In the mean time, feelings of resistance were cherished by some so far as to exhibit emblems and devices diminishing the former regard to the parent country. A paper was sold about the streets called "The Folly of England and Ruin of America." In fine, the measures of resistance were so prompt, energetic and widely diffused through the colonies, that every motive of prudence urged the mother country to an equally prompt repeal. In the mean time she had granted time and occasion for organizing many civic associations, called "Sons of Liberty," &c., who thus learned, without any mishap, the hardihood and practice necessary to conduct future social and civic combinations when needful; in fact, they never fully subsided; and in the end they revived at the period of the revolution with redoubled vigour and skill.

When the news of "Stamp Act repealed" arrived in 1766, the gentlemen at the coffe-house sent a deputation to Captain Wise, by whose brig the news came, to invite him up to drink punch, and at the same time to give his whole crew presents. All was joy and hilarity. At the Coffee-house the punch was made common, and a gold laced hat was presented to the captain as a token of their gratitude. The same night every street in the city was illuminated. A large quantity of wood was given for bonfires, and many barrels of beer to the populace. Next day the governor and mayoralty gave a great feast for 300 persons, at the State-house gallery. At the same place it was unanimously resolved to dress themselves at the approaching birth-day in new suits of English manufacture, and to give their homespun and patriotic garments to the poor!

In June, 1766, being the king's birthday, and in honour of the repeal, a great number of the inhabitants of the Northern Liberties and Southwark met on the banks of the Schuylkill, then a place of arborescent shade, where 430 persons were dined in a grove. The Franklin barge, of 40 feet, and the White Oak barge, of 50 feet, both decorated with many flags, were then used with much parade. One was rowed up the Schuylkill, firing her salutes; and the other was drawn through the streets of the city, also firing her salutes en passant. Fireworks were exhibited at night. The whole scene was a joyous occasion, and the crowds were great. They rejoiced as well for the supposed concession as for their personal and national interests.

Dr. Franklin, who was afraid his countrymen would show too much exultation and triumph, writes in his letter of the 27th of February, 1766, to Charles Thomson, saying, "I trust the behaviour of the Americans on this occasion will be so prudent and grateful as that their friends here (in London) will have no reason to be ashamed; and that our enemies, who predict that the indulgence will only make us more insolent and ungovernable, may find themselves false prophets."

The proprietary, Penn, in his letter to Secretary Peters, says, "It was given as the softest medicine to the wound. Our friends give

it as matter of great favour. Don't exult as at a great victory; but send grateful thanks, &c.-else our opposing prophets here will verify their assertion that the repeal will cause further disobedience."

Another letter of B. Franklin's to Charles Thomson, of the 11th of July, 1765, says, "I did all I could to oppose the act, but the tide was too strong. The nation was provoked by American claims of independence, and all parties joined in resolving by this act to settle the point," &c. The sequel proved how fatal was the experiment; while it helped them to feel our pulse, it also eventuated in the final dismission of the royal rulers.

The British authorities then in this country affected to neutralize the apparent exultation and triumphs at the repeal, by joining their names and persons in the displays and rejoicings. Thus the governor joined the feastings in Philadelphia; and at New York, the mansion of General Gage, in Broad street, was gorgeously illuminated with the royal arms and "Stamp Act repealed," &c.

BRITISH DUTIES AND TEA ACT RESISTED.

"Touch'd by the Midas finger of the state,
Seeks gold for ministers to sport away."

THE feelings which had been excited by the Stamp Act were again much revived, in what were deemed encroachments of the British government, in their renewed attempts in 1768, to impose duties on glass, paper, &c. They wanted our money!

In September, 1768, the traders of Philadelphia, in concert with those of New York and Boston, resolved to import none of the usual goods from England, until the Act laying those duties was repealed.

In July, 1769, a load of malt arrived to Amos Strettell, whereupon all the brewers and traders held a meeting at the State-house, and there resolved unanimously that they will not purchase nor consume the same.

The papers of the year 1770, are frequent in their resolutions and appeals to the people, to adhere to the "non-importation agreement," to be persisted in until they effect a change of measures at home. The spirit is very general, and effigies are made and burnt of any dissenters of note. The spirit of liberty, under the name of "Sons of Liberty," is in full effervescence among some. Even as the op position of the church of Rome to the reformation, then, only served to strike out new light, and to elicit more system in resistance-so in politics with us; the more we made inquiries into British misrule,

the more and more we discovered the benefits of separate interests and the rights of enfranchisement.

In the year 1770, the inhabitants of New York, altered for a season, in their politics, by a most extraordinary electioneering influence, swerved from their "non-importation agreement," the only colony in the union which did it!-in consequence of which the patriots of Philadelphia meet, and resolve to make no purchases of any thing from New York-calling them at the same time, "a faction unfriendly to redress of grievances."

All the goods which came out to Philadelphia on commissions. were all rejected and had to go back, and especially those which were sent to Boston.

The desire to encourage domestic fabrics gave rise, in 1771, to the erection of a flint glass manufactory near Lancaster, by which they hoped to save £30,000 to the province. A china factory, too, was also erected on Prime street, near the present navy yard, intended to make china at a saving of £15,000. At the same time, a piece of the finest broadcloth "ever made in America" was publicly exhibited at the Coffee-house, from the then first and only loom existing in the colonies.

In December, 1773, the tea ships, "with the detested tea," arrived in our river as far as Gloucester Point, where they were arrested from coming nearer to the city, by a committee from the general town meeting of probably eight thousand people, assembled at the State-house yard. They allowed the captain of the "Polly" to come to town, that he might see the prevalent spirit of opposition, by which he might determine whether to take the chance of remaining, or of wisely directing his voyage homeward. He chose the latter. In the mean time, the committee procured the resignations of all the consignees who had the charge to sell them.

The conclusion of the measure was, "that they had closed the important affair by a glorious exertion of virtue and spirit-by which the intended tax has been effectually broken, and the foundations of American liberty (for so they then talked) more deeply laid than ever!"

Finally, in July, 1774, the assembly of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, resolved, that in consequence of the long subsisting differences with Great Britain, that it is absolutely necessary to call a congress, which accordingly met at Philadelphia in September following, and held their session in the Carpenters' hall. A congress peculiarly fitted for the juncture. A body of greater men never adorned our annals of whom Lord Chatham said to Franklin, they were "the most honourable assembly of men ever known!" Their measures, and our subsequent struggles and freedom under their guidance,

This long row of wooden houses afterwards became famous as a sailor's brothel and riot-house on a large scale. The former frail ware proved an abortive scheme.

1

"Deo juvante," are on the imperishable pages of our history, and in the hearts and remembrance of every instructed American!

A brig called the Grayhound, commanded by Captain Allen, went for Salem New Jersey, with a load of tea, and landed it at Greenwich, the 22d November, 1774, (one year after the Boston destruction,) but young Ebenezer Elmer, (afterwards member of congress,) and others, destroyed it all by fire. Actions were afterwards brought for the recovery of its value, and failed. The whigs had half a dozen of the most eminent lawyers to favour their escape. Some were from Philadelphia.

THE GOVERNORS OF COLONIAL DAYS.

THE Modern Universal History, in speaking of our colonies in the times of 1731, says, "A government in any of our colonies was scarcely looked upon in any other light than that of an hospital, where the favourites of the ministry might be till they recovered their broken fortunes; and oftentimes they served as asylums from their creditors."

Secretary Peters, in 1756, says "the governors used to get £10,000 currency a year, and the perquisites, usually, £10,000.'

The following present such notices of our governors as I have occasionally met, to wit:

In 1707, I saw some reference to facts which went to show that Governor Evans, who was accused of some levities, was then reproached by his enemies with lewdness with young Susan HIt might have been mere scandal. The Indians at Conestogne complained of him, when there, as misbehaving himself to their women. He afterwards married John Moore's beautiful and estimable daughter, with whom he lived awhile at housekeeping at the Fairman house at the Treaty-tree. He was but twenty-one years of age, when first appointed governor. He moved back to England, where he lived a long life.

Colonel Gookin, the governor, disappointed Penn and his friends in consequence of his conduct during a considerable part of his administration. He was much under the influence of his brother-inlaw, Birmingham. At one time, says the council, he removed all the justices of New Castle county for doing their duty in an action against said Birmingham-thus leaving the county without a single magistrate for six weeks! At another time, when the judges of the supreme court at New Castle would not admit a certain commission of his to be published in court, he sent for one of the judges and VOL. II.-2 K

kicked him. In truth, his best apology seems to have been that he was certainly partially deranged. In fact, he afterwards (in 1717) made his apology to the council for several of his acts, saying his physician knew that he had a weakness in his head; wherefore J. Logan remarked to Hannah Penn, "Be pleased then to consider how fit he was for the commission he so long wore!"

1734-Nov.-The mayor exhibited an account, amounting to £9 18s. 6d., he had paid to John Newbury, for the entertainment of Colonel Montgomery, late governor of New York-ordered paid.

1736-On the death of Governor Gordon, James Logan became president of the council and ex-officio governor for the province until the arrival of Governor Thomas, in 1738. Do any know where Governor Gordon was interred?

When Sir William Keith, in 1738, published his history of the colony of Virginia, and proposed to continue the other colonies, he probably so purposed to live as an author; but as he proceeded no further, and died at London, in 1749, in poor circumstances, it is inferred he did not write our history from want of encouragement.

It may be very little known, that he, who moved with so much. excitement and cabal as our governor to the year 1726, should at last fall into such neglect as to leave his widow among us unnoticed and almost forgotten! She lived and died in a small wooden house in Third street, between High street and Mulberry street-there, much pinched for subsistence, she eked out her existence with an old female; and declining all intercourse with society, or with her neighbours. The house itself was burnt in 1786.

Sir William's chief error of administration is said to have been that he early took his measures to favour the elder branch of the Penn family, (already sufficiently provided for in the Irish estate,) to the prejudice of the younger branch, who rapidly acquired riches and influence to remove and to injure him.

1746-Governor Thomas orders a day of public thanksgiving, because of the news of the pretender's defeat at the battle of Culloden. There were great rejoicings in Philadelphia-all refrained from labour and went generally to the churches. The governor himself gave a dinner to two hundred persons.

1752-Governor Hamilton celebrates the king's birth-day by giving a great entertainment at his country-seat at Bush hill, and at each loyal toast it was announced by the Association battery at Wiccacoa! In the evening there was a grand ball, surpassing all former ones in brilliancy, at the State-house, and his honour gave a supper there in the long gallery.

In 1754, Governor R. H. Morris celebrates the king's birth-day, by giving an entertainment at noon at his house in the city, and in the evening there was a great ball at the State-house, where one hundred ladies were present, and a much greater number of gentlemen. An elegant supper was given there in the long gallery.

In 1755, Governor R. H. Morris falls into perpetual strife with the