Evening journal., 1920-11-29

establishing a state in which his ridi-
culed and prosecuted Ouakcrs might
live according to their convictions. As
early as 1860 when at Oxford. Penn
himself had felt the romance OF some
such experiment During his long
flght for religious liberty In England
the dream strengthened into a hope,
and finally, In 1891 with the acduisi-
ton OF Pennsylvania, II began 10 take
definite shape. The prosecuted Friends
OF England should have a refuge from
their tribulatons and the plous sects
Of kindred belief in Germany and
Holland should be invited TO share It's
benefits. But the "Holy Experiment" Il"
as Penn called IT,, must have a firm
basis. He sought advice from all quar-
ters, and many were the constitutions
drafted and discarded before the flrst
form was reached. Penn and Algernon
S'dny one bf earths staunchest low
ers OF liberty and one OF England's
greatest sons, were in frequent con-
ference over the plan OF government.
In all history there Is probably 10
conjunction OF minds more interest
ing than this. Together, these two
daring men drew up the constitution
OF the new commonwealth which
contained such advanced features as
hilt UdlAUhf uulNtICdl Nuildktt Nilt
abolition Of property qualification, re-
ligious equality, prison reform and
the abolition OF capital punishment,
except for the crimes Of murder and
treason. Time after time. the consti-
tuition was modified by the people,
but these great principles held their
own, and 10 can be traced how pro-
fOdndly they influenced that greater
Constitution Of the United States
drafted a hundred years later In
1852, Penn and a few friends sailed
up the Delaware Others had preceded
him and were waiting anxiOusly 10
welcome the Proprietor and Cover
nor. Almost the first act was to de-
eide upon the capital and 10 lay out
city, which was done on such a
large scale that men laughed at his
faith and optimism. A treaty was
made with The Indians which insured
peace 10 the province for the future,
and the principle OF absolute fair
dealing with the Indians was estab-
lished. Penn was so scrupulOus In
This respect that where any trouble
arose between the settlers and the
red men 1t was TO be tried by a jury
composed Of six cOlOnisls and six In
dians Then the Assembly and Coun-
ell were constituted, and the Com
m0nWealth OF Pennsylvania was a
fact For two years Penn remained
in America, governing with wisdom,
prudence and justice. and 10 would
have been we'll both for himself and
the little republic II he could have
spent his life here. But a dispute
with Lord Baltimore. Of Maryland,
concerning the boundaries OF the two
territories. and the sad condition OF
his Quaker brethren in England-hun-
dreds Of whom were in prison-re-
called him home. That was the be-
ginning Of his troubles. Pennsylvania
was governed by deputies, who were
almost always in conflict with the
Assembly, and penn's rights were
constantly in dispute. The people
refused to pay penn's quit rents, the
Assembly declined 10 pay the cost Of
| government and for seventeen years
Penn had 10 live in England, lighting
for his charter rights in Parliament
and before The priVy Council, and at
The same time paying all the expenses
Of government in Pennsylvania. IL Is
a great wonder that he did not give
up The Holy Experiment in disgust
for the piOus Quakers, forever prat.
ing about liberty and justice, would
not even pay the salary Of a judge OF
school teacher Penn, though wealthy
was greatly embarrassed by this in
Justice
And PENIS life in England is diffi-
cult TO understand. Probably II wa;
necessary for him TO become a cour-
1 tier in order TO advance the interests
Of the colony, but 10 was a perlou:
position in which we find him, anc