The Gallery of Portraits: with Memoirs. Volume 7 (of 7)Malkin, Arthur Thomas
History
The Gallery of Portraits: with Memoirs. Volume 7 (of 7)
Malkin, Arthur Thomas
Biography
Penn married in 1672, and took up his abode at Rickmansworth in
Hertfordshire. In 1677 we find him removed to Worminghurst in Sussex,
which long continued to be his place of residence. His first engagement
in the plantation of America was in 1676, in consequence of being chosen
arbitrator in a dispute between two Quakers, who had become jointly
concerned in the colony of New Jersey. Though nowise concerned, by
interest or proprietorship, (until 1681, when he purchased a share in
the eastern district of New Jersey,) he took great pains in this
business; he arranged terms, upon which colonists were invited to
settle; and he drew up the outline of a simple constitution, reserving
to them the right of making all laws by their representatives, of
security from imprisonment or fine except by the consent of twelve men
of the neighbourhood, and perfect freedom in the exercise of their
religion: “regulations,” he said, “by an adherence to which they could
never be brought into bondage but by their own consent.” In these
transactions he had the opportunity of contemplating the glorious
results which might be hoped from a colony founded with no interested
views, but on the principles of universal peace, toleration, and
liberty: and he felt an earnest desire to be the instrument in so great
a work, more especially as it held out a prospect of deliverance to his
persecuted Quaker brethren in England, by giving them a free and happy
asylum in a foreign land. Circumstances favoured his wish. The Crown was
indebted to him 16,000_l._ for money advanced by the late Admiral for
the naval service. It was not unusual to grant not only the property,
but the right of government, in large districts in the uncleared part of
America, as in the case of New York and New Jersey respectively to the
Duke of York and Lord Baltimore: and though it was hopeless to extract
money from Charles, yet he was ready enough, in acquittal of this debt,
to bestow on Penn, whom he loved, a tract of land from which he himself
could never expect any pecuniary return. Accordingly, Penn received, in
1681, a grant by charter of that extensive province, named Pennsylvania
by Charles himself, in honour of the Admiral: by which charter he was
invested with the property in the soil, with the power of ruling and
governing the same; of enacting laws, with the advice and approbation of
the freemen of the territory assembled for the raising of money for
public uses; of appointing judges, and administering justice. He
immediately drew up and published ‘Some Account of Pennsylvania, &c.;’
and then ‘Certain Conditions or Concessions, &c.’ to be agreed on
between himself and those who wished to purchase land in the province.
These having been accepted by many persons, he proceeded to frame the
rough sketch of a constitution, on which he proposed to base the charter
of the province. The price fixed on land was forty shillings, with the
annual quit-rent of one shilling, for one hundred acres: and it was
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