Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-06-29
"That Scamp William Penn, /"


Byastrange coincidence, there have
come 70 us, literally on the same day,
two kindred memorials-or at least
so near akin that they relate, though
in different fashion, to single and
illustrious name, canonized on the
other side of the Delaware. The ono
is very graceful sketch, filled out
with personal recolections of the
lineage OF William Penn, the founder,
him at whose feet Philadelphia is
bound to worship, and to whom, If we
remember rightly, she has erected
lovely statue in historical costume
Ii is from the pen of Mr.. John Jay
Smith, the venerable ex-librarian Of
that city, and tells, in fitting terms of
that curious family which, illustrated
by the rugged qualities of the old ad.
miral first, and the milder merits Of
tho founder afterwards, is, though
told in pleasant words, sad tale of
intellectual insignitcanee and nolan
choly decay. The very name of Penn
has passed away. Stoke of Pogis is
theirs no longer. AT the same mo
ment we are regaled or startled by u
new revelation on the same theme Of
not so pleasant nature The Press
organ Of Philadelphia loyal literature,
tells us that the librarian of the Mas
sachusetts Historical Society, ain
overhauling a lot of old papers," re-
Gently found a letter, dated "Septem-
ber ye Is, 1882" from Cotton Mather
to aye aged and beloved Mr.. John
Higginson," which runs thus
There bee now at sea a shippe (for our friend
Mr.. Esaias Holcraft, of London, did advise me by
the last packet that it wolde sail some in August
called ye Welcome, r. Greenaway master, which
has aboard an hundred or more Of ye horeties and
malignants called Quakers, with W. Penne, who
is ye chief scampe at the hedde Of them. Ne
General Court has accordingly given secret orders
to Master Malachi Huxett, Of ye brig Porposse, to
waylaye ye said Welcome as near ye coast Of Codde
as may be, and make captive ye said Penne and
his ungodlie crew, so that ye Lord may be gori-
fed and not Knocked on ye soil Of this new coun-
trie with yc heather worshippe Of these people,
Much spoyl can be made by selling ye whole lotte
to Barbadoes where slaves fetch good prices in
rumme and sugar, and we shall not only do ye
Lord great service by punshing ye wicked, but
shall make great gayne for his ministers and people.
Master Huxett feels hopeful, and will set down
the news he brings when his shippe comes back
Yours in ye bowels Of Christ.
CorroS MArnER.
In the light of this revelation, one
may be excused for pausing to medi.
tate on the probable course of things
had the Rev. Mr.. Mather's plan of
spoilation succeeded, and Master Mala-
CHI Huxett, of the brig Porpose, off
the coast of God or anywhere else,
captured the welcome and directed
that "scamp Penn" to the West In
dies. II is very clear the City OF
Brolherly Love would not have been
founded, and its rectangular peeuliari-
ties of white window shutters and Sat
urday abutions, not become immortal.
Quit-rents would not have been, and
mixed clinics under Quaker auspices
and the Rush legacy would not have
disturbed the fortieth parallel of lati-
tude. Poor Penn, too-how sadly
different this doom lie and his de-
scendants had rather q hard time OF
it as it was, for his Wanted colony
was a dreadful disappointment to him
for the last thirty years of his life
He ran away and left it, and his child.
rem did no better.
| All this fair land and It's abundance, says Mr.
Smith, were left for the ease and honors of the
/ Old World, and Il is not mere hypcrbolc 10 say
abandoned for less noble bjects an bition AGENT
and sub-agcnts, at heavy cost, were employed
proprietary governors were salaried and supported
| the moneys received were always spent In advance
and a commission aud interest we're charged b,
London bankers, who kept and open account with
the heirs as long as there was anything to author
ite II. II seems If every stone Of Pcnnsylvania
Castle cost city lot; that every pane Of glass il
Stoke mansion aienated ground rent; Will,
every grand entertainment in the London hous,
may safely be said to havetakcn a farm.
But still all this was better than
Barbados 1t would be interesting
as matter Of commercial history tC
have seen Master Iuxett's account
sales Of his adventure, and to know
how many puneheons of rum and hog
sheads of sugar would have been the
equivalent for a well-to.do Quaker oi
that day and generation. If this let
ter be genuine-and we do not doubt
il, finding in the Press-it is a charm.
ing comment on the claims of Massa.
chusetts TO be free from all contami,
nation of slavery and the slave trade
There is in il mixture of the Lord
and rum and sugar, which is eminent
ly Characteristic of the golden age oI
Boston.-Neo York World.