fequence) which he had propofed to the last Bill he had refused, fave that for totally exempting the Pro prietary Eftate, had been admitted in this: That being as defirous as the Governor to avoid any difpute on that Head, they had even fo framed the Bill, as to fubmit it entirely to his Majefty's Royal Determination, whether that Eftate bad or had not a Right to fuch Exemption: That fo much Time was allowed by the Bill, that the King's Pleasure might poffibly be known even before the firft Affeffment: That it was farther provided, that if at any Time during the Continuance of the Act, the Crown fhould declare the faid Eftate exempt as aforefaid, in fuch Cafe the Tax, tho' affeffed, fhould not be levied, or if levied fhould be refunded, and replaced by an additional Tax on the Province: That they could not conceive any Thing more fair and reasonable than this, or that the Governor would or could ftart any Objection to it: fince the Words in his Commiffion, which he was pleased to fuppofe contained an exprefs Prohibition to his paffing fuch a Bill, did not appear to them to have any fuch Meaning: That if it was one of the just Rights of Government, that the Proprietary Estate fhould not be taxed for the common Defence of all Eftates in the Province, those just Rights were well understood in England, the Proprietaries were on the Spot to plead their own Caufe, or, if as remote as they (the Affembly) were, might fafely confide in his Majesty's known Wisdom and Juftice: That the Equity of their being taxed, had appeared so plain even to their best Friends there, that they had entered into

*

Provided always, That nothing herein contained, fhall extend, · or be conftrued to extend, to give you any Power or Authority, to do, perform, act, fuffer, acquiefce in, or confent or agree unto, any Act, Matter or Thing whatfoever, by Means or Reafon whereof, we, or either of us, or the Heirs of us, or of either of us, may be hurt, prejudiced, impeached, or incumbered, in our or their, or either of our or their Royalties, Jurifdictions, Properties, Eftate, Right, Title or Intereft, of, in or to, the faid Province or Counties, or any Part of them.'

a voluntary Subscription to pay their fuppofed Quota for them, in full Affurance, that if they had been prefent, they would have done the fame themselves, and would repay what should be fo advanced for them: That if the Proprietaries had any of this Zeal for the Service about them, this Bill if paffed, would give them a happy Opportunity of ma-* nifefting it, by becoming Solicitors to the King for his Approbation, and refufing to petition for an Exemption: And that fince the Right of Exemption contended for on their Behalf, could never be fettled between the Governor and Affembly, the Bill trans-> ferred the Caufe thither where only it could be decided."

The Refidue of this Piece contains fo full, fo noble, and fo affecting a Re-capitulation of the whole Difpute, and fets the felfifh Conduct of the Proprietaries and their Deputy in fo clear a Light, that Leave must be taken to infert it verbatim.

• Our Affemblies have of late had fo many Supply · Bills, and of fuch different Kinds, rejected on various Pretences; fome for not complying with obfolete oc• cafional Inftructions (tho' other Acts exactly of the • fame Tenor had been paft fince those Inftructions, ⚫ and received the Royal Affent ;) fome for being inconfiftent with the fuppofed Spirit of an A&t of ParLament, when the Act itself did not any Way affect us, being made exprefly for other Colonies; fome for being, as the Governor was pleafed to fay, "of an extraordinary Nature," without informing us, wherein that extraordinary Nature confifted; and others for difagreeing with new difcovered Meanings, and forced Conftructions of a Claufe in the Proprietary Commifion; that we are now really at a Lofs to ⚫ divine what Bill can poffibly pafs. The Proprietary Inftructions are Secrets to us; and we may fpend· much Time, and much of the public Money, in preparing and framing Bills for Supply, which, after sall, muft, from those Instructions, prove abortive. if we are thus to be driven from Bill to Bill, with

6

6

out

out one folid Reafon afforded us; and can raise no • Money for the King's Service, and Relief or Se curity of our Country, till we fortunately hit on the only Bill the Governor is allowed to pafs, or till ⚫ we confent to make fuch as the Governor or Proprie• taries direct us to make, we fee little Ufe of Affem. ⚫blies in this Particular; and think we might as well leave it to the Governor or Proprietaries to make for us what Supply Laws they pleafe, and fave ourselves " and the Country the Expence and Trouble. All Debates and all Reafonings are vain, where Proprietary Inftructions, juft or unjuft, right or wrong, muft inviolably be obferved. We have only to find e out, if we can, what they are, and then fubmit and obey. But furely the Proprietaries Conduct, whe⚫ther as Fathers of their Country, or Subjects to their • King, muft appear extraordinary, when it is confidered that they have not only formally refufed to bear any Part of our yearly heavy Expences in cultivating and maintaining Friendship with the Indians, tho' they reap fuch immense. Advantages 'by that Friendship; but they now, by their Lieutenant, refuse to contribute any Part towards refifting an Invafion of the King's Colony, committed to their Care; or to fubmit their Claim of Exemption to the • Decifion of their Sovereign.

.

In fine, we have the most fenfible Concern for the poor diftreffed Inhabitants of the Frontiers. We • have taken every Step in our Power, confiftent with the juft Rights of the Freemen of Penfylvania, for their "Relief, and we have Reason to believe, that in the • Midst of their Diftreffes they themselves do not wish ' us to go farther. Those who would give up effentiál Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, DESERVE neither Liberty nor Safety. Such as were 'inclined to defend themselves, but unable to pur'chafe Arms and Ammunition, have, as we are in'formed, been fupplied with both, as far as Arms could be procured, out of Monies given by the laft

Affembly for the King's Ufe; and the large Supply of Money offered by this Bill, might enable the Go vernor to do every Thing else that should be judged neceffary for their further Security, if he shall think fit to accept it. Whether he could, as he fuppofes, "if his Hands had been properly ftrengthened, have put the Province into fuch a Pofture of Defence, as "might have prevented the prefent Mifchiefs," feems to us uncertain; fince late Experience in our neighbouring Colony of Virginia (which, had every Advantage for that Purpofe that could be defired) fhows clearly, that it is next to impoffible to guard effec tually an extended Frontier, fettled by fcattered fingle Families at two or three Miles Distance, fo as to fe < cure them from the infiduous Attacks of fmall Parties of kulking Murderers: But thus much is certain, that by refufing our Bills from Time to Time, by which great Sums were feasonably offered, he has rejected all the Strength that Money could afford him; and if his Hands are still weak or unable, " he ought only to blame himself, or those who have • tied them.

<

If the Governor proceeds on his Journey, and ⚫ takes a Quorum of his Council with him, we hope, fince he retains our Bill, that it will be feriously and duly confidered by them; and that the fame Regard for the public Welfare which induced them unanimoufly to advise his intended Journey, will-induce them as unanimoufly to advise his Affent. We agree therefore to his keeping the Bill, earnestly res, quefting he would re-confider it attentively; and fhall be ready at any Time to meet him for the Pur pofe of enacting it into a Law.'

There is not in any Volume, the facred Writings excepted, a Paffage to be found better worth the Ve neration of Freemen, than this, Thofe who would give up effential Liberty, to purchase a little tempo rary Safely, deferve neither Liberty nor Safety nor could

could a Leffon of more Utility have been laid at that Crifis before the Penfylvanians.

And as to the other Meffage of the Affembly which

was fent up together with this, it was fo folid and concile that it will not bear an Abridgment,

May it pleafe the Governor,

We have confidered the Governor's Meffage of Yefterday, relating to the Application and preffing. Inftances of the Indians, and are glad to find, that he is at length prevailed on to declare himfelf

ready and defirous to do any Thing, confiftent with "his Duty to the CROWN, for the Protection and "Affiftance, as well of our Allies, as of the Inha

bitants of this Province in general." We never have, and we hope never fhall, defire him to do any Thing inconfiftent with that Duty. He has it now in his Power to do what he may think the Exi-, gence requires, for the Service of the Crown, the Protection of our Allies, and of the Inhabitants of the Province. As Captain-General, he has, by the Royal Charter, full Authority to raife Men; and the Bill now in his Hands, granting Sixty Thousand Pounds, will enable him to pay the Expences. We grant the Money chearfully, tho' the Tax to fink it will be a heavy one; and we hope the Bill will rẻceive his Affent immediately."

With both, a Bill was fent up, for fupplying the Western and Northern Indians, Friends and Allies of Great Britain, with Goods at more eafy Rates, fupporting an Agent, or Agents among them, and preventing Abuses in the Indian Trade, to which the Governor's Affent was defired,,

The Governor's Anfwer was, That he would take the fame into Confideration, and give it all the Difpatch in his Power. But whatever he was pleafed to fay, both his Head and his Heart were at this Time, taken up with other Purpofes; how juft in themfelves, how agreeable to his Commiffion, and how.