The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-09
A PEN PICTURE.
Revised History OF the Former Pro
prietor of Pennsylvania.

Revised History OF the Former Pro-
prietor of Pennsylvania.
W. H. Siriter in M,lnseys Weekly.
There are few men in history more worthy
Of admiration than the subject of this brief
sketch. He was no respector of persons, no
worshiper Of the golden calf he was straight
and square; stiff backed, although Quaker;
in fact, steel pen-a stub pen. not a de-
ceitful fountain pen or a flexible quill
His name was William Penn, aud he was
born in 1914 and IN England simultane-
ously.
He died subsequently, This event occurred
in 17lS.
At first he was the son of an admiral, but
later he became Quaker, and refused to
remove his hat even in the presence Of his
father or the king or the Duke Of York.
This made his hat quite as noted as
though it had been previously the property
of his grandfather. Still no one ever asked
him where he had procured it.
de was the proprietor OF pennsylvania at
one time, but a senator by the mama of
Quay owns the state now.
At Philadelphia they still show you a
pocket handkerchief once used by Mr.
Penn. 1t is the oldest Penn wiper extant
William spent his early years in offending
his father, the admiral, and in effecting a
T6COuCllldIlOu WIFI LD6 ClQ gentleman. OIL
verslfylng these occupations with getting
arrested on account OF his peculiar style of
headgear.
When the admiral died he left his son.
William, e. 500 a year in money and a
much larger sum in claims against the En-
glish government.
Soon after his father died William i'm
proved the opportunity to get arrested
again, this time for preaching in the streets.
RafOra this Jua Harida1 he
oned for wearing his celebrated hat in court.
As soon as this little difficulty was smoothed
over he was arrested some more and sent up
for six months
He got out of Jail this time only to get
into matrimony, and then he broke off for
time his habit of getting arrested which
threatened to become chronic
1t was about this time that the king paid
off the government debt to him by giving
him Pennsylvania. Mr.. Penn wanted to
name the country Sylvania, because ii was
full of forests, but the monarch decided
that wouldn't do, and ordered it TO be
called Pennsylvania, memory of the ad-
mlral, who was dead and not in d condition
TO object.
The proprietor was afraid posterity would
think he was responsible for the name, and
regard him as vain, so he offered the king
twenty guineas to leave the Penn part off.
But Charles refused to do this observing
that money was no object to him just then.
William came to this country to inspect
his Pennsylvania in 1852, and soon after his
arrival he laid out Philadelphia. Although
laid out more than 200 years ago, and un-
doubleday defunct, strange to say, Phila-
delphia has never been buried.
After this MIR. Penn went back to Eng
land and was arrested some more, but 1t
does not seem that be was ever tried for his
crime of founding Philadelphia.
His London agent, who died one day, left
an assortment Of false claims against Mr..
Penn, and that gentleman, to avoid extor-
ton, submitted TO the arrest with an easy
grace born of long practice, and he was put
in the Fleet prison and stayed there until
his friends had arranged matters with his
creditors.
Whenever he felt tired of liberty,
William would always 60 and take arrest.
He was liza lie to do tn is any day, even when
he expected company to dinner. or had an
appointment with his banker in Third
street.
Macaulay says that Penn was a man Of
eminent virtues, with strong sense of
the Indians and made religious liberty the
cornerstone OF the new commonwealth.
but that no was not a man Of strong sense.
and had no skill in reading the character Of
others.
This was true, but one could hardly ex-
pect Penn 70 be an adept at reading.
Writing would be moro in his line. In fact,
we may say OF Penn, Hes all write"
He was the first man to whom the disig-
nation His Nibs' vas ever applied.