Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 5 (of 8): The English and French in North America 1689-1763
History
Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 5 (of 8): The English and French in North America 1689-1763
America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History
While after Penn’s death his heirs went to law among themselves about
the government and proprietary rights in Pennsylvania, Governor Keith,
who as surveyor of customs in the southern provinces had become
sufficiently familiar with Penn’s affairs, entered on the performance
of his duties under the most favorable conditions. The assembly had
become weary to disgust with the continuous disputes and altercations
forced upon them by the last two governors, and it was therefore
easily influenced by Sir William’s good address and evident effort to
please. Without hesitation it voted a salary of £500 for the governor,
and acted upon his suggestion to examine the state of the laws, some
of which were obsolete or had expired by their own limitations. The
province was somewhat disturbed by the lawsuit of the family for the
succession, finally settled in favor of Penn’s children by his second
wife, and by a war of the southern Indians with the Susquehanna and New
York tribes; but nothing marred the relations between governor and
legislature. Under the speakership of James Trent, later chief justice
of New Jersey (where the city of Trenton was named after him),[484]
an act for the advancement of justice and more certain administration
thereof, a measure of great importance to the province, passed the
previous year (1718), became a law by receiving the royal assent.
Governor Keith’s proposal in 1720 to establish a Court of Chancery met
with unqualified approval by the assembly. Under the next governor this
court “came to be considered as so great a nuisance” that after a while
it fell into disuse.
In 1721 the first great council which the Five Nations ever held with
the white people outside of the province of New York and at any other
place than Albany, N. Y., took place at Conestoga, and the disputes
which had threatened the outlying settlements with the horrors of
Indian war were amicably settled. The treaty of friendship made here
was confirmed the next year at a council held at Albany, as in the mean
time the wanton murder of an Iroquois by some Pennsylvania traders had
somewhat strained the mutual relations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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