The circumstances of the province military-wise were peculiar, and were made more conspicuous in its position of danger by surrounding enemies, from whom it could only defend itself by its own resources. These resources, so far as the descendants of Penn's followers could be considered, were not drawn from any military preparations, but only from the mighty arm of peace and good-will. Had the Friends been the only citizens in the Province, it is not without reason to suppose that they would never have been harassed by enemies, for the Indians would have been their defendants against the French instead of befriending the subtle foe; but from the mixed nature of the inhabitants offences could not be avoided, and the peace policy of the Friends lost all its force. Mr. Smith, in November, 1757, describes the situation thus:
The province of Pennsylvan ia has something peculiar to itself that renders this task harder in it than in almost any other country. We are at present a trading and not a military colony; and of eight religious denominations that are of most note among us (if we follow the example of our mother country) we can only depend on four to bear arms. The Roman Catholics are excluded for political reasons; the Unitas Fratrum or Moravians are exempted from all personal service by an act of parliament in 1749; and the Quakers and Mennonites, two numerous and wealthy societies, cannot bear arms consistent with their religious tenets; so that the danger and burden of publick defence is devolved on the members of the Church of England, the English and German Presbyterians, the Lutherans, and the English Baptists. But these will think it hard and unequal to expose their lives to maintain their neighbors in ease and safety, who have equal estates and privileges; and it may be thought as hard to oblige men by a law, to do that in defence of their lives or estates, which they are persuaded will ruin their souls. * * * If the burden of defence be cast on the four religious denominations who can bear arms, it would be unequal and severe; nay, it would be to preserve the religious rights of one part of the State at the expense of the civil rights of another. 1
Thus the Friends, being the greatest in number and influence of all the combatants, attracted to themselves the opposition of those who were impatient at their conscientious Proposal for a Militia in Pennsylvania. American Magazine, p. 63.
