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eir best lands were taxed at the rate paid by the people on their worst。 This obvious quibble of course raised such a storm of opposition that the Quakers； joined by classes which had never before supported them； and now forming a large majority； determined to appeal to the Government in England to abolish the proprietorship and put the colony under the rule of the King。 In the proposal to make Pennsylvania a Crown colony there was no intention of confiscating the possessions of the proprietors。 It was merely the proprietary political power； their right to appoint the Governor； that was to be abolished。 This right was to be absorbed by the Crown with payment for its value to the proprietors； but in all other respects the charter and the rights and liberties of the people were to remain unimpaired。 Just there lay the danger。 An act of Parliament would be required to make the change and； having once started on such a change； Parliament； or the party in power therein； might decide to make other changes； and in the end there might remain very little of the original rights and liberties of the colonists under their charter。 It was by no means a wise move。 But intense feeling on the subject was aroused。 Passionate feeling seemed to have been running very high among the steady Quakers。 In this new outburst the Quakers had the Scotch…Irish on their side； and a part of the Churchmen。 The Germans were divided； but the majority enthusiastic for the change was very large。
There was a new alignment of parties。 The eastern Presbyterians； usually more or less in sympathy with the Scotch…Irish； broke away from them on this occasion。 These Presbyterians opposed the change to a royal governor because they believed that it would be followed by the establishment by law of the Church of England； with bishops and all the other ancient evils。 Although some of the Churchmen joined the Quaker side； most of them and the most influential of them were opposed to the change and did good work in opposing it。 They were well content with their position under the proprietors and saw nothing to be gained under a royal governor。 There were also not a few people who； in the increase of the wealth of the province； had acquired aristocratic tastes and were attached to the pleasant social conditions that had grown up round the proprietary governors and their followers； and there were also those whose salaries； incomes； or opportunities for wealth were more or less dependent on the proprietors retaining the executive offices and the appointments and patronage。
One of the most striking instances of a change of sides was the case of a Philadelphia Quaker； John Dickinson； a lawyer of large practice； a man of wealth and position； and of not a little colonial magnificence when he drove in his coach and four。 It was he who later wrote the famous 〃Farmer's Letters〃 during the Revolution。 He was a member of the Assembly and had been in politics for some years。 But on this question of a change to royal government； he left the Quaker majority and opposed the change with all his influence and ability。 He and his father…in…law； Isaac Norris； Speaker of the Assembly； became the leaders against the change； and Franklin and Joseph Galloway； the latter afterwards a prominent loyalist in the Revolution； were the leading advocates of the change。
The whole subject was thoroughly thrashed out in debates in the Assembly and in pamphlets of very great ability and of much interest to students of colonial history and the growth of American ideas of liberty。 It must be remembered that this was the year 1764； on the eve of the Revolution。 British statesmen were planning a system of more rigorous control of the colonies； and the advisability of a stamp tax was under consideration。 Information of all these possible changes had reached the colonies。 Dickinson foresaw the end and warned the people。 Franklin and the Quaker party thought there was no danger and that the mother country could be implicitly trusted。
Dickinson warned the people that the British Ministry were starting special regulations for new colonies and 〃designing the strictest reformations in the old。〃 It would be a great relief； he admitted； to be rid of the pettiness of the proprietors； and it might be accomplished some time in the future； but not now。 The proprietary system might be bad； but a royal government might be worse and might wreck all the liberties of the province； religious freedom； the Assembly's control of its own adjournments； and its power of raising and disposing of the public money。 The ministry of the day in England were well known not to be favorably inclined towards Pennsylvania because of the frequently reported willfulness of the Assembly； on which the recent disturbances had also been blamed。 If the King； Ministry； and Parliament started upon a change； they might decide to reconstitute the Assembly entirely； abolish its ancient privileges； and disfranchise both Quakers and Presbyterians。
The arguments of Franklin and Galloway consisted principally of assertions of the good intentions of the mother country and the absurdity of any fear on the part of the colonists for their privileges。 But the King in whom they had so much confidence was George III； and the Parliament which they thought would do no harm was the same one which a few months afterwards passed the Stamp Act which brought on the Revolution。 Franklin and Galloway also asserted that the colonies like Massachusetts； the Jerseys； and the Carolinas； which had been changed to royal governments； had profited by the change。 But that was hardly the prevailing opinion in those colonies themselves。 Royal governors could be as petty and annoying as the Penns and far more tyrannical。 Pennsylvania had always defeated any attempts at despotism on the part of the Penn family and had built up a splendid body of liberal laws and legislative privileges。 But governors with the authority and power of the British Crown behind them could not be so easily resisted as the deputy governors of the Penns。
The Assembly； however； votedtwenty…seven to threewith Franklin and Galloway。 In the general election of the autumn； the question was debated anew among the people and； though Franklin and Galloway were defeated for seats in the Assembly； yet the popular verdict was strongly in favor of a change； and the majority in the Assembly was for practical purposes unaltered。 They voted to appeal to England for the change； and appointed Franklin to be their agent before the Crown and Ministry。 He sailed again for England and soon was involved in the opening scenes of the Revolution。 He was made agent for all the colonies and he spent many delightful years there pursuing his studies in science； dining with distinguished men； staying at country seats； and learning all the arts of diplomacy for which he afterwards became so distinguished。
As for the Assembly's petition for a change to royal government； Franklin presented it； but never pressed it。 He； too； was finally convinced that the time was inopportune。 In fact； the Assembly itself before long began to have doubts and fears and sent him word to let the subject drop； and amid much greater events it was soon entirely forgotten。
Chapter VIII。 The Beginnings Of New Jersey
New Jersey； Scheyichbi； as the Indians called it； or Nova Caesarea； as it was called in the Latin of its proprietary grant； had a history rather different from that of other English colonies in America。 Geographically； it had not a few attractions。 It was a good sized dominion surrounded on all sides but one by water； almost an island domain； secluded and independent。 In fact； it was the only one of the colonies which stood naturally separate and apart。 The others were bounded almost entirely by artificial or imaginary lines。
It offered an opportunity； one might have supposed； for some dissatisfied religious sect of the seventeenth century to secure a sanctuary and keep off all intruders。 But at first no one of the various denominations seems to have fancied it or chanced upon it。 The Puritans disembarked upon the bleak shores of New England well suited to the sternness of their religion。 How different American history might have been if they had established themselves in the Jerseys！ Could they； under those milder skies； have developed witchcraft； set up blue laws； and indulged in the killing of Quakers？ After a time they learned about the Jerseys and cast thrifty eyes upon them。 Their seafaring habits and the pursuit of whales led them along the coast and into Delaware Bay。 The Puritans of New Haven made persistent efforts to settle the southern part of Jersey； on the Delaware near Salem。 They thought； as their quaint old records show； that if they could once start a branch colony in Jersey it might become more populous and powerful than the New Haven settlement and in that case they intended to move their seat of government to the new colony。 But their shrewd estimate of its value came too late。 The Dutch and the Swedes occupied the Delaware at that time and drove them out。 Puritans； however； entered northern Jersey and； while they were not numerous enough to make it a thoroughly Puritan community； they largely tinged its thought and its law