New-York daily tribune., 1843-02-27

present then 10 the Governor, and cne .. 'iiO r.
sons thus presented was to be selected by hin'
Full liberty of conscience and worship, snd the
right of all persons protesting to believe IN Jesus
Christ to serve the Government In any capacity,
were provided for as formerly, bu: the Leglsla-
ture in their acts consaefed themselves at liberty
to confne their protection to believers in the
Trinity and in the Divine inspiration Of the Scrip
lures. [iStory1
! This form of government remained until the
American Revolution: spd some of its important
features, and particularly that the Legislature
should consist of one body only, were incorporated
MIA in 1875; and the Sherifs and Coroners were
selected in the same manner under the Constitu-
tinn adopted in 1899. Provision was made in the
sarne Charter that if the Representatives Of the
Province and those from the territories or three
counties OF Delaware (Which had been purchased
By William Penn of the Duke Of York in 1922
should not agree to join together in legislation,
they shoud be represented in distinct Assemblies
Notwithstanding the benevolent views and feel
ings Of William Penn and the tolerant princi pies
avewed by him, it cannot fail to be observed that
like some Of the leaders Of The Democracy in
our days, ne was careful to hoId on to power, and
to transmit the to his deputies and success
sors who governed the colony after him. He evi-
dently had lurking feeling Of doubt in his bosom
as 10 the capacity Of the people for self-govern-
ment. Hence, believing power safer in his hands
than if distributed among the masses, he retained
the right of acting Governor of the province, of
appointing his deputies SUCCESSORS in the Office;
also, of appointing his Council of State, of select
ing Sheritfs and CoronerS from the nominations of
the people; and finally, the power of negativng
all laws passed by the representatives of the peo-
pie! The benevolent founder of Pennsylvania
would seem, according to our republican IDEAS to
have imbibed some of the arbitrary principles of
MS regal patrons Of the House OF Stuart If he
had examined the New-Engand Charters previ-
ously granted, he would have found better guides
for Democratic form of Government There
was, however such general feeling of confidence
by emigrants in William Penn, that the colony was
rapidly filed with inhabitants. Many circumstan-
ces combined to favor the prosperity of Pennsyl-
vania The soil was fertile, the climate agrcea-
Bile, and tie situation central and Penn had early
made an advantageous treaty of peace with the
Indians, which was faithfully observed on both
sides for more than seventy years. Colonists
flowed in from all quarters, and within less than a
year after the founding of Philadelphia BY Penn,
Gin l633) eighty houses ard cottages were COM
peted in that city. In 1929, Burke says, the
number of emgrants to the colony was 6,20s dur
ing that year, four-6fths of whom were Irish and
in 1850 the German smigrants were 4,3l7 and
1000 British and Irish. In l757, the population
of the province was estimated at $50 600.
The charter Of Pennsylvania Of 17Ol did not
rrevent disputes at subsequent periods. between
the propretors and the colonists. The proprietors
claimed to have their property in great measure
free from taxes, although laid for the express pur
pose of defending the province, and securing that
property; and thereby exempting themselves from
the burden of such expense, which justly incensed
the colonsts. Their deputy governors, appointed
bv the success ors of William Penn, had nstruc-
,ions to agree to no money bill, but such az should
exempt the greatest part of their property. The
Assembly, in 1857, declared such instructions to
be arbitrary and unjust, infracton of their cha.
ter, a total suoversion of their constitution and
manifest violation of their rights, freeborn sub
jects of England.
A remonstrance was also drawn up by order OF
the Assembly, and Doctor Franklin was appointed
agent to present the same to the King, and Tor
that purpose went to England, in the sumlaer of
l757. For tho information of the Court and the
people of England, he drew up and published ia
volume (without his name)-" an historical re-
view of the constitution and government of Penn
sylvania. from its origin, so far regards the
several points of controversy which have, from
time to time, arisen between the several governors
of that province and their several assemblies
This very able work, which was published in
1889, produced change in favor OF the colo
nists.
The proprietors, sensible Of this change, haally
proposed to Doctor franklin that their estates
should not be assessed beyond their proportion.
To this he assen,ed and thus the affair settled
for the time. The proPrietcrs, however, were af-
forwards dissatisfied, and again claimed to have
their estates exempt from taxation this, with
other difficulties, SO exnsperated the Assembly and
the people, that in 1854 they agreed upon petit
tion to the King, praying for change from pro-
pristary 10 royal government.
Doctor Franklin, having again been appointed
Agent by the Assembly, went to England in 1865,
for the purpose of ottssng the proposed alteration
in the Government. The disputes, however, be-
tween the mother Country and the Colonies, after
the passage of the Stamp Act, and other measures,
interveaed and finally terminated in the Revou.
ton. So that no change took place in Pennslva-