of the proprietary and governor, and lodge it in the people.

To which the assembly replied in the remarkable words following;

"And as to what is said concerning the charter prepared at the proprietary's departure, the draftsman has assured us, that no project or power is comprised in that charter but what was the proprietary's direction, perused and corrected by his cousin Parmiter, before it was engrossed, and afterwards signed by himself; but whether the proprietary designed thereby to reverse the method of the government according to an English constitution, and establish a republic in its stead, or leave the people to struggle with the Queen's governors, which he then expected would be the consequence of the bill then moving in Parliament against proprietary governments, the draftsman cannot tell; but he well remembers, that the proprietary told him, that he held himself obliged to do what he could to confirm his tenants in their lands and properties, and give them all the powers he could,* as he was lord of this seignory, and much more to that effect."

And now, to finish on the head of the representation, which throws so much light on the first foundation of this colony, what afterwards passed in the assembly concerning it, candor requires should here be subjoined.

"But what," says Governor Evans, "I must not be silent in, is, that he (the proprietary) highly resents that heinous indignity and most scandalous treatment

"William Biles acquainted this House, that Nathaniel Puckle had a letter from the proprietary to be communicated to several persons here, encouraging them to insist upon the privileges of their charter and laws, and not tamely give them up; and instanced what advantage it had been to the people of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and other proprietary governments, to assert their rights," &c. - Votes of Assembly, for August 21st, 1704.

he was met with in the letter, directed not only to himself, but also to be shown to some other persons disaffected to him, in the name of the assembly and people of this province, of which I have formerly demanded a copy, but was then denied it, under pretence (when it was too late) that it should be recalled. If that letter was the act of the people, truly represented, he thinks such proceedings are sufficient to cancel all obligations of care over them; but, if done by particular persons only, and it is an imposture in the name of the whole, he expects the country will purge themselves, and take care that due satisfaction be given him."

The reader will observe, that the letter is not complained of as scandalous, because of its falsehood, but because of its freedom, in which it must be understood consists the indignity.

And the assembly's reply was as follows;

"As to the representation or letter sent to the proprietary by order, or in the name of the former assembly, which he takes, it seems, as an indignity, and resents it accordingly; it not having been done by this House, but being the act (or in the name) of a former, as we are not entitled to the affront, if any be, neither are we concerned in answering it; our part is only to lament (as we really do) that there should be true occasion for such representation; or, if none, that it should be offered to our proprietary, whom we both love and honor; and, therefore, we hope his obligations of care over us and the people of this province by no such means shall be cancelled."

That this man's government should be one continued broil, from the beginning of it to the end, is proof sufficient, that Mr. Penn left his frame at least in a very imperfect state.

Nor were the people themselves insensible of it, nor more backward to declare their sentiments concerning it, than of the other parts of his conduct.

Evans, for example, having made use of the following clause in one of his papers to the assembly, to wit; "The governor, at his arrival, found the people possessed of a charter, by virtue of which the present assembly now sits, containing the frame of government, settled solemnly, as he has reason to believe, between the proprietary and the people, because, by the subscription, it is said to be thankfully accepted of by the assembly then sitting, and was signed, not only by the proprietary, but by the speaker of the assembly, in the name of all those of the province (as it is affirmed) who were then present, and unanimously consenting, and is farther witnessed by the council; this, therefore, ought fully to conclude. For, if the people could allege that any thing more was their due, it ought at that time to have been fixed and settled, the assembly then sitting, as the governor is informed, having fully considered and debated it; or, if any demands, which it is imagined might further have been made, were not then granted, the governor cannot think it proper for him to intermeddle or to concern himself farther than by virtue of the King's letters patent to the proprietary, and the proprietary's commission to him, with her Majesty's royal approbation, to govern according to that charter, and the laws in force," &c.

The assembly thus replied;

"As to the present charter, which the governor found in being at his arrival, though it be far short of an English constitution, yet even that has been violated by several inroads made upon it; and if the governor cannot grant the just and reasonable demands of the people's representatives agreeable with an English

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establishment, there is cause to conclude, that the proprietary is not fully represented here; and, however the charter was received, yet it was not with such unanimity as is alleged, because diminutive of former privileges; neither was it prepared by the House of Representatives, but done in great haste."

"We are not striving for grants of power, but what are essential to the administration of justice,* and agreeable to an English constitution; and, if we have not been in possession of this these twenty-four years, we know where to place the fault, and shall only say, it is high time we were in the enjoyment of our rights."

And, lastly, the said assembly, having drawn up two several remonstrances to the proprietary, reciting the particulars of their grievances and complaints against the said governor, took occasion in the last of them, dated June 10th, 1707, to express themselves as follows;

"We, and the people we represent, being still grieved and oppressed with the male-administration and practices of thy deputy, and the ill carriage, unwarrantable proceedings, and great exactions of thy secretary, are like to be destroyed by the great injustice and arbitrary oppressions of thy evil ministers, who abuse the powers given thee by the crown, and we suppose have too much prevailed upon thee to leave us hitherto without relief.

"That the assembly which sat here on the 26th of the sixth month, 1704, agreed upon certain heads or particulars, which, according to the order of that day, were drawn up in a representation, and was signed by the speaker, and sent thee by a passenger in John Guy's brigantine, who was taken into France, from

The governor had rejected the bill proposed by the assembly for establishing courts of justice, &c., and had done it by an ordinance of his

own.

whence the same representation was conveyed to thy hands; whereby thou art put in mind, upon what score the purchasers and first adventurers embarked with thee to plant this colony, and what grants and promises thou made, and the assurance and expectations thou gave them and the rest of the settlers and inhabitants of this province to enjoy the privileges derived from thy own grants and concessions, besides the rights and freedoms of England; but how they were disappointed in several respects, appears, in part, by the said representation, to which we refer, and become supplicants for relief, not only in matters there complained of, which are not yet redressed, but also in things then omitted, as well as what have been lately transacted, to the grievous oppression of the Queen's subjects, and public scandal of this government.

"We are much concerned, that thou conceived such displeasure as thou did against that assembly, and not in all this time vouchsafe to show thy readiness to rectify those things which they made appear were amiss; nor hast thou showed thy particular objections to the bills, which, with great care and charge, were then prepared, for confirming thy charters to this city and country, respecting both privileges and property, and for settling the affirmation instead of oaths. But, on the other hand, we found, to our great disappointment, that thou gave credit to wrong insinuations against them, as appears by thy letter from Hyde Park, dated the twenth-sixth of the twelfth month, 1704 -5, wherein thou treated some particulars very unfriendly, and without any just grounds blamed the people's representatives, who, we perceive by their proceedings, were ready to support the government under thy adminiştration, and desired nothing but to have their just rights, privileges, and properties confirmed, the judi