This apparent evil

and as the destruction of its revenue. proved a real blessing. The decisive opinion of Jones, and the subsequent independence of the Jerseys, were the principal causes of the introduction of an assembly in New York; for it was foreseen, that, had the duke even an indisputable right, to impose customs on New York, the exertion of it would only drive people across the Hudson, to the neighbouring colony, to which his power did not extend.

The spirit of discord, which had early disturbed the repose of East Jersey, seems to have been never perfectly allayed. When the assembly convened at Elizabethtown, in October, 1681, a violent dissension commenced, between the governor and council, on the one side, and the representatives on the other, who differed extremely on the question, whether the late grant, from the duke of York to the proprietors, ought to be considered as the foundation of their government."

Offended with a province, which he could neither please nor govern, Carteret transferred his rights, in February, 1682, to William Penn, and eleven associates, of the Quaker religion. These men immediately conveyed one half of their interest to the earl of Perth, and eleven other Scotchmen; making in the whole, twenty-four proprietors. Desirous rather to hold the province, by an immediate charter from the duke of York, than under their purchase, the Scotch proprietors successfully solicited a new patent. In March, 1683, a grant was conferred on the earl of Perth, and his associates. Thus the property of the soil of East Jersey became invested in owners of different kinds; in the general proprietors; in the purchasers under them; in claimants under patents; and in Indian purchases. A fruitful seed plot of future litigation was thus sown in the colony.

Though oppression fell not so heavily on the people, as to interrupt their pursuits, the Jerseys did not enjoy perfect tranquillity, owing chiefly to the claims of a more powerful neighbour. It was to little purpose, to declare them independent of New York, if she still claimed, and exercised real jurisdiction. Subsequent to the year 1683, the New

York assembly extended the same taxes to New Jersey, as it had established for its constituents. These impositions were resisted, and complained of to the ruling powers in England. But no farther redress was obtained, than an order to the governor of New York, in May, 1687, "to permit vessels to pass without interruption to East Jersey, paying the same customs as at New York." In pursuance of king James's plans, for consolidating the colonies, the Jerseys were, not long afterwards, annexed to New England. In order to evince their loyalty, and in the hope of losing less by submission than a fruitless resistance, the proprietors of East Jersey made a formal surrender of their patent; praying only for a new grant, securing their title to the soil, But, before a request so reasonable could be granted, a revolution ensued, which transferred the allegiance of proprietors and people, to new sovereigns. From June, 1689, to August, 1692, the Jerseys were left without a government. That of Andross had been overthrown, and no other was established in its place.

1

East Jersey had been already divided into five counties, The first emigrants were the immediate descendants of the men, who passed the Sound from Connecticut, and settled on Long Island. Soon afterwards lord Perth, and other noblemen of his country, became proprietors. Considerable numbers removed thither from Scotland. Many of these settled about Amboy, and near the river Raritan. The proprietors appointed Robert Barclay, author of the Apology, governor of East Jersey, for life. He continued in that office till 1685, when he was succeeded by lord Neil Campbell, and he, in 1698, by Sir Thomas Lane. In the same period, West Jersey had Olive, Skein, Cox, and Hamilton, in succession, for their governors.

In the last fifteen or twenty years of the seventeenth cen tury, the province was in a state of confusion. The revolution of 1688, in England, unsettled preceding systems, and delays intervened, before a new efficient government was established.

These disorders, continuing to increase, arose to their greatest height, in 1701. Each of the two divisions of Jersey had many and different proprietors, who promoted separate and clashing interests. Moderate councils were disregarded. A spirit of party and discord took place of order and peace. Every expedient to restore union and regularity was unavailing. In this state of things, the proprietors of both divisions, in 1702, surrendered their rights of government to queen Anne.

This was readily accepted; for at that period, there was an eagerness in the crown, to repossess itself of colonial charters. The distinction of East and West Jersey henceforward ceased, and both were united under the name of New Jersey. The subsequent proceedings of the government were more uniform and systematic.

Queen Anne appointed her cousin, lord Cornbury, first governor of the recently acquired royal province. He was also governor of New York, and in both exercised his powers, to the oppression of the people. The assembly of the latter complained of him to the queen, who divested him of his office. On his becoming a private man, his creditors arrested him; and he remained in the custody of the sheriff, till the death of his father, when, succeeding to the earldom of Clarendon, he returned to England. His successors were lord Lovelace, Ingoldsby, Hunter, Burnet, Montgomerie, Cosby, Anderson, as president of council, and Hamilton; who administered the government in succession, from 1708 to 1738. In this period, government was carried on with more union, energy, and advantage to the people, than before; but the country was not the seat of any great event. The most remarkable was a co-operation in plans for the conquest of Canada. In 1709, the assembly passed laws for emitting 3000l. in bills of credit, and enforcing its currency; and also, for the encouragement of volunteers, to go on an expedition to Canada. This was the first paper money emitted in New Jersey. It was well supported, and kept up its credit without depreciation. It was made a tender in law, and answered many valuable purposes, without the evils, which, in some other

colonies, resulted from bills of credit. About the same time, laws were passed for taking the affirmation of Quakers in legal proceedings, as a substitute for their oaths.

In this period of thirty years, the colony progressively increased in numbers and wealth. Feeling their own importance, they petitioned for a separate governor. Hitherto they had been regularly annexed to the government of New York; and one governor presided over both provinces. Their petition was readily granted. In 1738, Lewis Morris* was appointed governor of New Jersey, distinct from New York, He continued in office till his death, in 1746. He was suc ceeded by Hamilton, and he by Reading, as presidents of the council. Jonathan Belcher was governor, from 1747, to 1757, and was succeeded by Reading, president of the council. Francis Bernard succeeded to the government, in 1758. His successors were Thomas Boone, Josiah Hardy, and William Franklin; the last of whom continued in office till the termination of royal government. Anterior to the commencement of the revolution, nothing of great political con

Lewis Morris, governor of New Jersey, was left an orphan when a child, and was adopted by his uncle. Once, through fear of his resentment, he strolled into Virginia, and thence to the West Indies. On his return, how. ever, he was received with joy. From his infancy, he lived in a manner well calculated to teach him the nature of man, and to fortify his mind, to bear the vicissitudes of life. For several years, he was chief justice of New York, and was the second counsellor of New Jersey, named in lord Cornbury's commission, in 1702; and continued with several suspensions, till 1738, when he was appointed governor of New Jersey, as separate from New York. The province owed much to his early patriotism and abilities. His will was singular. In it, he prohibited rings and scarfs from being given at his fune. ral, and wished no man to be paid for preaching a funeral sermon upon him; though if any man, churchman or dissenter, minister or not, were inclined to say any thing, he should be permitted to do so. He prohibited any mourning dress to be worn on his account, as he should die when divine Providence should call him away; and was unwilling that his friends should be at the expense, authorized only by the common folly of mankind. He was a man of letters, and, though a little whimsical in his temper, was grave in his manners, and of a most penetrating mind. In the knowledge of the law, he was pre-eminent. Acute in controversy, when he had advanced an argument, he would not yield it, unless it were disproved by demonstration almost mathematical.

sequence occurred in the province. In accomplishing that great event, New Jersey suffered much, and bled freely. When she confederated with her sister colonies, to resist Great Britain, her population amounted to 161,290.

PENNSYLVANIA AND DELAWARE.

William Penn, who, by purchase, had become a large proprietor of New Jersey, being dissatisfied with his numerous

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was the son of Sir William Penn, an admiral of the English navy, in the protectorate of Cromwell, and in the reign of Charles the second; and who, as an officer, had rendered very important services to the nation, particularly by the conquest of Jamaica from the Spaniards, and in a naval victory over the Dutch. The son of this meritorious naval officer, from principle, and in opposition to all worldly motives, at an early period of his life, joined the Quakers, when they were an obscure and persecuted sect. As one of them, and as a preacher among them, he was repeatedly imprisoned. On a particular occasion, when he was brought to trial at the old Bailey, for preaching agreeably to the rules of his sect, he pleaded his own cause, with the freedom of an Englishman, and the magnanimity of a hero. The jury at first brought in their verdict "guilty of speaking in Grace Church street." This being deemed no verdict, they were threatened and sent back. Mr. Penn said to them: ye are Englishmen! mind your privilege! give not away your right!" They were then shut up all night, without victuals or fire. The next morning, they brought in the same verdict. Being sent back, and threatened again, they brought in their verdict," not guilty." On this, they were fined forty marks each, and imprisoned along with the accused, till their fines and fees were paid. Penn's feelings and reflections, roused by persecution, led him to adopt the most liberal ideas of toleration. A love for freedom of inquiry, and a total abhorrence of persecution for conscience sake, took possession of his whole soul. It is a singular circumstance in the history of mankind, that divine Providence should give to such a man, as William Penn, an opportunity to make a fair experiment of these excellent maxims, by establishing a colony in America, on the most liberal principles of toleration, at a time, when the oldest nations in Europe were endeavouring to reduce the minds of men, to a most absurd uniformity, in articles of faith, and modes of worship.

Penn, having obtained a grant of a large territory given him as a reward for his father's services, by public advertisement, invited purchasers, and described the country with a display of the advantages, which might be expected from a settlement in it. This induced many single persons, and some families, chiefly of the denomination of Quakers, to think of a removal to it. A number of merchants and others formed themselves into a company, for the sake of encouraging the settlement and trade of the country, and pur