The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-10-27
THE LAND OF WILLIAM PENN.
Sir Edmund Plowden Was the First
Catholic to Arrive in
Philadelphia
SETTLEMENT OF NEW SWEDEN
It Was From King WEo Died Catholic
That Penn Secured
Philadelphia.

~AA~As'~>S~t~@'
jMartir L. ]. Griffin in the G. b. U. Journal.
The first Catholic who came to the
lard which since 1882 has been called
Philadelphia, was Sir Edmund Plowder
Of Ireland who, in 1882, had been given
by Charles T., a grant of the land now
known as the States Of New Jersey
Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland
In 1884, Sir Edmund Plo wlen granted
10000 acres to Sir Thos. Dandy con.
dit1onea that he should settle 100 plant.
ers On it, but not to suffer ''any to live
there not believing or protesting the
three Christian Creeds commonly called
the Apostolical, Athanasian and
Nicene.''
The settlement thus made, was to be
called The 'Town and Manor of Danny
Fort
But on September 23rd, 1888, King
Charles l. had granted special COM
mission to Thos. Yong, of Yorkshire,
and Robert Evelin, Of Wotton, to dis
cover parts of America not in actual
possession of any Christian prince.''
They sailed from Falmouth May 10th,
1884, and OH July 25th. entered what is
now the Delaware River, but which
they named Charles They went as far
as Trenton Falls as their vessels could
40 no farther. They built fort at
what is now called Salem. N. j., aud
resided there several years. and when in
1912, Sir Edmund Plowden came up the
river he found an English settlement of
20 persons there, whom he required to
swear obedience 10 him as Governor.
These wera probably colonists from
New Haven who had removed to con-
tinue in the whaling enterprise, as the
whales had become lessened in their old
homes.
So the Catholic, Sir Edmund Plowden.
was the first English Governor of all
this now populous country.
But the Swedes and Firms were here
ia possession and in settlement and
Johan Printz the Governor Of New
Sweden, opposed any establishment of
the authority Of Sir Edmund Pl"wden
the Governor Of New Albion as Plow-
den called his grant. P|owden lived
most of the time in Virginia, but
granted commissions to trade here In
the river with the savages,' as Prlntz
reported on June 2Oth, 1643, in reporting
to Sweden how on May 9Th. l643. he had
arrested some of ''the Knights people''
and had taken them to Christiana, (lOW
Wilmlngton) as not being on proper
erraDd. ...<.
So in 1888, P!owden determined to re.
turn to England, ''to get sufficient
strength to overpower the Swedes "
On his arrival there, "a Description Of
the Province of New Albion was is
sued. After describing location,
climate, Indians and proposed govern
ment, it spoke of religion thus:
For religion conceive the Holland
way, practlsed, best to content all
parties; first by Act Of Parliament or
Grand Assembly, to settle and establish
all the fundamentals. necessary to SAL
vation. But no persecution to any dis.
senting, and to all, such as the Wallons,
free Chapels; and to publish all as
seditious, and for contempt, as bitterly
lail and condemn others Of the con
trary, for this argument or persuasion
of religion, Ceremonies OF Church
Discipline should be acted in mildness,
love and charity, and gentle language
rot to disturb the ease or quiet of the
inhabitants, but therein to obey the
Civil Magistrate Plowden formed
"The Albion Knights, for the Conver-
sion OF the % Kings''-of the Indians
within his grant.
Thus we see that Philadelphia is, as
it was designed to be, the sanctuary OF
religious liberty, and that Catholic
declared that nciple over the land on
which We dwell.
But the project Of the Earl Palatine,
Sir Edmund Plowden, was DESTROYED
by the Puritan troubles in England,
and the execution Of Charles I. in l849,
and thus New Albion never became,a an
established Province, and thus Mary
land remained the only home in this
great world Of Religious Liberty until
the Puritans, invited by Lord Balti-.
more, to come from the persecution
lhey were exposed to in Virginia, ac-
cepted the Invitation. and repaid il by.
overtime owing The Act OF liberation
passed il 1919 and debarring Catholics
from enjoyink the public exercise Of
their rellg .5 5..a 81
ealilitry hereab bouts con tinpel Y e:
nnfler en- until "A 655 when the