USA > Pennsylvania > The history of Pennsylvania : from its discovery by Europeans, to the Declaration of Independence in 1776 > Part 2
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Reduction of the army. Augmentation. Money bill. Donation to the town of Boston. Grant of parliament to the colonies. War with the Chero- kees. Military affairs in Canada. Provincial merits in the war. Chero- kees sue for peace. Death of George II. Provincial proceedings. Requisition of troops refused by the assembly. Mohawks. Resignation of Mr. Pitt. New requisitions. Money bill. War with Spain. Mea- sures of assembly. Indians. Peace between Great Britain, France, and Spain. Ministerial rebuke of the assembly. Indian war. Expedition of general Bonquet. Money bills. John Penn, esq. deputy-governor. 385
CHAPTER XVII.
Arrival of John Penn. He convenes the assembly. Measures proposed against the Indians. Disputes between the governor and assembly on the tax bill. The assembly propose to petition for a royal government. Submit the proposition to their constituents. Adopt petitions to the king for a change of government. Opposition to this measure in the province by the presbyterians. Supported by the Quakers. Assembly determine to send an additional agent to Great Britain. 413
CHAPTER XVIII.
Cupidity of the British government excited by American prosperity. Mr. Grenville's proposition for taxation. Considerations thereon. Conven- tion of colonial agents. Reception of the proposition in Pennsylvania,
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&c. Vexatious character of the proposed duties. Unpopular means of enforcing payment. Resolutions and proceedings of the Massachusetts colony. Of Pennsylvania. Resolution of Pennsylvania to send an agent to England. Appointment of Dr. Franklin. Opposition to his appoint- ment. Stamp act passed. Reception in America. Congress of repre- sentatives from the colonies proposed. Resolutions of the assembly of Pennsylvania on the stamp act. Western expedition under colonel Bon- quet. Submission of the Indians. Treatment and restoration of pri- soners by the Indians. Disposition of the army. Rewards to colonel Bonquet. Treaty with the Indians. Rewards offered by the governor of Pennsylvania for Indian scalps. Stamp officers appointed. Mr. Hughes compelled to decline executing the office. Reception of the stamps. Suspension of newspapers and law business. Resolution of the inhabit- ants to manufacture. Congress at New York. Efforts against the stamp act in Europe. Change of ministry. Repeal of the stamp act. Mode- ration of the colonists on the repeal. Rejoicings in Pennsylvania. Re- monstrance against the act of parliament, concerning paper currency. Obituary notice of Isaac Norris. Issue of notes by association of mer- chants. Theatre, remonstrances against it. Injuries to the Indians. Ap- prehension of Indian hostility. Measures to avert it. Indian trade. 424
CHAPTER XIX.
Disposition of the English nation towards America. Revenue act proposed and carried by Charles Townsend. Reasons for this measure. Proceed- ings of the assembly of Pennsylvania in relation to revenue act. Far- mer's letters by Mr. Dickenson, effect of. Non-importation agreement resorted to. Repeal of part of the duties. Tax on tea retained. Modi- fication of the non-importation law. Quiescent state of the public mind. Protest of Pennsylvania against the modified duty. WYOMING CONTRO- VERSY. Want of precision in the early charters. Extent of territory granted. Pretensions of the Connecticut colony to lands in Pennsylvania considered. Purchase by Connecticut adventurers of the Indians at Albany. Character of that purchase. Susquehannah company of Con- necticut formed. Attempt to obtain the sanction of the crown for their proceedings. Connecticut settlers on the Susquehannah. Their violent expulsion of settlers under Pennsylvania title. Outrages committed by Stewart and Butler. Arrest and escape of Stewart. Renewed intrusion of Stewart and Butler. Their devastations. Inhabitants, under colonel Clayton, retire to a fort. Siege and surrender of the fort. Proceedings of the government of Pennsylvania. Connecticut resolves to sustain the intrusion of their citizens. Remonstrance of the inhabitants. Incorpo- rates a township in Pennsylvania. Overtures to governor Penn rejected. Connecticut claimants endeavour to extend their possessions. Inter- ference of congress invoked by Pennsylvania. Recommendation of con- gress. . Proceedings of Pennsylvania. Attempt by the executive to repel the intruders from Wyoming. Unsuccessful. Conclusion of the contro- versy. New alarms of Indian hostility. Atrocious plan charged on lord Dunmore. Improbable and unsupported. Attack on the Indians by Cresap and others. Logan. Proceeding of the government of Penn- sylvania on the rumour of Indian war. Fort at Pittsburg seized by Con- nolly at the command of lord Dunmore. Dunmore claims jurisdiction of the country west of the Alleghany, comprised in the Pennsylvania charter. Seduces the settlers. His proclamation. Conduct of gover- nor Penn in relation to the Indians and Dunmore. Assembly of Penn- sylvania employ rangers. Indian war in Virginia. Battle of Kanhawa. Peace with the Indians. Edward Biddle elected speaker of assembly. Judges appointed. 450
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CHAPTER XX. .
Political quiet of the colonies again broken. India company encouraged to make shipments of tea. Means adopted to excite opposition in the colonies. Resolutions of the assembly of Pennsylvania. Agents appoint- ed for the sale of the tea compelled to resign. Proceedings in the colo- nies on the arrival of the tea ships. Committees of correspondence. Indignation of the king and ministry. Ministerial vengeance on Massa- chusetts. Boston port act. Subversion of the Massachusetts charter. Law for the trial of offences committed in the colonies. Canada act, its character and effect. Spirited conduct of the Bostonians. Sympathy of the colonies with Massachusetts. Prudent policy of Pennsylvania. Town meeting. Provincial convention in Pennsylvania. Resolutions thereof. Frames instructions for the assembly. Proceedings of the assem- bly. Delegates to congress. Their instructions. Meeting of congress at Philadelphia. Proceedings. Resolutions relative to non-intercourse. Declaration of rights. Addresses to the king, to the inhabitants of Great Britain, and continental America. Dissolution of congress. Assembly of Pennsylvania approves of the proceedings of congress. Appoints delegates to a new congress. Mr. Galloway declines the appointment of delegate. His opposition to the proceedings of congress. Governor Penn attempts to persuade the assembly to send a separate address to the king. Reply of the assembly. Effect of the proceedings of con- gress in England. Ministry determine to enforce submission. Massa- chusetts declared in rebellion. Conciliatory proposition of lord North. Rejected in the colonies. Supported by governor Penn. Resolutions thereon of the assembly of Pennsylvania. Second convention at Phila- delphia. Proceedings. Recommend the encouragernent of manufac- tures. Empower the committee of correspondence to re-assemble the convention. Committee of correspondence adopts measures of defence. Military association formed. Assembly provides a military force on the recommendation of congress. Difficulties arising from the scruples of the Quakers in bearing arms. Their conduct, in relieving the sufferers in New England. Quakers claim exemption from bearing arms. Remon- strances against their claim. Militia system adopted by the assem- bly 479
CHAPTER XXI.
State of the dispute with England. Hostilities commenced. Meeting of congress. Desire to fix the commencement of hostilities on the British. Advice to the inhabitants of New York, relative to the reception of British troops. 'Colouring given to the capture of Ticonderoga. Measures of offence and defence adopted by congress. Address to the army. Se- Jection of a commander-in-chief. George Washington appointed. Ad- dress of the congress of New York on his appointment. Appointment of subordinate generals, &c. Last petition to the king. Contemplated rejection thereof. Manifesto of congress. General Washington repairs to the army before Boston. Invasion of Canada. Arnold's expedition to Quebec. Attack on Quebec, under Montgomery and Arnold. Death of Montgomery. Arnold wounded. Americans withdraw from Quebec. Character of Montgomery. Military preparations of Pennsylvania. Change of the colonial government proposed in congress. Differences of opinion on the change of government in Pennsylvania. New parties formed. Whigs and tories. Town meeting in Philadelphia deny the power of the assembly to new model the government. Measures adopted for calling a provincial conference. Opposition to the change of govern- ment. Measures of the committee for the city and county of Philadel-
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phia. Provincial conference assembles. Proceedings. Their address to the people. Virginia proposes to congress to declare the colonies independent. Instructions of Pennsylvania delegates in relation thereto. Declaration of independence by the Pennsylvania conference. Mea- sures for organizing militia. Independence proposed and debated in congress. Arguments thereon, by Lee, Adams, and Dickenson. De- claration of independence prepared. Adopted. Proclaimed. Remarks. Meeting of the convention for forming constitution of Pennsylvania. Proceedings. Convention assumes the whole political power of the state. Appoints delegates to congress. Assembly, last meetings of. Ex- piration of the term of, and extinction of the colonial government. 513
CHAPTER XXII.
Review of the province. Government. How constituted. Legislative powers. Judiciary. Supreme courts. Courts of common pleas. Quar- ter sessions. Admiralty courts. Land office. Officers of the govern- ment. Laws. Derived from England. In relation to personal rights. Naturalization. Freemen and slaves. Servants. Political rights. Re- ligious rights. Relative rights. Laws relative to real estate. Personal estate. Remedies. Preventive and compensatory. Arrest. Forms of action. Trial. Sanction of evidence. Execution. Insolvents. Criminal laws. Merit of Penn in relation thereto. Punishments. Change of criminal code. Religion. Quakers. Episcopalians. Roman catholics. Presbyterians. Baptists. Menonists. Dunkards. Swenckfelders. So- ciety of the woman in the wilderness. Unitas Fratrum or Moravians. Finance of Pennsylvania., Commerce and manufactures. Literature and science. Early establishment of schools. Printing. College. Philoso- phical society. Literary men. Mathematics and astronomy. Botany and natural history. Medicine. Moral and natural philosophy. Poet- ry. - 543
Appendix. 595
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HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
CHAPTER I.
Obscurity of the ancient history of America .... Abundant sources of its modern history .... Common origin of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware ···· Disco- veries in North America by the Spaniards and Portuguese .... Of the French, by Verrazano .... Of the English, by Cabot, Gilbert, Raleigh, Gosnold .... North and South Vir- ginia companies formed ···· Voyages of Hudson ···· Discovery of the Delaware bay and Hudson river .... Exploration of New York bay and Hudson river .... Intercourse with the natives .... Commerce of the Dutch East India company with Ame- rica ···· Protection extended by the States General to maritime adventurers· ··· Licensed trading company of Amsterdam .... Dutch settlements at New York .... Plymouth adventurers .... Dutch West India company .... Their operations in North America ··· Settlements on Delaware bay and river .... Colony planted by De Vries .... Destroyed by the Indians .. .. Second voyage of De Vries .... Swedish West India or South com- pany ···· Swedish colony under Minuits ···· Under Printz .... English driven from the Delaware by Dutch and Swedes .... Swedish settlements ···· Governor Risingh .... War between the Dutch and Swedes .... Dutch power established .... Dis- pute with Maryland ···· English settlements under patent of Sir Edward Ploeyden .... New England traders and settlers ... Conquest of New Netherlands by the English .... Reduction of the Dutch possessions on the Delaware ···· Government there .... Rebellion of the Long Finne .... Indian troubles .... Incorporation of the town of Newcastle .... Dispute with
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HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Maryland .... New Netherlands recaptured by the Dutch .... Western shore of the Delaware divided into three jurisdic- tions ···· Indian troubles· ··· Purchases· ··· Laws· ·· Settlements in New Jersey ···· Government .... William Penn becomes interested in New Jersey ···· Constitution.
THE ancient history of America is buried in profound ob- scurity. This is more especially true of the northern portion of this great continent. Indicia of a numerous and civilized population, over whose memories and labours unnumbered ages have rolled, are yet discoverable on the shores of our ocean lakes, on the banks of our mighty rivers, and in the depths of our almost impenetrable forests. But these teach us no more of the ancient inhabitants, than is known of the most aged of mortals-that they were, and are not. We are doomed, perhaps, to be for ever ignorant of the origin and progress of that race, which preceded the inhabitants found upon our coasts, at the first visits of Columbus and his suc- cessors, who are supposed not only to have adorned our coun- try with the works of science and of art, but to have conquered and enlightened a large portion of those climes, which igno- rance and pride have denominated the old world.
But if no effort of industry or ingenuity can penetrate the gloom which rests on those remote ages, such is not the case with the modern history of America. The art of printing has preserved to us all that is useful or curious in her annals, since the first Spanish discoveries. The records of European colonization upon her shores are abundant, and many of those which relate to the Anglo-American provinces, are tediously, if not uselessly minute. 'The compiler, therefore, of the his- tory of the North American colonies, can fail only from negli- gence, to collect every important fact appertaining to his sub- ject.
So abundant and accessible are these materials, that most writers on colonial history have been tempted to preface their particular story with a general account of the discovery and settlement of America. Even the biography of Washington has, for introduction, the history of our continent, from its
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HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
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discovery by the Cabots, to the commencement of the revo- lutionary war .* Perhaps we should not complain of this frequent recurrence to early events; since, if they be not intimately connected with the story before us, they occa- sionally serve to adorn it, and receive from every writer new illustration.
Believing, however, that so wide a prefatory range is not necessary to the comprehension of Pennsylvania history, we shall confine ourselves to those states, whose early story is inseparable from hers. The provinces of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, partaking of a common origin, it seems proper to trace the history of the two first to the period at which the charter to William Penn was granted, and that of Delaware to the time of the dissolution of her union with Pennsylvania. This task shall be per- formed with as much brevity as is consistent with the duty of the historian.
The Spaniards and Portuguese, not many years after the voyages of Columbus, explored the coasts of North America as high as Labrador, to which the latter gave its present name.t As they made their approaches from the West Indies, they may have landed upon the shores of the Delaware and Hud- son rivers. But, possessing the fine climates and rich mines of the south, they had no inducements to make permanent settlements in a country less attractive. Florida was occu- pied by the Spaniards in 1512 : and its boundaries, as given by the charter of Philip the second to Menendez, extended from Newfoundland to the 22d degree of northern latitude.#
It is supposed that John de Verrazano, whilst in the ser- vice of Francis I. of France, visited the bay of New York. § It is certain that in 1523 he coasted the American continent, from the 30th to the 50th degree of north latitude; that he landed and communed with the natives in several places; and
· Marshall's Life of Washington, vol. i. t See N. A. R. vol. vi. (n.s.) 49, 50. 1 Moulton's N. Y. 130. Beschryvinge Van Nieuw Ne- derlandt, &c. # See vol. iv. (n. s.) N. A. R. 74. De Laet. § Doct. Miller's Disc. 1 vol. N. Y. Hist. Col.
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HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
that, by virtue of the discoveries made by him and other French navigators, Henry IV. gave to Des Monts all the American lands from the 40th to the 46th degree of north latitude .* The loss of Verrazano, his vessel and crew, on a subsequent voyage (1524,) procrastinated, for ten years, the efforts of the French to establish colonies in America; and the voyages and discoveries of Cartier, in 1535, turned their attention more particularly to the river St. Lawrence. t
The avarice of the politic and cautious Henry the seventh of England, induced that prince to countenance the enter- prising and skilful Cabots, in their search for new countries, and a short passage by the west to the golden climes of India.t These distinguished seamen discovered the islands of New- foundland and St. Johns, and explored the coasts of the con- tinent from the 67th to the 38th degree of northern latitude. But no fruits were immediately derived from their labours. It was reserved for the maritime enterprise of Elizabeth's reign, to give to the English nation a fuller knowledge of the new world, and a proper sense of the advantages which might be drawn from it. Patronised by the earl of Warwick, Mar- tin Frobisher, in three successive voyages, explored the shores of Labrador and Greenland.§ And Sir Humphrey Gilbert made two unsuccessful attempts to establish a colony on the North American continent, in the last of which he perished.|| But his fate, induced by ignorance, mismanagement, and scantiness of means, did not deter others, better qualified, from similar efforts. The chivalric Sir Walter Raleigh, the half brother of Gilbert, obtained from the queen, for a com- pany of his formation, the very liberal donation of all the lands they should discover between the 33d and 40th degrees. Two vesselsT despatched by them, having visited Pamptico sound and Roanoke bay, made a report so favourable of the beauty and fertility of the country, that the company were excited to new exertions, and Elizabeth gave to the recently
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* See letter of Verrazano in 2 Hackluyt, and in vol. i. N. Y. Hist. Col. Williamson's Hist. N. C. vol. i. 15. Moulton, i. 134. + Hackluyt. # 1497. § 1576, 1577, 1578. | 1580. ₮ Commanded by Amadas and Barlow.
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HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
discovered region the name of Virginia, as a memorial that it was discovered in the reign of a virgin queen. But the subsequent efforts of this company proved unfortunate. A colony was indeed planted at Roanoke,* but reduced to dis- tress, by the delay of necessary supplies, they availed them- selves of a visit to their shores, by sir Francis Drake, to return to Europe.t Another colony, under the direction of captain John White, soon after sent out to the same place, perished by famine, or the sword of the natives: having been deprived, in consequence of the threatened invasion of Eng- land by the Spaniards, of the succour which White had re- turned to seek for them.
Bartholomew Gosnold, abandoning the circuitous route hitherto pursued, by the Canary islands, sought a more direct course to the northern continent, by steering due west. He visited and gave names to cape Cod, and the islands of Mar- tha's Vineyard, and Elizabeth .; His report taught the English, that there were numerous attractions, far north of the place they had hitherto attempted to colonize. New plans for co- lonization were formed, which were supported by the re- port of persons sent out by the merchants of Bristol, and the earl of Southampton and lord Arundel of Wardour, to ascer- tain the correctness of Gosnold's statements. By the zeal of Richard Hackluyt, prebendary of Westminster, to whom England was more indebted than to any man of his age, for her American possessions, an association, embracing men of rank and of business, was formed, to establish colonies in America. §
To this company, James I. granted a charter of incorpora- tion. The extent and value of the American territories, were now somewhat better known, than when Elizabeth gave to Raleigh the whole of the lands he should discover unoc- cupied by Christians. The king divided that portion of the continent, which stretches from the 34th to the 46th degree of north latitude, into two nearly equal districts. The one called the first or South colony of Virginia, the other, the
· 1584. + 1586. # 1603. § Purchase, vol. ii. 5. Bel- knap's American Biography. N. A. Re. vol. vi. (n. s.) 36. Robertson.
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HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
second or North colony. He empowered sir Thomas Gates, sir George Summers, Richard Hackluyt, and their associates, mostly residents of London, to settle any part of the former they should choose; the latter district he allotted to sundry knights, gentlemen, and merchants of Bristol, Plymouth, and other parts of the west of England. To each of these com- panies he granted fifty miles each way, along the coast, from the place of their settlement, and one hundred miles of ex- tent of the interior. The council of the former company was established at London, and of the latter at Plymouth, whence the title of the London and Plymouth companies .*
Under this, and another charter to the Plymouth com- pany, in 1620, the provisions of which were not the most friendly to political freedom, nor the best adapted to pro- mote the objects for which they were designed, the permanent settlement of Virginia and the New England colonies was commenced and prosecuted. It is not necessary here to trace their various fortune, or to mark their growth, from the state of weak and sickly plants, to that of the magnificent, deep-rooted, and umbrageous tree.
The long cherished and still unextinguished desire, of dis- covering a north-west passage to the east, gave birth to several voyages by Henry Hudson. Having in his third voyage, whilst in the service of the Dutch East India company, failed to find this passage by the north, he resolved to explore the coasts of North America, with the view of ascertaining whe- ther a passage to the Pacific ocean, might not be found through that continent.t He ran down the coast from New Found- land, to 35° 41' northern latitude. Returning by the same course, he on the 28th day of August, 1609, discovered and entered the bay of Delaware; but, finding shoal water and sand in the inlet, he did not venture upon its exploration .¿
Coasting along the eastern shore of New Jersey, Hudson, on the third day of September, anchored his ship, the Half
· April 10, 1606. Monod. un. His. vol. xxx. Hazard's Collect. i. Stith, Beverly, Robertson. t Voyages undertaken by the Dutch East India company. Hudson's Journal. Purchas. 1. N. Y. Hist. Col. 81. 162. Moul- ton's Hist. N. Y. # Hudson's Journal.
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HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Moon, within Sandy Hook. A week was spent in examining the neighbouring shores, and in receiving and returning the visits of the natives; during which, one of his seamen named John Coleman, an Englishman, was killed; the boat, in which he and several others had passed the Kills, between Bergen Neck and Staten island, having been attacked by two canoes with twenty-six Indians, the unfortunate Coleman was shot by an arrow through the throat. On the twelfth, Hudson entered New York bay through the Narrows .*
The time between the eleventh and nineteenth of Septem- ber, was employed in exploring the North river. (1) He as- cended with his ship, as high as the spot on which the city of Albany now stands, and his boat proceeded to the sites of Waterford and Lansinburg. The decreased volume of the stream, and the shoals which obstructed his further way, de- priving him of every hope of reaching the South sea by this route, he prepared to retrace his steps. Commencing his return on the twenty-second of September, he slowly de- scended the river: on the fourth of October he put to sea, and reached England on the seventh of November, 1609.t His vessel and part of his crew returned to Holland, but the jealousy of James I. forbade Hudson and his English sailors to revisit that country .¿ In the following year, Hudson re-entered the service of the London company, under whose auspices he had made his two first northern voyages, with the design of again seeking a north-west passage through Davis' Straits. In this voyage his crew mutinied, and aban- doned him, his only son, and some half dozen of his men who remained faithful, to perish amid the fields of ice, in the vicinity of the bay which now bears his name.§
Whilst in the North river, Hudson had much intercourse with the natives. Those at the mouth of the river were fierce and inimical, while those at a distance from the sea, were mild and hospitable. But the superior power which the Europeans
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