Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/212

 reported to have declared that it would require more courage than he possessed to venture upon that step.

On the death of the widow of Penn, the sovereignty and territorial rights of the province were reunited in the three sons of Penn: neither of them, however, possessed their father's ability or had even a moiety of his popularity. Logan administered the government for two years as president of the Council, until the arrival of George Thomas, in 1738, as deputy governor. The Quakers were not more than a third of the population, yet as they possessed the most wealth and were more united, they kept the control of the Assembly. In 1740 a dispute arose as to questions of measures of defence, fortifications, etc., and though the Assembly voted 4£000 for the king's use, they imposed upon Thomas the disposing of it: true to their principles they would not openly vote money to carry on war. About this date commenced that warm controversy between the proprietaries and the Assembly, the latter claiming that the former were bound to provide for the defence of the province inasmuch as they received a revenue from it in the way of quit rents, etc.; the proprietaries and the Board of Trade, on the other hand, emphatically denying any such view of the matter. Thomas having given up the struggle with the Assembly, he was succeeded in the office of deputy governor by James Hamilton, a man of decided ability and zeal for the cause of the proprietaries.

 

1690—1748.

the commission of Effingham—see page 148—was renewed by William III., notwithstanding the charges against him, he did not return to Virginia, and Francis Nicholson, in 1690, accepted the place 