tain. They were the supervisors of colonial laws. Before the Board of Trade the colonial agents and proprietors were heard on appeals. The origin and name of this bureau exhibits the light in which the colonies were regarded; and to their fostering care the world is mainly indebted for the successive inroads upon right and justice which finally dismembered the British empire, and led to the establishment of the great American Republic.

Under all these vexatious restrictions upon manufactures and commerce, Pennsylvania still flourished, having in her constitution and laws the germs, and in her people the spirit of true independence and progress. Manufactures still flourished though crippled, and restricted in many cases to the consumption of the province, and even limited to the demands of families and communities. Ship building began in Penn's time; and steadily proceeded, laying the foundation of the reputation which Philadelphia now enjoys of building ships second to none in the world. And it is a remarkable fact, now almost forgotten, that in 1753 and 1754 two attempts were made in a Philadelphia schooner to solve the problem of a North-West passage. The vessel was the Argo, Captain Swaine. The results of the voyages were not important; but the fact remains-an evidence of the enterprise and liberality of Philadelphia merchants and

1754.]

GOVERNOR MORRIS.

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citizens under circumstances of discouragement, sufficient, it would seem, to crush the soul of commerce-to say nothing of the speculative spirit of discovery.

CHAPTER XIII

Commencement of the dispute between Governor Morris and the assembly-Arrival of General Braddock-Services of Franklin in providing means of transportation-Action of the legislature-Aid to Massachusetts-Continued legislative difficulties-Disastrous folly of General Braddock-His defeat-Services of Washington as a volunteer-Dispute about proprietary taxes-Consequent embarrassment-The project to give bounty lands condemned by the assembly-Indian depredations-Continued disputes upon financial mattersPetitions and remonstrances-Proprietary donation-The Supply Bill passed-Excise Bill defeated-Franklin's Militia Bill-Course of the Quakers-Volunteer military-Declaration of war against the Indians-Labours of the Quakers to promote peace--Council at Easton-Resignations of Quaker members of the assembly-Close of Governor Morris's administration.

THE first dispute between Governor Morris and the assembly was upon the usual topic of dissension, a money-bill. He called upon the house for supplies for the king's service, and seconded his request with a detail of the opera

tions of the French, the weakness of the frontiers, and the temper of the Indians. The house voted forty thousand pounds currency, one-half for the use of the king, the rest to supply the torn and defaced bills of former issues. Provision was made for its redemption by the excise duty in twelve years. The governor insisted upon reducing the time to five, and the bill was lost. Increased demands for military munitions and for men were made the basis of another appeal from the governor to the legislature. The house referred him to the bill which they had already passed which awaited his signature, but in the meanwhile appointed a committee to borrow five thousand pounds on the credit of the assembly.

While a war of messages and replies was going on between the executive and the legislature, Major-General Braddock, with two regiments, arrived at Alexandria, March, 1755. Through the public spirit and address of Franklin, wagons, horses and drivers were provided to transport the British forces. Franklin was requested by the assembly to visit the camp, not as the agent of the assembly, but to offer his services as postmaster-general. His activity and shrewdness accomplished all that was necessary. The assembly which had been convened to meet the exigency, responded at once to General Braddock's demands: the establishment of a post between Philadelphia and Winchester, the Penn

1755.]

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sylvania quota of men, and her portion of the supplies. They gave no direct encouragement to the raising of troops, but applied themselves to meet the other requisitions. Every thing would have been promptly done but for a pitiful · technical dispute, which the governor commenced, in relation to the journals of the house. Ten thousand pounds, required by Massachusetts for the northern frontier, were raised, by the suggestion of Franklin, by drafts on the loan-office, without the governor's aid, he having refused to sanction a bill passed by the house for the same object or even to return it with his objections. It is but justice to the assembly to say, that except upon subjects where their jealousy of proprietary assumptions stood in the way, they cheerfully contributed to the public defence. Bills were passed forbidding the export of provisions to French possessions.

In June, 1755, General Braddock broke up his encampment at Will's Creek, and moved across the Alleghanies to attack Fort Duquesne, confident of his ability to take that post. Indeed no one, except a few of the sagacious and thoughtful, deemed that there was a doubt of his success. The general himself only feared that the enemy would abandon and dismantle the fort, and make it necessary to repair it or construct another. Preparations were on foot among some of the sanguine in Philadelphia to celebrate the

Letters

victory by fireworks and rejoicings. were received by Governor Morris from General Braddock, requiring him to provide for the defence of the frontier settlements, which he said would be attacked as soon as he had passed beyond them. He also desired stores to be ready to forward to Fort Duquesne, when he should have taken possession. Governor Morris convened the assembly, and asked for the necessary supplies. The house requested to see Braddock's letter. The governor demanded a pledge of secrecy if it were communicated. The house

resented this insult to their honour and discretion, and upon such a point of pertinacious etiquette adjourned without doing any thing whatever the old dispute about bills for raising money being renewed. And this was while their own province was the seat of war.

Meanwhile, General Braddock was proceeding with. pompous foolishness in his march through the wilderness; "halting," says Washington in a letter written during the march, "to level every molehill and to erect bridges over every brook." Washington had resigned his commission in consequence of orders from the War Office that all officers holding royal commissions should take precedence of officers holding the same rank in the provincial service; but, at the solicitation of General Braddock, he joined him as a volun