able man, and the people he brought to Pennsylvania were in general orderly and well disposed, yet there existed almost constantly bickerings. He three times altered the form of government for the satisfaction of the people. Notwithstanding all the efforts which he made, there seldom was an harmonious feeling between the people and their governor. From the difficulties in Pennsylvania, and the opposition he met with in England, Penn's life was a scene of vexation. In order to promote the infant settlement, and to preserve harmony with the Indians, he materially injured his private fortune. For a time he was deprived of his personal liberty by his creditors. But though he was necessitous during his life, yet at its termination he was wealthy. He died at London in 1718, at the age of 74; leaving an inheritance to his children, which ultimately proved of immense value; which they possessed till the Revolution, when it was assigned to the commonwealth for an equitable sum in money.

22. Tyranny of Andros.

In the year 1684, it was decided in the high court of Chancery, that Massachusetts had forfeited her charter, and that henceforth her government should be placed in the hands of the King. This event was brought about chiefly by the instrumentality of Edmund Andros. This man had been sent over as a kind of spy on the colonies; he made it his business to collect charges against the colonies, and return to England and excite the jealousy of the British government. In this manner, the way was prepared for annulling the colonial charters. In December, 1686, Andros arrived at Boston, being commissioned, by King James, as Governor General, and Vice-Admiral, over New-England, New-York, and the Jerseys. Like all tyrants, Sir Edmund began his administration with professions of high regard for the public welfare. In a few months, however, the prospect

was changed. The press was restrained, liberty of conscience infringed, and exorbitant taxes were levied. The charters being vacated, it was pretended all titles to land were destroyed; farmers, therefore, who had cultivated their soil for half a century, were obliged to take new patents, giving large fees, or writs of intrusion were brought, and their lands sold to others. To prevent petitions or consultations, town meetings were prohibited, excepting once in a year for the choice of town officers. Lest cries of oppression should reach the throne, he forbade any to leave the country without permission from the government.*

In 1689, King James having abdicated the throne, William, Prince of Orange, and Mary, daughter of James, were proclaimed in February. A report of the landing of William in England, reached Boston, but before the news of the entire revolution in the British government arrived, a most daring one was effected in New-England.

The Colonists had borne the impositions of Andros' government about three years. Their patience was now exhausted. On the morning of April 18th, the public fury burst forth like a volcano. The inhabitants of Boston were in arms, and the people from the country poured in to their assistance. Andros and his associates fled to a fort; resistance was in vain, he was made a prisoner, and sent to England.

23. Preservation of the Charter of Connecticut.

Sir Edmund Andros being appointed the first governor General over New-England, arrived at Boston in December, 1686. From this place he wrote to the colony of Connecticut to resign their charter, but without success. "The Assembly met as usual, in October, and the government continued according to charter, until the last of the month. About this time, Sir Edmund, with his suite, and more than sixty regular Morse's Hist. New-England.

troops, came to Hartford when the assembly were sitting, and demanded the charter, and declared the government under it to be dissolved. The assembly were extremely reluctant and slow with respect to any resolve to surrender the charter, or with respect to any motion to bring it forth. The tradition is, that Governor Treat strongly represented the great expense and hardships of the colonists in planting the country; the blood and treasure which they had expended in defending it, both against the savages and foreigners; to what hardships and dangers he himself had been exposed for that purpose; and that it was like giving up his life, now to surrender the patent and privileges so dearly bought, and so long enjoyed. The important affair was debated and kept in suspense until the evening, when the charter was brought and laid upon the table, where the assembly were sitting. By this time great numbers of people were assembled, and men sufficiently bold to enterprise whatever might be necessary or expedient. The lights were instantly extinguished, and one Captain Wadsworth, of Hartford, in the most silent and secret manner, carried off the charter, and secreted it in a large hollow tree, fronting the house of Hon. Samuel Wyllys, then one of the magistrates of the colony. The people appeared all peaceable and orderly. The candles were officiously relighted, but the patent was gone, and no discovery could be made of it, or the person who carried it away. Sir Edmund assumed the government, and the records of the colony were closed in the following words:

"At a General Court at Hartford, Oct. 31st, 1687, his excellency Sir Edmund Andros, knight, and captain general and governor of his Majesty's territories and dominions in New-England, by order of his Majesty James II. King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, the 31st of October, 1687, took into his hands the government of the Colony of Connecticut, it being by his majesty annexed to Massachusetts, and other colo. nies under his Excellency's government. FINIS."*

Trumbull's Hist. Connecticut.

24. Destruction of Schenectady.

In the war between England and France, in the year 1689, the French, who then possessed Canada, instigated the Indians to hostilities against the Colonies. A detachment of between two and three hundred French and Indians, were sent from Montreal against the frontiers of New-York. A march of more than twenty days, in the depth of winter, brought them to Schenectady, February 18th, 1690.

In this march they had been reduced to such straits, that they had thoughts of surrendering themselves prisoners of war. But their scouts brought them information that the inhabitants were in a state of unsuspecting security. Upon this they determined to attack them. On Saturday night, about eleven o'clock, they entered the town through an unguarded point, and that they might invest every house at the same time, they divided into parties of six or seven men each. The inhabitants were in a profound sleep, and unalarmed, until the eneemy had broken open their doors. In this dreadful surprise and consternation, successful resistance was impossible; and this wretched people were aroused from their midnight slumbers, to endure the perpetration of savage and inhuman barbarities, too shocking to record. Sixty of the inhabitants were killed, and twenty taken off captives. To crown their work, the enemy set on fire the village, killed most of the cattle and horses, and those which they spared, they drove off laden with plunder. Those of the people who escaped, fled, almost naked, through a deep snow, and in a heavy storm; twenty-five of whom lost the use of their limbs by the severe frost.

25. First culture of Rice in the Colonies.

The planting of Rice was introduced into Carolina about the year 1695. Incidents, apparently small, are