho' under the greatest Enjoyment of civil Liberties, if abridg'd of the Freedom of their Confciences as to their religious Profeffion and Worship, no Inhabitant, confeffing and acknowledging one Almighty God, and profeffing himself oblig'd to live quiet'y under the civil Government, fhould be in any cafe molested or prejudic'd in Perfon or Eftate.That all Perfons profefling to believe in Jefus Chrift the Saviour of the World, promifing, when requir'd, Allegiance to the King, and taking certain Attefts by a certain provincial Law provided, fhould be capable to ferve the Government either legislatively or executively: That an Affembly fhould be yearly chofen by the Freemen, to confist of four Perfons out of each County, of moft Note for Virtue, Wifdom, and Ability, or of a greater Number, if the Governor and Affembly fhould fo agree, upon the firft of October for ever, and fhould fit on the 14th following, with Power to chufe a Speaker and other their Officers, to be Judges of the Qualifications and Elections of their own Members, fit upon their own Adjournments, appoint Committees, prepare Bills, impeach Criminals, and redrefs Grievances, with all other Powers and Privileges of an Affembly, according to the Rights of the Freeborn Subjects of England, and the Customs obferv'd in any of the King's Plantations in America: -That two thirds of the Freemen fo chofen fhould

have the full Power of the whole :-That the faid Freemen in each respective County, at the Time and Place of meeting for electing Representatives, might chufe a double Number of Perfons to prefent to the Governor for Sheriffs and Coroners, to serve for three Years if fo long they should behave themselves well, out of whom the Governor was to nominate one for each Office, provided his Nomination was made the third Day after Prefentment, otherwife the Perfon first named to serve; and in cafe of Death or Default, the Governor to fupply the Vacancy :-That three Perfons fhould be nominated by the Juftices of the respective Counties, out of whom the Governor was to felect one to ferve for Clerk of the Peace, within ten Days, or otherwife the Place to be fill'd by the first fo nominated-That the Laws of the Government fhould be in this Stile, viz. By the Governor, with the Confent and Approbation of the Freemen in General Affembly met: That all Criminals fhould have the fame Privileges of Witneffes and Council as their Profecutors: That no Perfon fhould be oblig'd to answer any Complaint, Matter or Thing whatsoever, relating to Property, before the Governor and Council, or in any other Place but in ordinary Course of Juftice, unless in Appeals according to Law:That the Eftates of Suicides fhould not be forfeited: That no Act, Law, or Ordinance whatsoever should at any Time hereafter be made or done to alter, change or diminish the Form or Effect of this Charter, or of any Part or Claufe therein, according to the true Intent and Meaning thereof, without the Confent of the Governor for the Time being, and fix Parts in feven of the Affembly met:-That the firit Article relating to Liberty of Confcience fhould be kept and remain without any Alteration inviolably for ever: That the faid William Penn, for himself, his Heirs and Affigns, did thereby folemnly declare, grant and confirm, that neither he, his Heirs or Affigns, fhould procure or do any Thing or Things whereby the Liberties in this Charter contain'd and exprefs'd,

nor