The loss of a very large packet (which took me up above a week’s writing), sent by Capt. Davis, is the reason why I have not communicated to you before now, the Success I have had in several Schemes for your Province. My whole time has been spent this way, and you’ll see by those papers I send you that I have been pretty constantly employed. There are 3 or 4 letters of great importance, I cannot now send you the originals being lost with Davis, unless I should trouble Mr. Penn to take them from his Copies. It would have been well if you had seen all the steps taken, with the Archbishop’s, Mr. Collinson’s and other letters; but this you shall know by word of mouth. Those I send will make you master of the Schemes. The one of them I just borrowed from Mr. Collinson and copied with some assistance. It is the 2d part of a long letter to Mr. Penn, and contains the Scheme for your Academy and the Arguments for it, which I hope are conformable to your own Sentiments. You’ll see it must be kept private. Mr. Penn has come in to every part of it, and he will give an yearly Sum for some time, and when he comes to Pennsylvania intends to give a manor to the Academy for the purposes I have pointed out. He ask’d me at first what I thought would be the best way of bestowing his donation, and you’ll see how disinterested I was to propose a new object for one half of it, when the whole might otherwise have been applied for a philosophy professor. But I shall always glory to prefer private to public good, and I rejoice exceedingly to have been the means of two such Foundations, which, being once made by the proprietor, he will not desert for the sake of a small additional expence. It would not become me to say how many arguments I used to bring these Schemes to bear. The proprietor was not at first satisfy’d that such liberal institutions were useful in an infant Country. Your Academy also interfered with a Design he had in view of his own, and of which he intended to be the Founder. These and many other Circumstances were obstacles. But when I was able to shew the worthy Gentleman the necessity of such a seminary in a political light, he generously agreed to ingraft his Scheme upon yours in the two Foundations proposed, provided I would undertake to be the person to execute them. Tho’ I had not, nor have not yet, heard from either of you I agreed to this, hoping that the person who had been the great means of such an Union (which otherwise might have been the work of years) even if not personally known to you, would be welcome to all the Trustees, when he comes recommended by the proprietor, with an order for foundations, by one of which, he will be in a great measure supported, with small addition from you.

I must in a very particular manner thank Mr. Peters for his kind letter to Mr. Penn, and his having transmitted my Mirania &c. in such a favorable light to him. This together with the good Archbishop’s Letter procured me an uncommon share of his confidence, and such as no indifferent person ever before enjoy’d. I have been several days with him in the country, and have the Honor to dine once or twice with him in Town every week especially on Sundays. He is pleased to consult me upon every point that relates to literature in his Country, which he sees absolutely necessary to maintain good Government. For my arguments on this head I refer you to my large letter concerning the Germans. I have sent you the original Copy as it was done currente calamo, as I could not possibly transcribe it. You will see many repetitions and faults of Diction which were not in the fair and more concise Copy to Mr. Penn. This last mentioned Copy was read before the Society entrusted with the moneys for the Germans. They have adopted Your scheme and are satisfy’d that the Education of youth ought to be their more immediate Object. They were pleased to thank me for what I had laid before them, and desired me against their next meeting to shorten it that a few [Copies] might be transcribed for the Archbishop, Lord Chancellor, Lord Halifax, and the minister, and speaker of the H. of commons. This I presented last saturday and had their approbation. Copies are now making and I have got a friend to do one for you. The long one, if (as I hope from candid friends) you overlook its incorrectness will be useful to you, as you should see all that can be said, and may improve the rough hints. The short one is more correct and is thought such a warm representation of the case that [it] must have good Effects. You’ll observe I have [drawn?] in strong arguments to shew the use of learning in the colonies, and have taken the liberty in some places to make use of Mr. Franklin’s letters which the friendly Mr. Jackson supplied me with. Another great part of my aim was to have the management of this important Trust devolved upon Men of the first rank of Pennsylvania, and not upon Clergy who depend on Dutch Synods. I hope to see all such dependence entirely shaken off once we can supply the Germans with ministers from the Academy. And the entrusting the money with proper Persons in Philadelphia will keep their Clergy who are in our pay under proper awe. I beg you’ll consider attentively the plan of government and political education I have proposed. It merits the deepest deliberation, for its Effects will be long felt in one shape or other. The good Mr. Schlatter is here, I have been at some pains with him; and see but one Fault in him, his too great Attachment to foreign Synods and clergy who would counterwork our design. Ecclesiastical power from Holland will not go down in Pennsylvania. I wish the Dutch Churches there were a complete body under their own separate Government. Appeals to Holland are troublesome and tedious, as Mr. Schlatter has felt. Were their Church in pennsylvania a complete one with full powers, under the civil power of the Country, his affair would long ere now have been compromised and settled.

By the following Scheme, however, which I have laid before the Society and which they approve of, Mr. Schlatter will be made easy; he will have more powers than ever and yet seem to have less as he will be screen’d by some great names. The Scheme is this. Messieurs Hamilton, Allen, Franklin, Peters, Weiser, Schlatter (to which number they propose adding myself while in the Academy) are to be Trustees-general, as in the larger Scheme. They are to appoint Mr. Schlatter with one or other of their own number to visit all the Schools once a year, as in the larger Scheme. Besides this Schlatter will also have a commission from the Dutch Synods to superintend and visit all the Churches, which he may do at the same Time. For this service, and in Consideration of what he has suffered, the Society propose £100 Sterling to him per annum, which, with his Congregation in Philadelphia will support him. Besides this I have proposed that the Schoolmasters educated on the Proprietor’s Bounty, and other Germans that may come to the Academy shall, to remove all objections, an hour or two every day attend Mr. Schlatter or some other of their own Clergy in Philadelphia to be instructed in their own Religion, and it is proposed to the Society to give such a Clergyman £20 or £30 per annum and call him Hollisian or German Professor of Divinity. You will see the necessity of this when you consider the Scheme upon which Mr. Tennent came over, which I soon smell’d out, and with some Assistance from names I must not mention have I believe broke the Neck of. He came begging for the Jersey College. He petitioned the Society for German Affairs to found a Professorship there, as that College was the fittest in America to educate Clergy for the German Ministry on account of its being a presbyterian one. (N.B. When it serves his Ends he calls it a catholic one.) He gave out also that the Society could not refuse this request if they considered that the money was raised to serve the dissenting Interest. I had the honor to be present when this Petition was read. I saw Mr. Tenent’s design was to procure a Coalition between the Germans and the newlights. He blabbed out that the Germans had been instructed from Holland to join and be govern’d by their Synods. Such a formidable union would destroy the whole political balance of your provinces and crush every other persuasion beneath its weight. But yet such an union he thought to obtain if not by authority of the Church of Holland, at least by monopolizing the Education of German Clergy and sending them out such Hell-fire hot ones as he himself once was called. I represented all this and shew’d how much it would for ever tend to defeat the political Coalition desired in Pennsylvania, should all their Clergy be educated in another Province of a different Constitution from the Country in which they were to live, and that we had better have Clergy from Holland than have them on such a Scheme. I also observed how ridiculous it would be to send our Germans to be educated in Neighbouring provinces, When there was such an excellent Institution in Pennsylvania; and indeed it is obvious of how great importance it is to have both Schoolmasters and Clergy for some years in the City of Philadelphia for Education, where they will form Connexions and learn to love and admire your Constitution, which they probably would not do by a Jersey education. I have been more full on this head that from these and other arguments in my Letters you may know what is doing, and take proper Steps to prevent Measures so prejudicial to the good of your province.

Partly in consequence of what I had said, and partly by reason of [a] Sermon of Mr. Tennants which had been sent from Philadelphia to Mr. Chandler, Tennant was mortify’d in a very odd manner. Mr. Schlatter and I were at breakfast with Chandler. Tennant came in, and happening to have some talk about the jersey college and its fitness to educate German Clergy, I told him that the Union he proposed would be hurtful in a political Sense and was impossible in a religious one; and that if he meant only an union in Love and good Offices, I did not see why it might not prevail among all that name Christ, without being confined to English and german presbyterians. Upon this Chandler said, “Mr. Tennant I have been just reading a Sermon against Union among Christians.” Tennant replied that was strange, and begg’d to see it. Chandler then put the Sermon into his hand; and figure to yourselves his Confusion, when he saw his own name in the Title. For several minutes he could not speak, and I was in pain at the too severe blow. He at last began to justify his Sermon, to which Chandler abruptly replied that he had read it twice, and was able to judge for himself, and that he begg’d to be excusd from having any thing to do with the man who could preach such a sermon, or the business he was engag’d in.

In order to prevent this Scheme of drawing the Pennsylvania Germans to the Jersey College (which is the only thing that could have made me interfere, as I heartily wish prosperity to every American Seminary, and am sensible how much knowlege tends to support free Society) I say in [order] to prevent this Scheme, I have proposed to the Society to give £20 per annum to the eldest German Minister in Philadelphia who may be called German Professor of Divinity as I said before. This will be agreeable to the Germans and bring their young Clergy to Philadelphia for a year or two which will be of great use to anglify them, and attach them more and more to us by their forming connexions in the City. Good Mr. Schlatter is for having none of the young Clergy come near your City for fear of their morals; but this would keep them still Germans, and as the Scheme is chiefly to anglify and incorporate; the City for [a] year or two is to be chosen. I shall be able, I believe, to reconcile the worthy man, and I know the Society are of my mind, and I believe will agree to fix such a Professor in Philadelphia or leave it to the Trustees-general.

The proprietor has agreed to give ten or twelve acres of land to every Schoolmaster and I hope whatever opinions some on your Side of the water entertain of him, they will now be convincd that he is not the nominal but the real father of his Country. As I shall sail in 6 weeks after the date of this, I shall not give you the pain of reading more on this Subject, in this hasty Scribble, where I beg you’ll neither look for Method nor correctness. I have been so employ’d this week I could not write you as good manners and the regard I have for you require; but yet I thought it incumbent on me to write.

I have this day drawn out a short memorial of 3 pages, containing the case of the Germans, without any reasonings on Education. This is gone to the Press and you shall have a few next Ship. When it is printed the four Peers who are of the Society are to divide their own house among them and give away copies, and sollicit Contributions. The same method will be taken among the Commons and in the City. And I doubt not the Contributions will amount to a great Sum, his Majesty having given £1000 and the Princess Dowager £100.

Mr. Chandler and I go the Archbishop on Monday. He has had a Copy of my letter to the Society. He has been very kind to me. I have seen him oft, and he said he would provide for me. But when I let him know the project for my return, he press’d it, and writ to Mr. Penn on the subject. He said I would have an opportunity of doing more good with you than in England; and that the Encouragment would be better than I could expect at first setting out in England even if I had the greatest friends. This, with the precariousness of the Archbishops life, as he is in a very bad state of health, determined me; for if he should die, he is the only person I know that bestows his favors on unfriended merit.

Col. Martin of Antigua sent a letter to Mr. Penn in my favors, which I send you a copy of. The Colonel told me if I return’d he would send his youngest Son to the Academy who he believd might be attended with several others from that Island. I have desired him to make his Son meet me in the beginning of June, and I expect he will do so. Mr. Penn speaks of sending out a Nephew with me, but he is not yet come to an absolute determination. He shew’d me some orations on the Subject of his Charter. He is justly displeas’d at the word Protection in Mr. Morris’s. It is imprudent as well as weak to say Philadelphia will be the Protection of England. I suppose Strength or support was meant. J. Martin is greatly improved if the oration he subscribes is his own. I much approve of Compositions of this Nature.

([Illegible] on Monday) Mr. Chandler and I have been with the Archbishop this day. I had sent his Grace a few days before the shortest Copy about the Germans, as is just mentioned above; upon which he made the enclosed remarks at the end of the piece; and I hope you’ll be pleased to see so great a name bear testimony to the force of my reasonings. Money will not be wanted. His Grace, as you’ll see, wants to make a parliamentary work of it. I shall come over with a form’d Scheme and an appointment of Trustees; till then take in good part and make the best use of this hasty Scrawl. My zeal to forward this affair and the extensive correspondence in which it has engaged me for some weeks now leaves me no time to write correctly. I ever remain, Dear Sirs, Your most obliged humble Servant