Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/217

England, but on the understanding he be not restrained from assenting to any reasonable bill for taxing the Proprietary estates in common with all other estates in the Provinces. This was the political sore of the Province, which grew into greater proportions in after years. In a letter to Thomas Penn, 21 August, 1759, he says: Everybody knows I did not solicit my appointment to it; nor have I varied the terms, on which I professed to engage in it, one iota from the beginning. Those terms were that I would not be restrained from giving my assent to any reasonable bill for taxing the proprietary estates in common with all the other estates in the province, because in my opinion it was not more than just that it should be so. If you have changed your sentiments, with regard to this matter, which, for a long time I looked upon to be the same as mine, it will give me no pain on my own account. * * * * I think it incumbent on me to declare, as I have frequently done, that I cannot think of engaging myself in that service, but upon the terms and conditions above mentioned. 8 In 1760 a bill was introduced for raising,100,000 assessments to be on all alike; but inasmuch as the assessors only represented the people and in their appointment the Penns had no voice, hamilton endeavored for some change in the bill, but without avail, and finally approved it under the necessity at that time existing for money, all his contention having been that the Proprietaries be put on an equal footing with all others. He was again relieved from the office by the arrival of John Penn in October, 1763, as Lieutenant Governor. On Mr. Penn's departure in May, 1771, as President of the Council, Hamilton was for the third time acting Governor of the province, and in this term encountered the controversies of the Connecticut claimants in the Wyoming Valley. And again a fourth term for a few months after Richard Penn left the province in July, 1773. He stood apart from the movements of the Revolution, his political associations drawing his sympathy to the English side. In 1777 he was a prisoner on parole 3 Sparks, vii. 172.