OF LANCASTER COUNTY. 89 



Governor Evans, been severely reprimanded, and giving promise of fu- 

 ture good behavior, was dismissed with the jeers of the captors. After 

 this spirited action the fort no longer impeded the navigation of the 

 Delaware.^ 



On the 27th of June, 1707, the Governor in company of several friends 

 and servants set out on a journev to the Indians, occasioned by a message 

 from the Conestogo and other Indians upon the Nantikokes' desi"-ned 

 journey to the five nations.- He visited in turn the following places: Pe- 

 quehan on the Pequea, Dekonoagah on the Susquehanna, about nine miles 

 distant from Pequehan, Conestogoe and Peixtan, had friendly intercourse 

 witli them and seized one Nicole, a French Indian trader, against whom 

 heavy complaints had l)een made. His capture was attended with diiS- 

 culties, but he Avas finally secured and mounted upon a horse with his legs 

 tied under the belly l-^ From the articles of remonstrance, addressed to 

 the proprietary by the Assembly, mentioned below, it seems, hoAvever, 

 that the Governor's conduct among the Indians was not free from censure, 

 it being described as " abominable and unwarrantable." 



The unhappy misunderstanding between the Governor and his Secre- 

 tary Logan on the one hand, and the Assembly on the other, almost par- 

 alyzed legislative action and led to the most lamentable exhibition of ill 

 temper on the part of the Assembly, which first produced articles of 

 impeachment against Logan, and afterwards, determined to have Evans 

 removed, a remonstrance against both addressed to William Penn. The 

 language of that instrument was intemperate, many of its charges exag- 

 gerated, and some unfounded. "This remonstrance wasnotonl}^ unjust, 

 but also unwise and inconsiderate;* for it tended to produce the very 

 steps Avhich they Avere desirous to guard against ; by provoking the Gov- 

 ernor to relinquish a troublesome and ungrateful province to the crown 

 of England, AA'hich had long wished to repossess it." 



In the beginning of this year, 1709, Governor Evans Avas remoA^ed and 

 Charles Gookiu appointed his successor.^ Gookin Avas a native of Ireland 

 and somewhat advanced in. years. He had been formerly in the army 

 and AA-as, in the language of Penn, a man of pure morals, mild temper 

 and moderate disposition. When he arrived, the legislature Avas in session. 



The Assembly, instead of Avaiting for the propositions of the Governor, 

 hastened to present to him a statement of grievances in Avhich they re- 

 peated the Aveightiest of their complaints against his predecessor, and 

 demanded immediate satisfaction. In A^ain Gookin endeavored to con- 

 vince tliem that he had no right to sit in judgment over the acts of his 

 predecessor. These beginnings AA'cre not promising. Lloyd Avas almost 

 always at the head of the Assembly and Logan had as much influence on 



1 Proud. Gordon. 2 Col. Rcc. 11.-39:3. 3 Col. Rce. II.— ;390. 



4Ebeling. 5Prond. Ebeling. 



