MDDMD18: Pennsylvania Politics

[Dave Monroe]

   "'Pennsylvania Politics?  Its name is Simplicity."
(M&D, Ch. 29, p. 293)

But to bring things up to date, at least so far as the
novel is concerned, again from Edwin Danson, Drawing
the Line (NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2001), Ch. 3, "The
Great Chancery Suit," pp. 18-26 ...

   "The relationship between Thomas Penn and his
governor with the legislature of Pennsylvania was at a
low ebb.  The Pennsylvanian commisioners for the most
part were politically inclined towards the
legislature's position, opposed to their province's
condition as a proprietorial colony.  Despite the
liberality of the Charter of Privileges, the
provincial Quaker movement had always opposed the
governmental structure, in part because its rigidity
did not represent fundamental Quaker philosophy.  The
Maryland commisioners, although from a less liberal
colony, but rife with separatist feelings, were
similarly inclined.  Beneath the surface of both
colonies was a yearning for political independence
from the shackles of the proprietorial ystem; hence
the governors kept a distance from their commissioners
and legislatures.  This is not to say the
commissioners, or their class, were 'republican' or
activists for devolution--that was still a few years
off.  That they were kep ignorant of Penn and
Calvert's decision is not surprising and, for the
commissioners and their American surveyors, Mason and
Dixon's arrival was to come as a total surprise." 
(pp. 25-6)

Okay, now back to the futurity, or, at least, to Ch.
30.  Time, tubes, needles, et soforthiam ...

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