laws should be transmitted, within five years, to the King in council;
any of which that were repugnant to those of England, or inconsistent
with the authority of the crown, might be declared void in six months.
This charter conveyed nearly the same powers and privileges with that
of Maryland, but recognised the right of Parliament to tax the colony.

Penn soon commenced the settlement of the province, and immediately
asserted a claim to a part of the territory which had been supposed by
lord Baltimore to be within the bounds of Maryland. In this claim
originated a controversy between the two proprietors, productive of
considerable inconvenience and irritation to both.

He published a frame of government for Pennsylvania, the chief
intention of which was declared to be "for the support of power in
reverence with the people, and to secure the people from the abuse of
power; that they may be free by their just obedience, and the
magistrates honourable for their just administration; for liberty
without obedience is confusion, and obedience without liberty is
slavery."

This scheme of fundamental law contains many provisions indicating
good sense and just notions of government, but was too complex for an
infant settlement; and, after many fruitless attempts to amend it, was
laid aside, and a more simple form was adopted, resembling in its
principal features, those established in the other colonies, which
remained until the proprietary government itself was dissolved.

[Sidenote: Foundation of Philadelphia.]

In August 1682, Penn obtained from the duke of York a conveyance of
the town of New Castle, with the territory twelve miles around it, and
that tract of land extending thence southward, on the Delaware, to
cape Henlopen. Soon after this grant was issued, he embarked for
America, accompanied by about two thousand emigrants; and, in the
October following, landed on the banks of the Delaware. In addition to
the colonists sent out by himself, he found, on his arrival several
small settlements of Swedes, Dutch, Finlanders, and English, amounting
to about three thousand persons. Penn cultivated the good will of the
natives, from whom he purchased such lands as were necessary for the
present use of the colonists. At this time the foundation of
Philadelphia was laid, which we are assured contained near one hundred
houses within twelve months from its commencement. An assembly was
convened which, instead of being composed o