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o have been comparatively inexpensive luxuries in those days。 A few years before; in 1675; Penn and some other Quakers had; as has already been related; gained control of West Jersey for the still smaller sum of one thousand pounds and had established it as a Quaker refuge。 It might be supposed that they now had the same purpose in view in East Jersey; but apparently their intention was to create a refuge for Presbyterians; the famous Scotch Covenanters; much persecuted at that time under Charles II; who was forcing them to conform to the Church of England。

Penn and his fellow proprietors of East Jersey each chose a partner; most of them Scotchmen; two of whom; the Earl of Perth and Lord Drummond; were prominent men。 To this mixed body of Quakers; other dissenters; and some Papists; twenty…four proprietors in all; the Duke of York reconfirmed by special patent their right to East Jersey。 Under their urging a few Scotch Covenanters began to arrive and seem to have first established themselves at Perth Amboy; which they named from the Scottish Earl of Perth and an Indian word meaning 〃point。〃 This settlement they expected to become a great commercial port rivaling New York。 Curiously enough; Robert Barclay; the first governor appointed; was not only a Scotchman but also a Quaker; and a theologian whose 〃Apology for the True Christian Divinity〃 (1678) is regarded to this day as the best statement of the original Quaker doctrine。 He remained in England; however; and the deputies whom he sent out to rule the colony had a troublous time of it。

That Quakers should establish a refuge for Presbyterians seems at first peculiar; but it was in accord with their general philanthropic plan to help the oppressed and suffering; to rescue prisoners and exiles; and especially to ameliorate the horrible condition of people confined in the English dungeons and prisons。 Many vivid pictures of how the Scotch Covenanters were hunted down like wild beasts may be found in English histories and novels。 When their lives were spared they often met a fate worse than death in the loathsome dungeons into which thousands of Quakers of that time were also thrust。 A large part of William Penn's life as a courtier was spent in rescuing prisoners; exiles; and condemned persons of all sorts; and not merely those of his own faith。 So the undertaking to make of Jersey two colonies; one a refuge for Quakers and the other a refuge for Covenanters; was natural enough; and it was a very broad…minded plan for that age。

In 1683; a few years after the Quaker control of East Jersey began; a new and fiercer persecution of the Covenanters was started in the old country; and shortly afterwards Monmouth's insurrection in England broke out and was followed by a most bloody proscription and punishment。 The greatest efforts were made to induce those still untouched to fly for refuge to East Jersey; but; strange to say; comparatively few of them came。 It is another proof of the sturdiness and devotion which has filled so many pages of history and romance with their praise that as a class the Covenanters remained at home to establish their faith with torture; martyrdom; and death。

In 1685 the Duke of York ascended the throne of England as James II; and all that was naturally to be expected from such a bigoted despot was soon realized。 The persecutions of the Covenanters grew worse。 Crowded into prisons to die of thirst and suffocation; shot down on the highways; tied to stakes to be drowned by the rising tide; the whole Calvinistic population of Scotland seemed doomed to extermination。 Again they were told of America as the only place where religious liberty was allowed; and in addition a book was circulated among them called 〃The Model of the Government of the Province of East Jersey in America。〃 These efforts were partially successful。 More Covenanters came than before; but nothing like the numbers of Quakers that flocked to Pennsylvania。 The whole population of East JerseyNew Englanders; Dutch; Scotch Covenanters; and alldid not exceed five thousand and possibly was not over four thousand。

Some French Huguenots; such as came to many of the English colonies after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes of 1685; were added to the East Jersey population。 A few went to Salem in West Jersey; and some of these became Quakers。 In both the Jerseys; as elsewhere; they became prominent and influential in all spheres of life。 There was a decided Dutch influence; it is said; in the part nearest New York; emanating from the Bergen settlement in which the Dutch had succeeded in establishing themselves in 1660 after the Indians had twice driven them from Pavonia。 Many descendants of Dutch families are still found in that region。 Many Dutch characteristics were to be found in that region throughout colonial times。 Many of the houses had Dutch stoops or porches at the door; with seats where the family and visitors sat on summer evenings to smoke and gossip。 Long Dutch spouts extended out from the eaves to discharge the rain water into the street。 But the prevailing tone of East Jersey seems to have been set by the Scotch Presbyterians and the New England Congregationalists。 The College of New Jersey; afterward known as Princeton; established in 1747; was the result of a movement among the Presbyterians of East Jersey and New York。

All these elements of East Jersey; Scotch Covenanters; Connecticut Puritans; Huguenots; and Dutch of the Dutch Reformed Church; were in a sense different but in reality very much in accord and congenial in their ideas of religion and politics。 They were all sturdy; freedom…loving Protestants; and they set the tone that prevails in East Jersey to this day。 Their strict discipline and their uncompromising thrift may now seem narrow and harsh; but it made them what they were; and it has left a legacy of order and prosperity under which alien religions and races are eager to seek protection。 In its foundation the Quakers may claim a share。

The new King; James II; was inclined to reassume jurisdiction and extend the power of the Governor of New York over East Jersey in spite of his grant to Sir George Carteret。 In fact; he desired to put New England; New York; and New Jersey under one strong government centered at New York; to abolish their charters; to extinguish popular government; and to make them all mere royal dependencies in pursuance of his general policy of establishing an absolute monarchy and a papal church in England。

The curse of East Jersey's existence was to be always an appendage of New York; or to be threatened with that condition。 The inhabitants now had to enter their vessels and pay duties at New York。 Writs were issued by order of the King putting both the Jerseys and all New England under the New York Governor。 Step by step the plans for amalgamation and despotism moved on successfully; when suddenly the English Revolution of 1688 put an end to the whole magnificent scheme; drove the King into exile; and placed William of Orange on the throne。

The proprietaries of both Jerseys reassumed their former authority。 But the New York Assembly attempted to exercise control over East Jersey and to levy duties on its exports。 The two provinces were soon on the eve of a little war。 For twelve or fifteen years East Jersey was in disorder; with seditious meetings; mob rule; judges and sheriffs attacked while performing their duty; the proprietors claiming quitrents from the people; the people resisting; and the British Privy Council threatening a suit to take the province from the proprietors and make a Crown colony of it。 The period is known in the history of this colony as 〃The Revolution。〃 Under the threat of the Privy Council to take over the province; the proprietors of both East and West Jersey surrendered their rights of political government; retaining their ownership of land and quitrents; and the two Jerseys were united under one government in 1702。 Its subsequent history demands another chapter。



Chapter XI。 The United Jerseys

The Quaker colonists grouped round Burlington and Salem; on the Delaware; and the Scotch Covenanters and New England colonists grouped around Perth Amboy and Newark; near the mouth of the Hudson; made up the two Jerseys。 Neither colony had a numerous population; and the stretch of country lying between them was during most of the colonial period a wilderness。 It is now crossed by the railway from Trenton to New York。 It has always been a line of travel from the Delaware to the Hudson。 At first there was only an Indian trail across it; but after 1695 there was a road; and after 1738 a stage route。

In 1702; while still separated by this wilderness; the two Jerseys were united politically by the proprietors voluntarily surrendering all their political rights to the Crown。 The political distinction between East Jersey and West Jersey was thus abolished; their excellent free constitutions were rendered of doubtful authority; and from that time to the Revolution they constituted one colony under the control of a royal governor appointed by the Crown。

The change was due to the uncertainty and annoyance caused for their separate governments when their right to govern was in doubt owing to interference on the part 

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