THAT having received certain information that the Assembly of this Province, during their last sitting, had drawn up a PETITION to your Majesty, setting forth among other things, "That mischievious disagreements subsist in this govern­ment, which proceed, as they conceive, from the very Nature of it; and that a Spirit of Violence, Riot and Confusion prevails among us, which cannot be controuled by the present Powers of Government and renders a Change of the same necessary":—Sundry Magistrates and reputable Freeholders, alarmed at the Nature of this Petition, and con­sidering the whole Province as deeply affected by it, did (in Behalf of themselves and others) apply to the Speaker of Assembly for Copy of the same, and to know whether the House intended to transmit it to England, without communicating its Contents to their Constituents, and obtaining their fullest and most explicit Content therein.

THAT they were informed by the Speaker, that the Petition had already been transmit­ted to be laid before your Majesty, and no Copy of it could be given without the Leave of the House, at their Meeting in September next; when we apprehend it might be too late for us to submit our Sense of this Matter to your Majesty; and therefore we beg Leave in all humble Duty, to represent—

THAT as there is no civil Happiness on Earth which we should esteem equal to that of being under your Majesty's immediate personal Government, if our remote Situation could permit such a Blessing; yet as we and all your American Subjects must be governed by Persons authorized and approved by your Majesty, on the best Recommendation that can be obtained of them, we cannot perceive our Condition in this Respect to be different from our Fellow Subjects around us, or that we are thereby less under your Majesty's par­ticular Care and Protection than they are; since there can be no Governor of this Province, without your Majesty's immediate Approbation and Authority.

THAT the particular Mode or Frame of Government which we enjoy under your Ma­jesty in this Province (as derived to us by the Charter of your Royal Ancestor KING CHARLES the Second, and delivered to us by our wise Founder WILLIAM PENN Esq) is held in the highest Estimation by good Men of all Denominations among us, and hath brought Multitudes of industrious People from various Parts of the World, who trusting in the perpetual Enjoyment of the inestimable Privileges it gives them, have, at their own Expence, settled this Colony, and raised it, in a few Years, to be one of the most flourish­ing in your Majesty's American Dominions chearfully embracing every Opportunity of manifesting their Loyalty and Affection to your Majesty's Royal Person and Family.

[Page 2]THAT such Disagreements as have arisen in this Province we have beheld with Sorrow, but as others around us are not exempted from the like Misfortunes, We can by no Means conceive them incident to the Nature of our Government, which hath often been administred with remarkable Harmony; and your Majesty, before whom our late Dis­putes have been laid, can be at no Loss, in your great Wisdom, to discover whether they proceed from the above Cause, or should be ascribed to some other.

THAT this Province (except from the Indian Ravages) enjoys the most perfect inter­nal Tranquility; and a Spirit of Riot and Violence is so foreign to the general Temper of its Inhabitants, that there are as few instances of any Disturbance of this kind to be met with among them since the first Settlement of the Colony, as perhaps among the like num­ber of People in any part of the World: That where such disturbances have happened, they have been speedily quieted; the civil Powers have been supported; and tho' there are per­haps Cases in all Governments, where it may not be possible speedily to discover Offen­ders, yet we know of no instance among us where Persons legally accused or convicted, have been screen'd from public Justice; and if the executive Part of our Government should seem in any case too weak, we conceive it is the Duty of the Assembly, and in their Power, to strengthen it, without representing us in a Light that might undeservedly subject us to your Majesty's Royal Displeasure, which we should deem the greatest of all Misfortunes.

WE therefore most humbly PRAY—That your Majesty would be graciously pleased, wholly to disregard the said Petition of the Assembly, as exceeding grievous in its Nature; as by no means containing a proper Representation of the State of this Province; and as repugnant to the general Sense of your numerous and loyal Subjects in it; there being but few of them (comparatively speaking) who could by any means be prevail'd on to give the least Countenance to this Measure.

AND your Petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray &c.