Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/37

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The Green Bag.

to receive rents, to pacify Indians, to record litary protection against the Indians, and proceedings of Council, and finally to be expecting a wide war with France, and pos Chief-Justice, — that it is difficult to see sibly Spain as her ally. The party strife where he found the time to manage a farm, lasted for some time, and was the only pub make translations from the Greek and Latin, lic event that called old Mr. James Logan and write scientific pamphlets upon astro out once more from his private existence in nomical phenomena and the generation of the country. The episode is full of interest plants. Had his public work been neg as a piece of history and a piece of Logan's ligently performed, this gregariousness of character. And here, lest any interest and activity one

unfamiliar with would seem less sur prising. But the com the colonial history of plaints which led to Pennsylvania suppose his impeachmentarose that every Quaker was from what in the eyes set against the use of of the opposition was force as a weapon of a too thorough per public defence, let it formance of his official be said that there duties. It becomes were many promi nent Friends whose evident that behind private opinion en James Logan's se tirely acknowledged rene expression and the necessity of force. through his placid nerves there must But none of them ex have been a very vig cept Logan had what may be curtly termed orous energy simmer the " sand " to say so. ing continually. At the time he was They were too much made Chief-Justice, afraid of losing caste among their more fa he was the unanimous natically peaceable but second choice, brethren. Logan was Isaac Norris having not afraid, however, declined the position. ANDREW HAMILTON. and did not lose caste, Isaac Norris, though either. His position he never sat on the and character were too well established to be bench, should be mentioned here as leader really shaken, in spite of the following let of the party of strenuous Quakers that op ter which he addressed to his sect, and posed sharing in any military expenses of the Province. This step was taken in 1739, which contains somewhat corrosive innuen the year of Logan's retirement, and it very does as to Quaker sincerity. naturally set a bitter contest going. Norris wrote his party's reply to the Governor's To Robert Jordan, and others the Friends of the Yearly Meeting for Business, now conven'd in remonstrance. In this is set forth the Philadelphia. Quaker doctrine against all war, and a re fusal to help support soldiers or build forts. My Friends, — It is with no small Uneasiness It was a pretty strong and singular attitude that I find myself concerned to apply thus to this for any people, Quaker or otherwise, to Meeting : But as I have been longer and more adopt, who were receiving the benefit of mi- deeply engaged in Affairs of Government, and I