to the Governor: And as their Addrefs on this Occafion, contains fuch a State both of the Province and its Conduct, as will ferve to make the Reader equally acquainted with both, the moft material Paragraphs are here adjoined.

We presume that no one Colony on the Continent has afforded more free Recruits to the King's Forces than Penfylvania; Men have been raifed here in great Numbers for Shirley's and Pepperell's Regi: ments, for Halket's and Dunbar's, for the New York ⚫ and Carolina independent Companies, for Nova-Scotia, and even for the Weft-India Iffands. By this, and the Neceffity we are under of keeping up a large Body of Men to defend our own extenfive Frontiers, we are drained of our hired Labourers; and as this Province has but few Slaves, we are now obliged to depend principally upon our Servants to affift us in tilling our Lands. If thefe are taken • from us, we are at a Lofs to conceive how the Provifions that may be expected out of this Province another Year, for the Support of the King's Armies, are to be raised.

We conceive that this Province could not pof< fibly have furnished the great Numbers of Men and • Quantity of Provifions it has done for the King's

Service, had it not been for our conftant Practice • of importing and purchafing Servants to affift us in

our Labour. Many of thefe, when they become • free, fettle_among us, raife Families, add to the • Number of our People, and cultivate more Land; and many others who do not fo fettle are ready and fit to take Arms when the Crown calls for Soldiers. But if the Poffeffion of a bought Servant, • after Purchase made, is thus rendered precarious,

and he may at any Time be taken away from his • Mafter at the Pleasure of a Recruiting Officer, perC haps when most wanted, in the midft of Harvest

or of Seed-time, or in any other Hurry of Business, ⚫ when another cannot be provided to fupply his Place,

the

the Purchase, and of Courfe the Importation, of Servants will be difcouraged, and the People driven to the Neceffity of providing themfelves with Negroe Slaves, as the Property in them and their Service feems at prefent more fecure. Thus the

* Growth of the Country by Increase of white Inhabitants will be prevented, the Province weakened rather than ftrengthened (as every Slave may be • reckoned a domeftick Enemy) one great and conftant Source of Recruits be in a great Measure cut off, and Penfylvania foon be unable to afford more Men for the King's Service, than the Slave Colonies now do.'

They alfo accompanied this Addrefs with an Extract of a Letter from General Shirley to Col. Dunbar, in which he declares himself convinced, that the inlifting of Apprentices and indented Servants would greatly differve his Majefty's Intereft, as well as be in moft Cafes grievous to the Subject, and in the ftrongest Manner recommends it to him to avoid. doing it.

Even the Governor himfelf in his Anfwer acknowledged the Fact; admitted it to be a great Hardship, and an unequal Burden upon the Inhabitants of the Province; but, inftead of iffuing his Proclamation, ftrictly charging and commanding all Officers civil and military to be aiding and affifting to the Inhabitants, in fecuring or recovering their Servants when any Attempt fhould be made to force them away, as required by the Affembly, told them the Courts were open, and that the Injured might there fue out his Remedy by due Courfe of Law.

He alfo fignified, that General Shirley had now altered his Opinion, and iffued Orders different from those he had before given to Col. Dunbar. And in effect, a Letter from the faid General in Anfwer to one of the Governor's, was foon after communicated to the Affembly, in which he pleads the Neceffities of the Service for a Continuance of the Practice; and in Juftification

Y 2

fication of it, cites the Authority of his own Government," where it was common, he faid, to impress both indented Servants and others for garrifoning the Frontier Towns, where they often remained several Years."

And his thus renouncing his former Conviction, is fo much the more remarkable, because the Province had recently made his Troops a voluntary Prefent of warm Waistcoats, Stockings, and Mittens; and in his Letter of Acknowledgment (dated but five Days before that to the Governor) to the Affembly, addreffed to one of the Members, he expreffes himself as follows:

I am now, Sir, to acquaint you, that I have ordered a Distribution of the Cloathing, and to de⚫ fire the Favour of you to make my Acknowledgments to the Affembly for this fecond Inftance of their public Spirit and Zeal for his Majefty's Service, and the general Good of these Colonies, given by them in the Expedition against Crown-Point.

I cannot but hope that fo laudable an Example will infpire the other Colonies with the like Spirit, fo neceffary at this critical Conjuncture for putting a Stop to the Invafions and Devastations of the French and their Indians within our Borders, and placing the British Northern Colonies in a State of Security against the Attempts which, from the Armament fent the laft Year from France, and their known Designs, we have the utmost Reason to expect they ⚫ will push this Year; and that it will continue to animate the Government of Penfylvania in the common Caufe, as it hath hitherto done, fo bigbly to their Advantage.

• Be pleased likewife, to affure them, Sir, that I 'fhall not be wanting in making a juft Representation to his Majesty of thefe Marks of their Zeal for the Service of their King and Country, and doing every Thing in my Power for the Service of the Pro⚫vince.'

It is indeed remarkable of Penfylvania, that tho' reprefented and treated by its Enemies, as if it was the barren Fig-Tree, Applications were continually made to it on all Sides, as if it was capable of furnishing all Demands and incapable of refufing any.

His Majesty having graciously ordered a confiderable Prefent to be fent to New-York for the Six Nations; and Sir Charles Hardy, Governor of that Province, being foon to hold a Meeting with them, in order to the Distribution, Penfylvania was called upon to follow. the Example of New-York in making fome Addition to it: And Governor Morris was prevailed upon by Governor Hardy to make the Demand accordingly.

Nor was the Affembly averfe to it: The Province had Agents at that very Time with Sir William Johnfon, to found the Difpofition of thofe Nations towards them, and as Sir Charles Hardy's Meeting was not to take Place till towards the End of March, and the Governor's Meffage was dated February 16, they apprehended that no Inconveniencies could enfue from their not giving a determinate Anfwer till the Return of thofe Agents, which was very foon expected.

And in the mean Time, as the Governor could not mention Indian Affairs, to them, without putting them in mind of the Bill, which had been fo long in his Hands for regulating the Indian Trade, they again called upon him to take it into Confideration.

They had now fat a full Month; and had received a Message from him, recommending a Stop to be put to the Exportation of Provisions from fome ill-grounded Aprrehenfions of a Scarcity, which they had under Confideration: They were alfo deeply engaged in a Bill for the better Regulation of their Forces, and they had fent up another for continuing the Excife, when the Governor was pleased to return both that and the Indian Trade Bill, with several propofed Amendments; and a Notice, "That his Majefty's Service requiring his Prefence at New-Castle, he intended to fet out for that Place on the Morrow, or next Day after."

To redeem Time, therefore, the faid Amendments were immediately difcuffed, and upon the Question rejected, of which they apprized him in the following brief and fenfible Manner.

May it pleafe the Governor,

The Excife Bill now offered the Governor for his Affent, being free of all Objections as to Royal In• ftructions, or Acts of Parliament, and the fame that ⚫ has heretofore repeatedly received the Royal Affent; and no Reafon appearing to the Houfe why the Change should be made that is propofed by the • Governor's Amendment, they therefore unanimously adhere to the Bill, and defire it may receive his Affent as it now ftands.

The Bill for regulating the Indian Trade, being an Imitation of the Law for the fame Purpose, ⚫ found fo beneficial by long Practice and Experience in the Province of the Maffachusetts, the Houfe do also adhere to that Bill as it ftands; and request the • Governor would be pleased to re-confider his Amendments."

Of this the Governor took no Notice, but proceeded to Newcastle, as he had before intimated he would : And the Affembly having at laft conquered the Difficulties raised among themselves, and paffed their Bill for regulating the Officers and Soldiers in the Service and Pay of the Province, adjourned to the 5th of April then next enfuing.

As this Adjournment was fo very fhort, the Members were permitted to have the full Benefit of it: But when they met again new Troubles arofe; not to fay were prepared for them.

Sir William Johnson's Treaty with the Six Nations was laid before them: And they found the Governor ftrongly determined to involve the Province in an Indian War with the Delawares and Shawanefe; which a very confiderable Part of the Province, from Principles