George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 3, 15th edition.

[46] authority, and gain control over the questions of prop-

Chap. XIX.}

erty between the province and its proprietary, seemed sometimes to compel a surrender of his powers of government, yet the bare apprehension of such a result always brought the colonists to a gentler temper.

Thus did Penn perfect his government. An executive dependent for its support on the people; all subordinate executive officers elected by the people; the judiciary dependent for its existence on the people; all legislation originating exclusively with the people; no forts, no armed police, no militia; perfect freedom of opinion; no established church; no difference of rank; and a harbor opened for the reception of all mankind, of children of every language and every creed;—could it be that the invisible power of reason would be able to order and to restrain, to punish crime and to protect property? Would not confusion, discord, and rapid ruin successively follow such a government? Or was it a conceivable thing that, in a country without army, without militia, without forts, and with no sheriffs but those elected by the rabble, with their liberty shouts, wealth and population should increase, and the spectacle be given of the happiest and most prospered land?

In New Jersey, had the proprietary power been vested in the people, or reserved to one man, it would have survived; but it was divided among speculators in land, who, as a body, had gain, and not freedom, for their end.

In April, 1688, ‘the proprietors of East New Jersey

Smith, 568, 211.

had surrendered their pretended right of government,’ and the surrender had been accepted. In October of the same year, the council of the proprietaries, not of the people, of West New Jersey, voted to surrender