Some Reflections being on this Occasion unjustly thrown on the Quakers, will it be amiss to observe

That the Province was first settled by them, without any Expence to the Crown.

That they never received any Assistance from the other Colonies.

That this Colony on the contrary has afforded Assistance to the other Colonies; as, to New York in Queen Anne’s Time a large Quantity of Provisions; to New-England in 1745, £4000 in Provisions and Gunpowder for their Forces at Cape Breton, and £10,000 in Provisions to New York, and the 4 New England Colonies of Massachusets Bay, Connecticut, Rhodeisland and New Hampshire, in 1755: for their Forces.

That they have also from the first Settlement of the Province expended large Sums yearly in Presents for preserving Peace with the Indians, not for themselves only, but for the neighbouring Colonies also; the good Opinion the Indians had entertained of them giving Weight to the Mediation of the Government; in particular this Colony was in 1744 at the Expence of the Treaty at Lancaster, in which the Six Nations were reconciled to Virginia, and a Bloody War just ready to break out against that Province happily prevented.

That they have also at different Times granted considerable Sums to the Crown, their Principles never forbidding such Grants. They always thought it their Duty to render to Cesar the Things that are his; and when Money was demanded of them for military Purposes, their Method was, to grant a Sum absolutely for the King’s Use, without Appropriation, and leave the Application to the Government.

In this Manner they granted £2000 to the Crown in Queen Anne’s Wars, in the Infancy of the Colony; £3000 for the Expedition to Carthagena in 1739; £5000 in 1746 for the Expedition to Canada.

The Equity and Moderation always shown by the Quakers in the Exercise of the Powers they possess’d as Members of Assembly, never proposing or enacting any Laws for the Oppressing those of other Persuasions, induc’d great Numbers of different Religions and Nations to remove into Pensilvania with their Families and Effects, thereby encreasing the Strength and Commerce of this Kingdom.

And tho’ the Numbers of People of different Sects, have long since far exceeded the Quakers, yet the Respect of the People in general has been so great towards them for their prudent Conduct, that till 1756 there was always a great Majority of them chosen into the Assembly.

In June 1756, Six Quakers desired Leave to resign their Seats, which was granted, and Persons of other Persuasions chosen in their Stead.

At the Election of October 1756, on Account of the Clamours raised against them by the Proprietary Faction, the Quakers declin’d standing Candidates, and many of them even refus’d to vote; and many of those who did vote, voted for Members of other Persuasions, nevertheless some Quakers were chosen, but a large Majority of the Church of England and Presbyterians; and to make that Majority still greater 4 more Quakers who had been chosen without their Consent, desired Leave of the House to decline the Service, and their Seats were vacated accordingly, and filled with Churchmen by a new Election; so that at present, there are two to one in the House who are not Quakers; and those who are Quakers, are nevertheless for Defence.

See the Votes of June 4, Page 101; June 28, Page 103; October 16, 1756, Page 5.

See the Votes of Jan. 26. 1757. where, in the Remonstrance of the House, they unanimously demand the Governor’s Assent to the Bill for granting £100,000 for the Defence of the Province, which Bill the Governor had refused on Account of Proprietary Instructions.

May 10. 1754 A Bill granting £10,000 to the King’s Use. Votes

Dec. 12. 1754 A Bill granting £20,000 to the King’s Use. Votes

Jan. 3. 1755. £5000 given to purchase Provisions for the King’s

March 28. 1755. A Bill granting £25,000 to the King’s Use. Votes

April 2. 1755. £10,000 given to the King’s Use and put into the

April. 9. The Expence of a Post from Philadelphia to Winchester

May 15. 1755. A Resolve to defray the Expence of the new Roads

June 21. 1755 A Bill granting £15,000 to the King’s Use.

Augt. 2. 1755. A Bill granting £50,000 to the King’s Use. Page 120.

Augt. 22. 1755. One Thousand Pounds put into the Hands of a

Page 175. See Extracts of Letters from the General (Braddock)

Sept. 29. 1755. Ten Thousand Pounds voted towards purchasing

Nov. 8. 1755. A Bill for granting £60,000 to the King’s Use. Votes

Nov. 26. 1755 Another Bill for granting £60,000 to the King’s Use.

Feb. 19. 1756. See General Shirley’s Letter of Thanks for the warm

July 3. 1756. A Bill for granting the Sum of £40,000 to the King’s

Sept. 8. 1756. A Bill for granting £60,000 to the King’s Use. Page

Sept. 17. 1756 A Bill for granting £30,000 to the King’s Use. Page

Jan. 22. 1757 A Bill for granting to His Majesty the Sum of One

Feb. 3. 1757. A Bill for granting the Sum of One hundred Thousand

Tis true that by Proprietary Instructions to their Governors, many of these Grants were refused, and the Province thereby reduced to great Distress, which Distress was cruelly made use of by the Proprietary Governors to extort from the Assembly their just Rights and Privileges, and among other Things to oblige them to tax their own Estates for the Defence of the Proprietary Estate and exempt the Proprietary Estate from any Part of the Burthen. When they refused to comply with this most unreasonable and wicked Demand, a Clamour was to be rais’d against them that they would do nothing for the Defence of the Province, numberless nameless Libels against them publish’d, disguising the true Cause of Disagreement between the Governor and Assembly, and charging it all on their being Quakers, as if it was a religious Dispute about the Lawfulness of Defence.

See the Bill for granting £50,000 under Seal with the Governor’s Amendments, in which where it was said the Sum should be “raised on all Estates real and Personal, the Proprietary Estate not excepted;” the Governor proposes this Amendment “dele the Word not, and insert the Word only;” and the House not agreeing to this Amendment, he refused to pass the Bill, notwithstanding the Dangerous Circumstances the Country was then in.

And even the last Bill for granting £100,000 was refused on Account of its not complying with Proprietary Instructions, and would not have passed if Lord Loudon had not interpos’d his Influence with the Governor. See Votes of 1757 Jany. 25. page 52.

Do these numerous Grants and Gifts look like the Acts of an Assembly who would be angry with Messrs. Moore and Smith for being zealous for the Defence of the Country?

But every Offender, who can make no better Defence, ascribes the Accusation to some Malice in his Prosecutors.

Smith is an old Offender, and was formerly treated with great Lenity by the Assembly on a like Occasion. See Votes July 20. 1756 page 119.

He receives a Pension from the Proprietaries of £50 a Year, as Provost of the Academy and being a ready Scribbler is employ’d in all the dirty work of abusing and libelling the Assembly.

This is the Secret of his being supported in the present Complaint by the Proprietary Faction. His Cause is to be made use of as one Battery against the Privileges of the Assembly, and Rights of the People.

A Gentleman present at the first Hearing said the Goal Smith was confin’d in was as bad as any Goal in England.

Enquire of Philadelphans present, whether the Prison of Philadelphia does not consist of two distinct Buildings? What they are and their Uses? Which of them Smith is confin’d in? Whether among the Felons or the Debtors?

He asserts that the Assembly deny’d that an Appeal lay from any Judgment of theirs to his Majesty in Council.

Compare this with the Votes.

See also David Hall’s Deposition, concerning his consulting the Speaker and two other Members.

If he presumes to come before his Sovereign with a LIE in his right hand, can he deserve to be favour’d with regard to his personal Liberty (which he might have had by a decent Submission) against the Liberties and Privileges of a whole People.

A very unseasonable Time to call the Privileges of all the Assemblies of the Colonies in question; and employ them in defending those Privileges, when they are attack’d by foreign Enemies, and their utmost Attention necessary to defend their Countries, and by chearful and ready granting large Supplies, to secure the King’s Dominions.

Hope his Majesty will be advis’d to reject the Petition.

The Petitioner demanded an Appeal to be admitted by the Assembly, and that he should be in the mean-time bailed: This was not granted.

But he did not afterwards acquaint them that he intended to petition, nor furnish them with a Copy of his Petition and Complaint.

There are many things charg’d in it as facts which possibly might have been set aside, and the Agents here furnish’d with proper Proofs to show the Falshood of such Charges, had a Copy been furnish’d of the Complaint, in America.

To decide therefore on his own Representation that the Proceedings against him were irregular, is to determine without full hearing of the opposite Side.