The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-22

Springett Penn, then in his twenty first year.
who had long been suffering from disease, died
few weeks after his return. His genius and
uncommon virtues had made him very dear to
his father from childhood and his striking re-
semblance to his mother in person and charac-
ter caused his loss 10 be the more deeply felt
Penn was little from home during the pres
ent year. except on the occasion of visit to
the Car of Muscovy afterward Peter the
Great, then on visit to England The Car
was very curious to know why the Quakers did
not take off their hats, and of what use to their
country people could be who would not fight
He was so much interested in Penn's explana-
ton OF their doctrines that whenever Oppor-
tunity offered during his travels he attended
Quaker meetings, and commended their views,
by saying that whoever could live according
to such doctrines, would be happy"
In 1899 Penn once more made preparations
to return to America Taking his wife and
children, he embarked at the Isle of Wight
and after tedious voyage of three months,
and an absence of sixteen years he arrived
once more &C the land where his hopes and
aims were conferred. He was welcomed with
acclamatons Of JOY. Proceeding to Philadel-
pha he Immediately called the Assembly, and
fastened TO restore order to the Government
which had gone sadly amiss during the long
years of his absence. The severity Of the sea
son caused but short sitting, as their health
was endangered by the extreme cold. Penn,
therefore, with his family, retired TO his home
ut Pennsbury, ON the banks of the Delaware
that stood alone amidst the luxuriant forests
whose stiffness was still unbroken by the busy
sounds OF civilization. King Charles and his
| courtIers would not have wondered now at his
audacityin carrying his Quaker principles even
among the wild savages of America, IL they
could have beheld the strange and uncouth. hut
deeply ielt expressions OF Joy and gratitude,
with which the Indian warriors gathered round
| their unforgotten Father Onasr He received
| the sachems in the audience hall OF his man
SION, and renewed the treaties of years gone by,
| which, though not ratified by an oath We're
faithfully kept They told him they "neyer frst
broke their covenants with other people for,
az said one OF them shifting his hand upon hi
head three times, they did not make then
there in their head; but" shifting his hanC
three times on his breast said they made then
there, in their hearts"
Time and trouble had whitened the flowing
locks of the venerated Penn, but deep peace
and joy lighted his face as he rested in his old
Oaken armchair amidst the Indian chiefs
| gathered around him with their rude but gen
erous offerings, and welcoming him to the land
of their fathers and his heart beat quick and
high with the hopes of bringing them to Chris.
tianity and civilization. He gratified them,
too, by returning visits, and witnessing the
sports, and partaking of their simple food,
seated upon the mats and highly.wrought
| feather nantes which they spread jim honor OF
| his presence He never mingled with them
| without leaving the good seed" Their graft
tude and affection knew no bounds, for he had
treated them with kindness and given them
equal privileges with the other people of his
Province
The second year after his arrival he made
arrangements for the benefit and protection of
the Indians and negro slaves. A few Of the
latter had been imported in 1852, soon after
the planting of the colony, and continued to
be brought. In 1858, the Quakers Mt yearly
meeting resolved "that the buying, selling,
and holding men in slavery was inconsistent
with the tenets of the Christian religion -
They therefore began TO treat them differently
considering them part OF their own families
| giving them religious instruction, and admit
ting them TO worship in the mecting-h houses
with themselves Penn, during this SECOND
stay in America, wishing to secure the weiar,
of the slaves and their final freedom, by legs
lative act drew up bills to that effect, an,
placed them before the Assembly. But to hi
surprise and disappointment, the Assembly re
fused TO pass them After two years of con
slant effort for the improvement of his colon,
and benefit of the Indians, Penn received lot
tiers from England, which informed him o
jealousies existing there, and their intention OF
dissolving the various Governments in Amer
ca, and bringing them under the entire control
of the King But Parliament had been soil.
cited to defer their proceedings till the arrival
Of Penn, to answer for himself, as one of those
whose character the bill affected
With deepest regret Penn and his family
took leave of his people, and with sorrow and
anxiety bade farewell TO the Indian chiefs who
had assembled at Philadel phia, to pay him u
last visit-the news having gone far and near
among the swift-footed race, that their white
father was going away to his own country. As
surfing them he had done all in his power to
secure their welfare, and giving and receiving
the promise Of continued friendship, they ex-
changed presents, and parted. The Indians
returned to their forest homes in silent sorrow
for their lost bcnefactor, and Penn launched
upon the deep, and left behind him the loved
land he was never more to see.
A voyage of six weeks brought him again to
the shores of England But upon hisarrival,
he found the bill, which had caused him 80
much anxiety, had been dropped entirely and
therefore his voyage had been to no purpose.
Queen Anne succeeded TO the throne about
this time. Penn was held in high esteem by
her, and she frequently held long conversations
with him about his occupations in America
He now again resided in Kensingtop, but his
time was mostly spent in writing, preaching,
and publishing various works.
In 1907, six years after his return from
America, he was involved in lawsuit with
the executors Of his steward, Ford who had
deceived and defrauded him 10 q large amount
This was pending for year or more, part of
which time he was obliged TO live within the
rules of the Fleet which probably occasioned
Burke in one of his works TO state that Will
liam Penn died in Fleet prison To get rid Of
this embarrassment, Penn was obliged to mort
gage his Province Of Pennsylvania for f6,G0O,
which released him from his difficulties
In l7l2 he resolved u part with his Prov
ince, and offered tito Government for the sum
of 100000, being but $4,000 more than the
debt for which he had accepted il, when in
an unbroken wilderness His plan was not
executed, however, on account Of his serious
illness His last troubles had broken the spirit
that had so long and 40 manfully struggled
with the most severe trials. Old age had come
upon him, and stolen away the vigor Of his
prime, and he could no longer battle with the
storms Of life Apoplectic hts continued to
impair his strength, and obscure the brilliancy
of his mind. His memory became indistinct
and he could converse but upon the one sub
ject of his God. Everything else lost its real
ity and interest to him, and upon this theme
only was he eloquent in his last days. He for
got ali else but God and eternity, and with
these glorious thoughts Frightening his dying
hours, he passed away early on the morning of
the 5th July, IT'S, at the advanced age of 90.
His work was finished, and he had indeed