7-i AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



bly, to the office of Chief Justice, The Assembly, jealous of its preroga- 

 tives, disregarded the fundamental laws of the colony in enacting statutes 

 v/ithout previously publishing them as required by the Constitution. 

 Moore, by opposing some of the measures of the Assembly and more 

 particularly their attempt to alter the organization of the courts of justice, 

 had incurred the enmity of the House, which proceeded to impeach him. 

 " He was charged with violence, partiality and negligence, in a cause in 

 which the Society of Free Traders was interested.^ Ten articles were 

 preferred against him, which he refused to answer, though frequently 

 summoned by the Council, and he was saved from conviction by some 

 technical obstacle in the form of proceeding. But this did not protect 

 him from punishment. He was expelled from the Assembly, and was 

 interdicted all places of trust by the Council, until he should be tried upon 

 the articles of impeachment, or should give satisfaction to the board. 

 His offence was not of an heinous character, since he retained the confi- 

 dence of the proprietary: and, in noticing his punishment, we should 

 remark, that he had incurred the displeasure of the House by having 

 entered thrice in one day his single protest upon its minutes against the 

 passage of bills, Avhich had been introduced without the publication 

 directed by the charter. The anger of the Assembly was extended to 

 Patrick Robinson, clerk of the provincial court, who had refused to pro- 

 duce before them the minutes of that court. They voted him to be a 

 l)ablic enemy and a violator of their privileges, and ordered him into the 

 custody of the sheriff. When brought before the House he complained 

 of arbitrary and illegal treatment, refused to answer the questions put to 

 him, and, in a fit of sullenness, cast himself at full length upon the floor. 

 An address was presented to the Council requesting that the prisoner 

 might be disqualified to hold any public office within the province or 

 territories ; but this punishment was not inflicted, as Robinson subse- 

 quently held the clerkship of the Council and other offices. Neither 

 Moore nor Robinson ^vere Quakers ; they were charged with enmity to 

 that sect, or, in the language of Penn, ' were esteemed the most unquiet 

 and cross to Friends.' There were other disturbances at this time in the 

 province. A certain John Curtis, a justice of the peace, was charged 

 with uttering treasonable and dangerous words against the King. He 

 was ordered to be tried by commissioners from the Council, and, though 

 no bill was found against him, he was dismissed from his office and com- 

 pelled to give surety of the peace, in the sum of three hundred pounds. 

 Charges were made against several officers of government for extortion; 

 and gross immoralities were practised among the lower class of people 

 inhabiting the caves on the banks of the Delaware. These things were 

 reported with great exaggeration in England, by the enemies ol" Penn 

 1 Gordon. Proud. Ebelin;;'. Votes. 



