Two centuries of Pennsylvania history / by Isaac Sharpless.

              
HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
might have been greatly increased, the report stated, 
had the paper currency been more extensive.
This report only produced more attempts to pass bills 
more vetoes and  explanations, and more bitter rejoinders 
from the house.	The governor probably did the best he 
could, but his instructions tied him down, and he was under 
heavy bonds not to violate them.	He himself remonstrated 
with Thomas Penn, without effect, and the result was a 
refusal to allow any money bill to be passed which did not 
place the interest at the joint disposal of governor and 
assembly, instead of the assembly alone.	This latter   
arrangement would, in the proprietary's eyes, render that, 
body for a term of years too independent of himself and	 
the crown.	The assembly held tenaciously to the idea 
that the representatives of the people had control of the 
public revenue and expenditure, and refused to send in bills 
to meet the proprietary's views. Practically, therefore, 
nothing was done, and this condition might have, existed 
much longer had not the exigencies of war demanded 
increased appropriations. The assembly, while undoubtedly 
right in principle, injured its cause by the rudeness and disrespect shown in its replies.
The French still kept up their activity in the Ohio Valley; 
On the claim that the land belonged to them by right of 
discovery. They held the ambitious project of connecting 
their provinces of Canada and Louisiana by a chain of forts, 
And of controlling all the intervening territory- Governor 
Dinwiddie of Virginia sent, George Washington to ascertain 
their designs, which errand he accomplished in the dead of 
winter, 1753-4, and his report awakened the English government
 to a sense of the importance of the work before them.
One of their first efforts produced results the reverse of 
their intentions. It was resolved 'to have representatives 
of all the colonies meet the Six Nations at Albany, and 
once for all buy and persuade them into allegiance. The 
Pennsylvania agents, John Penn and Robert Peters, were 
sent by the governor, and Morris and Franklin attended on 
behalf of the assembly.