the Americans were in a Sort of Difgrace at Court, for not having broken thro' all the Cautions laid upon them before, and affumed and exercised all the Powers of Government in taking care of themselves. Let the Reader judge for himfelf.

6

Sir,

Whiteball, July 5, 1754. Your Letter of the 25th of November laft, in Answer to the Earl of Holderneffe's of the 28th of August having been received and laid before the King, I am to acquaint you, That it is his Majefty's exprefs Command, that you should, in obedience thereto, not only act vigorously in the De⚫ fence of the Government under your Care, but that you fhould likewife be aiding and affifting his Majefty's other American Colonies, to repel any hostile Attempts made against them; and it was with great Surprize, that the King obferved your total Silence upon that Part of his Majefty's Orders, which relate to a Concert with the other Colonies, ⚫ which, you must be fenfible, is now become more effentially neceffary for their common Defence, fince the Account received by you from Major Washington, with regard to the Hoftilities committed by the French upon the River Obio, which verify in fact what was apprehended when the Earl of Hol•derneffe wrote fo fully to you in Auguft laft, and which might have been, in great measure, if not totally prevented, had every one of his Majesty's Governments exerted themfelves according to thofe Directions, the Obfervance whereof I am now, by the King's Command, to inforce to you in the strongest 'Manner.' I am, &t.

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The Governor alfo accompanied this Letter with a Speech; in which occur the following curious Particulars, viz.

• From the Letters and Intelligence I have ordered to be laid before you, it will appear that the French have now, at their Fort at Mohangialo, above

⚫ a thou

a thousand regular Troops, befides Indians: That they are well fupplied with Provifions, and that they have lately received an additional Number of • Cannon: That their upper Forts are alfo well garrifoned and provided; and that they are making a • Settlement of three hundred Families in the Country of the Twigtwees, at the South-weft End of the • Lake Erie.

From those Papers you will likewise be informed of the Ufe they have made of their laft Year's • Succefs among the Indians of the Six Nations, having prevailed with many of them to remove to CaC nada, who will either be neuter in the prefent Difpute, or take up Arms against us, while fuch few of the Indians, as ftill retain their Attachment to the English, dare not be active for us, till they fee a Force in the Field fuperiour to that of the French: And if that be not foon, they will certainly give up ' our Cause, and embrace the tempting Offers made 'them by the French.

'Gentlemen, It is now feveral Years fince the French ' undertook this Expedition, and we have long had 'full Intelligence of their Designs, and of the Steps they have taken to carry them into Execution: Their Progrefs indeed has been very furprizing, owing chiefly to the Inactivity of the English Colonies, who, I am forry to fay, have looked with too ' much Indifference upon an Affair that muft end in their Ruin, if not timely prevented.'

[Poor Colonies! Expofed on one hand! Cenfured on the other!]

In a fubfequent Paragraph he alfo proceeds as follews:

These Incroachments of the French upon the Territories of the Crown of Britain in America, have turned the Eyes of Europe to this Quarter of the • World, as it is uncertain what Effects they may produce. The Conduct, therefore, of these Colonies ' will be more than ever the Object of their Attention, and ours in particular who are moft immedi

M

ately

'

ately concerned: For, whether the French Forts are within the particular Limits of this Province or not, I look upon to be very immaterial in the prefent Cafe, tho' in my Opinion they are clearly so: But be that as it may, our Situation at prefent is certainly very alarming- -The French on our Borders are numerous, ftrongly fortified, well pro← vided, and daily increafing-The fmall Body of English Troops on the Frontiers, weakened by the Desertion from the Independent Companies, and the Want of Difcipline in the New Levies-The Six Nations of Indians, formerly our firm Friends, di⚫vided among themselves, many of them gone over to the French, and others wavering and in doubt whether to follow their Brethren, or continue with us-The neighbouring Provinces (except Virginia) tho' nearly interefted in the Iffue of the present Affair, either contributing nothing towards the common Caufe, or sparingly. And tho' Virginia has • indeed given thirty thousand Pounds, yet it will avail but little, unless a confiderable Body of Troops be fent from this Province, and kept up till the Work ⚫ is done.

Permit me therefore, Gentlemen, to prefs this Matter upon you: Exert yourfelves upon the prefent Occafion; diffipate the Cloud that hangs over your Country, and fave her from the threatened Deftruction. His Majefty, ever anxious for the • Welfare of all his Subjects, excites and commands. us The Eyes of a British Parliament, of the People of our Mother Country, of the other American Colonies, and even of all Europe, are upon us And the Fate of this Country, the Happiness or Mifery of your Pofterity, very much depend on your Refolutions.'

Thus Penfylvania alone muft be put in the Front of the Battle, muft undertake for all, pay for all, &c. &c. and is goaded on fo to do by the very Proprietaries and their Deputy, who fhould have ftood in the Gap, and endeared themselves to the Province, by

I'

endea

endeavouring to have the Load laid as equally on the whole Continent, and the Effort made as generally as poffible.

It is vifible, the Governor's Name fignified nothing, whether Hamilton or Morris, except that the hardeft Driver was fure to be the beft thought of by his Employers: And it was but natural, that the Affembly fhould be as refolute to continue the Province in fuch a State as might render it worth preferving, as they were willing to contribute whatfoever they properly could towards its Prefervation-Penfylvania was more dear to them for the Excellency of its Conftitution, than the Excellency of its Soil: And whatever the narrow Notions of Proprietaries may be, as the Liberty of the Province is diminished, the Value of their Poffeffions in it will diminish in the fame Proportion.

To discharge all Duties at once, therefore, they again put the Demands for the general Service, and thofe for the particular Intereft of the Province, upon the fame Footing, by the old Expedient of a Currency Bill, providing for ftriking the Sum of forty thoufand Pounds in Bills of Credit; one Moiety for the King's Ufe, and the other for replacing damaged Bills: Which they fent up to the Governor for his Concurrence, with a written Meffage, of which what follows was the most material Part.

Tho we hope the Number of the French, and their Indian Allies, mentioned in George Croghan's Letters are full large, yet the uncommon Efforts they have made towards obtaining a Poffeffion on that Part of his Majefty's Dominions, are truly alarming, and dangerous to the British Intereft in North America: And we have good Reafon to believe, the Sums granted the King by our late Affembly, had the then Governor been pleafed to pafs the Bill offered to him for that Purpose, "might "in a great meafure, if not totally, have prevented "the bad Situation of our Affairs at prefent," and have placed our Duty to the beft of Kings, as we

M 2

• defire

.

defire it fhould always appear, among his most loving and loyal Subjects. And for this Reason, it is with Concern we find, by the above mentioned • Letter from the Secretary of State, That it was "with great Surprize the King had observed, in our "late Governor's Anfwer to the Earl of Holdernesse, "he had been totally filent on that Part of his Majefty's Orders, which relate to a Concert with the "other Colonies." But as we have great Confidence in our Governor, that he will at all Times afford us all good Offices and Protection, and will 'be pleased to reprefent us and our Affairs in a favourable Light, as we hope he may do with great Juftice; fo, on our Part, we fhall not fail to contri• bute every thing in our Power to answer all reafon⚫able Expectations from fo young a Colony, fo far ⚫ as is confiftent with our civil and religious Liberties; beyond which, under fo good a King, we are well affured nothing further will be afked or expect'ed, from us. And, in return for the Governor's Juftice and Protection, it will give us particular Pleasure to make his Adminiftration in this Province eafy to himself, and honourable to all.'

6

Amazing was the Anfwer by the Governor, on the Sixth Day afterwards returned: For having, at his very Outlet, taken fhelter under the old exploded Inftruction to Governor Thomas, and Rider the Attorney General's Opinion upon Governor Hamilton's Cafe, delivered in the following compendi s Manner, "I "am of Opinion, it is by no mear fafe or advise.

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able, or confiftent with his Du to pass fuch "Bills, without a fufpending Clau ;" and fuggefted, that he could not by any mea. agree to the faid Bill, because forbid by the faid Infaction, without fuch a Claufe. He then proceed to fay, However, as the Act of Parliament r training the four Eastern Governments from eming PaperCurrency, gives them a Power, to ftrikells of Credit in cafe of Emergency, I hope I fhall e justified in thinking the Reafon holds good as to us who are