the quaker colonies-第27章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
And these rights were important； for the concessions or constitutions granted by the proprietors under the advanced Quaker influence of the time were decidedly liberal。 The assemblies； as the legislatures were called； had the right to meet and adjourn as they pleased； instead of having their meetings and adjournments dictated by the governor。 This was an important right and one which the Crown and royal governors were always trying to restrict or destroy； because it made an assembly very independent。 This contest for colonial rights was exactly similar to the struggle of the English Parliament for liberty against the supposed right of the Stuart kings to call and adjourn Parliament as they chose。 If the governor could adjourn the assembly when he pleased； he could force it to pass any laws he wanted or prevent its passing any laws at all。 The two Jersey assemblies under their Quaker constitutions also had the privilege of making their own rules of procedure； and they had jurisdiction over taxes； roads； towns； militia； and all details of government。 These rights of a legislature are familiar enough now to all。 Very few people realize； however； what a struggle and what sacrifices were required to attain them。
The rest of New Jersey colonial history is made up chiefly of struggles over these two questionsthe rights of the proprietors and their quitrents as against the people； and the rights of the new assembly as against the Crown。 There were thus three parties； the governor and his adherents； the proprietors and their friends； and the assembly and the people。 The proprietors had the best of the change； for they lost only their troublesome political power and retained their property。 They never； however； received such financial returns from the property as the sons of William Penn enjoyed from Pennsylvania。 But the union of the Jerseys seriously curtailed the rights enjoyed by the people under the old government； and all possibility of a Quaker government in West Jersey was ended。 It was this experience in the Jerseys； no doubt； that caused William Penn to require so many safeguards in selling his political rights in Pennsylvania to the Crown that the sale was； fortunately for the colony； never completed。
The assembly under the union met alternately at Perth Amboy and at Burlington。 Lord Cornbury； the first governor； was also Governor of New York； a humiliating arrangement that led to no end of trouble。 The executive government； the press； and the judiciary were in the complete control of the Crown and the Governor； who was instructed to take care that 〃God Almighty be duly served according to the rites of the Church of England； and the traffic in merchantable negroes encouraged。〃 Cornbury contemptuously ignored the assembly's right to adjourn and kept adjourning it till one was elected which would pass the laws he wanted。 Afterwards the assemblies were less compliant； and； under the lead of two able men； Lewis Morris of East Jersey and Samuel Jennings； a Quaker of West Jersey； they stood up for their rights and complained to the mother country。 But Cornbury went on fighting them； granted monopolies； established arbitrary fees； prohibited the proprietors from selling their lands； prevented three members of the assembly duly elected from being sworn； and was absent in New York so much of the time that the laws went unexecuted and convicted murderers wandered about at large。 In short； he went through pretty much the whole list of offenses of a corrupt and good…for…nothing royal governor of colonial times。 The union of the two colonies consequently seemed to involve no improvement over former conditions。 At last； the protests and appeals of proprietors and people prevailed； and Cornbury was recalled。
Quieter times followed； and in 1738 New Jersey had the satisfaction of obtaining a governor all her own。 The New York Governor had always neglected Jersey affairs； was difficult of access； made appointments and administered justice in the interests of New York； and forced Jersey vessels to pay registration fees to New York。 Amid great rejoicing over the change； the Crown appointed the popular leader； Lewis Morris； as governor。 But by a strange turn of fate； when once secure in power； he became a most obstinate upholder of royal prerogative； worried the assembly with adjournments； and； after Cornbury； was the most obnoxious of all the royal governors。
The governors now usually made Burlington their capital and it became； on that account； a place of much show and interest。 The last colonial governor was William Franklin； an illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin； and he would probably have made a success of the office if the Revolution had not stopped him。 He had plenty of ability； affable manners； and was full of humor and anecdote like his father； whom he is said to have somewhat resembled。 He had combined in youth a fondness for books with a fondness for adventure； was comptroller of the colonial post office and clerk of the Pennsylvania Assembly； served a couple of campaigns in the French and Indian Wars； went to England with his father in 1757； was admitted to the English Bar； attained some intimacy with the Earl of Bute and Lord Fairfax； and through the latter obtained the governorship of New Jersey in 1762。
The people were at first much displeased at his appointment and never entirely got over his illegitimate birth and his turning from Whig to Tory as soon as his appointment was secured。 But he advanced the interests of the colony with the home government and favored beneficial legislation。 He had an attractive wife； and they entertained； it is said； with viceregal elegance； and started a fine model farm or country place on the north shore of the Rancocas not far from the capital at Burlington。 Franklin was drawing the province together and building it up as a community； but his extreme loyalist principles in the Revolution destroyed his chance for popularity and have obscured his reputation。
Though the population of New Jersey was a mixed one； judged by the very distinct religious differences of colonial times； yet racially it was thoroughly Anglo…Saxon and a good stock to build upon。 At the time of the Revolution in 1776 the people numbered only about 120；000； indicating a slow growth； but when the first census of the United States was taken； in 1790； they numbered 184；139。
The natural division of the State into North and South Jersey is marked by a line from Trenton to Jersey City。 The people of these two divisions were quite as distinct in early times as striking differences in environment and religion could make them。 Even in the inevitable merging of modern life the two regions are still distinct socially； economically； and intellectually。 Along the dividing line the two types of the population； of course； merged and here was produced and is still to be found the Jerseyman of the composite type。
Trenton； the capital of the State； is very properly in the dividing belt。 It was named after William Trent； a Philadelphia merchant who had been speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly and who became chief justice of New Jersey。 Long ages before white men came Trenton seems to have been a meeting place and residence of the Indians or preceding races of stone age men。 Antiquarians have estimated that fifty thousand stone implements have been found in it。 As it was at the head of tidewater； at the so…called Falls of the Delaware； it was apparently a center of travel and traffic from other regions。 From the top of the bluff below the modern city of Trenton there was easy access to forests of chestnut； oak； and pine； with their supplies of game； while the river and its tributary creeks were full of fish。 It was a pleasant and convenient place where the people of prehistoric times apparently met and lingered during many centuries without necessarily having a large resident population at any one time。 Trenton was so obviously convenient and central in colonial times that it was seriously proposed as a site for the national capital。
Princeton University； though originating； as we have seen； among the Presbyterians of North Jersey； seems as a higher educational institution for the whole State to belong naturally in the dividi
