Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/281

Rh skilled in English and German, had applied to him to purchase his German printing house, but that if the trustees thought it best to have the press under their own direction, he would endeavor to engage the printer in their service, both as a schoolmaster and printer, and in order to encourage so useful a work, he would dispose of his press to the trustees at ^25. less than any two impartial judges would value it at. [This was agreed to, and Mr. Smith was appointed Secretary] to keep a record of the proceedings of the Trustees, so that copies of them might from time to time be transmitted to the Society in London and to the proprietaries. At a meeting on 23 August held at the Governor's House at Bush Hill, local or deputy trustees were elected for each of the six places already named; and the question arising whether one Calvinist and one Lutheran minister should not be joined with each set of deputy trustees, Mr Weiser observed that so great was the jealousy of the people at present against the clergy in general, that such a measure at first might be a hindrance to the scheme, especially as these jealousies are daily fomented, as was further confirmed by different articles which he called attention to in Mr Sauer's paper. Mr. Smith's correspondence in the work of this Society is very entertaining, and affords a view of the apprehension generally felt by the loyal and educated Englishmen of the increase of the German population, who, with an alien language portended trouble to the unity of English rule in Pennsylvania. He writes to the Archbishop of Canterbury 19 October, I/54. 3 As the French are|daily encroaching behind us, and taking possession of the vast fruitful country upon the Ohio, they will be able to offer our Germans easy settlements, which these last will accept of, as they are an ignorant people that know no difference between French and English government, being wanton with liberty, uninstructed in the use of it, and placing all happiness in possessing a large piece of land. The Indians are going over to the French in these parts, because the latter, having possession by means of their forts, can protect them; and whenever they come a little nearer, the Germans will submit and go over also for protection, caring for nothing but to keep possession of the estates they have settled. Mr. Smith prepared A Brief History of the Rise and Progress of the Scheme carrying on for the Instruction of Poor Ger3 Smith, i. 86.