the Province, which might prevent great Mischiefs to the People inhabiting near the Road from Shippensburg to Philadelphia."

So that the March of our own Troops is here difcourfed of in such Language as renders it doubtful for a Moment, whether, he is not fpeaking of the Enemy.-Governor Shirley's Thoughts are immediately received as Laws; Governor Morris has not a Thought to fuggeft to the contrary: It was for the King's Service to leave a Province, actually invaded, as the lat of these Governors had over and over again afferted to the Affembly, expofed to the Ravages of the Enemy: And, though Provifion had been at first made for having four Regiments to carry on the War in thefe Provinces, these Provinces were now all at once fupposed to be in a Condition to cover themselves, though fome of them had not yet armed a Man, or beat a Drum.

Out of all which, fuch a Jumble of Ideas encounter each other, and fuch a Variety of Doubts and Sufpicions arifes, that one cannot help wondering, that the Affembly did not call for thefe feveral Letters, and from the Evidence of their own Eyes, and their own Understandings, form fuch a Remonftrance, as would have displayed the whole State of Things in its proper Colours.

In this one Inftance, therefore, it may be not irrationally fuppofed, that their ufual Sagacity failed them: And this Failure was no fooner difcovered, than the Governor came upon them with another Meffage importing, "That his Secretary would lay before them the Copies of fundry Petitions which had been prefented to him from feveral Parts of the Province, reprefenting their naked and defenceless Condition, and praying to be enabled to defend themfelves, which they were fenfible was not in his Power to comply with: That he would alfo lay before them a Letter from one John Harris, giving an Account of a large Party of Indians actually fet out from the French Fort with a Defign to fall upon and deftray

the

the Inhabitants of this and the neighbouring Provinces: That they had this Piece of Intelligence as he had received it; that they would form their own Judgments upon it; that for his Part he thought it probable; and that therefore, he recommended it to them to take immediate Thought about it, as the Confequence would be very terrible to the Inhabitants, if the Account should prove true, and it could do them no Injury to be upon their Guard if it should prove falfe.

This was dated the 15th: The 16th he farther gave them to understand, "That he found, by an Extract of a Letter from Governor Lawrence (of Nova Scotia) to Lieutenant Governor. Phipps (of NewEngland) fent by Governor De Lancey (of New York) to him, That the French at Louifburgh were in fuch Distress for want of Provifions, that if a Supply could be prevented, they might be reduced to a Neceffity of giving it up to us; and that, therefore, he recommended it to them to think of fome proper Law, that their being fupplied from Penfylvania might be more effectually prevented."

And on the 19th he again notified, "That he had received Letters by Exprefs from Governor Shirley, [which however he did not communicate] acquainting him, That he had wrote to Col. Dunbar, That it appeared clear to him (Shirley) as there would be four Months of good Weather before the Winter fet in, That, with the Number of Forces the Colonel then had, and the Affiftances he might have from Penfylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, he might yet have it in his Power, to retrieve the Lofs fuftained in the late Defeat, by proceeding to Fort Duquesne, and had fent him Orders for that Purpose: And that in Addition to this, he had faid to him, that it would depend on thofe feveral Provinces to affift Colonel Dunbar with Reinforcements, Provisions, Ammunition, Artillery, Ordinance Stores, Carriages, Horfes, and all other Things to fit him out for his March, &c. And that he had wrote to the fame Effect to Governor Din

widdie and Governor Sharpe, whofe Affiftance, with that of Penfylvania, he entirely relied upon at that extraordinary Crifis: That he must therefore recommend it to them, to enable him to do the feveral Things fo expected of them, to take the Matter into immediate Confideration, and give him their Answer thereto, that he might send it forward to Col. Dunbar, and the faid Governors of Maryland and Virginia, whose Meafures would, in a great Measure depend on what, he fhould be enabled to do."

Now General Shirley himself, in the State of his own Conduct, which he has lately laid before the Public, fays, ift, That Col. Dunbar did not receive any Orders whatever from him till about the Middle of Auguft, about which Time, he had advanced far in his March to Philadelphia: And 2dly, That the Orders he then fent him, were to march his Troops to Albany, there to be ready to affift either in the Expedition against Niagara or Crown-Point as his Majefty's Service fhould require, or at leaft cover the Country in cafe Major General Johnson fhould be defeated by the French, &c. nor does he mention one Word of the Affiftances he expected, or had required of the faid Provinces.

The General, nevertheless, might poffibly have fent fuch Orders fubfequent.

The Affembly did not, however, ftart any Scruple on this Head; but, as before, took all upon Content; and behaved in every Refpect, as if they were altogether as follicitous to tax themselves, as their Proprietaries.

To render this undeniable, an Inftance of a very fingular Kind is now to be brought forward. Certain Gentlemen of Philadelphia, not of the Affembly, to the Number of Twenty, fubfcribed in various Proportions, the Sum of £502: 10 s. and made a Tender of it to the Houfe with the following Proposal. To wit.

We the Subscribers obferve, with great Concern, that the Governor and Affembly differ in Opinion,

in refpect to the Taxing the Proprietaries Eftate : And left by fuch Difference in Opinion the Bill for railing Fifty Thoufand Pounds for his Majesty's Service fhould not take Effect,

And as the Affembly, in their Meffage to the Governor, feem to be of Opinion, that were the Proprietaries Lands to be taxed, the Sum would not ex'ceed Five Hundred Pounds *,

We, rather than the leaft Check fhould be given to his Majefty's Service at this Time of imminent Danger, by a Matter fo very trifling, do hereby promife and engage to pay Five Hundred Pounds, Money of Penfylvania, into the public Stock, for the King's Ufe, in Lieu of what the Proprietaries would pay as their Part of the Fifty Thousand Pounds, were their • Lands to be taxed.

And as we declare the Abfence of the Honourable the Proprietaries to be our Motive for making this Propofal, being well affured, that were they prefent it would have been altogether unneceffary; and we doubt not but they will honourably acquit every • Subscriber of this Expence.'

The Houfe, taking it into Confideration, Refolved, That fuch a Propofal to this Houfe is improper, as this House is deftitute of the neceffary Information to affefs any Eftate duly, and neither can nor ought to affefs the Proprietaries Eftate at the Sum propofed, or at any other Sum whatever; and as, in cafe the Subfcribers fhould neglect or refufe to pay the Sum fubfcribed, it would not be in the Power of this House, not being a Body incorporate, to fue them for the fame.-But as the Houfe prefumes that the faid Propofal may have arose from the Sub• fcribers Judgment of the Equity of taxing the Proprietaries Eftate equally with all others in this Province, for their common Safety, Ordered, That the

* This however was a forced Conftruction put on the Words of the Affembly by thefe Friends of the Proprietary; and it appears, by an A&t afterwards paffed, that 5000 l. and not 5001. was look ed upon and accepted as an Equivalent for the Proprietaries of a 60,000 /. Tax.

• faid

faid Propofal be fent up to the Governor as a fur⚫ther Security to him, in cafe he should give his Affent to the Bill for raifing 50,000 1. for the King's • Use,' &c.

And having on the 19th, prepared a fuitable Meffage, fent it up together with their Bill, to the Governor, under a ftrong Expreffion of Hope, That, with this farther Security he would chearfully give his

Affent to it.

At the fame Time, alfo, in a feparate Meffage, They farther apprized him, That they had taken his Meffage concerning Governor Shirley's Orders into Confideration; and that it was their Opinion, his giving Affent to their Bill, which they earneftly requested of him, would enable him to do every Thing, which could be reasonably expected from them.'

And that he might not ferve any infidious Purpofe by his Meffage concerning Louisburgh, they fent him the following Anfwer, in which they at once corrected his State of the Fact by inferting the very Words of Governor Lawrence's Letter, and left him to answer for his Deviation.

May it please the Governor,

• We have confidered the Governor's Meffage of the 16th Inftant, with the Extract from Governor • Lawrence's Letter to Governor Phips, in which it is obferved, "That if the excellent Laws prohibiting "the Transportation of Provifions to Louisburg con"tinue in Force for two Months longer, there is a "Probability that the Governor of that Place will "be obliged to prefent the Keys of the Garrifon to "Mr. Bofcawen." And our Governor is pleafed to recommend it to us, to think of some proper Law that may most effectually prevent their being fup•plied from this Province :-But as an A&t paffed this Houfe, and received the Governor's Affent, at our laft Sitting, intituled, "An Act to continue an "Act, intituled, An Act to prevent the Exportation

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