To the cruelty of the conjuncture alone they gave way; not to any superiority of reason in their adversaries, nor through any failure of integrity or fortitude in themselves.

Of this a sufficient testimonial remains still to be given out of their minutes; wherein are to be found (and it is to be hoped will for ever remain) the remarks of the committee, by order of the house, on the proprietaries instructions, already before the reader, which contain as full a vindication of themselves and their conduct, as is in the power of thoughts and words to express; and consequently as full an exposition of the claims and demands brought against them.

Too long, however, is this performance to be given in the entire; more especially in the close of so long a narration; and too significant is it to admit of any abridgment; to the appendix, therefore, the reader must be referred, if he has a curiosity to see it; where it is lodged, as a requisite, without which neither his entertainment nor his information could be complete.

It will suffice to say in this place, that it was unanimously approved of and agreed to by the house; and that the house was unanimous also in resolving "that it was highly necessary, a remonstrance should be drawn up and sent home, setting forth, the true state of Pennsylvania, and representing the pernicious consequences to the British interest, and to the inhabitants of that province, if contrary to their charters and laws, they were to be governed by proprietary instructions."

The true state of Pennsylvania is now before us. It is apparent the assemblies of that province have acted from the beginning on the defensive only; the defensive is what every man, by the right and law of nature is intitled to. Jealousy is the first principle of defence; if men were not to suspect, they would rarely, if ever, be upon their guard. Magna Charta is apparently founded upon this principle; nay, provides, that opposition should be always at hand to confront and obviate danger. Penn, the founder of the colony, founded it upon Magna Charta; and, as we have seen, the birthrights of his followers were rather enlarged than

diminished by his institutions. That the latter part of his active life, therefore, was employed in undermining his own foundations, only serves to excite our concern, that so few should be of a piece with themselves; and to make him answerable in part for the trespasses of his heirs.

Fatally verified, however, we see, both there and every where else, the fable of the ax, which having been gratified with as much wood only as would serve it for a handle, became immediately the instrument to hew down the forest, root and branch, from whence it was taken.

It is as apparent, on the other hand, that these proprietaries have acted an offensive part; have set up unwarrantable claims; have adhered to them by instructions yet more unwarrantable; have availed themselves of the dangers and distresses of the province, and made it their business (at least their deputies have) to increase the terrors of the times, purposely to unhinge the present system; and, by the dint of assumptions, snares, menaces, aspersions, tumults, and every other unfair practice whatsoever, would have either bullied or wheedled the inhabitants out of the privileges they were born to; nay, they have actually avowed this perfidious purpose, by avowing and dispersing those pamphlets in which the said privileges are insolently, wickedly, and foolishly pronounced repugnant to government, the sources of confusion; and such as, having answered the great end of causing an expeditious settlement, for which alone they were granted, might be resumed at pleasure, as incompatible with the dictatorial power they now challenge, and would fain exercise.

And this being the truth, the plain truth, and nothing but the truth, there is no need to direct the censures of the public; which, on proper information, are always sure to fall in the right place.

The parties before them are the two proprietaries of a province and the province itself. And who or what are these proprietaries? in the province, unsizeable subjects and unsufficient lords. At home, gentlemen, 'tis true, but gentlemen so very private, that in the herd of gentry they are

hardly to be found; not in court; not in office; not in parliament.

And which is of most consequence to the community; whether their private estate shall be taxed, or the province shall be saved?

Whether these two private gentlemen, in virtue of their absolute proprietaryship, shall convert so many fellow-subjects, born as free as themselves, into vassals? or, whether so noble and useful a province, shall for ever remain an asylum for all that wish to remain as free as the inhabitants of it have hitherto made a shift to preserve themselves?

Sub judice lis est.

What part the offices here at home have taken in this controversy, it will be time enough to specify when 'tis over; and appeals respectfully made argue a presumption, that right will be done.

But one circumstance more, therefore, remains to be added in behalf of this persecuted province, which is the testimonial of commodore Spry, contained in the following extracts from two of his letters to one Mr. Lovel, a gentleman of Philadelphia, and by him communicated to the speaker of the assembly, to wit:

'August 5, 1756.

"Tis impossible to conceive how much I am obliged to the gentlemen of Pennsylvania for their ready concurrence in supplying his majesty's ships in North America with such a number of seamen, at their government's expence; and I must entreat you to make my most grateful acknowlegments to your speaker, and the rest of the gentlemen concerned in it.'

'August 7, 1756. are now under sail,

'I have joined Mr. Holmes, and we with a fair wind, for Louisburg. Last night a ship luckily arrived with twenty-nine seamen more from the people of your good province; God bless them! I shall ever gratefully remember and acknowledge it. I have the seamen all on board my own ship, except four that are sick at the hospital.'

APPENDIX.

CONTAINING

SUNDRY ORIGINAL PAPERS,

Relative to the several points of controversy between the Governors and Assemblies of Pennsylvania.

TO THE

HONORABLE THOMAS PENN AND RICHARD PENN, Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania, &c.

The Representation of the General Assembly of the said Province, met at Philadelphia, the twenty-third day of the sixth month, 1751.

May it please the Proprietaries:

THE

HE first settlers of this province unanimously concurred with your worthy father, to lay the foundation of their settlements, in doing justice to the native Indians, by coming among them as friends, upon an equitable purchase only: this soon appeared to be the best and safest way to be. gin the infant settlement, by the veneration and love it procured from those people, who kindly supplied the wants of many, then destitute of the necessaries of life; and, as the settlements increased, retired to make room for their new guests, still preserving that esteem and veneration which had been so strongly impressed upon their minds. By this voluntary retreat all were satisfied, for there was room enough for all; and the good faith so carefully kept with those who were nearest, gave the more distant Indian nations that favorable opinion of us, which our continuing to act on the same principles of justice hath supported to this day; they entered freely into our alliance; they became the guards of our frontiers against the French, and French Indians, by obliging them to observe a neutrality towards us, as we experienced during the course of the last war; and we have reason to think we now share largely in their affections. But this beneficial friendship hath neither been procured nor continued without a very great expence