Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/441

437 nothing now was left but to seek a change of government, from Proprietary to Royal administration, the majority, 7 on 24 March, 1764, passed a resolution of adjournment, in order to consult their Constituents, whether an humble address should be drawn up, and transmitted to his Majesty, praying, that he would be graciously pleased to take the People of this Province under his immediate Protection and Government, by compleating the Agreement heretofore made with the first Proprietary for the Sale of the Government to the Crown, or otherwise as to his Wisdom and Goodness shall seem meet, and took a recess until 14 May. On 12 April Franklin issued his Cool Thoughts. The response from their constituency confirmed the majority in their attitude ; and reassembling on 14 May, they proceeded to put in form a " Petition to the King for changing the Proprietary Government of Pennsylvania into a Royal Government," 8 and on 24 May John Dickinson made his celebrated speech in oppo- sition to the measure, the publication of which shortly after- wards brought Provost Smith into participation in the contro- versy, and Joseph Galloway at once responded to it in a speech which was also published. On the next day the Petition was ordered to be transcribed, 9 in order to be signed by the Speaker on the day following ; Isaac Norris, the Speaker, waived his signature to the Petition by resigning, when Franklin was elected in his place, and gave his official signature to it. 10 Both Norn's and Dickinson had been with Franklin opponents to the exactions and demands of the Proprietaries and hoped for some other government, but could not advance with him so far as to seek as a substitute a royal government. On 6 June, the day Provost Smith arrived in Philadelphia from his collecting tour, some of the Proprietary friends applied to Mr. Dickinson for a 'The vote was twenty-seven to three. 8 Drawn by Franklin. Bigelow iii. 303. 9 Joseph Richardson, Isaac Saunders and John Montgomery, were the only members to vote with Dickinson affirmatively on his resolution to adjourn the sub- ject another day. 10 "Benjamin Franklin, Esq., was accordingly chosen speaker, and in the afternoon of the same day, signed the petition, as one of his first acts ; an act which but posterity will best be able to give it a name !" Smith's Preface, vii., to Dickin- son's speech printed by William Bradford, 1764.