The daily gazette., 1881-06-07
AT PENN'S GRAVE.
Visit to the Tomb Of the Founder of
Pennsylvania.

visit to the Tomb Of the Founder of
Pennsylvania.
LONDON, June 4, 1881.
No mOuldering ruin OF sculptured
tracery attracts the gaze. Not q single
oo)ect OF artistic. beauty, not one form
OF earthly grandeur meets the view. 1t
Is simple, bxrn-like structure. In
front Of IL are few unpretendlng grave
stones and that is ail. One might ST.
most fancy 1t the cemetery Of some ruin
ed and deserted hamlet but tor the peo.
pie that were there assembled. l found
that had hit upon rare occasion CT an
annual meeting Of the Friends of the
district. 1t 10 almost the only meeting
held here dnring the course o. the whole
year, and the very matter which took
me there had brought larger cOncourse
of Friends. All had heard or had talk
ed of the removal of William Penn's
bones. Although none believed that il
could be, all wanted TO hear what was
said on the subject. Among the num-
Der were some American Friends who
were on their travels aud who had de-
voted the day to seeing spot which was
SO endeared to them. Among them
were DR.. King, of Baltimore +; Mr.. j. G.
Thorn, Of Baltimore Mr.. Amos Hains,
OF New York, ,and nearly dozen others.
l foand g cup Of gentlemen gathered
about one Of the unpretending graves
or gravestones, should say, for there
was hardly mound I'd indicate where
body had been laid. [. bore the sim
PIE Inscription, "Willlatn Penn, 17Is."
A few years ago stranger would have
been unable TO distinguish the grave of
William Penn from The surrounding
grass covered hillocks. No sign declar-
ed the former rank and char acter Of the
sleeper. Wild flowers grew alike over
all.
WRITTEN ON THE HEADsroNEs.
It was Granville Penn, of Stoke Po-
gis, the great grandson Of William Penn,
who suggested the erection of a small
stone to mark the resting place Of his an
cestor. Ihis advice was adopted
Headstones mark not ouly the grave OF
Penn, bat those Of his two wives, his
children, his relatives, Ills intimate asso-
ciates aud his fellow laborers. The
greater number Of graves remained un.
marked by stones. Only fifteen stones
are found ia all, three being close to the
grave of William Penn. Near the ELL
trance gate, TO the left OF the narrow
path, slab points out the graves of bis
five children. On The right of the path
Is row Of graves, five marked by head.
stones. The second aud third are those
Of Isaac Pennington aud his wife; the
fourth is that of Penn's first wife, Guliel-
ma Maria; the fifth bears the names of
William Penn and his second wife. To
molest any of'those graves; TO molest,
most of all, the chief among them, that
Of William Penn, would be- desecra-
tlon. such was the opinion of all with
whom spoke-AmerItan as we'll rs
English. They woald not like TO see
the graves touched on any account. No
where coulI Penn's rem aims rest 60 suit
ably as beneath the elns of the quiet
spot where, with others, he had worship
ped In unquiet ana dangerous times, and
where ct his own request he was buried.
PROTEST OF rRUsrEks.
This opinion found unanimous express
ion in a reso luton which was passed at
the meeting to the effect that nothing
would ever indsoe the tru.iees of the |
little graveyard to allow any graves
to be mole-tad. They had heard that q sum
ofmOney had been collected to purchase
a grave for Penn's bones, but hey smiled
at the simplicity ofany one who could
suppose that money could have any
effa0t upon them. For anytbing which |
they intended to do or which they |
could do induced to do in tbe matter this
remains would stay where they are for |
ever N inutes to this feet were entered |
upon the record Of the days proceedings |
and n committee WAS appo nSed to set |
that nothing was done CONTRARY to this |
resolution should any direct application
be made for the removal of PeuA's.body. |
Up to the present this has not been the |
@ ,se. It should be SAID that these views |
are In accordance with the wish of |
Colonel Stuart, whose wife is deseen- |
dant of the founder ofPdnnsy lvauia and |
who still enjoys the pension OF 1900
which was granted to the family iu heu |
Of the money lent by William Penn 20 |
Charles H. Among thOse elected upon |
this committee sfor the safeguard OF the |
grave1may be mentioned the names Of |
Mr.. X. Littloboy OF Newport PaRnsll,
Mr.. luke HtchiDg, aud Mr.. BrowntOwn
oounse llor of Liston. The first named Is
the chief trustee OF Jordans meeting |
heuse. He writes to the Times this msrn- |