ciples of Prudence, as well as Scruples of Confcience, moft earnestly defired to avoid.

The Affair was foon taken into Confideration; and the House appeared to be far from unanimous upon it: Some, from the Papers laid before them, finding Reason to believe, that an Accommodation might still be effected, were for addreffing the Governor to fufpend his Purpofe for fome Time longer; and others had Influence enough to poftpone the Debate, and thereby prevent their coming to any Conclufion upon the Question at all.

The Iffues of War and Peace, they might probably argue, were, folely, in the Executive: and confequently the Executive was alone to be anfwerable for the Ufes made of them.

But whatever their Arguments were, whatever Effect they had within Doors, the fame Difference of Opinion still remained without. On one hand, fome of the People called Quakers, refiding in the City of Philadelphia, on Behalf of themselves and many others, prefented Petitions both to the Governor and the House, full of Exhortations to purfue pacific Measures with thefe Savages, and to preferve the Province, if poffible, from the Calamities of an Indian War: And, on the other, the Governor informed the Houfe, that a Number of People from the BackCounties had refolved on a Meeting, in order to proceed in a Body to make fome Demands of the Legiflature then fitting; and, after having made a Merit of his Information, added, "That, by the Advice of the Council, he should give immediate Orders to the Provincial and other Magiftrates, to use their utmost Endeavours to prevent the Mischiefs which might attend fo extraordinary a Procedure."

The House, however, preferved their Equanimity on this Occasion: Surprize they did exprefs, that, having in all Respects demonftrated fo much Care and Concern for the Security of the Province, any of the People fhould meditate Mischief against them: But, inftead of discovering any Fear, they announced the Laws

Y 4

Laws of the Province againft Rioters, and accompanied their Thanks to the Governor for his Intelligence, with a Requeft, That he would lay before them what Informations he had received concerning their Views or Defigns, or wherein they had apprehended themfelves to be either neglected or aggrieved: Which Request he never thought fit to comply with..

It may indeed be collected, that thefe Infurgents were as ftrenuous for War, as the Quietists were for Peace; and that the Governor took Advantage of this very Incident to declare War against the Delawares and Shawanese, and offer Rewards for taking Prisoners and Scalps, which he did immediately thereon. He alfo gave notice, in Form, of the same to the Affembly, urging the many and great Cruelties on his Majefty's Subjects within the Province, as the Caufe; and concluded his Meffage in the following Terms:

But as great Part of the Sixty Thousand Pounds is already expended, and what remains will very foon be confumed in maintaining the Troops pofted on the Frontiers, and other neceffary Services, I recommend it to you, Gentlemen, to grant fuch further Supplies, as may be neceffary to carry on the War with Vigour, upon the Succefs of which the future Peace and Safety of the Inhabitants of this Province will very much depend.'

The fame Day he alfo informed them, "That the Indians which had fo long fubfifted on the Bounty of the Province (inftead of taking Part in this new War) were on the Point of removing with their Families (he was fearful, on fome Difcontent, tho' he knew of no Reason) into the Country of the Six Nations; and had demanded of him the neceflary Conveyances and Paffports." And he added, "That if they could not be prevailed on to act with the English, which he had directed the Interpreter to endeavour, it would be neceffary to reward the two Partizans amongst them (Scarroyady and Montour) to their Satisfaction for their Trouble and Service, to fend the others away well fatisfied,

tisfied, and to give those that should continue good Encouragement.

The Houfe, in Anfwer, fignified in Substance, "That their late Supply of 60,000 /. had fully enabled the Governor, and the Commiffioners who were joined with him for the Difpofition of it, to do all that was defired, or neceffary to be done: That if great Part of that Supply, fo lately granted, was already expended, and the rest would foon be fo, they knew of no Remedy: But that as the Affeffment for finking the Bills of Credit iffued in Pursuance of the faid Act had not as yet been laid or levied, as a great Part of the Money was ftill in Hand, and as they were foon to meet again upon the Adjournment, then fo neceffary to their private Affairs, having waited long for the Governor's Anfwer to their Bills, they could not think it would be of Ufe at that Time to lay an additional Load of Taxes on the Inhabitants: They concluded with an earneft Recommendation of the Bill for regulating the Indian Trade, as a Bill of great Importance for conciliating the Minds of the Indians yet unfixed in their Resolutions, and confirming those already in Alliance with them, by fupplying them with fuch Goods and other Things they might have Occafion for, on the eafieft Terms, at the Charge and under the Inspection of the Government."-And, in a separate Meffage fent at the same Time, they farther gave him to understand, "That, having ferioufly deliberated on his Meffage for putting a Stop to the Exportation of Provifions, ever fince they had received it, and made a full Enquiry into the Circumftances of the Country, they had Reafon to hope that, under the common Courfe of God's good Providence, no confiderable Danger or Inconvenience could arise from continuing to leave their Ports ftill open till their next Meeting: As alfo, That they propofed to adjourn till the 24th of the Month next enfuing."

The Return to this was, That the Governor had no Objection to the propofed Time of Adjournment: That he thought, with the Houfe, there was

no

no immediate Neceffity for laying an Embargo on • Provisions: That he fhould lay before the Commiffioners the Affair of the Indians now in Town, • and endeavour to fend them away well fatisfied: • That he expected the House would have made fome Preparations for executing the Plan of Operations for the enfuing Campaign, but as they had not, it muft lie upon them: That as to the Indian Trade, and Excife Bills, he fhould confider them against the next Meeting: And lastly, That he thought it proper to mention to the House by their Meffengers, that although he had had more Burdens laid upon • him than any of his Predeceffors in the fame Time, yet he had received lefs from the House than any of

• them.'

Lastly, The House taking into Confideration what the Governor had faid relating to their not having made Preparations for executing the Plan of Operations for the enfuing Campaign, Refolved, in thefe Words, That as this Province has received no Affistance from our Mother Country, and as we have already ⚫ expended large Sums of Money for the raifing and fupporting a confiderable Body of Men for the De⚫ fence of our extenfive Frontiers against the continued Depredations and Encroachments of a favage and mercilefs Enemy, befides what has been expended in maintaining the Friendly Indians, French Neu⚫trals, and in other Purposes for the King's Service, which Expences are likely to be continued for fome Time, the House are of Opinion, that the present • Circumstances of the Province will not now admit of their going into any Preparations for executing • the aforefaid Plan of Operations; and that it would be not only impracticable, but very imprudent, at a Time the Country is fo greatly diftreffed by the unjuftifiable Taking of indented Servants, and fo many of our Freemen are inlifted and gone away, to fend fo great a Proportion of Men as is demanded of us to fo great a Diftance, and thereby deprive our⚫ felves

7

felves of their Affiftance, which we have too much • Reason to think we fhall foon have Occasion for.'

Thefe were the Tranfactions of April 16th: And, as the Reader will obferve no Notice was taken of the Governor's Remonftrance concerning himself, he will from thence, perhaps, be led to account for his re-convening them fo foon afterwards as the 10th of May; he being then abfent at a Place called Harris's Ferry, and having nothing more preffing to lay before them, than what is contained in the following Abstract of his Meffage to them upon that Occafion: To wic,

"That the People of the Frontier Counties westward having loft great Numbers of their fighting Men, and the Remainder being either driven from their Habitations, or worn out with Fatigue, there was the greatest Reason to apprehend, the next Attack would produce the intire Evacuation of the two next Counties, York and Cumberland: That the Confideration of this deplorable and dangerous Situation of thofe Counties, which the most confiderable of their Inhabitants had, in the most affecting Manner, laid before him, had induced him to call them together; that the best and speedieft Means might be taken to prevent, if poffible, farther Defolation: That the Law for eftablishing a voluntary Militia had contributed very little, if any Thing, to the Defence of the Frontier: That he had obferved it was defective when he paffed it, and that it required fo much Time to carry it into Execution, that nothing good was to be expected. from it: That, though many Companies had been formed under it, yet, for Want of fufficient Power lodged in him to order them to the Frontiers, they were, as to that moft material Service, entirely uselefs That he must therefore recommend it to them to form fuch a Militia as might be juft, equal, and carried into immediate Execution, fo as that he might be able to draw the Strength of the Province to fuch Parts as ftood moft in need of it; and the whole Burden of defending the Province might not fall too

heavily