Evening journal., 1898-02-18

dience Of his wish to exercise them
only Professionally and for the general
good. He adverted to the frame of gov
ernment which he had published for
Pennsylvania as containing his theory
of government; and promised the set
tiers on the lower reaches of the Della
ware that the same principles should
be adopted in the organization Of their
territory. Every man, he said, in his
provinces, should enjoy liberty of con-
science and his fair share Of political
power; and as an earnest of his in
tention to proceed on fixed and just
principles in the government of his
colony, he ended by renewing in his
own name tho commissions of all the
existing magistrates.
"The people listened to this speech
with wonder and delight. They were
many Of them but rude and illiterate
husbandmen but that Old northern
instinct which had led them from the
Rhine, the Elbe, the Zuyder Zee, and
the Dahl to seek for freedom on the
shores OF the Delaware, told them a
new era had commenced with the land
ing of the English governor. They had
but one request to make in answer TO
his explanation, and that was that ne
would reign over them in person, and
with this view they besOught him to
annex their territory to Pennsylvania
that they might have one country, one
parliament, one ruler He promised, at
their desire to take the question of
union OF the two provinces into consid-
eration, and TO submit it to the assem-
bly, which was about TO meet at Up
land. And so he took his leave"
From New Castle he proceeded to
Philadelphia by easy stages, and it
was there that the celebrated confer
cnce was held and the treaty signed
Mr.. Dixon continues:
'As he had now become intimate
with Taminent and other of the native
kings who cordially approved Of these
treaties, seeing in them great advan-
tages for their people, he proposed to
hold a solemn conference with the
chiefs and warriors, to confirm the for
mer treaties and form with them q
lasting league OF peace and friendship
"On the banks of the Delaware, in
the suburbs of the rising city of Phila-
delphia, was a fine natural amphithe-
atre, used from time immemorial as a
place Of meeting for the native tribes.
The name of Sakimaxing-nOw cor
rupted by the white men into Shacla-
maXOn-has a royal signifcatiOn.
meaning the locality of kings AT this
spot stood one Of those glorious elms
which so pre-emiently mark the for
ests of the New World II was already
155 years old; under its spreading
branches friendly nations had been
wont to meet, TO arrange differences,
and smoke the calumet of peace, long
before the pale faces had landed on
those shores. With the tact which
ever distinguished him, Markham had
appointed this locality for his first con-
ference with the Indians; and the land
commissioners wisely Followed his ex-
ample Old traditions had made the
place sacred to one of the contracting
parties-and when Penn proposed his
solemn conference ne named Sakimax-
ing as a matter of course for its To-
cality.
This conference has become one Of
the most striking scenes in history.
Artists have painted, poets have sung.
| philosophers have applauded &c; but it
is nevertheless clear, that in words
| and colors it has been equally and gen.
/ orally misrepresented, because paint
ers, poets, and historians have chosen
TO draw on their own imaginatiOns for
! the features Of a scene every marking
line Of which they might have recover
ed from authentic sources.
The great outlines OF nature are
easily obtained. There the dense
masses of cedar. pine, and chestnut.
stretching far away into the interior of
the land; here the noble river rolling
It's waters down to the Atlantic ocean: +:
along its surface rose the purple
smoke Of the settlers hOmesteads: on
the opposite shore lay the fertile and
! settled country of East New Jersey
Here stood the gigantic elm which was
% become immortal from that day for
ward-and there lay the verdant coun-
ell chamber formed 10y nature on the
surface of the soil. In the centrei stood
William Penn; in costume undistin.
guished from the surrounding group
save by the silken SASH His costume
was simple, but not pedantic or un-
calmly An outer coat, reaching to tho
knees. and covered with buttons; a
vest Of other materials, but equally
ample; trousers extremely full. slash
ed at the sides, and tied with strings OF
ribbons; a prOfusiOn of shirt sleev,
and ruffies-with hat Of the cavalier
shape tWanung only the feather), from
beneath the brim of which escaped tn,
curls of a new peruke-were its chic
and not ungraceful ingredients. At hi
right hand stood Colonel Markham
who had met the Indians in council
more than once on that identical spot
and was regarded by them as a firm
and faithful friend, on his left Pear
son, the intrepid companion of his voy
age; and near his person, but littl
b backward, band Of his most attache,
adherents. When the Indians an
81 pr0ched in their old forest costume
their bright feathers sparkling in tn
p SUM- and their bodies painted in tn
{ most gorgeous manner, the governO
! received them with the easy dignity O
one accustomed to mix with EurOpea'
5 courts. AS soon as the reception wa
over. the sachems retired to a shOr
4 distance, and after brief consultation
r. among themselves, Taminent. the chic
s sachem or king, a man whose virtue
d are still remembered by the sons OF tn
s forest advanced again few PAGES. an,
IS | nut unDn his own head "A phanlnf inf