The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-31
william Penn 9.


compelled to rest his defence, in any degree, upon
his individual character, he Wanted not himself,
but gave all the glory TO the Giver.
No man, however, more keenly felt the assaults
which were made upon his character by the tongue
and the pen of envy and hatred. ignorance and
bigotry, because he knew that the shaft, though
aimed, ostensbly at him, was frequently designed
for that body whose prominent leader he
In the very year OF his fathers death, and shortly
after that event, he seized by file of soldiers,
sent purposcly for his apprehension, while preach
ing in Quaker meeting house, and carried before
Sir John Robinson, who treated him roughly, and
sent him for six months to Newgate. In the course
of the trial Robinson said TO Penn You haze been as
bad as other folks" To which Penn replied: ''Iphea
and sphere? charge thee TO tell the company TO my
face" Robinson rejoined- Abroad, and at home,
too" This was so VIGOROUSLY false and absurd,
that ingenious member OF the court, Sir John
Sheldon, exclaimed, "No, no, Sir John, that s TOO
much" Penn, turning to the assembly, and with
all the chastened indignation Of am insulted Chris
tian-Quaker as he was-delivered himself, with
strength and simplicity which would have done
honor to Paul, in the presence OF Agrppa, and
which must forever so long as the precious record
shall remain, touch responsive chord-even in the
bosoms Of those whose practice 1t Is, upon ordinary
occasions, to let their yea be yea and their nay
nay.
[ am sure it would have chcered the old Admi-
RAILS heart and elevated his respect for the broad
brm, to have heard the manly language of his
Quaker son, that day
al make this bold challenge to all men, women,
and children upon Garth, justly to accuse me, with
having seen me drunk, heard me swear, utter a
curse, speak one obscene word, much less that
made IL my practice. speak this to Gods
glory who has ever preserved me from the power
Of these pollutions and who, from child, begot an
hatred in me towards them.'
"But there is nothing more common than, when
men are of more severe life than ordinary, for
loose persons to comfort themselves with the con-
ceit that these were once as they themselves are;
as if there no collateral or obhque line of the
compass or globe, by which might be said to
IN he Arct tic DpI H.
ately from the Antartic. Thy words shall be thy
burthcn, and trample thy ISLANDERS, as dirt, under
my feet"
Mr.. Macaulay. Such he has ever been esteemed
A brief quotation may not be aLniss in regard to
Penn's relation to James II. Having referred to
the Admiral's dying. request to Charles and James,
to have regard for his Quaker son, Clarkson
says: "From this period more regular acquaint-
ance grew up between them, (William Penn and
James II.,) and intimacy followed. During this
intimacy, however William Penn might have dis
approved as he did, of the religious opinions, he
was attached to him, from belief that he
friend to liberty of conscience. Entertaining this
opinion concerning him. he conceived it to be his
duty, now that he had become king, to renew this
| intimacy with him, and that in stronger man
ner than ever, that he might forward the great OBJ
ject for which he had crossed the Atlantic, namely,
the relief of those unhappy persons who then
suffering on account of their religion. y
He used his influence with the king solely in doing
good"
The relation between William Penn and the Pa
pst king was indeed remarkable. Gerard Crosse
published his Historic Quakeriana at Amsterdam
in 1895, which translated into English in the
following year. Ii greatly disliked by the
Quakers and in 1896 drew forth answer from
one Of the society. The testimony of Crosse in re-
lation to Penn, may therefore be deemed impartial
He says "The king loved him, as singular and
entire friend, and impaired to him many OF his Sc
crets and counsels. He often honored him with his
! company in private, discoursng with him of vari-
Gus affairs, and that not for one but many hours TO-
( gether.''
When a peer, who had been long kept waiting
J for Penn TO come forth, ventured to complain the
king simply said ''Penn altcays talked ingeni0usly,
and he heard him tciilingiy Crosse says that Penn
! was unwcaried the sutton on behalf of his OPP
pressed people, making constant efforts for their
liberation, and paying their legal expenses from
his private purse. The kings remark certainly
does not quadrate with Burnet's statement, that
Penn 'had tedious, luscious ,oay Of taking"
With Queen Anne he was great favorite; and
Clarkson says, vol. ii. chap. 15 shc received him
always in a friendly manner, and was pleased with
his conversation So was Tillotson. So a
better Judge than Queen Anne, Tillotson, Bur-
net. In Mobiles continuation of Granger, Swift is
stated to have said-"Pe talked Uery agreeabiy,
and ruth much spirit"
Somewhat of Penns relation to King James may
4 be gathered from Penn's answer, when examined
in 1890, before King William, in regard 10 an in
tercepted letter from King James to Penn. In that
letter, James desired Penn to 'come 10 has assist
ance and express 10 him The resentets of aror and
benepoIence." When asked what resentments were
intended he replied that che did not know, but he
supposed the king meant he should compass his re-
storation Though, however, he could not avoid
the suspicion of such an attempt, he could avoid
the guilt Of il. He confessed he had loved King
James; and, as he had loved him in his prosperity
he could not hate him in his adversity-yes, he
loved him yet, for tho manly favors he had con-
ferred on him, though he could not join with him
in what concerned the state or kingdom" This
,answer, says Pickart, "tcds noble, generous, ana
D-ise"
Ill,
NJ William Penn is his justly celebrated letter Of
october "a, 1858, TO William Topple Mr.. Topplc
as secretary to the Lords Commissioners for the
sfiairs of trade and plantations and a particular
friend of Penn and of his schoolfeow, John Locke
Had Mr.. Macaulay fourished then, he would have
had reader listeners TO these cavils than he has nj
present Penn, in 1858, was excessively unpopular
He was not only The tool of The king and he Jesuts
but rank Papisf and Jesuit himself-the friend Of
arbitrary poroer-bred at ST. Orners the Jestts Col
lege-he had taken orders at Rome-ndrried under q
Observation-Disclosures as priest at WhitehaH-nc
charge against William Penn was too absurd "a
gain credit with the people at the period of the
revolution.
Upon this occasion, Mr.. Topple addressed TO Penn
letter, eminently beautiful in point of style, and
containing most forcibe appeal 10 Penn's sense
of duty 10 himself 10 the society Of Friends, 60 his
children and the world, put down these atrocous
calumnies, by some public written declaration.
His letter will be found in Clarkson's Memoirs,
vol. II. chap. /. truly regret that have space
only for some brief disconnected extracts from Will
liam PENIS reply
"wortby Friend, il Is now above twenty years
] thank God, that have not been very solicitous
what tho world thought Of me, &c. The bushes,
chiefly insisted on is my Popery, and endcavors "a
promote il. do say then, and that, with all sim.
plicity, that am not only no Jesuit, but Papist
and which is more, never had any temptation up
on me 20 be so, either from doubts in my own mind
about the way profess, or from the discourses OF
writings Of any of that religion. And in the pre-
sence of Almighty God do declare, that the king
did never once, directly indirectly attack me
or tempt upon that subject" - . 81 say
then solemnly, that SO far from having been bred
at St. Omers, and having received orders at Rome
that never was at either place; nor do know any
body there, nor had ever correspondence ithany
body In those places" After abiding 60 the absurd
ity Of charging him with having officiated Ca.
tholic priest, he adverts TO his opinion Of the views
of King James, the subject Of toleration--"An And
i'm his honor, well as in my defence, an
obliged in conscience TO say, that he has ever de-
cared To il was his opinion; and all occasions
when duke, he never refused me the repeated proc
Of il, as often as bad any poor sufferers for con
science sake to solicit his help for" "TC