▁most ▁important ▁comm itte es . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁Qu aker ▁of ▁the ▁strict est ▁sect , ▁and ▁endeav ored ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁policy ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁consistent ▁with ▁the ▁principles ▁of ▁his ▁religion . ▁On ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁war ▁with ▁France ▁and ▁Spain ▁in ▁ 1 7 3 9 , ▁he ▁opposed ▁the ▁organization ▁of ▁volunte er ▁companies ▁and ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁province . ▁His ▁follow ers , ▁in ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁war ▁party , ▁were ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" N or ris ▁party ," ▁and ▁his ▁subsequent ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁assembly ▁was ▁the ▁occasion ▁of ▁violent ▁political ▁strugg les ▁between ▁the ▁Qu akers ▁and ▁other ▁residents ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁commission ers ▁to ▁treat ▁with ▁the ▁Alb any ▁Indians ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 5 ▁and ▁ 1 7 5 5 , ▁and ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁colle agues ▁effect ed ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁several ▁million ▁acres ▁compr ising ▁the ▁south western ▁part ▁of ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 5 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁speaker ▁of ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Provin cial ▁Assembly , ▁and ▁held ▁that ▁office ▁fifteen ▁years . ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁his ▁administration , ▁the ▁state house ▁bell ▁was ▁ordered ▁from ▁England . ▁Nor ris ▁proposed ▁that ▁its ▁ins cription ▁should ▁be : ▁" Proc laim ▁liberty ▁throughout ▁the ▁land ▁unto ▁all ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁there of ," ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁Bible ' s ▁book ▁of ▁Lev it icus , ▁chapter ▁ 2 5 , ▁verse ▁ 1