s their constitutional rights and liberties as British
subjects; but they were yet far from being a unit as to renunciation of
all connection with England and the declaration of independence. The
Legislature of Pennsylvania was in session when the news of the
rejection of the second petition of Congress and the King's proclamation
arrived, and when fresh instructions were asked from constituents of the
members of Congress; and even under these circumstances, Mr. Dickenson,
"The Immortal Farmer," whose masterly letters had done so much to
enlighten the public mind of both England and America on the rights of
the colonies and the unconstitutional acts of the British Administration
and Parliament, repelled the idea of separation from England. The
Legislature of Pennsylvania continued to require all its members to
subscribe the old legal qualification which included the promise of
allegiance to George the Third; "so that Franklin," says Bancroft,
"though elected for Philadelphia, through the Irish and Presbyterians,
would never take his seat. Dickenson had been returned for the county by
an almost unanimous vote." The Legislature, on the 4th of November,
elected nine delegates to the Continental Congress. Of these, one was
too ill to serve; of the rest, "Franklin stood alone as the unhesitating
champion of independence; _the majority remained to the last its
opponents_. On the 9th, Dickenson reported and carried the following
instructions to the Pennsylvania delegates: 'We direct that you exert
your utmost endeavours to agree upon and recommend such measures as you
shall judge to afford the best prospect of obtaining redress of American
grievances, and restoring that union and harmony between Great Britain
and the colonies so essential to the welfare and happiness of both
countries. Though the oppressive measures of the British Parliament and
Administration have compelled us to resist their violence by force of
arms, yet we strictly enjoin you, that you, in behalf of this colony,
dissent from and utterly reject any propositions, should such be made,
that may cause or lead to a separation from our mother country, or a
change of the form of this government.' The influence of the measure was
wide. Delaware was naturally swayed by the example of its more powerful
neighbour; the party of the proprietary of Maryland took courage; in a
few weeks the Assembly of New Jersey, in like manner, held back the
delegates of that province by