USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Annals of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania in the olden time; being a collection of the memoirs, anecdotes, and incidents of the earliest settlements of the inland part of Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 32
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A newspaper of Bradford's, printed the day before the act was to take effect, was put all in mourning devices-having a death's head and x bones, for stamp a coffin, and " Liberty at an end !"
At the same time all the storekeepers in Philadelphia resolved to import no British goods, &c. William Smith opens a store for the sale of commission domestic goods, where all the patriots are invited to make purchases. The community agree to eat no lamb meat, so that the wool might be the sooner increased for home-made fabrics. Among other resolves to live in a more frugal manner suitable to the self-denying times, they determine to restrain the usual expenses of funerals, formerly conducted with a censurable "pomp of woe." In the new mode, B. Price, Esq., was buried in an oaken coffin and iron handles, and Alderman Plumstead without pall or mourning dresses.
* A long letter of his, opposing the views of his constrainers, to the commissioners of stamps in England, may be seen, with other proceedings in the case, in the Register of Pennsylvania-vol. ii. p. 244.
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In the mean time, feelings of resistance were cherished by some so far as to exhibit emblems and devices diminishing the former re- gard to the parent country. A paper was sold about the streets called " The Folly of England and Ruin of America." In fine, the measures of resistance were so prompt, energetic and widely diffused through the colonies, that every motive of prudence urged the mother country to an equally prompt repeal. In the mean time she had granted time and occasion for organizing many civic associations, called " Sons of Liberty," &c., who thus learned, without any mishap, the hardihood and practice necessary to conduct future social and civic combina .. tions when needful ; in fact, they never fully subsided ; and in the end they revived at the period of the revolution with redoubled vigour and skill.
When the news of "Stamp Act repealed" arrived in 1766, the gentlemen at the coffe-house sent a deputation to Captain Wise, by whose brig the news came, to invite him up to drink punch, and at the same time to give his whole crew presents. All was joy and hilarity. At the Coffee-house the punch was made common, and a gold laced hat was presented to the captain as a token of their grati- tude. The same night every street in the city was illuminated. A large quantity of wood was given for bonfires, and many barrels of beer to the populace. Next day the governor and mayoralty gave a great feast for 300 persons, at the State-house gallery. At the same place it was unanimously resolved to dress themselves at the ap- proaching birth-day in new suits of English manufacture, and to give their homespun and patriotic garments to the poor !
In June, 1766, being the king's birthday, and in honour of the repeal, a great number of the inhabitants of the Northern Liberties and Southwark met on the banks of the Schuylkill, then a place of arborescent shade, where 430 persons were dined in a grove. The Franklin barge, of 40 feet, and the White Oak barge, of 50 feet, both decorated with many flags, were then used with much parade. One was rowed up the Schuylkill, firing her salutes; and the other was drawn through the streets of the city, also firing her salutes en passant. Fireworks were exhibited at night. The whole scene was a joyous occasion, and the crowds were great. They rejoiced as well for the supposed concession as for their personal and national interests.
Dr. Franklin, who was afraid his countrymen would show too much exultation and triumph, writes in his letter of the 27th of February, 1766, to Charles Thomson, saying, "I trust the beha- viour of the Americans on this occasion will be so prudent and grate- ful as that their friends here (in London) will have no reason to be ashamed ; and that our enemies, who predict that the indulgence will only make us more insolent and ungovernable, may find them- selves false prophets."
The proprietary, Penn, in his letter to Secretary Peters, says, "I was given as the roftest medicine to the wound. Our friends give
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it as matter of great favour. Don't exult as at a great victory ; but send grateful thanks, &c .- else our opposing prophets here will verify their assertion that the repeal will cause further disobedience."
Another letter of B. Franklin's to Charles Thomson, of the 11th of July, 1765, says, " I did all I could to oppose the act, but the tide was too strong. The nation was provoked by American claims of independence, and all parties joined in resolving by this act to settle the point," &c. The sequel proved how fatal was the experi- ment; while it helped them to feel our pulse, it also eventuated in the final dismission of the royal rulers.
The British authorities then in this country affected to neutralize the apparent exultation and triumphs at the repeal, by joining their names and persons in the displays and rejoicings. Thus the governor joined the feastings in Philadelphia ; and at New York, the man- sion of General Gage, in Broad street, was gorgeously illuminated with the royal arms and "Stamp Act repealed," &c.
BRITISH DUTIES AND TEA ACT RESISTED.
"Touch'd by the Midas finger of the state, Seeks gold for ministers to sport away."
THE feelings which had been excited by the Stamp Act were again much revived, in what were deemed encroachments of the British government, in their renewed attempts in 1768, to impose duties on glass, paper, &c. They wanted our money !
In September, 1768, the traders of Philadelphia, in concert with those of New York and Boston, resolved to import none of the usual goods from England, until the Act laying those duties was repealed.
In July, 1769, a load of malt arrived to Amos Strettell, where- upon all the brewers and traders held a meeting at the State-house, and there resolved unanimously that they will not purchase nor con- sume the same.
The papers of the year 1770, are frequent in their resolutions and appeals to the people, to adhere to the "non-importation agreement," to be persisted in until they effect a change of measures at home. The spirit is very general, and effigies are made and burnt of any dissenters of note. The spirit of liberty, under the name of "Sons of Liberty," is in full effervescence among some. Even as the op- position of the church of Rome to the reformation, then, only served to strike out new light, and to elicit more system in resistance-so in politics with us; the more we made inquiries into British misrule,
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the more and more we discovered the benefits of separate interests and the rights of enfranchisement.
In the year 1770, the inhabitants of New York, altered for a season, in their politics, by a most extraordinary electioneering in- fluence, swerved from their " non-importation agreement," the only colony in the union which did it !- in consequence of which the patriots of Philadelphia meet, and resolve to make no purchases of any thing from New York-calling them at the same time, "a fac tion unfriendly to redress of grievances."
All the goods which came out to Philadelphia on commissions. were all rejected and had to go back, and especially those which were sent to Boston.
The desire to encourage domestic fabrics gave rise, in 1771, to the erection of a flint glass manufactory near Lancaster, by which they hoped to save £30,000 to the province. A china factory, too, was also erected on Prime street, near the present navy yard, intended to make china at a saving of £15,000 .* At the same time, a piece of the finest broadcloth "ever made in America" was publicly ex- hibited at the Coffee-house, from the then first and only loom exist- ing in the colonies.
In December, 1773, the tea ships, "with the detested tea," ar- rived in our river as far as Gloucester Point, where they were arrested from coming nearer to the city, by a committee from the general town meeting of probably eight thousand people, assembled at the State-house yard. They allowed the captain of the " Polly" to come to town, that he might see the prevalent spirit of opposition, by which he might determine whether to take the chance of remaining, or of wisely directing his voyage homeward. He chose the latter. In the mean time, the committee procured the resignations of all the con- signees who had the charge to sell them.
The conclusion of the measure was, "that they had closed the important affair by a glorious exertion of virtue and spirit-by which the intended tax has been effectually broken, and the foundations of American liberty (for so they then talked) more deeply laid than ever !"
Finally, in July, 1774, the assembly of Pennsylvania, at Philadel- phia, resolved, that in consequence of the long subsisting differences with Great Britain, that it is absolutely necessary to call a congress, which accordingly met at Philadelphia in September following, and held their session in the Carpenters' hall. A congress peculiarly fitted for the juncture. A body of greater men never adorned our annals-of whom Lord Chatham said to Franklin, they were "the most honourable assembly of men ever known!" Their measures, and our subsequent struggles and freedom under their guidance,
* This long row of wooden houses afterwards became famous as a sailor's brothel and riot-house on a large scale. The former frail ware proved an abortive scheme.
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The Colonial Governors.
"Deo juvante," are on the imperishable pages of our history, and in the hearts and remembrance of every instructed American!
A brig called the Grayhound, commanded by Captain Allen, went for Salem New Jersey, with a load of tea, and landed it at. Green- wich, the 22d November, 1774, (one year after the Boston destruc- tion,) but young Ebenezer Elmer, (afterwards member of congress,) and others, destroyed it all by fire. Actions were afterwards brought for the recovery of its value, and failed. The whigs had half a dozen of the most eminent lawyers to favour their escape. Some were from Philadelphia.
THE GOVERNORS OF COLONIAL DAYS.
THE Modern Universal History, in speaking of our colonies in the times of 1731, says, " A government in any of our colonies was scarcely looked upon in any other light than that of an hospital, where the favourites of the ministry might be till they recovered their broken fortunes; and oftentimes they served as asylums from their creditors."
Secretary Peters, in 1756, says "the governors used to get. £10,000 currency a year, and the perquisites, usually, £10,000."
The following present such notices of our governors as I have occasionally met, to wit:
In 1707, I saw some reference to facts which went to show that Governor Evans, who was accused of some levities, was then re- proached by his enemies with lewdness with young Susan H- - It might have been mere scandal. The Indians at Conestogoe com- plained of him, when there, as misbehaving himself to their women. He afterwards married John Moore's beautiful and estimable daughter, with whom he lived awhile at housekeeping at the Fairman house at the Treaty-tree. He was but twenty-one years of age, when first appointed governor. He moved back to England, where he lived a long life.
Colonel Gookin, the governor, disappointed Penn and his friends in consequence of his conduct during a considerable part of his ad- ministration. He was much under the influence of his brother-in- law, Birmingham. At one time, says the council, he removed all the justices of New Castle county for doing their duty in an action against said Birmingham -thus leaving the county without a single magistrate for six weeks! At another time, when the judges of the supreme court at New Castle would not admit a certain commission of his to be published in court, he sent for one of the judges and VOL. II .- 2 K
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kickeu him. In truth, his best apology seems to have been that he was certainly partially deranged. In fact, he afterwards (in 1717) made his apology to the council for several of his acts, saying his physician knew that he had a weakness in his head; wherefore J. Logan remarked to Hannah Penn, "Be pleased then to consider how fit he was for the commission he so long wore!"
1734-Nov .- The mayor exhibited an account, amounting to £9 18s. 6d., he had paid to John Newbury, for the entertainment of Colonel Montgomery, late governor of New York-ordered paid.
1736-On the death of Governor Gordon, James Logan became president of the council and ex-officio governor for the province until the arrival of Governor Thomas, in 1738. Do any know where Governor Gordon was interred ?
When Sir William Keith, in 1738, published his history of the colony of Virginia, and proposed to continue the other colonies, he probably so purposed to live as an author; but as he proceeded no further, and died at London, in 1749, in poor circumstances, it is inferred he did not write our history from want of encouragement.
It may be very little known, that he, who moved with so much excitement and cabal as our governor to the year 1726, should at last fall into such neglect as to leave his widow among us unnoticed and almost forgotten ! She lived and died in a small wooden house in Third street, between High street and Mulberry street-there, much pinched for subsistence, she eked out her existence with an old female; and declining all intercourse with society, or with her neighbours. The house itself was burnt in 1786.
Sir William's chief error of administration is said to have been that he early took his measures to favour the elder branch of the Penn family, (already sufficiently provided for in the Irish estate,) to the prejudice of the younger branch, who rapidly acquired riches and influence to remove and to injure him.
1746-Governor Thomas orders a day of public thanksgiving, because of the news of the pretender's defeat at the battle of Cul- loden. There were great rejoicings in Philadelphia-all refrained from labour and went generally to the churches. The governor him- self gave a dinner to two hundred persons.
1752-Governor Hamilton celebrates the king's birth-day by giving a great entertainment at his country-seat at Bush hill, and at each loyal toast it was announced by the Association battery at Wiccacoa! In the evening there was a grand ball, surpassing all former ones in brilliancy, at the State-house, and his honour gave a supper there in the long gallery.
In 1754, Governor R. H. Morris celebrates the king's birth-day, by giving an entertainment at noon at his house in the city, and in the evening there was a great ball at the State-house, where one hundred ladies were present, and a much greater number of gentle- men. An elegant supper was given there in the long gallery.
In 1755, Governor R. H. Morris falls into perpetual strife with the
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assembly. Their correspondence is singular. They say " his offer was a mere idle illusion, intended first to impose on the assembly and then on the people, also to figure at home in the eyes of the ministry ; and the governor is offended that we have not kept his secret." The retort reads thus : "Your very tedious message is of such an inflam- matory nature, that did not the duties of my station, and justice to the people, require me to take some notice, I should deem it beneath my notice as a gentleman." Their high altercations were chiefly about the means for raising a defence against the Indians. The frontier inhabitants, thinking these controversies might impede their supplies, came to Philadelphia and surrounded the assembly room, requiring immediate support. This was all in the time of Braddock's defeat. It seems, on the whole, that the legislature acted with the sense of the people, for the members were re-elected, and Governor Morris was soon superseded by Governor Denny.
In 1756, Governor William Denny arrives, being escorted from Trenton, and when near the city, by Colonel Benjamin Franklin's and Colonel Jacob Duche's regiments. The mayor and corpora- tion give him a dinner at the lodge room, in Lodge alley-cost £100 13s. 6d .; and the assembly gave him their dinner also at the State-house, at which were present the civil and military officers and clergy of the city. He took up his residence at the house called the Governor's house, in south Second street, below the pre- sent Custom-house. All this looked well, and as if something cordial might have ensued; but ere Governor Denny had fulfilled his year, he thus addresses his entertainers, saying " Though mode- ration is most agreeable to me, there might have been a governor who would have told you the whole tenor of your message was indecent, frivolous and evasive." The assemblies always offended by endeavoring to spare the purses of the people, and the governors always get provoked because they cannot lavish supplies to the king's service.
Governor Denny's message of September, 1757, contains these rude remarks-" If detraction and personal abuse of your governor, &c .- but I have been so accustomed to this kind of treatment, &c. I have the less reason to regret such usage, since it is obvious, from your conduct to those before me, you are not so much dis- pleased with the person governing, as impatient of being governed at all!" The ground of offence arose from his continually asking sup- plies! supplies! It is really offensive to see what levies are per- petually put upon the province to help them out of squabbles generated by the courts in Europe, &c .- £50,000 for this, and £60,000 for that, and £100,000 for another. Supplies follow in such rapid succession as to have made the people feel the burthens very sensibly, and if there had not been very considerable of loyalty, it would not have been borne. In all these difficulties "Isaac Norris, speaker," gives his name to bear all the brunt of the con- Alict !
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The Colonial Governors.
1759-Nov .- Governor James Hamilton arrives from abroad, and supersedes Governor Denny. He had been before governor, and was a native of Pennsylvania, and resident of Bush hill. Every body is pleased with his appointment. A dinner is given to him at the lodge. Denny's, which had lasted but three years, had had no effect but to vex the people.
In 1763, John and Richard Penn having arrived, the former, as governor, in the succeeding year gets into squabbles as usual with the assembly. The assembly among other things resolve, " That as all hope of any degree of happiness under the proprietary govern- ment is now at an end, this house will adjourn to consult their constituents, whether or not to petition his majesty to buy out the Penns' right, and take them under his immediate government!" They soon, however, got better reconciled, and Penn made a very good governor. It may be seen from a letter of Thomas Penn of 1767, that 'ne calls this scheme for forcing him to sell out, a measure of B. Franklin's, to which he shall not accede.
In 1768, Colonel Morris, from New York, and his lady, the Duchess of Gordon, [a very homely woman,] made a visit to Phila- delphia, with several military gentlemen, and among them General Gage; they leave Philadelphia after a few days. Colonel Morris was governor of New York, and was very popular there-he soon after died, and was buried there.
In 1771, John Penn, the governor, returns to England this year, because of the death of his father, Richard. James Hamilton, as president of council, takes his place until he is succeeded by Richard Penn, who arrives in the same year. The administration of John Penn, while he stayed for eight years, was on the whole very acceptable.
In 1772, Richard Penn, the newly arrived governor, married Miss Polly Masters, of Philadelphia, and in 1773, he goes back to Eng- land, to give place to his brother, John Penn, who, after visiting England for the purpose of settling the concerns of his father, lately deceased, came again to Philadelphia in the year 1773, and again assumes the government of the province.
The aged Robert Venables, who died in 1834, aged ninety-eight years, speaking of the residences of sundry governors, told me, the first he knew was Governor Thomas, who lived where is now the Arcade, &c. Governor James Hamilton dwelt, when first go- vernor, at the Slate-house on Second street; when second time governor, (after Denny,) he lived at " the Governor's house," in Second street, where is since Waln's row, below the Custom-house. There dwelt Governor Hunter Morris, and Governor Denny. Go- vernor John Penn, he said, lived and died at " Stamper's row" in Pine street, between Second and Third streets. His funeral there was very great, "making quite a crowd." Said when he landed, at three o'clock on Sunday, at Chestnut street wharf, there was a great earthquake. He (Robert) was a lad at Christ church. It made
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much fright there, and he was afraid to run down the stairs from the gallery, " they shook so!"
The following is a List of Governors as they served in succession from the origin of the province, to wit :
1682. Oct. William Penn, proprietor, acted as governor till
1684. Aug. Thomas Lloyd, Esq., president of council till
1688. Dec. Capt. John Blackwell, deputy governor till
1690. Feb. President and council.
1693. April 26th. Benjamin Fletcher, governor.
June 3d. William Markham, Esq., deputy governor.
1699. Dec. 3d. William Penn acted again as governor.
1701. Nov. 1st. Andrew Hamilton, Esq., deputy governor-[a Scotsman.]
1703. Feb. President of council, Edward Shippen, till
1704. Feb. John Evans, deputy governor till
1709. Feb. Charles Gookin, deputy governor till 1717. March. Sir William Keith, Bart., deputy governor till
1726. June. Patrick Gordon, deputy governor till
1736. June. James Logan, president of council till
1738. June. George Thomas, deputy governor till
1747. June. Anthony Palmer, president of council till
1748. June. James Hamilton, deputy governor till June -[an American.]
1754. Oct. Robert Hunter Morris, deputy governor till
1756. Aug. 19th. William Denny, deputy governor till
1759. Nov. 17th. James Hamilton, till
1763. Oct. 31st. John Penn, son of Richard, till
1771. May 6th. James Hamilton, president of council till
1771. Oct. 16th. Richard Penn succeeded
1773. Aug. John Penn-a second time governor till 1776. Sept.
1777. March. Thomas Wharton, Jr., Esq., President of the Su preme Executive Council.
1778. Oct. Joseph Reed, do. do
1781. Nov. William Moore, do.
do.
1782. Nov. John Dickinson, do. do.
1785. Oct. Benjamin Franklin, do. do.
1786. Oct. Thomas Mifflin, do. do.
Then succeeded the New State Constitution, and the first Governor-say
1790 Oct .- was Thomas Mifflin, who served three terms of three years each, to October, 1799; after which Thomas M'Kean was governor for three successive terms of three years each.
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Occurrences of the War of Independence.
For the sake of reference, I here add a List of Dutch and Swedish Governors, in Delaware, viz .: begun
1623. Cornelius Jacob May,
1624. William Useling, Dutch
1630. Peterson de Vries,
1631. John Printz .- Swedish.
1638. Peter Minuets, Dutch.
1640. William Keift,
1643 to 1653. John Printz,
1653-4. Papegoia. Swedish.
1654. Rintzink,
1657. Alricks .- Dutch.
1658. John Paul Jaquet.
1659. Beekman .- Dutch
1664. Robert Carr .- English.
1673. Anthony Colve .- Ditto.
1674 Sir Edmund Andros .- English-also governor of N. York.
OCCURRENCES OF THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE.
" The deeds of our fathers in times that are gone; Their virtues, their prowess, the fields they have won, Their struggles for freedom, the toils they endured, The rights and the blessings for us they procured."
WITH a view to preserve some of our local facts connected with the war of Independence, expressed in a manner more moving and stirring to our feelings than those general terms, by which our his- torians have generalized their facts, I had aimed to collect and preserve such individual and special incidents, as would bring back the former scenes and doings of our forefathers to our contemplation. With this purpose, I had gathered from several eye-witnesses, in graphic delineations, the things they saw and did, and especially of those occurrences which transpired while Philadelphia was held under the government and conquest of General Howe and his army. I had gathered from the reminiscences of the aged, and the diaries of others of that day, several curious and unpublished facts; such as would surprise, stir, and interest the present generation .* But after
* Some of the facts were from the recollections of the late Colonel A. M'Lane, so enterprising in our " border war," along our lines,-and some from the diary of a young lady in the midst of the martial doings, &c .- all spirited and warm from the heart, with the glow of a " good whig ;" some also from the diary of a widow Friend, foreboding and sad with tory sympathies and fears.
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all my preparations on this matter, fully equal to fifty pages, I have found myself obliged to lay a part of it aside from the present pub- lication. Such parts of those facts, as had been communicated to me, may be consulted on page 393 to 430, in my MS. Annals in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
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