heavily on the few Inhabitants whofe Circumftances obliged them to remain in the Back-Counties: That, as by the latest Accounts from Europe, a confiderable Armament from France was to be expected in America, now to become the Seat of War, and, as the Enemy would in fuch Cafe depend upon being fupplied with Provifions from the King's Colonies, by the Intervention of the Dutch, he conceived a general Embargo would be neceffary; and that it fhould be rendered effectual by fome fuch special Law as should be thought neceffary by himself and the Governors of the neighbouring Provinces, which he recommended to 'them to prepare: And that the Affairs of the Province, and, in particular, the building a Fort at a Place called Shamokin, which was of fo great Importance to the Province, requiring his perfonal Care and Attendance, it gave him Concern that he could not be then at Philadelphia: But that they might be affured he would give all the Difpatch imaginable to any Bills they might propofe, which the Secretary was to fend to him from Time to Time by Exprefs.'

To give the more Weight to the Militia-Claufe, a Petition was prefented to the Houfe from the Officers of the Affociation Companies in the City of Philadelphia, complaining of the Infufficiency of the prefent "Law, and praying that a new one might be framed, in which the Defects of the Former fhould be remedied.

The Affembly gave the Petition a civil but cool Reception; and, in their Reply to the Governor's Meffage, furnished the Public with a Brief of their Sentiments and Proceedings on the prefent Occafion : To wit.

That being met in Purfuance of the Governor's Call, they were concerned for his Abfence; as the Public Bufinefs could not be tranfacted as it ought, where the feveral Parties were fo far afunder: That, as by the Joint Care of himself and the Commiffioners, for difpofing of the 60,000l. the Frontier was now in a better State of Defence, than that of

any

any other Colony on the Continent; the Forts being numerous, all strongly garrifoned, and both Officers and Soldiers now reduced to due Obedience and Difcipline by Means of the Act of Parliament, which, at their last Sitting, they had extended to that Province, they could not but hope, that the diftreffed Inhabitants of the two Counties mentioned, might, by the Bleffing of God, become more fecure in their Settlements, and, confequently, more eafy in their Minds; and that more efpecially as they underflood, there were in the interior Counties many formed Companies as yet unemployed, who were ready to enter into the Service, and march to the Frontier, whenever the Governor fhould think fit to call them; and a confiderable Sum was ftill in the Hands of the Commiffioners, wherewith the Expence might be defrayed: That, as they conceived, the Marching the Militia to the Frontier on every Alarm, would be less effectual for its Defence, and much more expensive and burdenfome to the People, than their Proportion of a Tax for the Maintenance of standing Guards: That, indeed, they had little Experience of a Militia in this Province; confequently, in framing fo new a Thing as a Law to regulate it, their first Effay might have its Defects: That, however, as the Governor did not point them out, when he paffed the Act, and they had not fince occurred to them, all they could then say was, That when he should think fit to fend down any Supplementary Amendments, they would take them into their ferious Confideration; which he, the Governor, might poffibly be ready to do by the Time to which they food adjourned, then not far diftant: That they had therewith fent him a Bill for prohibiting the Exportation of Provifions or Warlike-Stores from this Province, which they hoped would meet with his Concurrence, being in Conformity with the Law lately paffed at New-York: But, that as all Reftrictions made by them would be ineffectual, unless the Lower-Counties (the Territory

as

as formerly called) were in like Manner reftrained, they had referred the Continuance of their Law, to fuch future Act as the Governor and Affembly of thofe Counties fhould pafs for that Purpofe: That they apprehended a ftrict Compliance with that Law would be of great Service to the British Intereft; and therefore earnestly recommended it to the Governor, that when paffed it might be carried effectually into Execution: And, laftly, that, as the Seafon required the prefent Attendance of many of the Members at their Plantations, they propofed to re-adjourn themselves to the fame Time as before; when they hoped the Governor would find himfelf enough at Leisure to meet them in Philadelphia.'

Thus ended this Seffion of Four Days: The Prohibitory Law was paffed by the Governor at Harris's Ferry And when they met again, they received from the Secretary Two other Meffages from the fame Place: One defigned for their farther Amusement at their last Sitting; but which arrived half an Hour too late: And the other for the prefent,

According to the Former, the Governor had received Letters from the Governors Dinwiddie and Sharpe, giving an Account of the miferable Condition of their Frontier; and the Danger they were in from the Enemy who had penetrated as far as Winchefter in Virginia; he had, thereupon, redoubled his Diligence for the better fecuring the most expofed Part of their own; but he was ftill fearful, That, for Want of a fuficient Force to take the Field, the Garrisons on that Side would not be able to keep off the Numbers of the Enemy, which there was the greatest Reason to expect would soon appear in those Parts; fo that no Time was to be loft in preparing, in fome more effectual Manner, for their Defence.

According to the Latter, All the Difpatch he had been able to make in his Works had not brought them to fuch a Forwardnefs, as would permit him,

without

without Prejudice to that important Part of the Public Service, to be in Town at their Meeting: He had, however, the Satisfaction to tell them, That he had made a LODGMENT in a very fecure Place upon the River, beyond the Kittatinny Hills (the Place from whence, it must be recollected, he fired his first Beacon to alarm, or rather diftract, the Province): The Secretary would lay before them a Letter from Governor Sharpe, with the Extracts of an Act of his Government for granting 40,000 l. for his Majesty's Service; only 25,000 l. of it was conditional [fo that conditional Acts were regular in Maryland though not in Penfylvania] that Penfylvania and Virginia contributed their reafonable Quotas towards the Expedition it was granted for: They must be fenfible there would be no Peace or Safety for them [his old Argument] unless thefe Western Colonies united their Strength in making a well-concerted Pub to diflodge the French from their Encroachments: And that no Time was fo favourable as when his Majefty's Forces and thofe of the Eastern Colonies were employed against them to the Northward: It was therefore to be taken into immediate Confideration, and he was to be enabled to give Governor Sharpe the expected Affurances, That Penfylvania would, for its own Sake, contribute accordingly.'

A Complaint from Commodore Spry, that he was in great Want of Seamen for his Majesty's Ships under his Command, and that he expected a Supply from those Colonies, brought up the Rear; with a Requifition that he might be enabled by Bounty or otherwife to raise and fend him as many as the Province could fpare, which would be a very feasonable and acceptable Service.'

In Conformity to fo preffing and plaufible a Meffage, a Money-Bill was immediately ordered, and fome Progrefs was made therein.-But Advice having been received from Sir Charles Hardy and Sir William Johnfon, That the Delawares and Shawanese had promiled to ceafe from Hoftilities, and were dis

pofed

posed to renew and ftrengthen their Alliance and Friendship, and the Governor (Morris) having caufed a Sufpenfion of Arms to be proclaimed thereon, they contented themselves with affuring him, That he fhould not fail of the neceffary Support in the Profecution of fuch Measures as might tend to bring this good Difpofition of the faid Indian Tribes to a happy Iffue: And with recommending it to the Commiffioners of the 60,000l. Act, to concur with the Governor in furnishing fuch Supplies of Money as might be neceffary thereto,' They also again put the Governor in Mind of the Indian Trade-Bill, fo often recommended to him before; urging, That it might be of great Service at that Juncture, by bringing fuch of our Indians as had never been joined with, and defired to be diftinguished from, those who had committed the Outrages on the Back Settlements, under the immediate Infpection and Care of the Government, by fupplying their Neceffities on the eafieft Terms, fecuring their Affections, and induceing others to come in for the fame beneficial Confiderations.'

A Promise to reconfider it, this drew from him: But, as if he had refolved to fet his own Price on fuch a Service to the Province, he put them in Mind, by a Meffage the fame Hour, That, though the Trouble and Expence of Administration had been confiderably greater than in any former Time, no Sums had been granted for his Support fince their first Seffion; and he therefore defired, they would take this Matter into Confideration, and make fuch Provifion as was agreeable to Juftice and the Practice of former Affemblies.'

What the Governor's Cafe was with Refpect to Revenue, and what the Merits of his Service, may be collected from the Sheets already before us: So that it will be enough in this Place to fay, That the Affembly could turn a deaf Ear as well as he; and, that he, having given them to understand, in his Meffage concerning Sir Charles Hardy's Intelligence, and

4

the