Volume 3, Chapter 27, Response in Pennsylvania
John Hughes, Franklin's lieutenant in Pennsylvania, also resisted resignation from the post of
stamp distributor in Pennsylvania and Delaware. In early September, the people of Pennsylvania
began to insist on Hughes's resignation. Hughes lamented to Franklin that the spirit
or Flame of Rebellion is now at a high pitch in America, a spirit that he termed a sort
of frenzy or madness. Hughes' determination not to resign was stiffened by Franklin's
admonition from his privileged sanctuary in England to carry out his office whatever may
be the madness of the populace or their blind leaders. The favor of the colonial people
must always be sacrificed in any clash with the authority of Great Britain.
The pressure against Hughes had not yet reached a peak, since the stamped papers had not arrived
in the colonies. In the meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Assembly, dominated by conservative Quakers
and their Tory allies from the increasingly overrepresented eastern counties, decided
The pressure of the people continued to mount, however, and on September 16, the radical liberals, led by Samuel Smith and aided by the New York's son of liberty, John Lamb, determined to reduce Hughes' house in the state of Massachusetts.
In Philadelphia, the principal Tory leaders, Hughes and Joseph Galloway, were able to
organize a gang of seven to eight hundred to guard the house.
The gang consisted largely of Galloway's mass base in the city, the clubs of Philadelphia
tradesmen known as the White Oaks and the Hearts of Oak.
The governor and the municipal officials, like the proprietary, sympathetic to the resistance,
and more particularly hostile to the pro-royal Franklin Party, remained neutral in the struggle
and prudently left town.
Confronted with Galloway's gang, the popular mob contended itself with burning John Hughes
in effigy.
For the next three weeks, Hughes was ill and ordered to combat, but the conflict came to
a climax on October 5 with the arrival of the stamped paper and of Hughes' official commission.
The people could wait no longer. The radical leaders met at the coffee house of the printer
William Bradford and summoned the people by tolling all the church bells and beating muffled
Drums Throughout the City. A great crowd collected at the State House, particularly including
Presbyterians. William Allen, Jr., son of the Chief Justice of the colony, headed the
crowd. The governor and mayor took care to be absent from the scene. Only the Quaker
alderman, Benjamin Shoemaker, attempted, vainly, to order the crowd to disperse. The crowd
Rudd deputed seven of the prominent citizens of Philadelphia to demand Hughes's resignation
with the threat of the extreme penalty, should he refuse. The seven included Bradford, attorney
James Tillman, and merchants Robert Morris, Charles Thompson, Archibald McCall, John Cox,
and William Richards. The stubborn Hughes resisted the demand, even when learning of
The Threats of Virginia and Maryland Mobs to Kill Him Should He Ever Set Foot There
Finally, the rather timid delegation agreed to a face-saving modification for Hughes.
Hughes agreed only to defer executing the Stamp Act in Pennsylvania or Delaware until
it was executed in the neighboring colonies. Still full of ginger, Hughes continued to
to Horang his enemies about their supposedly grievous crimes.
He persisted in attacking the governor for not enforcing the tax, and the Presbyterians
of the colony, recently united under New Light control, as rebels, as averse to kings as
As they were in the days of Cromwell, and some began to cry out, No King but King Jesus!