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reports and rumors, void of any foundation in truth, being magnified before the eyes of the Queen. The appointment of Hamilton finally received the royal confirmation; but so persistent was the opposition to the interests of the Proprietor, that he was obliged either to keep an agent, or remain himself near the court, to answer the hurtful charges constantly brought against his Province and his rule.

In the October session of the Assembly, the representatives of the Territories refused to meet those of the Province, claiming the privilege of separation by the supplementary article of the new charter, and expressing their firm determination to remain apart. Hamilton strongly urged the advantages of union, and brought every influence that he could devise to bear, in order to secure this result; but without effect. He also made preparations for the defence of the Colony, by organizing a military force, of which George Lowther, subsequently attorney-general, was the first captain. On the 20th of April, 1703, Governor Hamilton died suddenly while on a visit to Amboy, where his family were then residing.

EDWARD SHIPPEN, President of Council; April, 1703, to February, 1704.- By the death of Hamilton, the exercise of executive power devolved upon the Council, of which Edward Shippen was president. To the Assembly of 1703, the people, approving the action of the Lower Counties, elected double the number of representatives, as required by charter, provided the privilege of separation was claimed; but little was accomplished, the Council interposing objections to the order of business, alleging that the new charter conferred no power upon it to join in the enactment of laws. In this assembly it was finally settled that the Province and the Territories should ever after act separately in a legislative capacity. This separation proved final, the two bodies never again meeting in common.

JOHN EVANS, Deputy Governor, February, 1704, to Feb

ruary, 1709.- The choice of a Deputy Governor, to succeed Hamilton, fell upon John Evans, of Welsh origin, only twenty-six * years of age, of good natural abilities, but volatile. He was not a Quaker, nor even a man of exemplary morals. He was doubtless selected out of deference to the views of the party at Court, who believed that a stable and efficient government could not be administered upon the peace principles of the Quakers. Indeed, Governor Fletcher had declared in 1693, in one of his communications to the Assembly: "The constitution of their Majesties' government, and that of Mr. Penn, are in direct opposition, one to the other." Evans arrived in the Colony in February, 1704, and with him came William Penn, Jr., the second and only surviving son of William Penn by his first marriage. Evans was expected and had indeed promised to be much influenced and guided by the advice of Logan, in whom the Proprietor continued to place entire confidence. The number of the Council was by him increased, and the son of the Proprietor selected as one of the new members.

The first care of the young Governor in a public capacity was to endeavor to secure the union of the Territories and the Province in the Assembly. Such arguments were presented to the representatives of the Territories, that they seemed willing to return; but the representatives of the Province were now unwilling to receive them back; and further attempts to bring about a reunion were abandoned. This separation finally resulted in the erection of the Territories into the State of Delaware. The obstinacy of the Provincial Assembly in opposing this reunion was the beginning of discords between it and the party that adhered to the Governor, which continued throughout the entire period of his rule. A bill confirming the late provincial charter, granted by Penn, was passed by the Assembly, which contained provisions that the Governor believed unwarrantable, and from which he accordingly withheld his sanction. Whereupon the

* Watson, in his Annals of Philadelphia, says twenty-one; but Gordon, in his History of Pennsylvania, twenty-six.

Assembly appointed a committee to draw up an address to the Proprietor, asking a redress of grievances, the address to be based upon certain resolutions passed by the Assembly. It was drawn by Joseph Wilcox; but instead of being governed by the temperate resolutions of the Assembly, he launched out into a torrent of abuse of the Governor, and even of the Proprietor. This paper was not approved by the other members of the committee, to only four of whom was it shown. It was signed by David Lloyd, Speaker of the House, who headed the party in opposition to the Governor and Secretary Logan. Logan and Lloyd were the real heads of the two opposing factions, both men of ability and learning; the one a fast friend and representative of the Proprietor, both in his public and private interests; the other the champion of the popular party.

The Assembly of 1705 was largely composed of the same elements as the preceding one, of which Lloyd was again elected Speaker. The quarrels of the former session were perpetuated, and the Governor, despairing of any useful legislation, dismissed it. The people finally became alarmed by the fruitless proceedings of these two sessions, and elected to the next House a majority of members friendly to the Proprietor, only eleven of the former House being returned. Joseph Growden was elected Speaker, and the business of the session was transacted with eminent success and dispatch.

Evans had little respect for the religious principles of the Quakers. Disregarding their convictions, he, for the first time in the history of the Province, made a call for militia by public proclamation. The defence of the Colonies against the invasion of the French and Indians, who had assumed an attitude of hostility, had borne heavily upon those Colonies most exposed. Little assistance had ever been rendered by Pennsylvania. This call for militia was made by Evans in good faith, with the desire of rendering such aid in the common defence as was rightfully claimed and expected by the other Colonies. But the call met no response; and the Governor, disappointed by this lack of spirit, and embittered by

his previous quarrels with the Assembly, formed a most discreditable plan for testing the steadfastness of the Quaker faith.

On the day of the annual fair at Philadelphia, Evans, by previous agreement with accomplices at New Castle, arranged to have a messenger dispatched with great haste and appearance of consternation to the Governor, bearing intelligence that a French fleet had arrived in the Delaware, and was laying waste the territory, and would soon arrive before the city. This intelligence was instantly published, and the Governor, mounting his horse, rode through the streets with a drawn sword, commanding and entreating the people to rush to arms, regardless of sect, party, or religious opinion, and hasten to the public defence. The wildest consternation prevailed. The shipping and small boats were run up the river, and into the small creeks, the large craft being carried above Burlington. Plate and valuables were thrown into wells; many hid themselves in trepidation; others betook themselves to the forests; and several women were said to have been untimely delivered of children, through fear. Before nightfall, however, the ruse was discovered, and the authors of the cruel farce were glad to seek safety in flight.

This contemptible experiment was entirely futile in securing the result which the Governor sought. It was the day on which the Quakers held their Weekly Meeting; and regardless of the tumult and the consternation which prevailed, they met as though nothing unusual was occurring, and engaged in their appointed devotions.

By this despicable conduct, the Governor drew upon himself the contempt of all right-thinking men. Besides, many of his official acts were unjustifiable, or little calculated to secure the confidence of his people. He had caused the erection of a fort at New Castle, before which all shipping ascending the river was brought to, and tribute demanded,a practice unauthorized by charter, and vexatious to commerce. It was only by the stern resistance of prominent citizens that this unlawful procedure was broken up. A

bitter quarrel sprang up between the Governor and Lloyd, Speaker of the Assembly, because the latter, in a personal conference, refused to stand when addressing the Governor. Charges and counter-charges were also brought against Lloyd and Logan, as the leaders of the two parties; and thus, in acrimonious and fruitless contentions, his administration was passed. He was relieved in February, 1709. Possessed of a good degree of learning and refinement, and accustomed to the gay society of the British metropolis, he found in the grave and serious habits of Friends a type of life and character which he failed to comprehend, and with which he could, consequently, have little sympathy. How widely he mistook the Quaker character is seen in the result of his wild and hairbrained experiment to test their faith. His general tenor of life seems to have been of a piece with this. Watson says: "The Indians at Conestoga complained of him, when there, as misbehaving himself to their women;" and that, in 1702, "Solomon Cresson, going his round at night, entered a tavern to suppress a riotous assembly, and found there John Evans, Esq., the Governor, who fell to beating Cresson."

COLONEL CHARLES GOOKIN, Deputy Governor, February, 1709, to May, 1717.-When it became evident to the Proprietor that he would be obliged to recall Governor Evans, the old difficulty of finding a suitable person for a successor was experienced. He had thought of proposing his son, who was already in America; but from this he was dissuaded by his friends, on account of his son's youth and inexperience. Colonel Charles Gookin was finally selected, because of his grave and thoughtful demeanor, and his supposed wisdom and moderation, and his appointment received the royal assent. But it finally appeared, by his own testimony before the Council, in defence of certain charges brought against him near the close of his term of office, that he had been subject to fits of derangement. This was, however, unknown at the time of his selection, and remained a secret, except so far as his own erratic conduct throughout his administration disclosed it.

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