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

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188
VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, THE CAROLINAS.
[Bk. II.

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.

CHAPTER IV.

1690—1748.

VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, THE CAROLINAS.

Nicholson governor—Blair commissary—College of William and Mary—Administration of Andros—Founding of Williamsburg—Powers of the governor—Spirit of liberty—Office of governor made a sinecure—Spotswood's administration—His acts—Gouch's administration—Progress of Virginia—Affairs in Maryland—Dr. Bray commissary—"Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts"—Persecution of the Roman Catholics—Lord Baltimore becomes a Protestant—Question of boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania—Progress of Maryland—Affairs in Carolina—Ludwell governor—Feuds—"Grand Model" abrogated—Archdale's visit and labors—Introduction of rice—Dissenters disfranchised—Act declared null and void—Church of England established by law—Mr. Bancroft's picture of the state of North Carolina—War with the Tuscaroras—Attack on St. Augustine—Unsuccessful—Moore censured—Paper money issued—War with the Yemassees and other Indians—Craven victorious in the contest—Heavy loss and debt—Revolution in South Carolina—Administration assumed by the crown—Proprietaries sell out to the king—Treaty of peace and amity with the Cherokees—Emigration of Swiss—Advance of the colony notwithstanding many sharp trials.

Although 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