Whereas King Charles II, under the great seal of England, has been pleased to give me William Penn and to my heirs the land called Pennsylvania in America.

I, William Penn, declare for me and my heirs, liberties and properties to be held by freemen, planters, and inhabitants of this great land.

The government of Pennsylvania is established for two purposes, first to terrify evildoers and second to benefit those that do well. Government seems to me to be part of religion, a thing that is sacred. Evildoers should fear our laws. But to others who live just lives, government is capable of kindness, goodness, and charity.

The laws of the government of Pennsylvania will be followed by all the people because the people help make these rules. Governments are like clocks, they run because men wind them. So it is with governments that are made and run well or ruined by men. If men are good the government cannot be bad.

If men are bad, they will destroy government. I know that some say let us have good laws, and don’t matter about the men that run them. But, they should consider that although good laws do good, good men do better. Let there be here in this land of Pennsylvania men of wisdom and virtue. Let men of good conscience, to the best of their skills, create laws of this government to benefit all.

William Penn

Source: Annals of America, Vol. 1 (Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1976), pp. 265-271