48 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF THE 



in enlisting recruits, during the period of their 

 dissentions. 



I have been informed by the venerable Bishop 

 White that the election for the President of the 

 United Society was very warmly contested. James 

 Hamilton was the candidate of the Governor and of 

 his party, and he had been elected to that office by 

 the Philosophical Society. Those of the popular 

 party were for Franklin, the President of the Amer 

 ican Society. Although the Philosophical Society 

 had the greatest number of resident members, and 

 consequently of votes, Benjamin Franklin was 

 elected, by what majority does not appear. Thus 

 the Democratic spirit triumphed over the efforts of 

 the Government and of the aristocracy, a prelude, 

 as it would seem, to the scenes that soon afterwards 

 followed. 



The Governor was greatly mortified and disap 

 pointed by this result. When a Committee of the 

 United Society waited upon him to request his ac 

 ceptance of the title of their patron, he fell into a 

 violent passion, and in an angry tone replied: &quot;I 

 never shall be the patron of a Society that has for 

 its President such a - - as Franklin.&quot; I have this 

 anecdote from Bishop White. The records only say 

 that the Governor declined. 



Governor Penn had been the patron of the first 

 Philosophical Society, had attended their meetings 

 as such and had permitted them to meet in the State 



