ough the
Christian philanthropy of William Penn. Nearly all of the Indians,
beyond the mountains, were allies of the French. The news of
Braddock's defeat reached Philadelphia about the middle of July, 1755.
Immediately a violent conflict arose between the royalist governor
Morris, and the Colonial Assembly. The Legislative body voted liberal
taxes for the public defence. But very justly it was enacted that
these taxes should be assessed impartially upon all estates alike,
upon those of the wealthy Proprietaries, as well as upon the
few hundred acres which were owned by the humble farmers. The
Proprietaries, consisting of two of the sons of William Penn, revolted
against this. The Governor, appointed by them, as their agent of
course, united with them in opposition. For many weeks the conflict
between the Assembly and the Governor as agent of the Proprietaries,
raged fiercely. Under these circumstances no military supplies could
be voted, and the peril of the community was very great.

Franklin warmly espoused and eloquently advocated the claim of the
Assembly. During the months of July and August, the Indians, satiated
with the vast plunder of Braddock's camp, made no attempt to cross the
Alleghanies, in predatory excursions against the more settled portions
of Pennsylvania. But September and October ushered in scenes of horror
and carnage, too awful to be depicted. Villages were laid in ashes,
cottages were burned, families tomahawked and scalped, women and
children carried into captivity, and many poor creatures perished at
the stake, in the endurance of all the tortures which savage ingenuity
could devise.

And still the Quakers, adhering to their principle of non-resistance,
refused to contribute any money, or in any way to unite in any
military organization for self-defence. But in candor it must be
admitted, that had the principles of the Quakers been adopted by the
British court, this whole disastrous war might have been avoided. It
was a war of invasion commenced by the English. They were determined,
by force of arms, to drive the French out of the magnificent valleys
beyond the mountains. In the conflict which ensued, both parties
enlisted all the savages they could, as allies. Will not England at
the judgment be held responsible for this war and its woes?

To rouse the Quakers to a sense of shame, the bodies of a whole
murdered family, mutilated and gory, were brought to Philadelphia and
paraded through a