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The Plain Dealer, Numb. III - 8

which the law gives him over estates that escheat on the owners death. Nor can we find that he has been void of liberality towards the public, having given large sums to public uses. If I should be told, that in all these instances he consulted his own true interest. I grant that, but I affirm that he has in these instances also consulted the true interest and prosperity of this province. For I am clearly of the opinion that the Proprietors true interest and the happiness and prosperity of this province are closely connected; tho’ Quakers pretend to think otherwise. When this late war began the Proprietor offered a sum of money towards the public defense. The Quakers were not then in a fighting humor. He afterwards gave £5000 as his share of the tax, a sum much larger than it was then probable would fall to his share.-----He has given orders to his receiver not to charge any person with quit rents since the beginning of the war, who has been any how disturbed in his possessions by the Indians; he has also remitted the interest for several years of money due for the purchase of lands on the frontiers. But there were circumstances which it has never suited a Quaker to mention. On the contrary regardless of concessions he had made for the good of the public, they have lately attempted laws directly to injure him. Among these may be reckoned the act I just spoke of. This I shall try to explain. The Proprietors quit rents were originally reserved in Sterling Money only. But from the year 1732 it was agreed they should be either in Sterling or its value in Currency, regard being had to the rate of exchange. Soon after this more money being struck, people began to offer paper currency in pay for all quit rents, not regarding the rate of exchange with London, of this the Proprietor complained, and the Assembly sensible of his loss, gave him as a compensation £1200 in hand and £130 per annum until the year 1749, enacting at the same time, that for the future all quit rents should be paid in terms of their respective covenants.

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