THOMAS PENN

Each of the original American colonies was established with a different charter and had different structures. Pennsylvania was unlike the other colonies not chartered to a company or some other structure but was given completely to William Penn as his personal property. So there was never a Royal Governor appointed by the King or a Company for Pennsylvania. Technically Penn was the "True and Absolute Proprietor" where all of Pennsylvania was treated the same as a person's personal estate in England. William Penn was a very tolerant Quaker with strong democratic, and egalitarian beliefs. He established his estate with a legislature that had the power of taxation and the making of civil laws, defense and development. He was one of the great figures in the history of America. Philadelphia was the largest city in the colonies and the center of American science and culture. However, Penn's son, Thomas Penn was everything his father despised. He was aristocratic, arrogant, power seeking, vain and greedy. However, he had inherited Pennsylvania and was the proprietor. He saw the Pennsylvania Legislature and Franklin, one of its leaders, as the people who were running his private property. So Thomas Penn at this meeting took the legal position that his father did not have the authority to establish a legislature that had power; it could only advise the proprietor. See {583431} for Thomas Penn's statement that produced this reply.

Each of the original American colonies was established with a different charter and had different structures. Pennsylvania was unlike the other colonies not chartered to a company or some other structure but was given completely to William Penn as his personal property. So there was never a Royal Governor appointed by the King or a Company for Pennsylvania. Technically Penn was the "True and Absolute Proprietor" where all of Pennsylvania was treated the same as a person's personal estate in England. William Penn was a very tolerant Quaker with strong democratic, and egalitarian beliefs. He established his estate with a legislature that had the power of taxation and the making of civil laws, defense and development. He was one of the great figures in the history of America. Philadelphia was the largest city in the colonies and the center of American science and culture. However, Penn's son, Thomas Penn was everything his father despised. He was aristocratic, arrogant, power seeking, vain and greedy. However, he had inherited Pennsylvania and was the proprietor. He saw the Pennsylvania Legislature and Franklin, one of its leaders, as the people who were running his private property. So Thomas Penn at this meeting took the legal position that his father did not have the authority to establish a legislature that had power; it could only advise the proprietor. See {583432} for Franklin's reply.

Each of the original American colonies was established with a different charter and had different structures. Pennsylvania was unlike the other colonies not chartered to a company or some other structure but was given completely to William Penn as his personal property. So there was never a Royal Governor appointed by the King or a Company for Pennsylvania. Technically Penn was the "True and Absolute Proprietor" where all of Pennsylvania was treated the same as a person's personal estate in England. William Penn was a very tolerant Quaker with strong democratic, and egalitarian beliefs. He established his estate with a legislature that had the power of taxation and the making of civil laws, defense and development. He was one of the great figures in the history of America. Philadelphia was the largest city in the colonies and the center of American science and culture. However, Penn's son, Thomas Penn was everything his father despised. He was aristocratic, arrogant, power seeking, vain and greedy. However, he had inherited Pennsylvania and was the proprietor. He saw the Pennsylvania Legislature and Franklin, one of its leaders, as the people who were running his private property. So Thomas Penn at this meeting took the legal position that his father did not have the authority to establish a legislature that had power; it could only advise the proprietor. See {583432} for Franklin's reply.