WATTS TO MONCKTON. NEW YORK 4th Feb 1769. DEAR SIR, Your favour of 3 Nov" was highly welcome to me, as every thing of the kind is I have the honour to receive from you. The affairs between the mother country and this have been strangely conducted indeed, though I believe it scarcely possible they could have been conducted worse than the affairs of Britain itself has been, all instability and confusion; what will be the end of these things, time must discover, the prospect is not very enchanting. Our Assembly were lately dissolved for coming to resolutions similar to the other Colonies. His Ex-it is imagined, thought to change for the better but if that was the case, his disappointment must be great, not only three of the old ones were returned hollow, but Livingston the last Speaker was thrown out for taking the other side, and your friend John Cruger (former Mayor) put in his room. Jamey De Lancey took the lead and so must continue to do as long as he manages with common wisdom, his father's memory is so much revered. Our present ruler has managed his matters in such a way, as not to have gained the confidence, it is thought, of many, particularly those you would have chose to be well with. Whether it is his fault. or theirs, I shant say, but they think he inclines to the meeting folks, and the difference has been carried so high by the late offensive writings, that the parties will not be easily brought to draw together. The Presbyterians or Independents as the Church writers call them, at the late election, strove eagerly in their publications, particularly in an offensive one, styled the Glorious Combination, to T unite all the dissenting congregations against the Church, under the general term of Episcopalians and Non-Episcopalians. But it would not do, they stuck to their old friends and formed a great majority, especially of the more substantial people. I shall pay the proper respect due to your recommendation of Mr Blackbourne, our town is become so full of strangers, those who want a good connection, stand now in need of introductions, which was otherwise, but a very little while ago. We have lost our friend Gen' Burton, I see so we drop off one after another and mix with the rest of the race of Adam, forgetting and forgot. Mr Walton and Jamey Mc Evers are the only two of our acquaintance that I can recollect have dropt since you left the Government. Father Colden holds it as well as ever, never comes to town, but father Franks has been obliged to bow to four score years and better and is just gone. The Assembly the last sessions allowed Mr Colden the salary from 1st Sept. to 13th refused, but they could not Nov!, which before had been My compliments to the family and believe me with the greatest truth Dr Sir Y most aff. humb' Sert JNO. WATTS. Mr Blackburn I find to be a virtuoso, he is often out of town and is now so. Honb! Gen! MONCKTON. SIR, ADAM HOOPS TO MONCKTON. PHILADELPHIA 22 February 1769. In my last I had the pleasure of acknowledging your Excellencies much Esteem'd present, p Captain Hay, for which I again beg leave to give you my Hearty thanks. The great willingness that you have always shewed to Oblige, and the many favours I have rec2 at your Hands ; have encouraged me once more to bespeak your Excellencies Frienship and Assistance. Nothing could have prevailed on me to take the liberty of giving you so much trouble at present, less than the grevious complaint of a poor, and distress'd Woman, and Family of Children. I am sure that such an object will Ever meet with your compassionate regard, and with her too I shall take the liberty of recommending to your favour, the case of a Gentleman, whom if you are so kind as to serve, I shall Ever reckon the kindness, as done to myself. The woman I mean, was formerly the wife of Anth! Thompson, who Erected a Tan Yard, and sundry Offices near Fort Pitt, while that Garrison was under your Excellencies Command, for the particulars I shall take the liberty of refering you to the Copy of her account, and Deposition, which is herewith Inclosed. As I was particularly requested by the Widow, and was also a particular Creditor, I took on me the Administration of her late Husband Thompson's Estate. The Gentleman I refer'd to is M: William Buchanan formerly a Resident in Carlisle Cumberland County, but now in Frederick County, Maryland, he is one of the first who after the reduction of Fort Du Quence, sent out goods under the care of M William Galbreath, to the Indian Towns down the River Ohio, as well by the approbation of His Majesty's Commanding Officer in that Department and his Majesty's Agent for Indians Affairs, as by an Invitation with a promise of protection from those very Indians who afterwards rob'a him, with sundry other Traders of that time in their Country, of all their goods, and Effects. The Attornies of these Sufferers, to whom the Necessary Accounts are sent, will wait upon your Excellency therewith, that they may receive such advice, and Instruction, as you shall think best to give them. I cannot readily describe what kind of restitution we have reason now to Expect, for a certain Junto, in this place, who are concerned in these losses, have lately pursued such Indirect, Fraudulent, and Selfish Schemes, and have so Embarrassed and confounded the whole matter, that 'tis hard to tell, on what footing it now stands, I must beg your Patience, while I try to explain this subject, by a short relation of Facts. In the year 1765, it was reported here, that the losses sustained in America by Indian Robberies, coud not be repaid out of the French prizes, taken before the Declaration of War, yet there was reason to hope, that restitution woud be made in Land, as soon as the Six Nations shoud cede to his Majesty, enough of their Country, to answer that purpose. In the latter End of that year, it was slightly Intimated to some of the Sufferers, by some of the above mentioned Schemers, that the Indians had agreed to give up to his Majesty, in Consideration of the Injuries they had done, all their Claim to the Country, from the Head of the River Ohio, down said River to the Mouth of the Cherokee River, and bounded on the East by the Allegeheny (sic) Mountains. In March following Cap: William Trent, began to make proposals, of buying up the Claims of Indian Traders for losses wch they had suffered. He offer'd, Thirty, and to www a few as far as Fifty p cent, and that only on a Condition, Notwithstanding this Clandestine, and Inderect mode of proceeding, an Exclusive Grant of Land has lately been made by the Indians, at the great and general Treaty, held by Sir. William Johnson at Fort Stanwix. The Grantees are Robert Callender, David Franks, Joseph Symonds, William Trent, Levy Andrew Levy, Philip Boyl, John Boynton, Samuel Wharton, George Morgan, Joseph Spear, Thomas Smallman, Samuel Wharton Adm for John Welsh dec, Edmund Moran, Evan Shelby, Samuel Postlewait, John Gibson, Richard Winston, Dennis Crohon, William Thompson, Abram Mitchell, James Dundas, Thomas Dundas, & John Ormsby, and no others, the Land that is granted to these persons, is thus bounded - Beginning at the mouth of little Kenhaway Creek, and thence South East to the Laurell Hill, thence Northward along the Hill, to the Waters of Monangehela, then down said Water, till it meets the Southern Boundary of Pennsylvania, then along said line, as far as it extends, and from that West, as far as the Ohio, and down that, thence to the place of begining, or words to this import. This is said to be granted them as a Compensation for the particular losses they sustained by the |