Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/279

Rh deserve no share of that Blame, having, for a course of years, carefully avoided publishing any Thing of that kind in their Paper; they therefore desire, that Papers of such a Tendency may not be offered to their Press for the future; for if they are, they will (as they have hitherto been) be absolutely rejected, without any regard to the Author or Authors of them. But, on the contrary, if any Pieces of a healing Nature are sent us, with a view of doing away our late unhappy Differences, and of extirpating that cruel Spirit of Party Rage, which has so long torn us to Pieces; and which may be a Means under Divine Providence of uniting us together as one Man in the Defence of our bleeding country, that is daily ravaged by a Savage enemy, supported by a treacherous one; such Pieces shall be most thankfully received and immediately made publick, by the Proprietors of this News-Paper.

From this picture it is pleasant to turn to another sphere of action in which William Smith found time to engage, one more congenial to his academy connections, and this was the work of the Society for the Education of Germans in America. 1 Before he left London on his return to America in the Spring of 1754, he had been in communication with gentlemen who had associated themselves to secure more education to the ignorant German emigrants to Pennsylvania, and prevent their being led away by French persuasions from British interests, and " that they may become better subjects to the British government and more useful to the Colonies, where Providence has now fixed their habitation." On their behalf the Rev. Samuel Chandler, their Secretary, addressed a letter to Governor Hamilton, Chief Justice Allen, Secretary Peters, Postmaster General Franklin, Conrad Weiser, Interpreter, and Rev. William Smith, which the latter bore with him, appointing these gentlemen their Trustees. Mr. Smith wrote to Mr. Chandler, in a week after his arrival in Philadelphia, conveying the assurance of these gentlemen of how sensible they were of the honor done 1 Smith, i. 40.