North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-10-04

coldly on him, and requited his services wiki -,
quy.' This Mr.. Dixon indignantly denies in l.; OO'
chapter, yet he constantly tells US in tho I e.
his work that during his connectionw 18th Kin, Of
intimacy which seems to have been s. 'a~es,
rather than political, Penn was accused BY ''a
being ajesuit in disguise; in his speech be9 OF
committee of the House of Commons, he b;r' NE
says nor hath this been the report of the rabhr.
ly." Even his friend DR.. TiIlitson, one of H.. W.
Diyines of the day., had his doubts on the .nl.
and did not feel sufficiently assured to denv the
sation on his own knowledge; while NJ, n. '''
HIMSELF though indignant at the charp. ,h, AOA
did not, in 1854, while residing at Kensino,on eAA
we'll with his brethren, tells US that in 1854 U n'
of his own sect for time looked coldy on h.y
ferings." They had no complaint to mako S'
his morals or his life-they only pretended = 'u''
denim the too active part he had taken in tho ~.
of the world" Such bubbles are unwortbv ,L"|
grapher of William Penn. Though he NAV O"'
been coldly treated for time by some biqo,o nav. ae
to enter into his enlarged views on all snbio,.
cannot affect this character at this day. with "''
members of his society, or the world at Iaroo VIC
the fate of all men who live in advance of a.: way
Entering life with every advantage which edDc.,s
social position, court influence and wealth conII
him, he renounced all for conscience sake ..I e
enabled to live in the dissolute Court of Cb...'I
Second, ard associate intimately with the Led
spirits of the day, and yet preserve himself foo
their communicating influence. Had he Withdraw, CO..
them altogether, he would not have been On -
ing of praise. He Stunned the vices wihor, .uoiJ:
the company of his early friends; far easis, VI
it have been to have left them atogeher bu, bo
ed on his worldly station and influence with 1.ma.
as talent, for which he would be held accouD,bIo
Yet he did not hesitate to risk the loss mt o0 -
his position at court, but large part of his ns,oo,
property, when they could only be retained BY com.
promising his opinions. The personal as well III.
political friend and ardent admrer of the life and
principles OF the immortal Sydney, he used evey er
ertlon to ensure his election TO Parliament at lime
when it was his obvious interest to stand vel, .,
court. To lie under the least suspicion of leaDDr
towards republican principles was at that time sniff
cent to ruin any yet he petitioned and obtained
with his grant of land, the most liberal charter ev
er given to any colony. His code of laws drawn nm.
with the help of Agernon Sydney as far as was com
patible with the reserved rights of the Crown was
strictly republican, and still forms the basis of the
Constitution of the State he founded. THOUGH Lord
Proprietor of the soil, having obtained the grant in
place of just debt, he only reserved the right of
three votes in Council for the Governor which Office
was hereditary in his family. To realize what was
considered as mere Utopan scheme he cheerlully
sunk large fortune and though owner of thousands of
acres, was at time toe poor pay the expenses of
a voyage across the Atlantic. Well may Mr. Ma.
cauay say, his confidence in persons less virluOus
than himself led him into great errors and misfo.
tunes" Nor should his exertions in favor of reI.
gious liberty be forgotten. At time when to doubt
the policy of prosecuting the Papst was considered
worse than treason, he boldly avowed in his speech
before the committee that he wished to give the lib.
erty which he asked, and would have none suffer for
truly sober and conscientious dissent any hand"
When We consider that in that age liberty of con-
science almost unheard of, we cannot sufficiently
admire this sentiment. Papist and Episcopaan Pres
Dyteran and Independent, were each for bringing
others to their way of thinking. Even the much
Puritans, driven to seek refuge in what
seemed barren wilderness, turned all the power Of
heir laws, not only against their prosecutors, butte
cry other 1t remained for the despsed Quakes
the followers of George Fox-so proclaim through
heir champion, William Penn, - Liberty to all
;reeds!" Well may they glory in his name; and
who will blame them for seeking free it from the
shadow which has been on it by one of the great
'st writers of the day! We would not presume TO
lecide on the great question of Mr.. Macauay's We.
acity, but we hope all whose minds have been in.
iuenced by what he has said of the courtly Qua.
ier." will read Mr.. Dixon's book and we leave it
he unprejudieed reader to decide whether the
If William Penn, as the firm unfinching friend of
ivi anu religious liberty, will not hereafter stand
orth on the page of history free from myth or STAIN