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with, and it must be so. And, indeed, if it be the design of subscribe, but say they will consider of it. I enquired into
Providence to extirpate these savages in order to make room the nature and probable utility of his scheme, and receiving
for cultivators of the earth, it seems not improbable that from him a very satisfactory explanation, I not only subscrib d
rum may be the appointed means. It has already annihi- to it myself, but engag d heartily in the design of procuring
lated all the tribes who formerly inhabited the sea-coast. subscriptions from others. Previously, however, to the so-
In 1751, Dr. Thomas Bond, a particular friend of mine, licitation, I endeavoured to prepare the minds of the people
conceived the idea of establishing a hospital in Philadelphia by writing on the subject in the newspapers, which was my
(a very beneficent design, which has been ascrib d to me, usual custom in such cases, but which he had omitted.
but was originally his), for the reception and cure of poor The subscriptions afterwards were more free and gener-
sick persons, whether inhabitants of the province or strang- ous; but, beginning to flag, I saw they would be insufficient
ers. He was zealous and active in endeavouring to procure without some assistance from the Assembly, and therefore
subscriptions for it, but the proposal being a novelty in propos d to petition for it, which was done. The country
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members did not at first relish the project; they objected appear to the satisfaction of the speaker of the Assembly
that it could only be serviceable to the city, and therefore for the time being, that then it shall and may be lawful for
the citizens alone should be at the expense of it; and they the said speaker, and be is hereby required, to sign an order
doubted whether the citizens themselves generally approv d on the provincial treasurer for the payment of two thousand
of it. My allegation on the contrary, that it met with such pounds, in two yearly payments, to the treasurer of the said
approbation as to leave no doubt of our being able to raise hospital, to be applied to the founding, building, and fin-
two thousand pounds by voluntary donations, they considered ishing of the same.
as a most extravagant supposition, and utterly impossible. This condition carried the bill through; for the members,
On this I form d my plan; and asking leave to bring in a who had oppos d the grant, and now conceiv d they might
bill for incorporating the contributors according to the prayer have the credit of being charitable without the expence,
of their petition, and granting them a blank sum of money, agreed to its passage; and then, in soliciting subscriptions
which leave was obtained chiefly on the consideration that among the people, we urg d the conditional promise of the
the House could throw the bill out if they did not like it, I law as an additional motive to give, since every man s dona-
drew it so as to make the important clause a conditional tion would be doubled; thus the clause work d both ways.
one, viz., And be it enacted, by the authority aforesaid, The subscriptions accordingly soon exceeded the requisite
that when the said contributors shall have met and chosen sum, and we claim d and receiv d the public gift, which en-
their managers and treasurer, and shall have raised by their abled us to carry the design into execution. A convenient
contributions a capital stock of value (the yearly inter- and handsome building was soon erected; the institution
est of which is to be applied to the accommodating of the has by constant experience been found useful, and flour-
sick poor in the said hospital, free of charge for diet, atten- ishes to this day; and I do not remember any of my political
dance, advice, and medicines), and shall make the same manoeuvres, the success of which gave me at the time more
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pleasure, or wherein, after thinking of it, I more easily excus d those who you are sure will give nothing, for in some of
myself for having made some use of cunning. them you may be mistaken. He laugh d and thank d me,
It was about this time that another projector, the Rev. and said he would take my advice. He did so, for he ask d of
Gilbert Tennent, came to me with a request that I would everybody, and he obtained a much larger sum than he ex-
assist him in procuring a subscription for erecting a new pected, with which he erected the capacious and very el-
meeting-house. It was to he for the use of a congregation he egant meeting-house that stands in Arch-street.
had gathered among the Presbyterians, who were originally Our city, tho laid out with a beautiful regularity, the
disciples of Mr. Whitefield. Unwilling to make myself dis- streets large, strait, and crossing each other at right angles,
agreeable to my fellow-citizens by too frequently soliciting had the disgrace of suffering those streets to remain long
their contributions, I absolutely refus d. He then desired I unpav d, and in wet weather the wheels of heavy carriages
would furnish him with a list of the names of persons I plough d them into a quagmire, so that it was difficult to
knew by experience to be generous and public-spirited. I cross them; and in dry weather the dust was offensive. I had
thought it would be unbecoming in me, after their kind liv d near what was call d the Jersey Market, and saw with
compliance with my solicitations, to mark them out to be pain the inhabitants wading in mud while purchasing their
worried by other beggars, and therefore refus d also to give provisions. A strip of ground down the middle of that mar-
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