IN THE YEARS 1795, 1796, AND 1797;

BY THE

DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT

LIANCOURT.

WITH AN AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT OF LOWER CANADA.
THREE MAPS, SEVERAL TABLES, &C.

SECOND EDITION.

VOL. IV.

London:

Printed by T. Gillet, Salisbury-Square,

FOR R. PHILLIPS, No. 71, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD; SOLD BY
T. HURST AND J. WALLIS, PATERNOSTER ROW, AND
BY CARPENTER AND CO. OLD BOND-STREET.

TRAVELS

THROUGH THE

UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, CANADA, &c.

IN THE YEARS 1795, 1796, AND 1797.

RESIDENCE AT PHILADELPHIA.

ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OF PHILADELPHIA.

A

S I am now on the eve of my departure from Philadelphia, and as it is not probable that I fhall be here again before my departure for Europe, 1 fhall fet down whatever information I have been able to collect, respecting the city of Philadelphia and the ftate of Pennsylvania, in the feveral vifits I have paid to this part of the United States.

ORIGIN OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

This colony was founded 1681, by the celebrated WILLIAM PENN, from whom it derives its name; and to the genius with which that great man conceived the plan of its government, and the wisdom and juftice of his administration, VOL. IV.

B

is

is to be afcribed the rapid progress it made to a happy and flourishing condition.

The English government had given Admiral PENN reafon to expect the ceffion of this country to him, in payment of a confiderable fum due to him from the public. The Admiral died before any thing was done in the affair; and the petition prefented by William Penn, after his death, to claim the exccution of the promise, was long oppofed by the agents of Lord BALTIMORE, proprietor of Maryland. It was not till towards the conclufion of the year 1681, that Charles the Second figned William Penn's char

ter.

At this time several spots on the banks of the Delaware were inhabited. They were at firft part of the province of New York occupied by Dutch fettlers, and afterwards were in the poffeffion of the Swedes; till, in 1664, they were finally united to the crown of England.

The motives mentioned in the preamble of the patent granted to William Penn are, the fervices of Admiral Penn, and the laudable intentions of his fon to add to the grandeur of the British empire, by cultivating fuch branches of commerce in the territories ceded to him as would enrich Great Britain, and by civilising the savage nations of the country.

The