USA > Pennsylvania > Chronicles of Pennsylvania from the English revolution to the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1688-1748, Vol. II > Part 33
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The Assemblymen, specially convened, and con-
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fronted with this expression of the wishes of their Sovereign, and asked by Thomas to advance the money which St. Clair would pay for arms and clothing, had no choice but the old solution of giving at once a con- siderable sum of money "to the King's use." In the condition of the Treasury and the Loan Office, this was to be done by issuing to the King's representative colo- nial bills of credit, which he could spend, but which were after all a debt which must be extinguished in due time. The easiest method was that recently employed to build the State House, viz: issuing so large an amount of paper money, that, over and above the quantity required for the occasion, there would be a balance for loans on real estate, the interest on which would be a source of revenue, ultimately redeeming the quantity spent. The Assembly expressed to the Lieu- tenant-Governor the hope that he would agree to this method. Thomas replied, pleased with the willingness to give money, that the royal instructions of Aug. 21, 1740, forbade his passing any law to issue bills of credit, . unless the carrying out of the measure were postponed until the King's consent should be received, which meant a delay of months. Thomas also spoke of the dangers of inflation, exchange to London being already higher than ever known; and he declared it certain that any sum voted to the King could be borrowed on the security of the excise, repaying the sum out of the ex- cise or the interest on the outstanding loans. To the various points, the Assembly replied that the Governor, it was hoped, would feel at liberty to disobey the in- structions in an emergency, that exchange was depen- dent upon the exigencies of trade, and had actually fallen after the increase of paper money under the 80,000l. Act, and that the excise and the interest on out- standing loans combined had not paid off the sums re- cently given and the contingent charges of government. Thomas then rejoined that he would have waived his
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own objections to inflation in the emergency, but he must abide by the instructions. The members were unwilling to impose upon the people the unusual burden of a direct tax, the yield from which, moreover, would be dilatory and uncertain: so they voted only 5000l., and adhered to that figure, although Thomas said that it would raise and victual only three companies, as the same bounty would be expected by recruits in Pennsyl- vania as was reported to be paid elsewhere. He modi- fied his position as to bills of credit so far as to offer to agree to the issue of them, if to be extinguished in a reasonable time by taxation; but the issue of any con- siderable amount on such terms involved a tax on estates and persons. He was obliged therefore to pass the Act of Assembly finally sent to him giving him at once 50001. in bills of credit already printed, intended to replace the torn and ragged ones in circulation, and ordering 5000l. for the latter purpose to be freshly printed. Thus the literal terms of the instructions post- poning an issue until the King's pleasure could be learned, were violated, but it was arranged that the 50001. thus added to the amount in circulation were to be reduced 500l. annually out of the proceeds of the excise, which was continued for ten years.
The Governor of New York having received instruc- tions recommending him to hold a treaty with the Six Nations to facilitate the reduction of Canada, a request came for Pennsylvania to appoint commissioners to join in the treaty. The Assemblymen refused to act, being unable consistently with their religious principles to urge Indians to engage in war. However, their mes- sage said, that, if further presents were necessary to secure the Indians in fidelity to Great Britain and amity with the people of her colonies, and if Thomas could negotiate the matter in person, the expense would be paid. Thomas did not go to the conference, and Penn- sylvania was not represented during the rest of the
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war in any union for inducing the Six Nations to fight.
The raising and forwarding of 400 men from Penn- sylvania for the campaign reflects credit on the patriot- ism and energy of individuals with Lieutenant-Gov- ernor Thomas at their head, and upon his honesty and ability. John Shannon, Samuel Perry, William Trent (son of deceased Councillor Trent), and John Diemer, as Captains, entered into service on June 4, 1746, with the following officers under them: Lieutenants Jacob Kollock, James Lawrie, Daniel Byles, and John Wildt, and Ensigns William Morgan, James Stevenson, Wil- liam Rush, and William Franklin (very young, after- wards Governor of New Jersey, son of Benjamin Frank- lin). Each captain raised a company of 100 men, includ- ing four sergeants, four corporals, and two drummers. The money voted by the Assembly did more than Thomas had thought it would: probably by his faithful management, he, after paying some bounties and the cost of tents, provisions, and other necessaries, had a balance sufficient for paying the freight on provisions, wagon hire, and transportation from Brunswick to Al- bany, for all of which he offered to show vouchers. On his own credit, he had procured the clothing, arms, and ammunition, at a cost of 38211. 16s. 11d., in expectation of remittances from General St. Clair. Each man was to receive one Spanish dollar on enlisting and three gold pistoles before leaving, so as to provide for his family in his absence. By August 22, as these troops were about to start for Albany, General St. Clair had not arrived at Louisbourg, nor had any money expected to come through him been received in Pennsylvania. Neither the aforesaid allowance nor any pay had been given to the soldiers. They were mostly in arrears to the keepers of public houses for their board; and deser- tions or a mutiny was feared, unless something could be allowed for subsistence, which, at the high price
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which the aforesaid keepers of public houses had been free to charge, amounted for the whole number of privates to 140l. per week. Thomas asked the Assembly on August 22 to advance the money to pay the bills for the clothing, arms, and accoutrements, and to pay for the subsistence up to the arrival of the fleet or the re- ceipt of directions from the King. Thomas also recom- mended a law fixing the allowance for a soldier's board, or authorizing the Justices to billet soldiers at a reason- able price. The Assemblymen declared it too late in the season to take up such a question, while, as to money, they merely voted to Thomas the balance, that is 500l., of his salary, and suggested his advancing for "the present exigencies" out of the balance not yet paid over of the 5000l. So he gave to each Captain 150l. towards the bill for quartering his men, and 150l. for their subsistence on the march to Albany. The troops started on September 4, Thomas having paid out 413l. 11s. 7d. more than the 50007. He soon heard from Governors Gooch and Shirley, that, the other colonies having provided for the subsistence of their troops, the Crown would look to Pennsylvania to do as much for hers, and would not indemnify her Governor.
In accordance with a proclamation by the Lieutenant- Governor, the 24th day of July, 1746, was devoted to a Thanksgiving for the victory of the Duke of Cumber- land over the adherents of the "Popish Pretender;"' and the Lieutenant-Governor and his Council sent a "humble address" of congratulation to King George II.
The troops of the Middle Colonies were ordered into quarters at Albany, and an allowance of provisions for four months from October 6, the day of arrival there, was made to the Pennsylvanians, but they found that the men from other colonies had blankets, while they them- selves had none; so they threatened a general desertion. Governor Clinton secured 150 blankets, scarcely one for every two soldiers, on the credit of the good name of
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Pennsylvania; but when, in October, 1746, Governor Thomas laid the matter, as well as his own advances, before the new Assembly just organizing, the usual course of adjourning until January, without attending to business, was followed.
The whole scheme for reducing Canada failed: no ships or troops arrived from England to operate in the lower St. Lawrence, and the men who were to take Crown Point, viz: those sent up the Hudson, were kept in the northern part of the territory subject to New York, without engaging in any considerable enterprise; a policy which laid the English under the imputation of cowardice in the minds of the Indians, and so strained the allegiance of the Six Nations. Meanwhile, the cloth- ing of the Pennsylvanians, if it ever was sufficient, wore out. As we learn from Capt. Perry's letter of Jany. 7 (Penna. Archives), the men wanted shoes, stockings, breeches, and shirts, and were making plans to go off in a body : the Captains had advanced large sums, owing to the detention of the soldiers' pay. Either this was not known when the Assembly reconvened, or it was thought that the colony had given enough, and that the men should be at home earning a living. The four months for which provisions had been allowed being about to expire, an effort was made to have the Assembly pay for continuing the supply. Humanity as well as patriotism seemed to call for action which was really a participation in carrying on war, and which was only possible by imposing such taxation as had not been im- posed within twenty years. The Assemblymen were, however, in one character lambs risking slaughter by a foreign enemy, and in another character watch dogs over the taxpayers' money, and therefore replied, that, as the time for the expedition had expired, they must suppose that it had been given up, and, if this was so, they could see no reason for keeping together so many men at the charge of the colonies, but if, however, the
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Governor of New York, who was said to be in command, felt justified from any instructions in keeping the troops together, he must be justified in drawing bills for their support and pay, for it could not be the King's intention to load his subjects with so great a burden. The Assembly's position was correct; and the Com- mander-in-Chief furnished the provisions until the troops were discharged. The Pennsylvania officers and apparently their men were kept at work during the early part of the next year. Trent with 60 men was surprised by a much superior force on April 7, just outside of Saratoga, eight of his party falling at the first fire, but he rallied the rest, and held the ground for an hour, after which, reenforcements arriving, the French retired. The four Lieutenants and all the En- signs except William Franklin were spoken of on April 22 as frequently out with detachments, and liable to be captured. Franklin appears to have been sent home on business, he advertising in Philadelphia later for de- serters. Between April 26 and May 31, 130 men de- serted, and were supposed to have made their way back to Pennsylvania. The Commander-in-Chief managed to give to the sergeants, corporals, drummers, and privates remaining their pay to June 24 inclusive, but the captains received nothing until after the discharge of the troops, and the lieutenants and ensigns only the allowance for two months subsistence. Franklin's al- lowance was not then paid to him. The troops were discharged on Oct. 31, 1747, by Governor Shirley and Admiral Knowles, the news of which was not made known in Albany until the 19th of the following month.
CHAPTER XXVII.
FINAL CHAPTER.
Death of John Penn-Thomas Penn's behavior on his nephew's marriage-The Inomoy and Tugan Indians-Departure of Lt. Gov. Thomas and his subsequent career-The Council takes the executive power, with Anthony Palmer as President-Phila- delphia and the lands below at the mercy of privateers-The Assembly maintains its attitude -Benjamin Franklin comes to the fore politically -He appeals in Plain Truth to the non-partisans, particularly those of the middle class, to defend the Province-The Association for Defence-Losses and prowess at sea-The strengthening and exten- sion of alliance with Indians to the westward- Prospective peace enables the Assemblymen to be reelected-James Hamilton is selected by the Penns for Lieutenant-Governor, and takes oaths in England-Palmer's second marriage, death, and descendants-Close of this history with the treaties and proclamations of peace.
A signal event, which probably, however, made little difference in the course of the Proprietaries as Gov- ernors or landlords, was the death of John Penn. He died at Hitcham, Co. Bucks, England, on "Tuesday night, Oct. 28,"-actually on the 29th,-1746. When news of his death had reached Pennsylvania, the Lieu- tenant-Governor, who could not have cared much for him, spoke to the Assemblymen of the humanity, good nature, and affability of the deceased, and of his con- stant regard for their liberties and interests; and, in- deed, in some letters he had evinced loyalty to the con- stitution governing the Province. The encomium ob- tained a response from the Assembly merely condoling
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"on the loss the Province hath sustained," and speak- ing of the benevolence, generosity, and public spirit of his father, and expressing the hope that the father's descendants, being educated in such principles, and in- fluenced by such an example, would continue in like beneficence.
The greatest effect of the death was probably upon the rest of the Penn family. John having left no issue, his share went to his brother Thomas for life, by ap- pointment in John's will under the agreement of 1732. Thomas Penn's ownership of three fourths of the Pro- prietaryship from this time, made him the tyrant of the family. The position was strengthened during a few years by his being a bachelor, and likely to provide by will for those who pleased him, out of his savings or other property not covered by the family settlement; while there was enough power left in him by that settle- ment to injure those who displeased him. He could sell his share at a price too high for Richard to give, and could buy back clear, or could revoke and alter the agreement to leave the share to Richard. Richard's eldest son, John, afterwards Lieutenant-Governor, would naturally be an object of Thomas's bounty, even with the prospect of a great inheritance by the terms of the family settlement. This John, while not mentally deficient, was, as his whole career shows, a weak char- acter, really by his very weakness, and not by popular- ity, escaping at the American Revolution the animosity which might have been expected against a Governor appointed by English authority. He was the only Penn who died in the land named after his family.
The story given in the Provincial Councillors of Pennsylvania of Thomas Penn's behavior as to this nephew's early marriage, shows want of any idea of the sacredness of the tie, but, as amplified in the autobi- ography of David Meade, printed in William and Mary College Quarterly, Vol. XIII, p. 41 &ct., is very black.
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Meade's story is the highest kind of hearsay testimony, for he entered Harrow school about 1752. John Penn aforesaid was born on July 14, 1729, and was sent to Harrow, and, like other sons of imprudent fathers, was put to board in the household of the Head Master, Rev. Dr. James Cox. While there or soon afterwards, as the result of being there, and certainly when little older than his step-uncle William Penn Jr. had been at mar- riage, John, without his family's knowledge-Meade says "clandestinely"-married a daughter of the Head Master. Such a connection, the Penn family had no right to consider derogatory. Thomas Penn, on dis- covering what the young man had done, separated the couple by sending him out of England under a tutor, and, to punish the father-in-law for any share in pro- moting the marriage, caused him to be discharged from his position. John, studying at the University of Geneva, resented the young lady's having captured him, instead of resenting his uncle's interference, and re- pented, as if of a crime, and made no response to the attempts of her and her family to communicate.
Thomas Penn married on Aug. 22, 1751, Lady Juliana Fermor, daughter of Thomas Fermor, first Earl of Pomfret, and thus entered a higher social circle than he could have in early manhood looked forward to. The event altered the prospects of Richard Penn's family. Dr. Cox soon wrote to John, urging him, now that he was of age and unlikely to inherit from the uncle, to show independence of the family, by returning to the wife, from whom John had been away four years. John, however, after a trip to Italy, where he spent more money than his uncle thought proper, submitted cheer- fully to uncle and father, who joined in sending him permanently from his wife. Dodging the Cox family, he came to Pennsylvania. Says Meade: "She soon after died of a broken heart, and her father, deprived of his living and his reputation, did not long survive
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her. . . The pecuniary advantage of Mr. Penn's marriage with Miss Allen [Anne, dau. of William, the Chief Justice] was probably much greater than the first, which he contracted with Miss Cox: demonstrably not more honorable, but perhaps less so."
The year 1747, beginning March 25, opened with the secession from the French of certain small tribes of distant Indians in needy circumstances, and in hopes of bettering their condition by a close connection with the government and business men of Philadelphia. The Inomoy nation on Lake Erie desired Pennsylvania traders to come to them; and the nations trading with the English, and in friendship with the Mingoes and Shawnees at Allegheney, agreed to move to Inomoy Creek, to be more convenient to the traders, while ask- ing more gunpowder in exchange for the skins. Col. William Johnson and John Henry Lydius, endeavoring to obtain the assistance of the Six Nations, had failed to induce the Long House to declare war against the French, whom the Cayugas and Senecas favored. Only the Mohawks had been stirred up, and some small bands were cooperating with them. The Tugans, living at Canayiahaga on the River Conde, formerly in amity with the French, had turned against the latter, and had taken hold of the hatchet, which the Tugans understood to have been given to them in the Autumn at Albany by not only the Governor of New York, but also the Governor of Pennsylvania. The Tugans, after killing five Frenchmen, sent the scalp of one of them to Thomas, with a request for powder and lead and with a promise to try to cut off all the French in those parts, the Tugans hoping soon to get possession of Detroit, and the Misasaga and Toaways being in unison with them. This sanguinary but encouraging present and message, as well as the letter sent by the Mingoes and Shawnees expressing the wishes of the Inomoy Indians
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and their neighbours, arrived after George Thomas had departed from the province.
As a certain native of Philadelphia, not long ago de- ceased, speaking to Europeans of its being a desirable place of residence, frankly admitted in so many words that its climate in Summer was fit only for negroes, and in Winter only for Esquimaux, so we can not be sur- prised that a stranger felt that it disagreed with him. Thomas, much impaired in health, determined, as he passed through the Summer of 1746, that it should be the last spent by him in Pennsylvania, that he would retire from the Lieutenant-Governorship, and that he would sail for England no later than the beginning of the following June. On Nov. 3, 1746, by the first opportunity after making up his mind, he wrote to . Thomas Penn to such effect. In the Spring, Gov. Thomas found that a fleet was to sail in June from Virginia ; so he decided to go under its protection with his wife and what children were with him. On May 4, he gave formal notice to his Council, and then arranged that the Assembly of Pennsylvania proper should at- tend him on the next day, if he were well enough. Ac- cordingly on the 5th he received the representatives of the People, and, after notifying them of John Penn's death, mentioned his own plans. Quite in contrast with the non-committal treatment of the death of the Pro- prietary, the Assemblymen declared that the continu- ance of the Lieutenant-Governor in the exercise of the government would have been most agreeable to them. They remarked that a variety of sentiments was to be expected in difficult and tempestuous times, but that, so long as both parts of the legislature acted with integrity and consistently with their respective judgments, such variety was beneficial to the public. They said that nobody doubted Thomas's skill or abilities, and that they believed him to have been regardful of the King's service and the honor and reputation of the Province.
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In return for his expressions of concern at leaving, his wishes for the prosperity of the Province, and his in- tention of embracing any opportunity of serving it, the Assemblymen wished him a prosperous voyage, the restoration of his health, and all manner of happiness. To all this, Thomas gratefully and frankly acknowl- edged that they had said as much as he could expect, and that to have placed any stronger commendation on public record would have seemed like putting them- selves, who had opposed him, in the wrong. The House gave him not only 500l. as the proportion of the year's support, but also 211l. to enable him to discharge the drafts of the officers at Albany for blankets and other articles.
He met his Council for the last time on May 29, and embarked for London on June 1 with his wife and "daughter," apparently the one less than two years old, spoken of by him after the voyage as the "little prating Pennsylvanian." His administration on the whole had been satisfactory to the King, tolerable to the People, and only financially disappointing to himself. He had promoted peace with the Indians. He had secured nu- merous men and considerable money for military pur- poses from a colony ruled by Quakers, without his ac- tions being resented for any length of time by the voters. To the carefully chosen words of the Assembly- men, the Vestry of Christ Church, the Presbyterian Synod of Philadelphia, and the Consistory of Tennent's Whitefieldian Presbyterian congregation added strong tributes in separate addresses,-the Anglicans speak- ing particularly of his interest and aid as a member of their congregation, the Presbyterians speaking partic- ularly of his care to maintain civil and religious liberty. The aforesaid Consistory mentioned his annual donation for the relief of the poor in different societies, meaning religious bodies, in the city. Unlike all his predecessors, he retired both voluntarily and regretted. Blackwell
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had indeed retired voluntarily, but in disgust, and to the relief of the leading men; Hamilton and Gordon had died; the others had been removed. The certificates on Thomas's retirement were such as would recommend him for another position. The Paymaster-General of the Forces settled the bills of exchange for all the cloth- ing, arms, and ammunition procured by Thomas for the contingent furnished towards the expedition against Canada. Thomas appears to have been on leaving office in arrears on his agreement with the Proprietaries even as amended, and, when he reached England, he asked them to forego the same, but Thomas Penn refused, on the specious ground of a promise to the deceased John not to speak further on the subject. There was some disagreeble correspondence, and an interview was ar- ranged. Whether the Proprietaries finally agreed to let their late Deputy retain more remuneration than he had contracted for, is not known. He had some right to ask it, as he had taken upon himself the extra labor, previously no part of a Lieutenant-Governor's duties, of examining and signing patents for land after Thomas Penn's departure. George Thomas bought an English estate, Yapton Place, Sussex.
About 1753, he was appointed Captain General and Governor-in-Chief of the Leeward Islands, and as such received the thanks of George II and George III for his services during the foreign wars. He mitigated the suf- fering from war by a stipulation with the French Gov- ernor in the neighbourhood of the Islands not to allow invasions of private property by periagua privateers. Going to England after peace was restored, being on leave of absence on account of his health, he was created a baronet by patent dated Sep. 6, 1766, and, on Dec. 18 of that year, resigned the government of the Islands. In the capacity of Chancellor, it has been said of him, as it has been somewhat inaccurately of various judicial officers, that his decisions were never reversed. A
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