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 1 
 
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 4 5 6 
 
A 
 
 BRIEF VIEW 
 
 Of the C o N D u c T of 
 
 P E N N SYLFANIA, 
 
 ■ For the Year 1755; 
 
 So far as it affe^led the General Service of the 
 British Colonies, particularly the Expedition 
 under the late General Braddock. " "^ 
 
 With an Account of the fhocking Inhumanities, 
 committed by Jncurfions of the bidians upon the 
 Province in OSlober and NQve?nher ; which occafioncd 
 a Body of the Inhabitants to come down, while the 
 Aflembly were fitting, and to iiifilt upon an imme- 
 diate Sufpenfion of all Difputes, and the Paffing of 
 a Law for the Defence of the Country. 
 
 JnterfpersM with feveral intercfting Anecdotes and original 
 Papers, relating to the Politics and Principles \.)( 
 the People called i^J UAKE R 6'; Being a Sequel to 
 Si late well-known Pamphlet, , 
 
 INTITLED, 
 
 A Brief Stat e of Pennfyha?jia» 
 
 In a Second Letter to a Friend in London. 
 
 To fee the Sufferings of ?ny Fellow-Creatures^ 
 Jnd ozvn my f elf a Man \ — to fee our Senators 
 Cheat the deluded People "juith a Shew 
 Of Liberty, which yet they never tafte of-' 
 All that hear this are Villains, and I one 
 Net to roufe up at the great Call of Nature^ %. 
 , To check the Growth of thefe domertic Spoilers 
 IVho make us Slaves "'"'' '"'' "" - '''' 
 
 and tell 
 
 Charter ! 
 
 «;, — 'tis our 
 Shakefoear. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for R. Griffiths in Pater-najfer Roto ; and Sold 
 hy Mr. Bradford in Philadelphia. 1756. 
 
 [Price One-fliilling and Six-pence] 
 
..■'!i ' ; 
 
 <■--'■ ■! 
 
 *- ■ 
 
 I' 
 
tsl 
 
 BRIEF VIEW 
 
 Of the C o N D u c T of 
 
 P E N N S r L FA N I A, 
 
 For the Year 1755. 
 
 > '» 
 
 k 
 
 
 Bear S I R^ 
 
 O U did me great Honour in judging 
 my lad Letter * worthy of the public 
 View ; and I am glad to find your 
 Judgment fo well confirmed, by the 
 univerfal Notice that is taken of it. This was, 
 no doubt, chiefly owing to the Nature of the 
 Subjedl, which, becoming every Day more in- 
 terefting, is a Reafon why I fhould continue my 
 Remarks, in Compliance with your continued 
 Requeft. You may, therefore, expedl an im- 
 partial Account of fuch of our public Tranfac- 
 tions as have afFedled his Majefty's Service in 
 thefe Parts, fince the Time of writing my laft to 
 you ; and as I know that you are determined 
 wholly by a View to the public Good, I fhall be 
 pcifedtly fatitfied with whatever Ufe you may 
 make of the Informations I give you. 
 
 A 2 To 
 
 * It was publKhcd by R. Qrl^ths, intitled, A Brief Statt 
 of Penniylvania. 
 
l! 
 
 li 
 
 Hi 
 
 [4] 
 
 To ns who inhabit thtfe Colonies it mud give 
 a very lenfible Satisladlion, to fee the Attention 
 of every honejl Englijhman fo clofely turned to- 
 wards our Protedion and Safety. Undutiful, 
 therefore, and bafely ungrateful might we be 
 deeiTied, if we fhould attempt to impofe upon 
 our diftant Countrymen and Benefadlors, by lame 
 or partial Accounts of things which are of the lall 
 Importance towards our common Happinefs! 
 
 For my part, I (liall confine myfeU entirely to 
 a Detail of undeniable and notorious Fadls, which 
 I have been an Eye-witnefs of; and I have not a 
 fingle Inducement to give a partial Relation of 
 them. By my Station, as well as Principles, you 
 know that 1 difclaim all Party- conne6lions, and 
 have nothing to hope or to fear from any of 
 thofe called Parties among us. My only View is 
 to remove grofs Mifreprcfentations, and to dif- 
 play the miferable and defencelefs State of this 
 Province to thofe who only can relieve and fave it. 
 My Motive to this is a moft afFedling one. — 
 My Life is at Stake, and the Cry of Blood, Death 
 and Defoiation hourly pierces my very Heart from 
 the Country round about. 
 
 When I laft wrote to you, I told you that I 
 could no longer be filent, and behold the Di- 
 flrefs of the Province in whieh I lived. — " A 
 French Enemy and their Savage-allies being 
 advanced into our Country, and fortified, 
 within a few Days March of our Metropolis. 
 The People on our Frontiers liable to be mur- 
 *' dered and dri\en from their Habitations! Our 
 Lives and facred Rights expofed an eafy Prey, 
 by the Infatuation of a Sett of Men amongft 
 ourfelves, who are principled againft Defence, 
 and regard no Confequences provided they can 
 fecurc their darling Power, and keep their Seats 
 
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 [ 5 ] 
 
 ** in Aftembly.'* I told you alfo that it was to 
 be feared that the Enemy, expecting to find no 
 Kcfiftance from this Province, on account ot the 
 rehgious Principles of our Rulers^ had turned 
 their Aims upon the Conqueft of our Country, 
 and thL Alienation of the Foreigners amongfl us. 
 I obftrved further, that there was no Poflibility 
 of getting thefe Men out of our Aflembly, fince 
 they had, by a great many wicked Pradliccs 
 (which I then recounted to you) got thefe Fo- 
 reigners entirely in their Intereft, who are about 
 one halt of the People in the Province. 
 
 Since the writing of the aforefaid Letter, every 
 thing which I then feared is come to pafj. After 
 the Defeat of General Braddock, and the Depar- 
 ture of the Remainder of the Army to the North- 
 ward, the Enemy, expedling no Refiftance from 
 us, have made a Defcent upon the Province, and 
 are almoft Mafters of the whole Country between 
 the Ohio and Safquehannab. Inilead of 220 Miles 
 Diftance, as I faid they were before, their Scal- 
 ping-parties have been wichin 6c^ Miles of this 
 City ; and it is feared they intend to fortify them- 
 felves as near us as polFible (fomc think about 
 Sbamokin) in order to fupply themfelves with 
 Provifions, and harrafs our Inhabitants thro' the 
 Winter. A great Number of Families have been 
 fcalped by them, and fome thoufands have fled 
 from their Habitations farther down into the Pro- 
 vince. A general Pannic reigns among the Peo- 
 ple -, and when a few refolve to make Head a- 
 gainft the Enemy, it is impoflible to keep up 
 Order amongft them for want of a proper mi- 
 litia Law, which our Aflembly have llill re- 
 fufed to pafs ; nor is there any Probability of ob- 
 taining it, as I fliall afterwards fliew. 
 
 The 
 
ii 
 
 [ 6] 
 
 The Conftqiicncc ot all is, that inevitable Ruin 
 fcems to hang over this, rich and iileful I'rovince, 
 unlefs the King and Parliament fhall inte'-fcre, 
 upon lome luch Plan as I pointed out in my lad. 
 Lor wc now find by l'",xperience, what I then 
 hinted, that in time of Danger, it cannot be ex- 
 pelled that Individuals fliould undertake the Bur- 
 den of Defence without a proper Law to make 
 it fall general and tqual. 
 
 I have, therefore. Hill greater Reafon than be- 
 fore, to continue remonftrating, and I fliall never 
 ceafe to remonftrate, againft the public Meafures 
 of this Province, as long as I fee my poor Pel- 
 low-fubje6ls bleeding and fuffering thereby ; and 
 our capital City fcarce fafc Irom the infidious In- 
 curfions of an Enemy, almoit within a Day*3 
 March of us. 
 
 I well know that the Taflc in which I am en^ 
 gaged muft be an invidious one to fome \ but it 
 is an honeft and necefiary one. Thofe who are 
 affedted by the Cenfures which I Ihall be obliged 
 to pafs, will, no doubt, roar out as ufual. It 
 would be hard to deny them this Privilege, when 
 the Scourge of their Iniquity is keenly applied 
 to them. But unlefs they fhall bring Arguments 
 as conclufive as mine, I hope they will receive 
 only a proportionable LVgree of Credit*, and with 
 regard to the hard Names they may bellow, let 
 them be pafifed over as things of nought. 
 
 There is not a more unpromifing Subje6l, on 
 which to write, than the Times we live in. If 
 we are obliged to blame the Adminiftration, and 
 probe into the Bofom of profperous Villainy, it is 
 like waking a Ned of Hornets, who will be fure 
 to tling and to purfue, if they can, to Deftruc- 
 tion. 'Tis the fame, if Truth requires us to pay 
 a candid Applaufe to Virtue in Power : It equally 
 
 roufes 
 
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 [7 ] 
 
 roufes the Refentmcnt of every little pRETENDEti 
 who is out of Power: In cither Cafe, to touch 
 upon living Charadlers, is to embark on a Sea ot 
 Troubles. 
 
 But, on the other Hand, he who writes of the 
 Times that are elapfed, launches forth on a gentle 
 Surface, neither tofled into Tumult by the rude 
 Breath of Calumny, nor the fwelling Tides of 
 Party. Yet dill it is from the former that the 
 latter muft borrow his Materials ; and if no Per- 
 fon had Boldnefs and Honefty enough to write 
 concerning his own Times, the World would bQ 
 deftitute of the Pliftory of all Times. 
 
 I pleafe myfelf, therefore, with the Thoughts 
 that thefe Remarks and Anecdotes will live when 
 Calumny itfelf is dead, and help to throw Light 
 upon the important Hiftory of this Province, 
 when the prefent Sett of Adors fhall be iilent 
 as the Grave. Nay, I have already had the Sa- 
 tisfadion to find that my laft has not only been 
 a powerful Means of laying open the internal 
 State of this diftrefled Colony, to the Eye of 
 the Britijh Nation, but alfo of difpcliing Pre- 
 judices among the People here •, many of whom 
 begin to fee how grofsly they have been milled, 
 even by their own Reprefentatives. 
 
 As foon as my brief State made its Appearance 
 here, in the Form of a Pamphlet, it was as a 
 Clap of Thunder to our Rulers, who had not 
 been accuftomcd to fuch plain Dealing. But 
 Fads are of a ftubborn Nature. They found 
 it in vain to combat the cleared Evidence, and 
 therefore wifely refolved to pafs over the whole. 
 
 It would have been well for them, could they 
 have adhered to this Refolve ; in which Cale 
 they would have efcaped the keener Cenfure they 
 
 4 have 
 
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 »' 
 
 III 
 
 [8] 
 
 have fince met with from another Quarter *. 
 But their UneaQncfs could nol conceal itfeif amidfl 
 their afteded Silence •, and though they had nei- 
 ther the Courage nor Candor to attempt an open 
 and fair Refutation, they kept throwing out dark 
 and jnfidious Hints againll it. At length, in 
 the Months of /luguft and September^ out came 
 the whole colleded Indignation of the Party, 
 from no Icfs a F xly than our Aflcmbly itfelf. 
 la two remarkable Meflfages, filled with the 
 grofleft Abufes of their Governor, my Brief State 
 is fathered upon him, artd honoured with the Ap- 
 pellation of " famous Libel,^^ The only Reafon 
 afiigned for this is that — " It teaches the Doc- 
 *' trine of a Neceflity for a Change in our civil 
 *' Conftitution." — And for this i beg Pardon, 
 for I meant only to teach the Dodrine of a Ne- 
 cefiTity for a Change of our ^aker- Rulers, whofe 
 Principles have almoft undone their Country, and 
 its Conftitution too. ' 'r 
 
 Soon after this, a Writer, in one of our News- 
 papers, taking the Hint from his Mafters, ven- 
 tured to give the fame Name of Libel to my 
 Brief State, For this he alfo gave only one Rea- 
 fon, which was a very remarkable one, — namely, 
 that the Brief State was " filled with perfonal 
 *' Scurrilities againft whole Bodies of People." — 
 This feems ftrange at firft Sight ; but it is eafily 
 reconciled. For the Writer was confcious, that 
 all the Refledtions in the Pamphlet, direded 
 againft whole Seds and Bodies, were due only 
 to himfelf and to one or two more, who have 
 long miflcd the reft. He therefore fpoke very 
 confiftently with himfelf, though not with com- 
 mon Language, when he faid perfonal Refe^ions 
 
 againft 
 
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 In the Nevj-yurh Mercurv, quoted below, N^ i68. 
 
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 [9] 
 
 againft whole Bodies, — Thefe arc all the Objec-» 
 lions that have ever appeared here, where the 
 Fafls, if falfe, might eafily have been refuted. 
 
 Before I conclude, I (hall fully prove againft 
 the AfTcmbiy, that it is not Libelling of them, to 
 fay that they are a fadlious Cabal, effeflually 
 promoting the French Intcreft, and a deadweight 
 upon his Maje(ly*s Service. This, and every 
 other Charge which is brought againft them in 
 the Brief State^ I fhall fupport with frefh and un* 
 deniable Evidence. 
 
 As to the other Writer, I find him fo well 
 handled for me in the New-Tork Mercury, that 
 I need only to tranfcribe the Subftance of it.— 
 
 My V'ndicator, in that Paper, begins with a 
 heavy Complaint that in Philadelphia ^ by the 
 fcandalous Pradlices of the Affembly's Party, he 
 was refufcd the Priv* lege of the Prefs, which had 
 been granted to them ; and that he was obliged 
 to feek for that Juftice in another Province, which 
 he could not obtain in his own. 
 , He then obferves, that the Reafon of his 
 Writing was to make proper Remarks on an 
 Eflay which had juft been publifhed in a Phila-^ 
 delphia News-paper, containing feveral Extrafls 
 of Letters from London, either fiditious, or 
 written to our Aflembly by their ever-faithful 
 Agents ; fetting forth, that the Clamors raifed 
 againft them, by my Brief State, were juft be- 
 ginning to wear off ; — that there were many, 
 both Peers and Commoners in England, who now 
 acknowledged that they had been impofed upon 
 by the Brief State, and that they began to con- 
 fider our Affembly's Conduft, as one of the moft 
 glorious Struggles for Liberty which Hiftory 
 can (hew ; — that the Governor's Cpndufl was of 
 courfe condemned, and that the Author of the 
 
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 III: 
 
 Gentleman'' s Magazine (for 7«;/^ '755) '" ^''*^' 
 State of the Difpute, had publifhed a Falfhood, 
 when he fays — *' Thus ended the long protrac- 
 " ted Difpute between the Governor and Aflem- 
 " bly of Fentifylvania^ ^hich was finally referred 
 " to the higheft Determination, by which the 
 " Governor's Conduct was approved, and his 
 '* Refolutions confirmed." — 
 
 In Reply to this, the Vindicator of my Brief 
 State obfcrves, that he could fee no other Rea- 
 fon for charging the Author of the Magazine 
 with Falfliood and Partiality, in a Difpute that 
 fo little interefts him ; unlcfs it be, that he has 
 not taken the Part of the Aflembly, in Viola- 
 lation of his Veracity, his Judgment, and of 
 that Candor wherewith he has fo long entertained 
 -the World. 
 
 With regard to the Extracts of Letters in fa- 
 vour of the Aflembly, my Vindicator fays he 
 can balance them with Extrads on the other Side, 
 written aifo from London^ by Perfons of equal 
 Importance, and probably more Impartiality thaii 
 the Aflembly 's Letter- writers ; which Extrads 
 he gives in Subftance as follows. — 
 
 One fays — " The Affairs of your Province 
 *' are much talked of. Every Body blames your 
 AflTembly, and feems convinced of the Ab- 
 furdity of fuffering a Sett of Men to have 
 any Share in Government, whofe religious Prin- 
 ciples difqualify them for that which is the 
 chief End of all Government, namely, to ^^- 
 *' fend the Lives and Properties of the People, 
 " from external Violence. We now perceive 
 *' clearly, that all their pafl: Difputes about In- 
 *' flrudions, were only introduced in order to 
 fave Appearances, and avoid doing any thing 
 contrary to what they call their Principles, or 
 
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 that Schema of Policy which holds them to- 
 gether. In the Name of all that's good, if 
 they have any real Scruples of Confcience 
 againft Defence, and no political Ends to (crve 
 by keeping their Power, why do they not at 
 once honeftly refign the Government into the 
 Hands of thofe, who, in your prefcnt dange- 
 rous Situation, would do honour to it, and 
 enable you to make as good a Figure as your 
 brave Neighbours to the Northward, who 
 have done fo much for the common Defence 
 o^ America ? '* — 
 
 Another fays — ** There is fomething very ho- 
 nonourable in the Condudl ^ his Majefty's 
 Colony of New-Torky which meets with great 
 Applaufe here. You know, the Inhabitants 
 of that Colony were always reckoned a warm 
 Pariy-peoplc ; but now, in the prefent Exi- 
 gency, they have wifely fufpended every Dif- 
 pute that could retard his Majefly*s Ser- 
 vice ; and we find them among the mofl zea- 
 lous in the common Caufe. As for your 
 Pennfyhania AfTembly, I cannot conceive 
 what Sort of Creatures it is made up of We 
 hear of nothing from them but eternal Dif- 
 putes and Quarrels. Why cannot they give 
 Money oh the fame Terms with the neighbour- 
 ing Colonies, and agreeable to that Mode 
 fixed upon by the IVifdom of the Crown, upon 
 an Addrefs from both Houfes of Parliament ? 
 Mofl certainly they have no Intention to give 
 any Thing at all. People here wonder to find 
 them hinting Defigns of Oppreffton and Slavery. 
 Their Language and Condudl, in all their 
 Debates, plainly (hew that they are Strangers 
 to every Thing of Oppreffion but the Name, 
 which on every Occafion they wantonly make 
 
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 [ 12] 
 
 *' ufc of, as a Cloak for their own Infolence of 
 ** Power. Indeed it feems to me the next Step 
 ^* to Treafon itfelf, to be infinuating fuch Things 
 ^* in any Part of a free Monarchy. There can 
 ^V be no fuch Thing as partial Slavery and Op- 
 f « prejfion under an Englijh Conftitution." 
 
 Another fays—" The conftant Endeavours of 
 ^' your Affenibjy to perfuade their Governor that 
 ^' he may legally break through all his Injlruc^ 
 *' tions^ and their keeping back his Salary when 
 ^' he refufes to comply, appear here in a very bad 
 Light. \^ your Governor is a Branch of the 
 Legiflature, it is the Height of Impudence, 
 and a Violation of the Conftitution, not to 
 leave him to exercife his own Judgment with 
 Freedom and Independency. They mud indeed 
 be a very corrupt People ; for, if the Go- 
 ^' vernor could come ipto their Meafures, with- 
 out falling under the Lafh of the Law, is he 
 therefore to be unfaithful to his T^ruji? We 
 know that the very Nature of a Truft implies 
 a Capacity of breaking it ; and if tnis could 
 be done without the Lafh of the LaWy is 
 there no Law of CoNscftNCE and Equity ? 
 And may a Man always be a Villain when 
 he is without the Reach of civil Juftice ? It 
 is no wonder that fuch Men (hould drive to 
 *' alienate the Affe(5i:ions of the Germans fettled 
 among you, in order to ferve their Party- 
 purpofes, when we fee they have even the 
 AfTurance to attempt the corrupting their Go" 
 vernors thcmfelves, who are the immediate 
 *' Servants of the Crown. 
 
 " This Cliarge of alienating the Germans h 
 *' brought againlt your Affembly, among other 
 *^ Charges, in a Pamphlet late publifhed here, 
 ^.' entitled A Brief Siaie of tbe Province of Penn- 
 
 *\/yhama, 
 
 
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 *' fylvania. It is very eagerly read, as indeed 
 ** almoll every thing relating to the Colonies is, 
 " at this time. It contains a Number of Charges, 
 chiefly Fadts, laid together, in a Manner fo 
 clear, fo fpirited and confident, that it will 
 " be hard to refute them. There has, it is true, 
 «* been an Attempt to anfwer it: But it is a poor 
 " abufive Affair, writt.^n in a confufed Manner, 
 " The Author * does not enter upon the Refu- 
 
 " tation. 
 
 * This Anfwer is faid to be the Produflion of one 4- 
 formerly an Attoiney's Clerk. He was convitted of For- 
 gery, fentenced to be hanged, but after fome time obtained 
 the Favour of Tranfportation ; and did us the Honour to 
 take up his Refidence in this Province. But, being dif- 
 covered, and filenced from Pleading as any Attorney here, 
 he returned home at the Expiration of the Term of his Ba- 
 nifhment. Thinking himfelf a fit Tool for the Party he de- 
 fends, and hoping to pave the Way for his future Preferment 
 amongft them, he undertook to anfwer my Brief St ate ^ with- 
 out any Acquaintance with the Fads he wrote about. The 
 Amount of what he fays, is 
 
 ly?, That the Title-page of the Brief State is a PufF, fee- 
 ing the Caufes of the French Encroachments are in no part 
 of the Performance accounted for. 
 
 2^/y, That the Men in Oppofition to the fakers are all 
 a pack of Rafcals. 
 
 In anfwer to the /r/?, I fliall quote the Brief State itfelf. 
 Page 1 3, it is faid, — " The French have invaded and built 
 " three Forts in the Province, being nuell apprifed of its 
 ** DEFENCELESS and difunited State, smd prefumi»g on the 
 " RELIGIOUS Principles of our raA'//^ People." — This 
 Prefumptioft then, on the fakers Principles, and our defence- 
 lefs State, are given as Caufes of the French Encroachments. 
 
 Again, page 30, it is faid, — ** The French having turned 
 ** their Hopes upon the great Body of Germans in Pennfyl- 
 »* vaniay have got juft behind them, and ftrengthened them- 
 " felves upon our exceeding fruitful Lands on the Ohio. 
 ** They know thefe Germans are extremely ignorant, and as 
 ** yet little acquainted with the Bleflings of an Enghjh Con- 
 ** ftitution ; thinking a large Farm the greateft Bleifrng in 
 ** Life. Therefore, by fending their jefuitical Miflionaries 
 " among them, to perfuade them over to the Popijh Reli- 
 *' gion, and by offering them eafy Settlements upon the faid 
 •' Lands, the French will draw thefe Germans, as they have 
 
 ** done 
 
 III 
 
w 
 
 [ h] 
 
 tation of any of the Fadls charged upon the 
 Affcmbly, but takes Occafion to vent his 
 Cholcr againft fome particular Men amongll 
 you, who, one would think, had greatly of- 
 fended him i*. 
 " Thus the Account of Extrafls is balanced ; 
 *' and whenever the Aflembly fhall favour us 
 *' with more on their Side, we can alfo furnifli 
 more on the other. As for the Teftimony of 
 the Author of the Prefent State of North Ame- 
 
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 rtca. 
 
 ** done the Indians^ over from the Englijhy or perhaps lead 
 ** them in a Body againft us. This Scheme has been long 
 " laid, and uniformly purfued by the FrenchC — l|ere are 
 more Caufes of the Trench Encroachments. 
 
 Now, tho' I difclaim the Art of multiplying Words nced-~ 
 lefly, which my Antagonift is fo much a Mafter of, I think 
 the above Paragraphs clearly dilplay the End, Caufes and 
 Defigns, of the late French Encroachments. Nor does it re- 
 quire many Words to tell that thefe are their Views, fmce 
 they are fo well known here, that a Man would be laughed 
 at who fliould affeft to difbelieve them. 
 
 As to the fecond, I do not wonder that a Writer, who is 
 confcious of being a Villain himfelf, fliould endeavour to 
 blacken the Charafters of others. The Truth is, that the 
 Men in Oppofition to the fakers, are of the iirft Character 
 and Fortune in this Province: They oppofe the fakers from 
 no Party-view, and defire no Share i» the Government, but 
 only to fee ic in the Hands of Men who are not, by their 
 Frindples, unfit for it. Provided they can fee their Country 
 defended, and their Eftates fecure, the Gentlemen in the Op- 
 pofition do not care by what Jnftruments it is done. For, 
 in O^ober 1754., they procured a Adeeting with the leading 
 ^akersy who (way the Mob at Eledions, and entrei J them 
 to name Men of any Perfuafion, provided they were for De- 
 fenccy 2C[\di they would not only drop their (Jppofition, but 
 moft cordially join the ^akersy in the Choire of fuch 
 Men. 
 
 The other Part of this abufive Anfwer is fo full of Mif- 
 reprefentations and Blunders, owing to the Author's want of 
 common Honefty, and the Diilance at which he writes, that 
 the fakers here difown the Piece. And this will be the 
 Cafe with every other Anfwer, written where the Fads arc 
 not known. 
 
 f Tiiey filcnced him from Pleading here. 
 
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 [15] 
 
 nV^ J, who is dubbed with the Title of /«^tf- 
 «/i?«j, for having found out that the fakers 
 are a very refpe^able Body of People •, they are 
 welcome to it. This Difcovery may be an 
 Inftance of his Invention and Ingenuity ; but in 
 the red of his Performance there is nothing 
 new or ingenious^ it being a meer catch-penny 
 Affair, making a fplendid Appearance, but 
 containing only what had long before been 
 hackney *d over and over in the public News- 
 papers, as is oblerved by the Authors of the 
 Monthly Review, whofe judgment of Books 
 is allowed to be decifivc. 
 " But Thoufands of Teftimonics fignify juft 
 nothing againil Matters of Fa6t. While other 
 Provinces, neither hair fo rich nor populous 
 as we, have furnilhed out their Thoufands of 
 brave Men in the general Caufe, we have not, 
 as a Province, arrned a finj^le Man, nor is there 
 any Probability that we .(hall. And yet had 
 the Conlciences of our Allen. bly fuffi^red them 
 to fupport General Braddock with two or three 
 Regiments of Pennfylvanians^ as we had Men 
 enough willing to go, and well accuflomed to 
 the Woods, his Army had, no doubt, been 
 fafe, and all our Expeditions fuccefsful. 
 *' Thcfe are the Things that expofe our Af- 
 fembly to cenfure, and not any Party-refent- 
 fent. All our Neighbours complain of us, 
 and look upon us as a dead Weight to the 
 general Caufe ; nay, as effectually ferving the 
 Caufe of the Enemy. How often, and how 
 juftly has this Province been cenfured in the 
 Bofion and New-Tor k News- papers •, and cer- 
 tainly the public Condemnation of our Neigh- 
 bours will weigh a thoufand Times more a- 
 
 ' ** gainft 
 
 X Publilhed by Mr. DoJJej, 
 
^ 
 
 \\n 
 
 i 
 
 ii- 
 
 [ i6] 
 
 gainft our Affcmbly, than any obfcufe Ttfli- 
 monies for them, faid to be Tent from England, 
 As an Inftance of the Opinion ent*';! rained of 
 this Province, by our Neighbours, as well as 
 the Encouragement which our Condudl gives 
 to the Enemy, I will add what a Gentleman 
 of Rbode-J/land writes on the Subjedl. 
 ** I have, fays he, juft got into my Hands a 
 Copy of a Letter, written in June lad, from a 
 Gentleman in Montreal^ to his Friend at Paris, 
 After a great many Schemes for extending the 
 Power of his Grand Monarque^ he has the fol- 
 lowing remarkable PaiTage, which 1 could not 
 forbear fending for the Pcrufal of your pacific 
 Pennfyhanians, " 
 
 * About a Century ago, fays the Frenchman^ 
 our Court, finding it impofiible to fubjed the 
 Englijh Nation to their Dominion, while they 
 preferved their fierce and martial Spirit, pro- 
 jedted the following Scheme to break and fub- 
 due that Spirit. A certain faithful Jesuit 
 was fent to England^ who gave out that he 
 went for Confcicnce-fake. He pretended to a 
 certain Light withiny foon grew popular, and 
 was the Means of founding a Sedt of Quiet- 
 isTs or NoN-RESisTANTs, who held it un- 
 lawful to fpill Chriftian Blood, and, if you 
 fmote them on one Cheeky would turn the other 
 
 alfO» 1 . , ;. 
 
 * For fome time there was a Profpedt that 
 this Se£f would multiply exceedingly^ and then 
 our Monarque would have made an eafy Con- 
 queft of the whole lOand of Britai'i, But in 
 this we were difappointed, for there were a 
 great many ftubborn Britons^ who not only 
 refuled to embrace thefe ^lietift Principles, 
 but aMb found Means to exclude all thofe from 
 
 * any 
 
 4 
 
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 '/ft 
 
incd of 
 weJJ as 
 
 4 
 
 [ i? J 
 
 any Places of TruO:, who were known to hold 
 Rich Principles.^^^,..^ ^^..; ,, ..^ ,.. » 
 
 ' Ycr, my Friend, the good Scheme fcems 
 (1111 in a fair Way to take Effedl at lad. Tiie 
 rich and txtcnfive Province of Pmnfy'vania is 
 cfiiefly fettled with the fame fort of People 
 (commonly called ^takers ) and the Govern- 
 ment is entirely in their Hands-, fo that we 
 have erected Icveral Fortijications far within the 
 Limits of their Province, witho'it any Hin- 
 drance or Molcftation. We hear from our 
 faithful Mifllonaries among them, that this 
 meek and peaceable People are ferving us 
 moft effeftually, refufing to grant any Money 
 to d/fpojfdfs us, and finding means to intro- 
 duce Quarrels, and fpin out the Time. The/ 
 have a great Party of their own quie/efl and 
 non-refiftirig Principles, among the Gl uman^s 
 in' that Province, which is likewife much to 
 our Advantage. For my Correfpondents 
 write me from thence, that an Englijh Gene- 
 raly being about to march againft our Fcrts^ 
 had fent to Pennfyhania to hire Waggons v/ith 
 his Maker's Money, and that the forefaid 
 Qefman ^delejls, and our other Engli/h Friends 
 of the fame Principles, had refufcd to carry 
 any Powder or Injlrumcnts of Death againit 
 us •, but that they would meet us, like Lambs, 
 bringing us Bread and all forts oi Proviftons. 
 
 ' O, my Friend 1' were the rude Oliverians in 
 the Colonies to the Northward, as mild and 
 harmlefs *, what a fine thing it would be to 
 meet their TfIousands, armed only with 
 Mutlon^ixnd Beef, and Ba/kets of Sweetmeats^— ^ 
 
 * There being two Tranflations of this Letter, "thSrc is a 
 DitFeience between them in fome Wopdi,. / • ♦ 
 
s 
 
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 ^ 
 
 
 ••iii 
 
 [ i8] 
 
 * Ncvcrthelefs, we doubt not, when we Iia\rc 
 
 * once opened a Paflage through the ricli Pro- 
 
 * vince ot Pennfyhania to the Sea (in which, as 
 
 * I told you, we expe6l no Oppolition *) — 1 
 
 * fay when once this is accomphflied, we doubt 
 
 * not but we fliall in a fliort Time, not only re- 
 ' duce all the other Engliflj Colonies, but the 
 
 * Mother-country alfo, her chief Strength and 
 
 * Support being once cut off. Thus you fee 
 
 * that the long laid Plan may at lafl: be fuc- 
 
 * cefsful, to the Glory of our grand Monarque, 
 ^ and the fpreading abroad the Influence of our 
 
 * holy Catholic Church.'— v.'u^ »fH 
 
 *' I'he fame Rhode- JJland Gentleman (conti- 
 *' nues my Vindicator) adds further, that he has 
 ** in his Hands a whole Bundle of the faid 
 
 Frenchman"*?^ Letters, which he intends to pub- 
 
 lr(h occafionally \ and he has accordingly given 
 *' us one of tliem in the 'New-York Gazette^ 
 *' September 2 2d, in which is a Paragraph to the 
 " following Effed : " 
 
 * The fakers and our good Friends the Mo- 
 
 * ravians, lays the vaunting Frenchmafiy refufe 
 ' to take up Arms againll us •, and we are in- 
 
 * formed that they are almoll half the Number 
 
 * of the Inhabitants in Pennfylvania, The other 
 
 * half, we are told, confifts of a Variety of mon- 
 
 * grel Proteftants of different Nations, Duub, 
 
 * Germans^ Palatines^ intermixed with Shoals of 
 
 * our good Catholics^ who have from time to 
 ' time fled into thefe Parts, or been tranfported 
 
 . , • .-. ,'- i.-.; V- . .■ - •.■:^' •■-> ...' ivr. ' from 
 
 * The Baron Diejkau, Commander vjf all the French 
 Forces in North America^ and now a Prifoner at Nenjo-Torkf 
 has frequently in Converiation declared to the llnglijh Phy- 
 iicians, i^c. attending him, that he never expeded to meet 
 wiih any Rcffiftance from the Government oi Pennjyhania, 
 as he knew i: to be in tliC Hands of People who arc againll 
 bearhig /irjKi, 
 
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 ^ from Sc&tland and Ireland^ efpecially into the 
 ' Country of Baltimore (Maryland, y 
 
 *' Thus we fee that the Author of the Brief 
 State had Reafon to be jealous of thefe Fo- 
 reigners among us at this Time. Neverthe- 
 lefs, it is falfe to fay he refleds upon the whole 
 Body of them. They certainly do not all de- 
 ferve it 5 and thofe who do, he pities rather 
 *' than blames, by fhewing that they have been 
 *' made Tools of, and kept in the greateil Ig- 
 '* norance, to ferve the Purpofes ot EltAions. 
 *' He alfo propofes a Scheme to inftrudl them, 
 " and render them good Englijh Subjeds, capa- 
 *' ble of ufing their ov^n Judgment, indepen- 
 dent of all Parties ; for which they are cer- 
 tainly obliged to him. But the Defign of this 
 Exclamation on the Part of the Affembly is 
 obvious'. It ferves to keep up a Party among 
 thefe Germans for the enfuing Ele61ion, and is 
 much eafier than a fair Refutation of Fads, 
 to which the Writers on the other Side are 
 here challenged, before they throw out any 
 " more general Invedlives, either againft the 
 Bfief State^ or its fuppofed Authors. And 
 that they may know what they are challenged 
 *' to undertake, the Fadts charged againit the 
 " Afifembly, and now alrnofl: univerfally credit- 
 " ed, are as follows : 
 
 " ift, That Schemes of Politics are carried 
 ** on, at a certain annual Cabals commonly cal- 
 " led an yearly Meeting of Friends^ for religious 
 *' Purpofes. T -^ 
 
 '' 2d, That a great Majority of one particu- 
 lar Perfuafion, who are fcarce a Fifth of the 
 People of this Province, and by their religi- 
 ous Principles unqualified for Government, 
 are kept in the AlTembly, by the L.fluence of 
 
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 [20] 
 
 * the aforcfaid Cabal, to the F.xckinon of Men 
 c)i fupetiov Property and (^laHficationr,. 
 " 3J, Tliat many notorious Fallhoods and 
 cor.upt Notions have been impLukntly Iprcad 
 '* among the IVople, and cfpccialiy the GVr- 
 *' j/uiNS., in orcier to iccure them in the Intercft 
 ** of the laid Party at Elcdlions. • - -J'-^ 
 *' 4th, That cur Afllmbly, con^pofed of the 
 faid Party, have, in all their Debates, plainly 
 iLewn that they had no Intention to ad like 
 the neighbourincr Colonies, and grant Money 
 *• for the King's Ufe. 
 
 *' 5th, That if the faid Party continue to keep 
 tlieir Seats in Aficmbly, the Province mult 
 either be thrown into the Enemy's Hands, or 
 the King and Parliament muft interfere, and 
 make Laws to put us into a Polhire ot De- 
 fcn e, as well as to exclude the faid Party from 
 ar'.y future Share of that Government, which 
 they have fo grofsly abufed. 
 *' 1 htfc are the Charges againfl: our Aflembly 
 *' in the Brief State, and very heavy ones too, 
 " but they are fupported with fufficient Reafons. 
 *' And whenever any thing fhall be faid to inva- 
 *' lidate thcfe Reafons, I who now write this, 
 *' am ready to defend them againft any Man, or 
 *' Sett of Men, who may think fit to enter into 
 *' the Controverfy. • v; , - .' 
 
 " Who I am that fpcaks fo boldly will be the 
 Subjcdt of much Enquiry, But that Trouble 
 may be fpared •, for I am never to be known 
 fcfitrcely, and negatively I am not the Author 
 of the Brief State ; nor do I fetch and carry 
 for any great Man -, nor do I want his Din- 
 *' ner, or his gracious Nod ; nor is it in the 
 Power of any Party to prefer or difgrace me. 
 I am for myfelf ; embarked in the glorious 
 
 ^^ Caule 
 
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[ 21] 
 
 •* Caufe of Truth and Lihertv. And, in 
 •» fuch a Caufc, I would fpcak, if I could, in 
 '* I'hundcr, till the Iltart of Guilt trembles to 
 *' pieces. I defire 1 may be called no Names •, 
 •' for I ihall not give Names to any Body. 1 
 *' fliall lillen to Reafon, and always retratt when 
 " convinced of an Error. But my Judgment 
 *' I v;ill not give up to cither Side ; nor is it for 
 " the Intertft of the Public that I fliould give 
 *' it up. Great is the Power of Truth, and it 
 '• will prevail at lall, on which Side foever it 
 '' lies."— • • ^' 
 
 Thus far my Vindicator -, whofe fair Challenge 
 has never been accepted, nor has a fingle Word 
 appeared in Anfwerto his Five Charges. Indted, 
 they are fo intimately known in this Province, 
 that it would be Madnefs to deny them. But ielb 
 that fliould be attempted on your Side of the 
 Atlantic, which they think it advifeable not to 
 attempt here, I fhall fubjoin a Series of Facts 
 and Anecdotes in fuppCit of each of the aforefaid 
 Charges, which I hope will difplay ii^.aker Poli- 
 tics in their true Colours. 
 
 The firjl and fecoyid, viz. That the yearly and 
 monthly Meetings of leading f^Mkers in this 
 Province arc not entirely for Jpiritual Purpofes ; 
 but that they are degenerated into political Ca- 
 bals, held the Week before our annual Election, 
 to fix the Choice of AlTembly-men, and ifTuc 
 out their Edi£fs to the feveral Meetings in the 
 Province. — Thefe Charges, I fay, want no Con- 
 firmation ; but if they do, I fliall fiiy fomething 
 more on that Head before I conclude. 
 
 The third and heavieft Charge is, that the 
 fakers have corrupted the Germans, and filled 
 them with Apprehenfions of VafTalagc and Sla- 
 very, in cafe they fhall ever agree to return any 
 
 other 
 
V 
 
 
 [22] 
 
 Other Men bcfidcs ^:!luakers to fit in Aflciiibly. 
 In my former Letter I was very full upon this 
 important Article. I mentioned many oi the 
 FallJ oods and wicked Infinuations continually 
 propagated among thefe Foreigners for the Pur- 
 pofes of Hleclions, by means of a certain Gcrinan 
 Printer, in f^taker-p^y, I told you alfo of the 
 grf.at Incrcafc of German Sedarics of various De- 
 nominations, all principled againjl Defencey and 
 cncon''.^ged by the Quakers ; and I might hare 
 added, that for this Purpofe they have, from 
 time to time, diftributed Books and Pamphlets 
 among the faid Germans^ and particularly Bar- 
 clay's Apology ; — all calculated to propagate thofc 
 non-rejijling Principles, which are plainly fubver- 
 live of Society. 
 
 But of all others, the German News-paper is 
 a never- failing Channel of Corruption. Very 
 lately, at a time when we were alarmed from 
 every Quarter, the People were told in that Pa- 
 per, that they had nothing to fear from the Ene- 
 my -, and that when the French and their Indians 
 fhould come down againft us, " that Man was 
 " bleO: who could open his Door to them, or 
 *' run out to meet them with Bread and Milki" 
 but to rejijiy or have recourfe to che weak Arm 
 of Fleih, would of courfe be downright Pre- 
 fumption. 
 
 Nor are thefe the Doflrinesof the Prefs alone. The 
 fame are alio inculcated by every ^/^^^r -preacher 
 throughout the Province. On the firll News of the 
 Defeat of the late General Braddcck^ when Terror 
 and Conflernation fat in every Face j when our 
 Women and Children were in Tears, and every 
 honeft Heart was bleeding for the Country's Di- 
 firefs, and deeply forrowful with the Thoughts 
 that many brave Men, allied to fomc of the bed 
 
 Families 
 
 -M 
 
Fa- 
 
 [ 23 ] 
 
 Families in England^ lucl fpllt their generous 
 Blood in figluing our Bafles for us; — at tiuc 
 v<:ry time, 1 lay, the mod nr-crd /^/jX'fr-preacher 
 in this City, exhorted Iiis niToerous Audience to 
 adhere firmly to their Principles, and neither to 
 ncl in Defence, nor in any Shape to contribute 
 •' thereto. — *' For, fays he, if the Potfherds of 
 ** the Earth clafli together, what is that co us'^** 
 — Infatuated Enthufialls! Who made them more 
 righteous or more holy than others ? Who fepa- 
 ratcd them from the Men of the Earthy or let 
 then"! apart as the Chosen of God, to be de- 
 fended by Miracles, without the ordinary Means ? 
 My Soul rifes at fucb horrid Doilrine ! I cannot 
 fwallow it I Shall they reap the Benefit of So- 
 ciety., not only without contributing to its De- 
 fence, but even infulting the Memory of thofc 
 brave Men who fought, and who fell to main- 
 tain them in Eafe, nay in Infolcnce ? A very Brute 
 would fhew fome Token of Gratitude, — fonic 
 Remembrance of a Kindnefs received ! 
 
 But to corrupt the religious and fpeculativc 
 Notions of the People is but litde, compared to 
 the alienating their Affeflions from the Govern- 
 ment they live under, by irfinuating that they 
 are in Danger of Vafifalage, and the veiy worlt 
 of Slavery. Yet even this is done by the Af- 
 fembly themfelves in a Melfage of Auguft the 
 19th. — " What, fay they, fhould hinder the 
 *' Proprietors another Year to require us to 
 plough their Lands, alledging the Ufage and 
 Cullom in Germany^ and putting us in Mind 
 that we are chiefly Germans ? — This is not 
 merely Vaflalage ! It is worfe than any Vaf- 
 falage we have heard of I It is even more fla- 
 vifh than Slavery itfelf!" — Is not this aflo- 
 nifliing ? Would you believe the Men in their 
 
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 [24] 
 
 St'iifcs who could write in llich a Strain ? Does 
 not the Language itleli" j)rove that we are in iutl 
 PoirelTion ot Liberty^ even to LJcentiouinefs ? 
 Are we not fecured by wife Laws both agaiiift 
 Vcijfiilage and Slavery? And have not the Ger- 
 mans an equal Security by thefe J..aws ? Can there 
 be the lealt Danger of VaQalage or Slavery in any 
 Part of the Briiijh Empire ? And is it not nearly 
 a- kin to Treafon itfelf to work upon the Fears 
 of thofe poor Foreigners who have taken Refuge 
 among us, and to deltroy their Confidence in us, 
 by telling chem they are juft on the Brink of 
 falling back again into that Vaflalage and Sla- 
 very, fiom which many of them fled, as from 
 the nioft intolerable of all Evils ? Can thofe Men 
 ever be forgiven, who, to ferve their own dirty 
 Purpofes, can thus corrupt a whole People, and 
 inftil Notions into an ignorant and credulous 
 Multitude, which aie perhaps never to be re- 
 moved, and are fo much ciiC more dangerous as 
 coming from thofe whom they have chofen as 
 the Guardians of their Liberty ? What would not 
 fuch Men infmuate privately on other Occafions, 
 when we fee they do not fcruple thus publickly 
 to confound, to diftradl, and to divide the Pto- 
 ple, at a time when their Country was bleeding 
 beneath the Outrages of a favage Enemy, and 
 when every Hand and Heart ought rather to 
 have been llrenothened and united in the general 
 Caufe ? Surely nothing need be added to put 
 this third Charge of corrupting ar.d alienating the 
 Germans^ beyond all poflible Doubt 1 
 
 'Y\vd fourth Charge is, that in all their Debates 
 the AHenUily have plainly fhewn, that they had 
 no Intention to ad like their Neighbours, and 
 grant Money for the general Defence of the Co- 
 lonies. Tills will belt appear from an AbftraCt 
 
 of 
 
 
? Does 
 
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 ilncfs ? 
 
 agaiiift 
 
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 the 
 
 bates 
 had 
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 ract 
 of 
 
 [ 25] 
 
 of their Debates themfelves, which for that Rea* 
 fon, I laid before you in my laft, down to the 
 Month of December 1754 > the mod remarkable 
 of thole that have fubfifted fince that time are 
 briedy laid together by the Governor himfclf, in 
 a Meflage oi November 22, 1755; which, as ic 
 is in many Hands, I have procured a Copy of, 
 akho' it has not been yet printed, nor anfwered, 
 that I hear of-- ^ ^ '■ •' •• m.*u./. ly,*. , . • 
 
 After replying to fome Obje6lions whicii they 
 had made to his Fropofal of taxing ti'ic Pro- 
 prietors by a feparate Bill, with a fufpending 
 Claufe, till his Majefty's Pleafure fliould be 
 known, he fums up the whole as follows :— 
 
 " Gentlemen, 
 
 " In this, as well as in fome other Meflljgcs, 
 you affedl to treat me as a Stranger, and teii 
 me that it is at leall probable you are more 
 deeply concerned for theDiftrelfes of this Coun- 
 try than I am, becaufe mofh of you are Na- 
 tives of it, and have your Eftates in it. I am 
 furprized, Gentlemen, that you do not blufh 
 *' to have Recourfe to fuch weak and fallacious 
 " Reafoning. Although I was not born within 
 " the Limits of this Province, I was born in its 
 Neighbourhood. Nay, the chief Parr of my 
 Eftate lies much nearer to this City, than the 
 Eltates of fome of you, who fit in AfTembly ; 
 and when your Eftates are in Danger, I can by 
 no means think mine fafe. And here I would 
 obferve, that if the Confideration of being 
 bred up among you, and pofiefTing large Pro- 
 perty in the Province, could have fecured 
 your good Treatment of any Governor, my 
 immediate * Predeceflbr had the fairell Claim 
 
 D '' to 
 
 * James Hamilton^ Efq; our ktc Governor. 
 
 
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 [ 26] 
 
 " to fuel) Treatment, and would have been ex- 
 empted from thofe manifold Abufes, which 
 it has been his Lot, as well as mine, to re- 
 ceive at your Hands. — But I conceive, Gen- 
 
 " tiemen, that our Actions, not the Place of 
 our Klhites or Nativity, are the bell Teft of 
 our AtTcdion for this Country. You will 
 
 " fuffer me, therefore, briefly to review your 
 Conduct and mine, and to leave them both ta 
 fpeak for themfelves. » , . > ; .,:, 
 
 " And here, was I inclined to go beyond my 
 ov/n Times, I might begin with reminding 
 yon, how contemptuoufly you treated the Pro- 
 prietary offer of four hundred Pounds, for 
 cradling a Place of Strength on the Ohio, to- 
 geti^er with an Offer of one hundred Pounds 
 
 «' per Annum towards its Support ; which Offers 
 were made at aTime, when your Concurrence 
 would probably have prevented many of the 
 Calamities, we now groan under. 
 " I might alio obferve, that when Mr. Ha- 
 milt en hrfl: called upon you, purfuant to his 
 Majcily's Orders, to grant fuch Supplies as 
 would enable him to draw forth the Strength 
 of the Province, and to repel Force by Force, 
 you would not admit that the French En- 
 croachments and Fortifications on the Okia 
 were within our Limits, or his Majefly's Do- 
 minions ; thereby Iceking an Excufe to avoid 
 doing what was required of you. And when 
 after the Lofs of much I'ime, you thought 
 fit to drop this Difputc, you then entered upon 
 a fre/h onr, concerning the Legality of royai 
 In(tru(J:i:ions, in order itill to gain more lmie> 
 and avoid doing what you judged inconfiftent 
 with your Principles. Neverthelefs, it is clear, 
 that if you hud complied \^'iih Mr, Ilamrlton's 
 
 4i Re- 
 
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 [ 27] 
 
 Requefl:, and given fcafonably, what Money 
 the Excifc could raile in thj Term he pro- 
 pofed, the French might have been prevented 
 from llrengthcning themfelvcs, in their pre- 
 
 " lent unwarrantaljle Encroachments. 
 
 *' On my Accefhon to the Government you 
 begun upon the fame Plan of Difpute and 
 Delay; but as I am informed that there was 
 a full and ttrong Reprcfentation, both of your 
 Condu6i: and mine, fo far as related to the 
 Difputes, in the Beginning of my Admini- 
 ftration, laid before his Majefty in a ^\eporc 
 01 the Lords Commijfioners of Trc^de, upon 
 your Addrcfs concerning Indrufflions, I Ihiall 
 go no farther back than December lafl. 
 " On the nineteenth of that Month I com- 
 niunicatcd to you a Letter ^rom Sir Thomas 
 Robinfon^ notifying his Maji^fly's Intentions of 
 employing four Regiments, for the Defence 
 and Security of thefc Colonies, to be raifed and 
 augmented mAmericay and requiring a Sum 
 of Money towards a general Fund, and to have 
 three thoufand Men in readinefs, Vvith a pro- 
 per Qiiantity of Provifions, i^c. the whole 
 to be under the Direction of a general Officer 
 oi Character, who was to be fent as Com- 
 mander in Chief of all his Majelly's Forces 
 in thefe Parts; but you did not think fit to 
 raife a fingle Man, or give one Farthing ut 
 Money, in compliance with this Requed. I 
 
 " did alio at the fame Time recommend it to 
 you, to prepare a Law for ngulating the 
 Wages to be paid for fuch Tradefmen, tiorks 
 and Carriages, as it might be necelTary to im- 
 prefs into his Majefty's Service. To this you 
 replied, That you could not prefume the 
 military Officers would, or ought to liave, any 
 
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 -[ 28 ] 
 
 Power of imprefling Tradefmen, within this 
 Province,'* — " and that the other Parts of 
 my Mcflage might remain under Confideru- 
 tion, without any confidcrable Inconvenience. , 
 *' As loon as the late General arrived, I again 
 recommended it to you, to make an imme- 
 diate Provifion for raifing the Men and fup- 
 plying the Money, and other NecefTaries ex- 
 pelled from this Province •, and did through- 
 out the whole Summer, from time to time, 
 prefs you to grant your Aid and AfTiftance, 
 to the Expeditions then on Foot. But you 
 had one general Anfwer for all, namely, that 
 if fome Bill, which you had always ready 
 to otfer, for ftriking a Sum of Money, for 
 the King's life, fhould once be pafTed, it 
 would anfwer all the Purpofes required of you *, 
 and yet every of thofe Bills were all the while 
 liable to one and the fame Obje6lion, on the 
 Footing of the Royal Inftrudlions. And, be- 
 fides this, you never took the lealt Notice of 
 the Demand for a Supply of Men, which, 
 from this populous Province, was, at lead, as 
 material an Arncle as Money. 
 ^' At laft, upon the Defeat of his Majefty's 
 Forces, for want of that timely Support and 
 AfTiftance, which it was in the Power of this 
 Province to have afforded, I laid before you, 
 in the ftrongcft Terms, the Dangers to which 
 this Country ftood expofed ; and called upon 
 you, to put it into a Pofture of Defence, that 
 the People might be fecured againft the In- 
 vafions, naturally to be expe6led, in confe- 
 quence of that Defeat. But ail this was to 
 no Purpofe. However, having been informed 
 of the Report of the Lords of Trade againft 
 your Addrefs, and that your Condud was 
 
 " generally 
 
 ^4 
 
i 
 
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 [29] 
 
 *' [Tcnerally condemned in England^ you tliought 
 *' tic to drop the old Dilpute concerning In- 
 *' {trudiions, and to dart a new one, about tax- 
 ing the Proprietary Edate, which you very 
 well knew I had no Power by my Commilfioii 
 to do. Bcfidcs, as the Proprietaries were ab- 
 fent, and this your extraordinary Claim, ne- 
 " lated to a Matter of Proper' ty^ and was con- 
 " trary to a Law in Force, you could not ima- 
 gine that it would be eafily given up, or 
 Ipeedily determined; and therefore, you could 
 propofe nothing by it, but, as ufual, to evade 
 the Point of raifing an armed Force, and grant- 
 ing the neceflary Supplies. 
 '* Laftly, when in Confideration of the Di- 
 " ftrefles of this unhappy Country, I have con- 
 <6 fented even to exceed the Powers of my Com- 
 <« milTion, in order to lay that Dilpute before 
 <« his Majefty, by a ieparatc Bill tor that par- 
 " ticular Purpofe, you ftart a new Claim, un- 
 " known to former Afifcmbles, of having your 
 " Bills, giving Money, pafled without Amend - 
 «' ments ; and upon no better Foundation than 
 *« this imaginary Privilege, you refufe the ne- 
 «« ceffary Affiftance to your bleeding Country. 
 " And now. Gentlemen, give me Leave to 
 exprefs my Satisfadlion at your intended Com- 
 plaint againft me, and to allure you, that no- 
 thing gives me greater Pleafure than the Mopes 
 of having my Conducl and yours, laid before 
 *' the Crown, where, I hope, they will both un- 
 *' dergo the (Irideil Examination ; and, as I 
 " expe6t no Favjur from you, fo I am not 
 " afraid of the utmoll Efforts of your Malice, 
 " being confcious to myfelf that I have done 
 " nothing to the Prejudice of the People com- 
 *' mittcd to my Care, nor negle(^cd any thing 
 
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 [ 30] 
 
 *' in my Power that could tend to their Security 
 *' and lafting Happinefs. 
 '' *' Upon the whole, it appears to me, that 
 you never intended that any of your Bills 
 fhould pafs, for raifing Money to defend the 
 Province ; and this feems now to be placed 
 beyond all Difpute, fince thofe People, under 
 •* whofe Influence you are chieHy known to be, 
 *' are faid to have declared publickly to you, 
 that they would (oonGr fuffer, than pay towards 
 fuch Purpofes *. , ..i.j . 
 
 " However, I (hall put one Proof more, both 
 oF your Sincerity and mine, in our ProtefTions 
 of Regard for the Public, by offering to agree 
 to any Bill, in the prcfent Exigency, which 
 it is confident with my Duty to pafs ; left be- 
 fore our prefent Difputes can be brought to 
 an Ifllie, we fhould neither have a Privilege to 
 difpute about, nor a Country to difpute in." — 
 ''^ So far, in general, it appears they intended to 
 evade the Point of giving Money for Defence ; 
 becaufe againft their own Principles, and the 
 Principles of thofe on whom they depend for 
 their Seats in Aflembly, as (hall be clearly made 
 out before I conclude. 
 
 In the mean time, you will perhaps think it 
 ftrange to hear the Affembly accufed, in the a- 
 bove Extrafl, of refufing to furnifh the late Ge- 
 neral with Waggons, Horfes, ^c. as you have 
 read in the Englijh News-papers, that they fur- 
 ni(hed every thing of this kind chearfully and 
 feafonably. But this is to be marked down as 
 one of thofe political Falfhoods, which, by fome, 
 are thought to be very innocent Things, when 
 the Good of a Party is promoted thereby, ' •' 
 
 ' • v:F;-/i, .%}j 10 ilnThe 
 
 * See below the Petition of the Heads of the ^aicf 
 meetings praying the Affembly not to dcjmd X\i.z Country. 
 
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 fcflions 
 agree 
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 lefl be- 
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 [ 3' 1 
 
 The Matter of Fa<5l, with regard to tlic Wag- 
 gons is plainly this. When the General arrived 
 at Fort Cumberland^ he exptdcd to have lound 
 every thing ready for his March towards Tort du 
 Quifne. Virginia and Maryland had promifed to 
 furnifli fome Carriages, but the Truth is, they 
 were not able, having but few Waggons, and 
 Very bad Horfes. Pennfylvania was the only 
 Province capable of fupplying a fufficient Num- 
 ber ot Carriages, and a Quantity of Proviuons. 
 For this Realbn, the Gove'-nor, as he fays in 
 his Meflage, had before and after the General's 
 Arrival, called on our AfTembly to make a proper 
 Provifion in this Refped j which they ought the 
 more readily to have done, as the feveral neigh- 
 bouring Provinces had, at a great Expence, 
 raifed a proper Number of Troops for the gene- 
 ral Service ; while our AlTembly did not raife a 
 fingle Man, and only provided fome Provifions, 
 with a few Prefents of Horfes, ^c, to gain the 
 good Graces of the Officers, who were faid to 
 be much enraged at their Condudt, as an Af- 
 
 But every Call of this Kind was ineH*e(ftuaL 
 The General faw the Seafon far advanced, with 
 very little Profpedl of being enabled to proceed 
 on his Defign. He, therefore, expreffed great 
 Diflatisfadion to Sir John Sinclair^ the Deputy- 
 quarter-inafter-general, on Account of the Dif- 
 appointments he had met with from every Hand. 
 Sir John^ finding that nothing was to be done 
 without Compulfion, threatened to march down 
 into the Province, as into an Enemy's Country, 
 if we did not immediately fend a fufEcient Num- 
 ber of Waggons and Horfes, to expedite the 
 March of the Army. ..„,.,.. ^ . 
 
 ' It 
 
ll'! 
 
 "i 
 
 [ 3O 
 
 It hap[)cncd at that time that Beujamin Fyaik-' 
 //■;/, lifq*, Deputy -pod- iiiallcr-gcneral of Ncrtb 
 America^ was near the Army, having gone hack 
 to lettle a Pod at the Expence ot this Province, 
 between the back Parts 0^ Virginia^ and the City 
 of Philadelphia^ for the better Intelligence dur- 
 ing the Troubles on that Quarter. This inge- 
 nious and valuable Citizen, forefceing the bad 
 Confequences of an Impreflion of Carriages by a 
 military Power in this Province, without the 
 Authority ot the civil Power thereof, and know- 
 ing that the People might eafily be induced to 
 furniHi every thing of this Nature, if the pro- 
 per Steps were taken with them *, — I fay, from 
 tiiefe Confiderations, Mr. Franklin thought it 
 his Duty to apply to the General^ and beg a 
 Ihort Time to try what he could do among his 
 Countrymen by way of Perfuafion. The Gene- 
 ral was pleafed with the Motion, and put a Sum 
 of Money into his Hands, with full Powers to 
 contrad: for one hundred and fixty Waggons, 
 and a proper Number of Carriage-horfes. .•Ji>^ ' 
 
 Mr. Franklin returned, with all polTible Dif- 
 patch, to the Borough of Lancafter^ in the Heart 
 of the Province, where he luckily met Mr. 
 Chief Jujfice Allen^ and the two other Judges, 
 with a great Concourfe of People, it being at the 
 Time of holding a Court of Oyer and 'Terminer, 
 He communicated his Scheme to Mr. Allen^ 
 who, with his ufual Franknefs and great Public- 
 fpirit, heartily engaged to alTiil him •, and did 
 accordingly, with much Addrefs, open the Mat- 
 ter to the People from the Bench, fetting forth 
 to them, in the warmeft Terms, the Duty they 
 owed to their Sovereign, who had graciouQy 
 undertaken this expenfive • Expedition for their 
 
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 •nc back 
 'rovincc, 
 the City 
 ice diir- 
 is inge- 
 the bad 
 5es by a 
 out the 
 1 know- 
 iced to 
 le pro- 
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 Light it 
 beg a 
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 ^ Gene- 
 a Sum 
 ^ers to 
 2gons, 
 
 Dif- 
 
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 at the 
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 [ 33 ] 
 
 immedinte Safety ; at ihe fanic time rcprcfenting 
 the Difticfs and Dil'giace that would fall upon the 
 Province in cafe of a Rclul'al to do what was lo 
 much in our Power. He then directed thcCon- 
 flablcs of the ieveral Townlhips to return hom^, 
 and call the People together, in order, as foon as 
 poIFible, to fend in an Account of the Number 
 of Horfes and Waggons they could refpedlively 
 furnifh. This Example was lollowed by the Ju- 
 llices in the County of Torky their Court then 
 fitting. 
 
 At the fame time Mr. Franklin publifhed, in 
 'Dutch and Enghjhy a very well adapted Adver- 
 tifement, telling the People how great a Sum of 
 good Englijh Gold they might earn, during the 
 Campaign, by a Compliance j not forgetting to 
 put them in Mind, that if Sir John St. Clair^ 
 the Hujfary Ihould comedown among them, they 
 might once more fee the Dragoonings of Germany 
 adted over again, and be forced into a Compli- 
 ance, without having any Opportunity of mani- 
 fefting their free Regard for the Good of their 
 Country, and the Honour of their Sovereign. 
 
 Such an Application to the People by two 
 Gentlemen of the bed Charaders in the Province, 
 enforced alfo by the Recommendation of the fe- 
 veral County Magiftrates, immediately procured 
 the Number of Carriages that were wanted ; and 
 four times as many more might have been pro- 
 cured, if neceffary. 
 
 Our AJTembly had fo little to do in all this, 
 that they were not fitting at the time. Mr. 
 Franklin was not commilTioned by them, but by 
 the General. The Waggoners were not to be 
 paid by the Province, but by the King ; and a 
 very great Sum is (till due to the poor People on 
 this Account, who in the unhappy Adion loft 
 
 E their 
 
t f 
 
 [34] 
 
 their Horfcs and Carriages, which were all that 
 many of them had to depend upon for the Sub- 
 fiftencc of their Families. Mr. Franklin^ who 
 has taken the greateft Pains in this whole Affair, 
 without the leaft Recompencc, but the Satisfac- 
 tion of ferving his Country, lias, however, ob* 
 tained an Order from General Sbirley to pay thefc 
 poor People their feveral Accounts, as foon as 
 they can be audited and adjuded by proper 
 X^erfons. 
 
 This is a true State of the Cafe -, and our Af- 
 fembly inftcad of arrogating Praife to themfelves, 
 becaufe the Province turniflicd the ncceffary Car- 
 riages, ought rather to bear the highcH: Blame, 
 For as the Province was fo able to provide every 
 ihinp; of this kind, they were the more inex- 
 cu fable in not making fuch a Provifion. And it 
 is clear, that if at (he Governor's early Requefl, 
 they had made a Law to regulate the Price of 
 Carriages, ^c. if it fliould be neceflary to im- 
 prefs them, a fingle Juftice of the Peace might, 
 on the firft Notice, have fent the Genera! what 
 Carriages he defircd -, by which Means he might 
 have begun his March before the Woods were 
 (Covered with Leaves, and got to Fort du ^efne 
 long before the Reinforcement of the Enemy \ 
 which might in all Probability have given a very 
 different Turn to our Affairs ; and therefore 1 
 leave you to judge, whether a great Part of our 
 bad Succefs may not juftly be afcribed to the un- 
 neceffary Pelays, arifing from the Want of Car- 
 riages. ■ ' "^ ''•■ ■ '' "^'• 
 
 The next thing fpr which o\xx Affembly are 
 highly blameable, was their Treatment of a free 
 Offer of Lands, on the Well of the Allegheny 
 Mountains, made by the Proprietaries, for the 
 jiiore effedlual Removal of the French from their 
 
 En- 
 
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ob' 
 
 'ery 
 el 
 
 "■A 
 
 t 35] 
 
 lEncroachmcnts on the River Ohio. The Go* 
 vcrnor was particularly empowered to make this 
 Offer, at fuch a time as he fliould judge it moft 
 for the public Service. Now, while the Expedi* 
 tion was carrying on by the Crown, unckr Gen(ral 
 Braddock, he could not think fuch an Offer cither 
 leafonablc or neceflary, for feveral Kcafons. 
 
 Firfl, It was hoped that the Bufinefs would be 
 accomplidied by his Majefty's Troops. 
 
 Secondly, If the Affembiy rcfufed to co-operate 
 with the Crown, and raife the Men demanded of 
 them, as being contrary to their Principles, the 
 Governor was certain that they never would con- 
 cur with the Proprietors in any Scheme of a 
 like Nature. But, as foon as he heard of the 
 GeneraVs Defeat, and knowing that nothing more 
 could be attempted on the Part of the Crown 
 during that Campaign, as Colonel Dunbar was 
 niarching with the Remainder of the Army to- 
 wards the City o^ Philadelphia, the Governor then 
 thought that the proper Sealbn for making the 
 Offer of Lands, and fetting a new Expedition on 
 foot (on the Part of this Province) was come ; 
 and he hoped that the Diftrefs and great Danger 
 to which the Country was now expofed, would 
 difpofe the Affembiy readily to concur in fuch a 
 promifing Meafure. He did, therefore, accor- 
 dingly fend the following Meffage to them, dated 
 July the 29th, 1755. 
 
 Gentlemen, - - «* ' 
 
 ** On the prefent Emergency, I think it pro- 
 per, on the Part of the Proprietaries, to pro- 
 pofe, as an additional Encouragment to fuch 
 Perfons as fhall now engage and go upon ari 
 Expedition from this, or the neighbouring 
 Provinces, to remove the French itom their 
 
 E 2 *' En- 
 
 
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 ri 
 
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 " Encroachment on the River Ohio^ to grant 
 the following Qiiantities of Land Wcfb ot the 
 Allegheny Mountains, without any Purchafe- 
 moncy, and with an Exemption frotn the Pay- 
 ment ofQiiit-rent lor theS[)ace of filtcon Yearn 
 iVoni the lirll Day of March next, viz. 
 
 Acres. 
 *' To every Colonel * — looo 
 
 ♦' To every Lieutenant-colonel and i 
 
 ** Major — — W^"^ 
 
 ** To every Captain — — 500 
 *' To every Lieutenant and Enfign .\0o 
 •* To every common Soldier — 200 
 
 " The faid Lands to be patented to the re- 
 fpedlive Officers and Solditrs, their Heirs or 
 Affigns, without any Fees or Charges but thofe 
 of furvcying ; on Condition ot Settlement 
 within the Space of three Years after the Re- 
 *' moval of the French. And I do recommend 
 " it to you, to afford feme AfTiftance to fuch 
 " as fliall incline to accept of the above Terms, 
 '* and make Settlements accordingly.'* 
 
 In Anfwir to this, the Aflcmbly immediately 
 publiflied a moll fcurrilous MclTage, telling the 
 Peo[)le, ' — ■" that the Offer was a meer Illufion 
 " and Impofture 5 — that the Governor had no 
 Authority to make any fuch Offer ; — that if 
 they accepted of it, the Proprietors, when the 
 Patents were to ifTue, might demand a Quit- 
 rent greater than the Worth of the Lands -, — 
 that the Virginia vacant Lands were equally 
 good, more convenient, and to be had on 
 better Terms." — : ' -" ". \m'> k y^i . 
 Thus did they treat an Offer which would have 
 been productive of the heft Confequences *, and 
 thus ajfo, by the mod faife and ground lefs Infi- 
 
 • -'- ' nuations. 
 
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 [ 37 ] 
 
 niiatlon?, were the Men difcouragcd, who would, 
 in all Probability, very readily have accepted of 
 Inch an Oiler. 1 laid falfe and groundlefs Infi- 
 nuations -, for it could not be thougiit, that the 
 Governor would make the Offer without fufficient 
 Power lo to do. And with regard to the Quit- 
 rent, they were told that it would be no more 
 than the ordinary Quit-rent, which was well 
 known to be Four- fliillings and Two- pence Ster- 
 ling, for one hundred Acres-, and lallly, it waa 
 expredy faid, that the Patents were to be granted 
 v/ithout any Fee or Expencc to the Adventurers. 
 Moreover, the vacant Lands in Virginia were, 
 by no means, comparable to the exceeding fruit- 
 ful Lands o^ Pcnnfylvania^ on the other Side of the 
 Allegheny Mount ains^ upon and near the River 
 Ohio. But even fuppofing the Lands were 
 equally good, certainly the intrinfic Goodnefa of 
 Lands is not the only Confideration that deter- 
 mines their Price. This depends upon the En- 
 cumbrances under which Lands are purchafed, 
 together with feveral other Circumllances •, and, 
 therefore, if our Aflcmbly had been hearty in 
 the Intereft of the Province they reprefent, they 
 would have given a fair State of the Cafe, and 
 upon comparing our Lands to thofe of Virginia^ 
 would have acknowledged that the latter are not 
 only, upon the whole, worfe in Quality, but en- 
 cumbered with the Support of an eftabliJJoed Clergy^ 
 as well as a certain heavy Impoil upon the Pio- 
 duce of every Eftate in the Colony ; — all which 
 we are entirely exempted from. And indeed 
 the People are fo fenfible of this Advantage, that 
 they always prefer a Settlement in Pennfyhaniay 
 to a Settlement in any of the Provinces around 
 us. And whenever any of the People migrate 
 from this to any other Province, it is entirely be- 
 
 caufe 
 
 iA 
 
 <; 
 
 t:r 
 
II Ij 
 
 •I 
 
 [38] 
 
 caufc all our gocxl Lands on this Side the y://- 
 legheny Mountains arc moftly taken up ; and the 
 Affembly have conftantly oppofed every former 
 Meafurc, as well as the prelcnf, for extending 
 our Settlements on the other Side of the faid 
 Mountains, becaufe this cannot be done without 
 an armed Force, at lead for fome time; which, 
 as has been frequently obferved, being by no 
 means conformable to their particular Plan of 
 Pohcy, has been the Source of all our Mis- 
 iortuncs. — . .. .; 1 c ^.. :i' ^ 
 
 But to return to the Difputcs about raifing 
 of Money, which have fubfiUed for near two 
 Years. The Governor, on the 28th of July^ 
 fcnt another Meffa.c^o to the Aflcmbly, befeeching 
 ihem to confider, — " that the Retreat oi the 
 ** Army, under Colonel Dunbar, would leave the 
 •■' Back-fettlements entirely expofed to the In- 
 ^' curfions of the French and Indians ; who being 
 *' fiuflicd with their late Victory, and encouraged 
 '• by our defencelefs State, would penetrate deep 
 ** into the Province, murdering the Inhabitants, 
 ** or driving them from their Habitations (as has 
 ** alas ! been too fatally felt.) Wherefore he 
 *' earneftly recommended to them to fall upon 
 " fpeedy Meafures for the Protedion of the 
 " People, and the Security of the Province.'* 
 
 A", there never was a more urgent Occafion 
 than this, it was hoped that the Aflembly would 
 be touched with the bleeding State of tlieir Coun- 
 try, and grant it immediate Relief, in a manner 
 that could admit of no Difpute. But how great- 
 ly were we difappoirted to find a new Dilpute 
 introduced about taxing the Proprietary Effate^ 
 intimating in a MelTage thereupon to the Gover- 
 nor, that it would be in vain to propofe any 
 ©ther Matier.'^ to their Confideration, till that 
 
 - - waa 
 
 i 
 
ai/lng 
 two 
 
 the 
 the 
 In- 
 
 ^m 
 
 *%, 
 
 
 t39] 
 
 was previoudy fettled. And yet the Country 
 was all the while in the utnnoft Diftrefs *, and they 
 well knew that as the Difpute related to a Matter 
 cf Property^ it could neither, in Law nor Rea*^ 
 fon, be fettled by any Perfon but the real Ov^ners 
 of the Property itfelf^ who were at three thoufand 
 Miles Diftance, very little imagining that fucb 
 an unfeafonable Time would be chofen to intro- 
 duce a new Claim againft their Eftate, vhich was 
 not only contrary to the Ufage of all former Af- 
 fcmblies, but even to a pofitive Law of the Pro- 
 vince itlelf^ ^ ' ^'' 
 
 The Governor, therefore, refufed his AiTent 
 to the Bill they feiit him on this Emergency, for 
 raJMiig fifty thoufand Pounds by a Tax on all 
 Eftates real and perfonal within the Province ; 
 and in the Courfe of the Debates thereupon, k 
 appears that he grounded his Refufal chiefly on 
 the following Reafons : 
 
 ift. By the Nature of his Commiflion, he was 
 only empowered to reprefent the Proprietaries as 
 Governor of the Province, but not as Landlord 
 of their Eftate ; and therefore he judged that 
 any Aft of his to encumber or alienate any Part 
 of that Eftate, without the exprefs Confent of the 
 real Owners, would be void in itfelf. 
 
 2dly, Admitting that he had fuch Power over 
 the proprietary Eftate, he would have refufed 
 his AfTent to the Bill 5 becaufe all Governors, 
 whether hereditary or otherwife, having Reve- 
 nues granted them to fupport the Dignity of 
 Government, and enable them to do the Duties 
 of their Station, ought to be exempted from 
 Taxes in the common Method. For, ^ ' 
 
 3dly, If a chief Governor were taxed in the 
 ordinary Method, by AfTeflbrs chofen wholly by 
 ^bc People, his private Property, which is Part 
 
 of 
 

 
 J.: 
 
 If I 
 
 I 
 
 I 40 ] 
 
 of his necefTary Support, would not only be ren- 
 dered precarious, but he ^ would be deprived of 
 the mo^i ejj'ential Right enjoyed by every other 
 ' Freeman \ and. would be taxed by Per Ions in 
 ' whole Choice he is allowed no Voice, as being a 
 diltind Branch in Legijlationy and therefore fup- 
 pofed to reprefent himfclt in every At\ of Go- 
 vernniient. ».' ^»!v»»..'iM ♦h^^)* ^jm %{> h-jv.vicj^Q Ttw 
 
 4thly, The Proprietaries of this Province in 
 particular, did con lent to a Law for veiling the 
 -People wi:h the f ok Choice of Alfcflbrs, with an 
 exprefs Prov/fo that the Proprierary-ellate fhould 
 be exempted It om all Taxes to be laid by fuch 
 AfieiTors, in the Choice of whom they referved 
 no Voice. It would, therefore, be highly, un- 
 reafonable for the People to cliiin the Privilege 
 fecured to them by this I.av ,, -' at the fame 
 time to violate the Conditicns by which the Pro- 
 prietaries thought thcmlelves/t'c«r^ in contenting 
 to fuch a Law. 
 
 5thly, The Allembly's Argument, that the 
 
 • Oath or Affirmation of the AffefTors, is fufficient 
 
 • Security for the Proprietors, is entirely foreign 
 to the Purpole ; becaufe, by the fame Reafon- 
 jng, every other Freeman might thipk himfelf 
 
 • equally fecure in fuch Oath or Affirmatio;, with- 
 . out claiming the valuable Privilege of t ,^r *; uxed 
 
 cnly by his own Reprefentative. ^fyanu. ? ^ 
 . 6thly, Such a Method is not only repugnant 
 . to Reajon^ but to the Spirit of the EngUJh Law^ 
 which, notwithltanding the Solemnity of an 
 Oath, excepts both againlt the Judgment and 
 "" Evidence of interefted Perfons, as capable of be- 
 ing byalfed. But every Perfon, .v'hc ^an be an 
 . Aircflor in this Province, is inlere/t. J, in feme 
 ^ , Shape or another, to eafe his own Lilate, by 
 '': throwing as much as poilible of the public Bur- 
 den 
 3 
 
 « 
 
 k: 
 
.) 
 
 be rcn* 
 ved of 
 ' other 
 ons in 
 eing a 
 e fup- 
 >f Go- 
 
 nee in 
 ng the 
 'ith an 
 fhouJd 
 [ fuch 
 (erved 
 un- 
 vilege 
 
 fame 
 
 Fro- 
 nting 
 
 t the 
 
 icient 
 
 reign 
 
 ifon- 
 
 nfelf 
 
 v'ith- 
 
 sxed 
 
 i^nt 
 
 awy 
 an 
 
 and 
 
 be- 
 an 
 
 me 
 
 by 
 
 •ir- 
 
 Icn 
 
 4 
 
 [ 41 ] 
 
 den upon the Eftate of the Proprietors, who 
 have not that Security for a juft AlTcirnient, 
 which every other Freeman has, in being capable 
 to become Afleflbrs in their Turn, as wtll as to 
 oppofe the future Choice of any partial or unjuft 
 Affeflbrs. And there can be no good Reafon 
 why the Proprietors, or chief Governors of this 
 Province, fhould be the onfy Perfons in it, who 
 are deprived of the /egal Security and moft eiten- 
 tial Rights of Freemen. 
 
 7thly, The Affembiy's Argument, that the 
 Lords in Parliament think their Eftates fufRciently 
 fecure, altho' they are a diftind Branch of the 
 Legiflature, and taxed by AflefTors chofen by the 
 People, is mere Illufion, and contrary to Fad". 
 For it is well known, that it has always been 
 one of the diftinguifhing Privileges of the 
 Peers of Great- Britain^ that they can never 
 be aflefifed towards the fianding Militia of the 
 Nation, but by fix or more of themfelves/' 
 And this is the very Point in Difpute. Befides, 
 both Lords and Commons in England have their 
 peculiar Rights and Privileges, fixed by the 
 Conftitution, ripened by Time, and approved 
 by the Wifdom of Ages •, and, as the Lords and 
 Commons do not compofe the whole of the Bn- 
 tijh Legiflature, they cannot (land in the fame 
 Relation, one to another, as a chief Governor 
 and AfTembly of this Province do, who make 
 up our whole Legiflature. It is, therefore, poor 
 Reafoning to plead for a Similarity of Ufage, 
 where there is not a Similarity of the Circum- 
 'ftances upon which the Ufage is foutided. — 
 
 Tho' thefe were fufficient Reafons for reje6t- 
 ing the Law in Queftion ; yet I am far from 
 denying the Equity of the Proprietaries bearing 
 a jpart in the general Burden for the Defence of 
 
 ' :■ • F ■:: ■ I '. , the 
 
 C( 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 «( 
 
 n? 
 
 M 
 
i' 
 
 the Province. The Proprietaries have never 
 been backward in this Refpe6V, and are yearly at 
 a very confiderabic Expence in Affairs of Go- 
 vernment. But that the i^fTembly fhould diclate 
 to them both the ^antum and Mcde of this their 
 Expence, appears not only unreafonable, but de- 
 ftrudlive of the very Nature of mixt Govern- 
 ment. For as all Power muft have a Foundation 
 in Property^ it is plain that whenever our Allenv 
 bly fliall get the Proprit^tary Eft ate fubjefted to 
 their Mercy, they will be able to compleat their 
 democratjcal Schemes of Power, by having thejr 
 chief Governor for ever afterwards dependent 
 upon them, as moil of the fubordinate Officers 
 in the Province already are. '■^.v<^'i. -, •.^*.- 
 
 •^HiUs ftood the DUpute at the firft of Otlober^ 
 the Time fixed by Charter for the annual Elec- 
 tion of Members of Ailembly, when the very 
 fame Men were returned into the new AfTembly, 
 by the ulual Artifices * •, excepting one or two 
 Members, who having always been for Defence^ 
 and (indmg that they could do no Good by keep- 
 ing their Seats, declined ferving any longer. Of 
 courfe this new AfTembly took up the Difpute 
 ju(l where they had left it. Nothing now re- 
 mained but the diftrefTing Profpedt of continuing 
 to lie at the Mercy of cruel Savages, with our 
 Hands tied up, at leaft, for one Year longer, 
 by the abfurd Principles of our own Legillature, 
 who ought to have prote5fed us. ,i , 
 
 .The principal Inhabitants of Philadelphia^ to- 
 gether vyiih fuch of the Inhabitants of the feveral 
 Counties, as had a juft Senfe of the Dangers to 
 which we lay expofed, being now alarmed to 
 the laft D.^grce, law no Expedient left but hum- 
 
 * See t>i8 Briff State for an Account of die Methods by 
 ^hich the Quakers lecure tiieir Eleclions. 
 
 k' 
 
 pi 
 
t 
 
 [43] , 
 
 biy to lay their diftreired Condition once more j^ 
 at his JVlajcity's Feet, and implore his gracious 
 Companion and Protedion. -.*. — u .......... . 
 
 I wifh I could favour you with a Copy of their 
 Petition, as it is laid to contain a very linking 
 Reprefentation of the Diflrtffcs and Dangers ot 
 the Province. But the Sublcnbers of it do noc 
 think themfelves at Liberty to make it public 
 till his Majefty's gracious Fleafure (hall be figni- 
 fied thereupon. In general, it lets forth the 
 great Confternation of the Inhabitants on ac- 
 count of the naked and defencelefs State of the 
 Province, at a Seafon of fo imminent Danger, 
 when they expeded every Day to be attacked by 
 Blood-thirfty Savages, a mere Handful of whom 
 might, without the leaft Refiftance, carry Fire 
 and Sword into the very Heart of the Country. 
 
 It farther fets forth their hearty Concern at fee- 
 ing the Hafnds of many Thoufands of brave 
 Men tied up in this Province, by an unnatural 
 Scheme of Policy^ at a Time when all our Neigh* 
 bours were purchaQng immortal Renown in the 
 Field of Honour. . • ':; 
 
 It intimates that our pacific Meafures and de- 
 fencelefs State, had alienated our Indian Friends 
 from us, and encouraged rhe ambitious Mea- 
 fures of our iT^;/f/2?^ Enemies •, and lallly, that it 
 is not probable this Province can ever be brought 
 to purfue different Meafures, while the ^iakers^ 
 whofe avowed Principles are againft bearing 
 Arms^ find Means to keep their Seats in Aflfem- 
 bly, by a grofs Abufe of the Foreigners fettled 
 among us. And therefore, the Petitioners fee 
 no.poflible Method of faving the Province but 
 by his Majefty's Royal Interpofidon, to put ic 
 
 F 2 into 
 
 ' •]- A like Petition was prefented during the lad War, jufl 
 before the Commencement of the Peace of jiife la Cha^eili, 
 
^•.I»jll( 
 
 •*i: 
 
 I'! Ill 
 
 iii'hi' 
 
 
 [ 44 ] 
 into a Poilurc of Defence, and provide for its 
 future * Security in fuch a Manner as fliall be 
 deemed nfioft for the public Good. 
 
 Tins Petition was immediately figncd in the 
 City, and in fome of the Counties near it, by a 
 very confiderable Number of the principal Inha- 
 bitants, and difpatched in a Sliip that lay ready- 
 to fail lor London, Had the Time permitted, a 
 very great Number would have figncd it in the 
 back Counties alfo, who were more immediately 
 interefted in it; but alas! before the Copies could 
 reach them, all the Fears of Danger, which it 
 exprefled, were too fatally realized. nwr 
 
 For, about the Middle of OSioher^ a large 
 Body of Indians^ chiefly ^hu onefe^ Delaivares^ 
 &c. -f (their Numbers uncertain) fell upon this 
 
 : -'>v .V- - . . w\ i V. Province 
 
 * This as I have more than once obfcrvcd is onU' to be 
 done by an Oath or Qualification, excluding all thole from 
 Skny Share of Government whofe Principles render them unfit 
 for that which is the great End of Government — the De- 
 fence and Ffote(5lion of the Go'vemed. 
 
 f Thefe Nations were formerly our Friends : But as they 
 are under the Subjedion of the fix confederate Nations, the 
 French have put the Hatchet into their Hand againfl us, with 
 a Proniife of making them Men again (/. e. an independent 
 People) and relloring them to their former Poffeflions, which 
 they have fold to the Englijh. But the chief Caufe of their 
 Defedion from the Interefts of this Province is our pacific 
 Schemes of Policy in Times of the greateil Danger, and our 
 repeated Refufal to give them that Proteftion and Affiftancc 
 which they have fo often requeued from us. For, by the 
 InhinDanity and Perfidy of our /V^«c->& Enemies, Scalping 
 iij become the Trade of Indians^ and as they find it a profita- 
 ble Trade, the Time of War is the Indian Harveft. Where- 
 fore, as they can neither be idle nor neuter, they will work 
 for thofe who pay them bell, and feem to have moft Cou- 
 rao,e to protcft them ; regardlefs of Leagues, or the higheft 
 Onligations. And, indeed, while vi^e refufc to fight ijoith 
 them, we cannot think that they will fight alone ftr us, 
 againll the whole Power of the French^ and their numerous 
 Tribes of Indians. On the contrary, they mufl look upon 
 u« as a pufillanimous People, and make the bell Terms they 
 caii with our more adive and enterprizing Enemies. 
 
 I 
 
 
 -UtlV> 
 
[45] 
 
 Province from feveral Quarters almoft at the fame 
 Inllant, murdering, burning, and laying wafte; 
 fo that in the five Counties of Cumberland^ Tork^ 
 Lancajler^ Berks, and Northampton, which com- 
 pofe more than half the Province, nothing but 
 Scenes of Diftraftion and Defolation were to be 
 fecn. 
 
 The Damage which thefe Counties have al- > 
 ready fuftained, by the Defertion of Plantations 
 is not to be reckoned up ! Nor are the Miferies 
 of the poor Inhabitants to be defcribed ; many 
 ki of whom were, without a Moment's Warning, 
 ^ driven from thofe Habitations where they en- 
 joyed every Neceffary of Life, and are now ex- 
 pofed to all the Severity of an approaching Win-' 
 ter i and obliged to fclidt their very Bread at 
 the cold Hand of Charity. Nor, Jaftly, are 
 the horrid Barbarities, committed upon rhofe 
 who fell into the Enemies Hands to be pareliclled 
 in all the Volumes of Story. -^ - ."1%.* ^ >^^f ^ 
 
 At Gnadenhutten, a fmall Moravian Settle- 
 ment in Northampton County, the poor unhappy 
 Sufferers were fitting round their peaceful Sup- 
 per, when the inhuman Murderer^-, muffled in 
 the Shades of Night, dark and horrid as the in- 
 fernal Purpofe of their Souls, flole upon them, 
 butchered them, fcalped them, and confumed 
 their Bodies, together with their Horfes, their 
 Stock, and upwards of fixty Head of fat Cattle 
 (intended for the Subfiftence of the Brethren at 
 Bethlehem) all in one general Flame ; fo that next 
 Morning furnifhed only a melancholy Spedlacle 
 of their mingled Afhes. ., .,^, .^.^^,, ^^ovm. ' 
 At the Great Cove in Cumberland, at Tulpe- 
 hockin in Berks, and in feveral other Places, the 
 Barbarities were ftill greater if pofTible. Men, ^" 
 Women, Children, and Brute-beafts fnared one 
 
 common 
 
 
I 
 
 It ,'T ' 
 
 
 lit- ■■ 
 
 mm' 
 
 If,. 'It 
 
 [46] 
 
 common Deftrudion ; and where they were not 
 burnt to Afhes, their mangled Limbs were 
 found promifcuoufly (Ircwcd upon the Ground, 
 thofc appertaining to the human Form icarce to 
 be dirtinguifhed from thofe of the Brute ! Nay 
 Stakes were found driven into the private Parts 
 of the Women, and the Mens private Parts cut 
 off, and put into their Mouths ; fo that the 
 Savages feem to riot and triumph in the moft 
 dehberate Ads of infernal Cruelty, and to grow 
 more fav age at the Thought.— 
 
 ;TBut of all the Inftances of this, which I have 
 heard, I cannot help being molt afferted with 
 the following. — One Family, cnnfilling of the 
 Hufband, his Wife, and a Child only a few 
 Hours old, were all iound murdered ao'' fcaiped 
 in this manner J — the Mother llrelcheci on the 
 Bed with her new born Child horribly mangled, 
 and put under her Head for a Pillow, while the 
 Hulband lay on the Ground hard by with his 
 Body ript up, and his Bowels laid open. • :'• 
 
 In another Place, a Woman with her fucking 
 Child finding that llie had fallen into the Hands 
 of the Enemy, fell flat on her Face, prompted 
 by the flrong Call of Nature to cover and (belter 
 her innocent Child with her own Body. The 
 accurfed Savage rufhed from his lurking Place, 
 ftruck her in the Flead with a Tomahawk^ tore 
 off her Scalp, and fcoured back into the Woods, 
 without obltrving the Child, being apprehenfive 
 that he was difcovered. Ihe Child was found 
 fome Time afterwards, under the Body of its 
 Mother, and i3 yet alive. -iJio lij?/. i^rt i?'"'^ ' 
 
 - Latl: of all, to fill up the Meafure of our Sor- 
 row, many of our young Women are carried 
 into Capdvity, being relcrved, perhaps, for a 
 worfe Fate than thofe who fulfcred Death in all 
 
 f ^ ' - its 
 
 
ice, 
 
 [47] 
 
 ^■i 
 
 i] 
 
 Merci( 
 
 bapes ; and no Wonder, 
 arc relcrved by Savages, whofc tend 
 may be accounted more cruel than tneir very 
 Cruelty itfelf. ,\ »iv.vk4^\.A im 01 vj-fii/m.tr.K!; v 'li'*** 
 On the firft Notice of thefe Misfortunes, our 
 ever taithful Friend Scarrooyady "f (ahas Mcmoka- 
 toathy) came haftening to Pbiladelpbia, together 
 with Colonel IVeifer * the Provincial Interpreter, 
 and two other Indian Chiefs. A Mixture of 
 Grief, Indignation, and Concern fate upon their 
 Countenances. Scarrooyady immediately de* 
 manded an Audience, which was granted him 
 in the Prefence of the Governor and the whole 
 Houfe of AfTembiy ; when he Ipoke to the fol- 
 lowing EfFed. — 
 
 '» Bre- 
 
 f He is one of the fix Nations that has long lived among 
 our friendly Indians about iihamo/:i/t, and other Places on 
 Safquehannah. He with one or two more, ftood by General 
 Bruddock to the lafl:, altho' a few Day^ before the Battle 00 
 the Mohongehela he loft his Son, a bold Warrior, fhot by an 
 unlucky Miftake of one of our own Soldiers. Scarrooyady 
 greatly lamented him, and faid, that if he had fallen in Jio- 
 nourable Battle, he ihould have thought him happy ; but to 
 be killed by his Friends, whom he was faithfully ferving, 
 was a mortifying Confideration. Neverthelefs the old Man 
 fought heroically for us at the Batde, and 'tis faid after he 
 had fired away all his Ammunition, and faw the Day going 
 againft us, being quite overcome with Fatigue, he fat 
 down under a Tree, fmoaked his Pipe, ruminating upon the 
 impending Event, with more than Roman Firmnefs and Com- 
 pofure of Soul. 
 
 * Mr, Weifer has greatly diftinguiftied himfelf during our 
 Troubles by his fuperior Sagacity and Refolution. On the 
 ^irft Alarm he put himfelf at the Head of his Neighbours, 
 exhorted them to make a bold Stand, and told them that he 
 Jcnew the Nature of Indians well, and aU that was terrible 
 about tliem ; that he had often tried the Strength of his own 
 riglit Arm together with theirs, during a long Intercourfe 
 with their various Nati-^ns j and that he could engage his 
 Honour and Credit that they would be found to have iieitlicr 
 more Bravery nor more Strength than thofe of his Country- 
 men, that then heard him. Oa the contrary he obfcrvcd, 
 
 ihat 
 
 '. 
 
 I ;l 
 
 I " 
 
[48] 
 
 11) 
 
 1^1 
 
 
 ■•J ' 
 
 1 
 
 \\ 
 
 <c 
 
 <c 
 
 C( 
 
 <t 
 
 (C 
 
 <c 
 
 ** Brethren, • jc^ut itucn 
 
 " We are once more come among you, 
 and fincerely condole with you on account of 
 " th late Bloodfhed, and the awful Cloud that 
 •* hangs over you, and over us. Brethren^ you 
 •' may be undoubtedly afTured, that thefe horrid 
 *' Adions were committed by none of thofe 
 Nations that have any Fellowfhip with us ; 
 but by certain falfe-hearted and treacherous 
 Brethren. It grieves us more than all our 
 *' other Misfortunes, that any of our good 
 " Friends the Englijh fhould fufpedl us of hav- 
 " ing falfe Hearts. 
 
 
 1/ \ 
 
 ' "Brethren, ' '- 
 
 *' If you were not an infatuated People, we 
 are yet about * three hundred Warriors firm 
 to your Intereft; and if you are fo unjuft to 
 us, as to retain any Doubts of our Sincerity, 
 we offer to put our Wives, our Children, and 
 all we have, into your Hands, to deal with 
 them as feemeth good to you, if we arc found 
 
 .. . i 
 
 that they durft not meet the Face of a Man in the open Field j 
 but tuat their av^o/* Art lay in Sculkinc, and their tu^^o/^ 
 Bravery in Murder.. He therefore, defired every one, 
 whofe Heart failed him, to return home, that he might know 
 what he had to truft to in the Hour of Trial. Tliis had a pro- 
 per Effedl, in firing thofe to whom he froke ; but they were 
 ibon informed that the Enemy had left tlie Place where they 
 were believed to be ; and how an undifciplined Mob would 
 have behaved, who were all ading voluntarily, without any 
 Law of the Country, I cannot tell. In fuch Cafes it is hardly 
 polfible to keep up Order. 
 
 * It may be much doubted whether we have near that 
 Number of Indians inclined to a6l with us. Yet we have 
 many who are inclined, but are afraid to declare themfelves, 
 for fear of the Enemy. They can only give us privat,« 
 Hints of Pang«r, which they frecjuently do. 
 
[49] 
 
 " in the lead to fwcrve from you *. But, BtC' 
 ** tbren^ you muH: fupport and alTift: us, for wc 
 ** are not able to fight alone againlt the power- 
 *' ful Nations who are coming againfl: you \ and 
 " you mud this Moment refolvc and give us 
 " an exphcic Anfwer what you will do: For 
 *' thefe Nations have fent to defire us, as old 
 " Friends, either to join them, or to get out of 
 *' their Way, and fhift for ourfelves. Alas ! 
 " Brethren^ we are forry to leave you ! we re- 
 " member the many Tokens of your Friendfhip 
 " to us ; — But what fliall we do ? We cannot 
 ** ftand alone, and you will not (land with us.— 
 
 ;if ,)\ 
 
 '^'Ua 
 
 " Brethren, 
 
 ** The Time is precious. While we are herr 
 " confulting with you, we know not what may 
 " be the Fate of our Brethren at home. We 
 " do, therefore, once more invite and requefl 
 " you to adl like Men, and be no longer as 
 *' Women, purfuing weak Meafures, that ren- 
 " der your Names defpicable. If you will put 
 *' the Hatchet into our Hands, and fend out a 
 *' Number of your young Men in Conjundion 
 " with our Warriors, and provide the neccfTary 
 " Arms, Ammunition and Provifions, and like- 
 *' wife build fome ftrong Houfes for the Pro- 
 ** tedion of our old Men, Women, and Chil- 
 *' dren, while we are abfent in War, we fhall 
 " foon wipe the Tears from your Eyes, and 
 *' make thefe falfe-hearted Brethren repent their 
 " Treachery and Bafenefs towards you and to- 
 *' wards us. 
 
 But 
 
 '■**■ xC/* 'la ']rT» 
 
 (( 
 
 * One of the Chiefs of thefe Indians near a Year ago 
 placed two of his Sons at the Academy of PkiladthhiAf 
 where now they begin to read and to fpeak Englijh^''^'' 
 
 •i,'i 
 
Jr.. (I 
 
 
 Ci 
 
 (( 
 
 i( 
 
 4( 
 
 C( 
 
 [ SO ] 
 
 •' But we mufl at the fan"' "Ime rolcmnfy 
 " alTiire you, that if you delay any longer to a(^t 
 
 htartily in Conjun<5lion witli us, or think to 
 
 put us off, as ufual, with uncertain Hopes 
 
 you will ice our Faces under this Roof no 
 *' more. Wc niuft fhift for our own Safety, 
 «' and leave you to the Mercy of your Enemies 
 
 as an infatuated People, upon whom we can 
 
 have no longer Dependance." 
 
 The Tears iTood in the old Man's Eyes while 
 he delivered this lad Part, and no Wonder, fincc 
 the very Being of his Nation depended upon 
 their joining the Enemy, or our enabling them 
 immediately to make head againfl them. This 
 Speech was made on the Afternoon of a Satur- 
 day^ and the Aflfembly, far from entering into 
 the Confideradon of the Affair, adjourned, im- 
 mediately, and did not meet to do any Bufinefs 
 till the "Tucfday followinp, which highly difgufted 
 the Indians to think v Nad fo little Feeling of 
 their urgent Diftrefs. .^^/eral Days pafled and 
 they had no Anfwcr, altho' they every Day ex- 
 preflcd the mod earned Defire to be gone. The 
 Governor, therefore, fent a MefTage to the Af- 
 fembly, indmadng, *' That if they negleded this 
 mod important Application, and obdinatcly per- 
 fided in their pacific Meafures, thereby forcing 
 thefc Indians^ not only to leave us, but to a6t 
 againd us, all the dreadful Confequences of it 
 mud be left at their Door ; for he was willing 
 and defirous to do every Thing in his Power for 
 the Protedion and Affidance, as well of thefe^ 
 our Indian Allies, as of the Inhabitants of the 
 Province in general." * ^ .^ , , ^, 
 
 In Anfwer to this the Aflembly evaded the 
 Subjedl, by the dale Pretence that their Money* 
 
 BilL 
 
 „■ yj 
 
 * Mttflagc, Novemterxht loth, • ?•'.••' • 
 
infy 
 
 adt 
 
 : to 
 
 [51] 
 
 Bill, if palTed, would do all : But it was not 
 Money thcfe Indians wanted ; it was the AfTiil- 
 ance o\ our Arms ; lor, on fuch Emergencies, they 
 contemn our Prefents, and, in thrir own cmpha- 
 ticai Language, call them by the Name of Trafh, 
 which one may drink and pifs cut again. And 
 further, without a Militia Law, the Indians will 
 never be willing to rilk their Lives for us fince 
 they never can rely on any AlTidancc which our 
 Vokmtcers may give them, in a Caufe, which is 
 not deemed worthy of the Sandion and CaiC of 
 cur own LegiHature. ,. j f. 
 
 .. But to divert the public Attention flill further 
 from this Point, the AlTembly propofld to the 
 Governor to ftt an Enquiry on foot, whether 
 any Injuftice had ever been offered to the Sha^ 
 wonefe and other Indians, who were then fcalp- 
 inj, the Inhabitants, *' principally in the late Pro- 
 *' prictary Purchafe,'* as they termed it. By this 
 extraordinary Propofal^ the Affembly hoped to 
 throw the Odium of the Indian Defc^ion upon 
 the Proprietors, and not upon their own conti- 
 nued Refufal to put the Hatchet into the Hands 
 of the laid Indians at their repeated Solicita- 
 tions.* 
 
 Nothing could be more ridiculous and unfea- 
 fonable than fuch a Quibble at this Time. — In 
 the firfl: Place the Indians were obliged to fi^lp 
 the Inhabitants in the late Purchafe^ before ihey 
 could get at any former Purchafe -f . Ant. the 
 
 'inri? ?o P-3W 3j. o--) ^ ^ f... »■ A.".c:m- 
 
 ^ * Scarrooyady and Andre'vo Montour at this very Time de- 
 clared publickly, that the Defedion of the Sbanvovr e and 
 Delanjuares was wholly owing to the above Caufes, and to 
 "the Increafe of "^redit and Reputation gained by the French 
 •qti the Defeat of General Braddocky together with their Pro- 
 aiifes and intimidating Threats towards the faid Indi^tm, See 
 P tnnfyl'Vani a GzzttX^y N° 1 407. 
 
 f They have fince too fatally convinced us that tliey make 
 TiO Dillinftion of Purchafes. 
 
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 [ 52] 
 
 Aflfembly have fince been brought to acknow- 
 ledge, upon an Infpedion of the Indian Treaties 
 and Council Books — '^ That they beheve great 
 *' Care has generally been taken to do the /«- 
 dians Jultice by the Proprietaries in all their 
 Purchafes and other public Tranfadions ;— - 
 and that the Proprietaries have done wifely, 
 ** not only to purchafe their Lands, but to pur- 
 chai'e tliem more than once, tor peace- fake ; 
 and that it appears that :\t Sbawonefe could 
 have but a Jlender Foundation for any Claim 
 of Satisljdion for Lands in this Province," — 
 where in Trutli it has been made appear they 
 nevci had any Lands or Claim at dll. — .< '.^v 
 But let us fuppofe they had a jufl: Right to 
 Lands among us, certainly Protcdlion is due in 
 the firll place to the People who have, bonajidey 
 purchafed and fettled thefc Lands ; and when 
 once their Lives are fecured, and the Invaders 
 forced to liften to Reafon, then will be the pro- 
 per Time to propofe fuch an Enquiry and Satis- 
 fadlion. 
 
 The Back Inhabitants living upon and near 
 thefe Lands, loft all Patience at the Affembly's 
 Condud in this Affair *. They looked upon it 
 r.s an egregious and folemn Trifling with their 
 Lives and Properties. They petitioned ; they 
 remonftratcd ; nay, they threatened that they 
 would march down and tear the whole Members 
 of the legiOative Body Limb from Limb, if they 
 did not grant them immediate Protedion. They 
 complained of the flagrant Injuflice done them 
 in not allo<ving the Back Counties their due Pro- 
 
 ,^.->..-. .i\.i. > .'Vj/ fl i - -..JX . rtv !'.;. 4,^.^:; pOrtlOIl 
 
 * What moft of all cxafperared the People was, that the 
 Quakers had, during the Iiicurfions upon cur Neighbours, 
 always given out tlizi the Indians would never meddle with 
 Pinrf/yhania^ and thus continually lulled us in Security, and 
 evaded the Subjed of Defence.— — 
 
[53 ] 
 
 portion of Reprefentatives, which made their 
 Interefts to be fo little confiderecl, and their Di- 
 {creffes fo little felt, by the Legijlature^ at this 
 Time of Calamity. - •--- <^..x •,.* .,>^ - .. .... ^ 
 
 And, indeed, there Is not perhaps a more fla- 
 grant Piece of Iniquity fubfiding among any free 
 People, than the Maiiner in which this Province 
 is reprefented in AfTembly. We have eight 
 Counties, and out of thirty-fix Members, the 
 three old Counties, where the fakers are fettled, 
 return twenty-fix of the Number. The other five 
 Counties, fettled with People of many other 
 Denominations, efpecially Frejhyterir.r.^ fium the 
 North of Ireland^ fend only the ten remaining 
 Members among them. This was the Policy of 
 the fakers at the firft Erection of the five lafl 
 Counties i by which means, together with their 
 Artifices among the Germans^ the fakers are 
 always a vail Majority in the AffembJy, altho* 
 they are not near one Jiftb of the People in the 
 Province. 
 
 Whenever, therefore, an Enquiry fhal! be 
 made into the Methods by which the Inhabi- 
 tants in the Five Back Counties, who are fo 
 great a Majority, have been fo long Lept from 
 ading in their own Defence, altho' eager to di- 
 flinguilTi themfelves in Conjunction with their 
 brave Neighbours of other Colonies ; I hope it 
 will be afcribed to this iniquitous Method of re- 
 pre fen ting the Province, which makes the Inte- 
 refl of parucular Places and Denominations of 
 Men to be preferred to the general Service •, and, 
 I doubt not, a proper Remedy will bt applied. 
 For, at prefent, all the Back Inhabitants, not- 
 withftanding their Majority, are abfolutelyat the 
 Mercy of a Faflion, chofen from three Counties, 
 where the fakers have very fneakingly taken 
 
 Care 
 
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 [54] 
 
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 Care to feat themfelves, becanfe they lie out of 
 Danger, and are fecured by the other Counties. 
 And, in return, thefe other Counties are thus 
 unjurtly treated, altho' they are our Barrier, and 
 more imn:ediately concerned in every thing that 
 can come before the Airembly, (efpecially on the 
 Subjeifl of Defence) than the old Counties can 
 
 l^g^ '^(n '/:On MJn ' vnW nwn .;•>.{-; r.i -jt? 
 
 Flence if the Back Counties were but fair'y 
 reprefented, it would be impoilible to tie up the 
 Hands of the People, We fhould much fooner 
 have btep alarmed with our Danger ; the fa- 
 kers would not have been able to oppofe the 
 Meafures concerted for our Defence, and we 
 fhould have made a very different Figure from 
 what we now do, becaufe the general Interefts 
 of the whole People would have been properly 
 felt and confiJered, by a Legiflature, taken 
 equally out of all Parts of the Country. 
 
 If this Piece of Iniquity is not fpeedily redref- 
 fed, it will be produ6live of much Confufion and 
 Ill-blood among ourfelves. The ScoUh Iri/h, 
 in particular, think that the ^takers have a fe- 
 crec Satisfadlion in feeing their increafing Mul- 
 titude thinned and beggared in the Back Coun- 
 ties ; as will appear from the following genuine 
 Letter, which it would be unpardonable not to 
 m^tn in this Place, as it fo well explains the 
 Subjed I am upon, together with the Principles 
 of our ^^akers. It was written from a Gentle- 
 man in the Back Counties to his Friend in Town, 
 on reading the pnr«:ed MeiTages concerning the 
 Indians^ &c. of which I have juft been fpeaking. 
 
 1 » I. 
 
 ;- *' November 19, 1755*'^ -::i 
 
 " I would fay much more on thefe Topics-— 
 *' but my Fleart is fo full of another Subjedl, 
 
 " that 
 
»"muw"ipp»^ 
 
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 [ 55 ] 
 
 that I muft pnnr it out to cafe myreif. You 
 told me the AfTcmbly were hke to do nothing,, 
 I have, fince that, read the Meflagcs thac 
 pafTcd between the Governor and them, and 
 read them with Concern and Vexation ot Spi- 
 rit. I heretofore ufed to put foft Conllruc- 
 tions on their Conduct, and hoped they were 
 wilHng to ad for the Defence of their Coun- 
 try, in their own Way : But now they have 
 fufficiently undeceived me. ^T -*-♦ - .^....if ? 
 " 1 think the Governor fpeaks guardedly, and 
 fhews a proper Zeal for the Defence of the 
 Inhabitants, tho' the AfTcmbly endeavour not 
 only to diminifli^ but annihilate, aJl his Pra- 
 feflions on that Head, by pretending to prove» 
 that his CooimifTion and Inftruflions do not; 
 fo far Hmit him, but that he might conGftently, 
 pafs the Bill they propofe, if he were willing. 
 Yet I fee no Reafon why they fhould not al- 
 low him a Confcience as well as themfelves. 
 " As to the Affair of the Indians^ I think 
 the Governor ufed very mild Language, and 
 fuch as did not fliew him to be fo exceeding- 
 ly difpleafed with the AiTembly's Application 
 and Q^ 'ons on that Head, as he had Rea- 
 fon to be : For he only fays, that their Lan- 
 guage feems very extraordinary, when, in- 
 ftead of ftrengthening his Hands for the Pro« 
 tedion of the People, and the Repuliion of a 
 favage Enemy, at this Time of imminent Pe- 
 ril, they talk oi regaining the Aftedion of the 
 faid Savages, while they a' • laying waite x.\\q, 
 Country, and of fettii; a-foot an Enquiry 
 into what Injuftice they have received, and 
 why they are fallen from their Alliance with 
 us, ^c. when they have never complained of 
 any Injuftice done them j — and when every 
 
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 [ 56 ] 
 
 *' Man of VIS may be butchered before we can 
 V dijcover the true Motives which have induced 
 "'theiti to become our Murdefers^.— ""^^ '"'^ 
 ' " I am not the Governor, nor conne6led with 
 ** him by any Dependence, nor made partial in 
 ^'' his Favour (o miich as by Acquaintance -, yet 
 •* I read their Meffage on that Htad with Sur- 
 " prize, nor could I refrain from defpifing it as 
 '^ the moft egregious Trifling. It is of fo ex- 
 '* traordinary a Nature, that I cannot find an 
 adequate Refemblance of it. But I will fup- 
 pole fome of thefe Aflembly-Men's Houfes in 
 *' Town to be on Fire^ and they come to you, 
 ** in breathiefs Hade, calling for Buckets and 
 " Water: Then, inftead of affording them what 
 *' Help you can, fuppofe you fliould proceed 
 *' leifurely and calmly to enquire of them, how 
 *' the Moufe catched Fire ? Was it by Defign 
 " of any malicious Perfon ^ If fo, pray who was 
 *' he ? And what was the fuppofcd Rife of his 
 «' Malice ? Did he receive any Affront ? And 
 " what was it ? And when .? Or did the Houfe 
 '' catch by Accident.^ Or was it owing to the 
 '' Careleffnefs of a Servant .? And was he a black 
 *' Servant, or a white one ^ Bond or Free ? 
 And will you order him to be punifhed for 
 it? Or will you give him fair Words that 
 he may not do fo again .> — Talk to them at 
 this Rate, and fee, in fuch a Cafe, if their Pa- 
 tience will enable them to Hand and hear you 
 out ; or whether they will think you in ear- 
 ned to help them, or only mocking them, and 
 ** trifling with their Diftrefs. The Application 
 ** is eafy. , , , . • , s 
 
 ; " But odr 'I'nfemBIy, when called to extln- 
 
 ** guilh the Flames of their Country, tell us far- 
 
 ■;•' ther, that tlcy can do nothing, nor know what 
 
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 , [571 
 
 Bills to propofe, as every one Is TCJeAedoa 
 fome Pretence or another. But whoever is 
 impofed on by this Talk muft be criminally 
 weak and dull ; for is it not very polTible and 
 ea./ at this Juncture, when all is at Stake, to 
 ftrike ten, or fifteen, or twenty thoufand 
 Pounds, and fink it in five Tears by the Ex- 
 cife ; and in the mean Time, by an infenfible 
 Addition to our Taxes, to raifc Money for 
 Support of Government ? Do they not know 
 that fuch a Bill as this will pals? Yes, they 
 do know it, and the Governor has repeatedly 
 offered to pais fuch a Bill ! Now, would not 
 the lead of thefe Sums be of great Service in 
 procuring Defence for the back Inhabitants ? 
 But we muft be amufed with great Things in 
 order the more gracefully to give us nothing. 
 I had rather have ten thoufand Pounds certain, 
 than the Propofal of fixty thoufand Pounds on 
 a Footing that renders my receiving it im- 
 pradlicable. Nay to offer one hundred Thou- 
 fand Pounds on fuch a Footing is generoudy 
 to offer nothing at all. . . _- . 
 
 " But further, why do they not prepare a 
 Bill for a regular Militia as the Gover- 
 nor propofes? Do they not certainly know 
 that fuch a Bill would likewife pafs ? Yet they 
 never mention a Word about it, tho* at this 
 Jun(flure more neceffary than Money itfelf, to 
 the uniting and due Management of our 
 Strength. When this is coniidered, who is fo 
 grofsly ftupid as ever to believe them any 
 more, when they pretend chat the Governor is 
 wholly to blame for our being in a defencelefs 
 State ? If their Confcience forbids them to 
 pafs a military A5f^ why do they fit in the 
 Seat of Government, at fuch a Time as this ? 
 
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 ' If they will not adl themfelves, they may be 
 ** excufed •, but, when they will not let others 
 **> ad, that are willing to defend themfelves, they 
 *' are for ever inexcufable. They are now in 
 ** the Place of our Profe^ors, Our Country 
 *> depopulated, our Feliow-fubjed^ fpoiled and 
 •* murdered, our Wives and Children flying for 
 ** Fear — all call to them for Help. Certainly 
 *' then, when they refufe to afford what they 
 ** can and ought to afford, by all Ties wjiatfo- 
 •* ever, they are guilty of deftroying thofe whom 
 *' they do not endeavour to preferve i and on 
 ** this Principle, it will clearly follow, that a 
 *' Multitude of our §uakers^ Ajfemhly-Meny and 
 ^' others, are the bioodieft People in our Land ; 
 *' and the Blood of thofe who are murdered 
 thro' their Default, cries to Heaven againft 
 them, let them make light of it as long as 
 they can. V) "''"^"i v^ ^• 
 
 . '' I fay make light of it •, for I have been 
 ^' well informed, that a Member of the Aflem- 
 *^ bly * fenr back to inform himfelf and Bre- 
 " thren of the Truth of the Ravages and Inhu- 
 *' maniries committed amongft us, finding that 
 Things were full as bad as they were repre- 
 fcntcd, he replied with great Indifference, that 
 there were only fome Scotch-Irish killed, 
 u- ho could well enough be fparcd. This is the 
 common Language of many of thcfe People. 
 It is our Crime not to be Dupes to ^aker 
 Politics, and the more of us are deftroyed, 
 " the fewer will remain to oppofe their dirty In- 
 *' terefts. My very Soul rifes at the Thought! 
 '^ And thefe hard-hearted Wretches will find 
 -' that God will require the Blood of Seotch-Irifi 
 
 
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 * Katla'):elGrulh, a C^iaker, Member for Chefier Coun-. 
 ty, made tJiis Speech ac hancajicr^ kc, 
 
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 t 59] 
 
 at their Hand? affoon as the Blood of ^a^ 
 kers 5 and it will cry equally loud from the 
 Earth for Vengeance. But, f)erhaps, they 
 will exculpate themfelves, as ufua:!, by plead- 
 ing their Endeavours to prefervc the Lives of 
 the favage Murderers, and fo they (till pre- 
 ferve Life, This is true j but then they pre- 
 fcrve Lives that by all Laws, both divine and 
 human, ought to be deftroyed s and in fo do- 
 ing they deftroy thofe Lives which they are 
 obliged, by the fame Laws, to prcfcrve. — 
 *' Now if any of the more ferious fakers 
 this Way feem difturbed with this diftreffing 
 Afpedl of Affairs, their leading Ones hulh 
 them, bid them be quite eafy, affuring them, 
 that neither French nor Indians will hurt the 
 fakers. This, with fome other Circum- 
 ftances, has made many People furmife, that 
 by fome private Articles, which they cither 
 have, or defign to enter into with our Ene- 
 mies, the fakers have fecured their Society* 
 And when they are feen to affedl Indifference 
 about the prefent State of Things, and dif- 
 dainfully to fneer at our military Preparations^ 
 it gives great Ground to believe that this 
 Coolnefs mud proceed from fome fuch Caufe, 
 or from the groffeft Stupidity and Blindnefs 5 
 for if their Faith, as they pretend, was fo great 
 in this Cafe as to be Walls of Brafs around 
 them. Why does not the fame Faith fhew it- 
 felf equally in all other Cafes? But the Truth 
 is, that in all other Affairs, they feem to have 
 no greater Faith than their Neighbours, nor 
 fo great as many of them. They can as little 
 caft their Bread upon the Waters as any Peo- 
 ple I know. Nor do they in any common 
 Matters pretend to truil God, without the Ufe 
 
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 [6o] 
 
 ef Means. They plow and they fow ; tlicy 
 reap, and they gather into Barns, as others do. 
 Nor arc they Jcis carnal in their Tempers 
 than the Peopie of this World, Let them be 
 touched, tbey will rail and reproach! And 
 what Spitefulfiefsy Partiality,, and Envy ap- 
 pear at Eledions, if they meet with the lead 
 Controul, is too open to be hid from any that 
 
 know them . r, t r^ r i t si 4^ u-^t^y Atcy*. . «^ >H * * 
 
 " Indeed, I by no means think of them all 
 alike. Some are candid and rational, and 
 have Ihcwn themfelves heartily concerned for 
 the Protedion of the back Inhabitants. Thcfc, 
 tho* better Patriots^ and better Men than 
 others, yet are worfc fakers ^ and that in the 
 Judgment of their Brethren. For, have they 
 not cenftired in their Meetings thofc PerfonS' 
 who were in any refpedl aiding and forward- 
 ing our Expedition to the Frontiers againft 
 the Indians. Thus, inftead of helping to pre- 
 ferve us, they rather drive to deliver us into 
 our Enemies Hands, and all this fo conlcicn- 
 tioufly as to think they do God Service in fo 
 doing. Their Confcienees are mighty tender 
 of (bedding the Blood of Indian Murderers, 
 UiB hardened and feared as to fhcdding the 
 Bloody ao lead of the Scotch- Irijh>. The Pa- • 
 pifts think they do God Service by killing us 
 as Heretics, The ^u^kers tl>ink they do the 
 fame, by looking calmly on,, while we are 
 killed to their Hand. And where lies the 
 Difference ? Both ad as their Religion dilates, 
 and both ^rtftaunch^ bigotted^ and pharifaical 
 alike. — Now it is certain, t>at they, who pro** 
 tefs to he our Friends, if they are not with us, 
 when Need requires, they are to be reckoned' 
 agamd us^ and therefore wc. inay well reckon 
 
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 [61 ] 
 
 very many of the fakers to be our real Enc* 
 mics. And when the Principles of their Re-' 
 hgion lead them into this Dilemma, that they '' 
 muft either countera<5t them, or adl like Ene-' 
 mics and Traitors to their Country, I think it ' 
 demonftrates their Religion to be ContFa'dic- ' 
 tory to Rcafon, to Scripture^ and to the Laws 
 ** of Nature and Nations. 
 
 •* Wherefore^ such a Religion ought to be' 
 rejeded, and, if pofllble, extirpated from the 
 Face of the whole Earth, by every good Pa- 
 triot and good CHRiSTiAfi ; not only as it 
 is fubverfive of all Society, but alfo as it is de- 
 ftrudtive of that very Peace and good fVill' 
 among Men, which it pretends, in a more emi-' 
 ncnt Degree, to prcfcrvc and propagate."—' 
 
 This Gentleman had greater Reafon than he' 
 knew of, to reckon our ^takers fome of the 
 blood iett People in our Land, and to conclude 
 that their Religion, which makes them fo, ought 
 to be rejeded by every good Citizen. For, in 
 the midft of this Diftrefs, the ^aker-M-tmhcr^ ^' 
 of Affembly were cited into a private Houfe by ' 
 three famous ^aker Preachers lately from Eng- " 
 land^ one Male and the other two Female ; where " 
 they were leSiured for feveral Hours, and told ' 
 that if ever they gave up, or a6led inconfiflent 
 with, that diftinguilhing Tenet of theii Religion, ' 
 which reftrained them from bearing Arms, or 
 contributing to Defence, they would no longer 
 be a feparate People, but would dwindle away 
 infenfibly, among the Men of the Earth, 
 
 At the fame Time the Heads of the Meeting 
 in this City joined their Influence to that of their 
 Preachers, and in their own Name, and in the 
 Name of all the fakers in the Province, pre- 
 
 fented 
 
! 
 
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 [62] 
 
 fcnted tlie following remarkable ylddrefs to the 
 JjfemMy^ who were now preficd on every Sklf, 
 and could nor ftand it out much longer, without 
 raifing the People in Rebellion. — ,, 
 
 *' To the Representatives of the Free- 
 
 J'** MEN of the Province of PennJ^lvania^ in 
 
 •' General Affembly met, 11^^^.^ ' 
 
 »'■.'*'■ ■ ■ , ■■• . . j^r ' . _ ,^ . ^ _^ ■ i^ 
 
 ** The Address of fomc of tiie Pen ile cal- 
 V ** Jed Quakers, in behalf (A thcmlclvcs 
 • ' ** and others in the faid Province. "' '*-*'. - 
 
 " The Confidcration of the Meafures wliich 
 have lately been purlued, and are now pro- 
 pofed, having been weightily imprcflfed on 
 •* our Minds, we apprehend that we fhould fall 
 *' (hort of our Duty to you, to ourfelvcs, and to 
 " our Brethren in religious Fellowjbipy if we did 
 ** not in this Manner inform you, that although 
 •* we Ihall at all Times, heartily and freely con- 
 *' tribute, according to our Circumllances, ei- 
 ** ther by the Payment of Taxes, or in fucli 
 ** other Manner as may be judged neceflfary to- 
 wards the Exigencies of Government, and fin- 
 cerely defire that due Care may be taken, and 
 proper Funds provided for raifing Money to 
 cultivate our Friendfliip with o>'r Indian 
 Neighbours, and to fupport luch of our Fel- 
 low- llibjecfts, who now are, or may be, in Di- 
 '* JlrefSy and for fuch ot her like benevolent Pur- 
 poles ; yet as the raifing Sums of Money, and 
 putting them into the Hands of Committees^ 
 *S who may apply them to Purpofes incovjijlent 
 " with the peaceable Testimony wc pro- 
 *♦' i^{s^ and have borne to the World, appears 
 to us, ^in its Conlcquences, to be defl.ru(5live' 
 ^ oi QK\v rdtgious Lihirlics \ we apprehend ma- 
 ny 
 
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 [63] 
 
 ny among us, will be under the Neccfllty of 
 '* fitfffring^ rather than confenting thereto, by 
 ** the Payment of a lax iox Jucb Purpofes x end 
 *' thus i\\t fundamental Part of our Conftituiion 
 «* may be ejfent tally afFedled, and that free En- 
 '' joyment of Liberty of Confcience (for the Sake 
 ** of which our Fore- fathers left their native 
 " Country, and fettled this, then a Wildcrncfs) 
 *' by Degrees be violated. • .- . ^ .. 1 
 
 *' Wc fincercly aflure you we have no tempo- 
 ^* ral Motives for thus addrelTing you, and could 
 *' we have preferved Peace in our own Minds, 
 *' and with each other, we (hould have declined 
 ** it, being unwilling to give you any unnecef- 
 *' fary Trouble 5 and deeply fenfible of your 
 ^' Difficulty in difcharging the Truft committed 
 ♦' to you irreproachably in thcfe perilous Times, 
 f which hath engaged our fervent Defircs, that 
 " the immediate Inftruflio n of fupreme IVifdom 
 *' may influence your Minds, and that being 
 ** preferved in a fteady Attention thereto, you 
 *' may be enabled to fecure Peace and Tranquil- 
 *' lity to yourftlves and thofe you reprefent, by 
 '* purfuing Meafures conjijiem with our peace- 
 *' ABLE Principles, and then we truft, we may 
 •' continue humbly to confide in the Protection 
 •• of that Almighty Power whofe Providence 
 *' has heretofore been as Walls and Bulwarks 
 
 *• round about us." — 
 
 ^r;7. 
 
 f 1,1 iJ.^' 
 
 •i:r>;-v 
 
 in -J 
 
 . ,.,, Delivered 6th November 1755. ] ,,, . •' 
 
 ' This Addrefs haftened Things to their defired 
 Iflue. It was now clearly perceived under what 
 Influence the AflTembly were afting, and that all 
 their Difputes had been nothing but Expedients 
 to protra(^t Tirne and obHge a Party, whom they 
 durft not tax for Defence without bfmg their 
 
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 Seats •, fince tlic faid Party, when Matters wert 
 now brought to an Extremity, did not fcruplc to 
 declare pubhckly, that they would fooner suffer 
 than conLributc to fuch Purpofes. The principal 
 Part of the Inhabitants of this City read the faid 
 Addrefs with Indignation, and could only con^ 
 ruler it as a moft impudent Requeft to facrifice 
 the greater Part of the Province to the undue 
 Influence of a Set of wrong-headed Enthufiafts ' • 
 The Mayor of the City, therefore, fummoned 
 all the Inhabitants of every Rank to meet him 
 on the 1 2th of November^ in order to obtain 
 their Senfe of the prefent State of Affairs, and 
 to join him in a Rcprefentation to the Affembly, 
 in which, as an Antido'^e to the ^^it<?r-Poifon, 
 as well as in Duty to the poor Sufferers, he pro- 
 pofed that they (hould not only infill upon raiftng 
 Money for Defence, but alfo that they Ihould 
 make a peremptory Demand of a proptr Mili- 
 tary Law^ that the Country might no longer be 
 facrificed to the Intereft*? < f a Fadion. The 
 fame Day the following fpirited Reprefeniatiun^ 
 containing fome unanfwerable Arguments for a 
 Military Pcwer^ was accordingly figned by the 
 principal Inhabitants, and immediately prcfcnted 
 by the Mayor, in their Name. 
 
 ** A Representation to the General- AiTem- 
 " biy of the Province of Pennfylvania^ by fe- 
 " veral of the principal Inhabitants of the City 
 *' of Philadelphia^ in the faid Province.'^' 
 
 1 ■ .. " Gentlemen, 
 
 Ttu.cc At a Time when a bold and barbarous Ene- 
 " my has advanced within * a hundred Miles 
 ''' " of 
 
 * The Enemy fince that have laid wafte upwards of 30 
 Miles, fo that our Frontier in fome Parts is but about 60 
 Miles from our Seat of Govwninent. 
 
[ 65 ] 
 
 *♦ of this our Metropolis, carrying Murder and 
 «* DcToIation along with them ; and when we 
 *' fee our Country already Ilained witii the Blood 
 «* of many of its Inhabitants, and upwards of a 
 « thoufand Families, who very lately enjoyed 
 <* Peace and Comfort in their own Habitation?, 
 <« now difperfcd over the Province, many of 
 «' them in the moft miferable and (larving Con- 
 ** dition, expofed to all the Ilardfhips and Sc- 
 *« verity of the Seafon : — Wc fay, in fuch a Si- 
 •V tuation, we fhould think ourfclves greatly 
 *< wanting iii Regard for our own perfonaJ. Safe- 
 *< /y, as well as in Compafllon for our bkediri^ 
 <«, and fuffering Fellow-SubjcUs^ if wc di(.^ not 
 " thus publicly join our Names to the N'.ur.bcr 
 << of thofe who are requeuing you to -pufs a 
 «* LaWy in order to put the Province in a Po' 
 «« Jiure of Defence^ and to put a Stop to thofe 
 " cruel and favage Outrages, which muft other- 
 wife foon prove our Ruin. 
 '' We hope we fhall always be enabled to pro- 
 *' ferve that Refpefl to you, whic'i we would 
 " willingly pay to thofe who are the faithtul 
 *' Reprefentatives of the Freemen of this Province. 
 " But, on the prcfent Occafion, you will for- 
 " give us, Gentlemen^ if we affumc Charai5lers 
 *' fomcthing higher than that of humble Suitors^ 
 *' PRAYING for the Defence of our Lives and 
 " Properties^ as matter of Grace and Favour 
 ** on your fide. You will permit us to make a 
 " pofitive and immediate Djemand of it, as a 
 ** Matter o^ perfe^ and unalienable Right on 
 *' our own Parts, both by the Laws of GOD 
 ** and Man. And to this we are induced by 
 " the following Confiderations. — ^ 
 •jfi " I. The Approach of Winter brings along 
 Jii with it the dreadful Profpedt of a continual 
 , I *' In- 
 
 
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 Increafe of the Inroads of thofe preying Sa- 
 vages upon our Inhabitants, unlcfs a proper 
 Force is immediately provided to proteif: and 
 ^(?/>«^ them. ■""•«-''''■' I' i' * '* ■>■' "'• '• 
 ' "The proper and natural Force of every Coun- 
 " try is its Militia; without which we know 
 " of no Government that ever could fubfill it- 
 " felf •, for it is highly unjuft to think that the 
 " Burden of Defence fliould fall upon Individuals, 
 •* when the Defign of Government is to obtain 
 *' GENERAL Security by a general Union 
 " of the Force oi' Individuals, 
 
 ** 3, Confequently we conceive it a Subver- 
 " fion of the very End of Government, to 
 deny that legal Prote^iion to the Governed, 
 for obtaining of which. Government was ori- 
 ginally inftituted. 
 
 " 4. In our own particular Cafe, altho' Men 
 could be found willing to rifk their Lives for 
 *« the Puhlick^ and could be fubjedted to necef- 
 '* fary Order and Difcipline, without the Aid 
 *' or Encouragement of haw (which we cannot 
 " conceive poffible) yet it would neither be 
 " advifeable for the Sake of fuch Men them- 
 " felves, nor yet for the fake of public Liberty^ to 
 *' keep up an armed Force in the Country, with- 
 " out the Sanftion and Authority o^ Law ; efpe- 
 *'• cially as it is [o much in your Power to give 
 fuch a Sanction and Authority. 
 " 5. Unlefs the Defence of this Province, and 
 of our Indian AllieSy is made the Atl of the 
 isihole Legiflaturey and vigoroufly gone into, 
 the Indians who are now in Town, have pub- 
 licly declared for themfelves, and for their 
 Friends who yet remain in our Interell, that 
 they can no longer repofe any Faith in us ; 
 " but muft Ihift for their own Safety, and leave 
 
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 us to oiirfelves, as a People void of Spirit, and 
 
 void of Condudt. uV^t ^l-.y... lur.!;., ,r. -wt^M 
 
 " 6. We are of Opinion, that no Sums of 
 Money, however great, will anfwcr the Pur- 
 pofes of Defence^ without fuch a Law as we 
 ddire. We cannot, therefore, think that it 
 fhews a proper Concern for the Lives of the 
 People of this Province, at fo dangerous a 
 Jundlure, to pfopofe Sums of Money in the 
 room of fuch a neccjfary Law-, and to propole 
 raifing thefe Sums too, in a Manner that mull 
 occafion Difputes and Delays, when there are 
 fo many unexceptionable Ways and Means, 
 agreeable to which the People in general are 
 very ready to pay any reafonable Proportion 
 of their Property, for the Prefervation of the 
 Rcfidue. .. ,-j 
 
 " Upon the whole. Gentlemen, we muft be 
 permitted to repeat our Demand^ that you will 
 immediately frame and offer a Law for the De- 
 fence of the Province^ in fuch a manner as the 
 prefent Exigency requires. The Time does 
 not permit many Hands to be put to this Re- 
 prefentation. But if Numbers are necefiary, 
 we truft that we fhall neither want a fufficient 
 Number of Hands nor Hearts to fecond and 
 fupport us, till we finally obtain fuch a juft and 
 reasonable Demand." Delivered Nov, 12th. 
 
 In this the Mayor aded only as a private Man 
 among his Citizens ♦, but feeing Things ftill in 
 the greateft Confufion, the Corporation of the 
 City (as foon afterwards as they could) thought 
 it incumbent upon them, as a Body -politic, 
 charged with the Peace and Safety of the City, 
 to fignify their juft Apprehunfions of the Danger 
 to which they were expofed, and to remonjtrate^ 
 
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 [ 68 ] 
 
 in the mofl: folemn and public Manner, againft: 
 the Mealures then purfued •, which they did, from 
 a very full Board, as follows: ^^i^\\' , >' ^ 
 
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 To //^f Reprefentatives of the Freemen of the 
 " Province of Penfifyhaniay in Aflembly met, 
 
 A Remonstrance, by the Mayor, Alder- 
 men, and Common- council of the City of 
 Philadelphia, in Behalf of the faid City. 
 
 cc 
 
 C4 
 
 " Gentlemen, 
 
 " You were lately called together upon more 
 urgent Bufinefs than ever came before an Ai- 
 fembly of this Province •, and while you have 
 been fitting, fcarce a Day has pafTed, wherein 
 you have not heard of the inhuman Slaughter 
 of your Fellow-fubjeds, and been loudly called 
 upon for that Prote^ion, which by the mofl 
 facred Ties you owe to the People, v r, -j:.! 
 " On fuch an Emergency, we imagined that 
 you had an eafy and expeditious Mode of Pro- 
 cedure before you; namely, to poftpone all 
 Difputes to a more feafonable Time j to grant 
 the nccefiary Supplies on fuch Terms, as thofe 
 on which the reft of his Majefty's Colonies 
 have granted large Sums for the like Purpofes ; 
 and laftly, to pafs a reafonable Law, in order 
 to collect and regulate the Force of the Pro- 
 vince, for repelling the prefent cruel Invafion. 
 Neveithelefs, while you have been delibe- 
 rating, much innocent Blood hath been fpilt; 
 a great Extent of our Country laid wafte ; and 
 the miferable Inhabitants fcattered abroad be- 
 fore the Savage-spoiler. 
 *' Wherefore, in the mod folemn Manner, 
 before God, and in the Name of all our Fei- 
 
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 [ 69 ] 
 
 low-citizens, as you regard the Lives of the 
 People whom you reprefcnt, we call upon 
 you, we adjure you, nay we fupplicate you, 
 to give that legal Proteflion to your bleedifig 
 Country, which ought to be the chief Objed: 
 of all Government at fuch a perilous Juncture 
 as this. And let it be no longer faid, that 
 while we are daily hearing fo much concern- 
 ing Privilege and Rights we are, in the mean 
 Time, deprived of that moft elTential Right 
 and great fir ft Privilege^ (whicli God and Na- 
 ture gave us) of defending our Lives and 
 prote£fing our Fa m i l i e s. 
 *' We profefs the fame Reafons for this Ap- 
 plication, which determined many of the In- 
 habitants of this City to make a like Applica- 
 tion to you on the twelfth Inftant ; and as 
 thefe Reafons now lie before you, we need 
 not repeat them, any further than by obferving 
 that a well regulated Militia has always been 
 found both the fureft and leaft cxpenfive Me- 
 thod of Defence •, and that, upon any other 
 Plan, great Sums of Money muft be thrown 
 away to little Purpofe, and the People thereby 
 burdened with grievous Taxes. '^ * 
 
 " Another Reafon for thus applying to you, 
 is the great Diftrefs which this City, commit- 
 ted to our Care, is like to labour under by 
 the vaft Increafe of the Poor from all Parts 
 of the Country, and the melancholy Profpecl 
 of having far greater Numbers of the unhappy 
 Back-fettlers driven in upon us from their Ha- 
 bitations, and continually flying to the Shelter 
 and Charity of the City, as the Place of great- 
 eft Safety. This muft necelfarily be prejudi- 
 cial to the general Courfe of Bufinefs, and 
 enhance the Value of all Neceflaries, by in- 
 
 «* Greafing 
 
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 [ 70 ] 
 
 crcafing the Number of Mouths, and at the 
 fame time tiiminidiing the Number of Hands 
 that fhould fu^jply our Market ; — all which 
 *' will prove a Burden upon us too heavy to 
 
 Up^** , ."•! . . _, ii-^-i ,.l 1 ••••1*' f*, 
 
 *' Seeing therefore our Affairs are brought to 
 fuch a Crifis, atid as this our reafonable De- 
 mand cannot require much Time for your Con- 
 fideriition, having already been fo often made 
 to you by Petitions from all Parts of the Pro- 
 vince, we do earnellly recommend Difpatch 
 to you. For, as the People feem already in 
 a deplorable and defperate Condition, we fear 
 it will not be poflTible to preferve the Peace 
 and Quiet of this City, nor of the Province 
 itfelf, much longer, if fome effedlual Methods 
 are not fpeedily taken for their general Defence 
 and Security. ^. .'. ■ . . ••; i* .<*"» :^n^.^•^ ^ '^ 
 
 ' By Order of the Board, 
 
 " William Plumftedy Mayor." 
 
 There was now a Flame rifmg in every Part 
 of the Country, which the Affembly with all 
 their Arts could not fupprefs. The People were 
 (jaily fuffering : They demanded Protection ; and 
 they would lilten to no infinuating Stories about 
 Privileges and Liberty, while the Sword of the 
 Enemy was at their Throat, ready to deprive 
 them of their Lives and their Privileges together. 
 On this Occafion, there was the faireft Chance 
 of ridding our Affembly * of fakers for ever, 
 
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 Nov. 24th, 
 '755- 
 
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 ♦ There was another way of getting rid of them, by cut- 
 ting their Throats ; which Expedient a great many fanguine 
 People of the back Counties had refolved upon, and would 
 certainly have executed, if great Pains had not been taken 
 to prevent it, by Men who did not owe any fuch Kindneis to 
 thofc who would have been the firft Sufferers. 
 
 4 * 
 
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[ 71 I 
 
 if our Conftitution had not this Abfurdity in ir, 
 that there is not a Power of DilTolution in the 
 Governor -, — a Power which no Country fhould 
 be deprived of for the following Rcafons, among 
 many others that might eafily be given : 
 
 I ft. When Eledions arc periodical and flated, 
 there is this manifeft Inconvenience, that parti- 
 cular Men may at the Time of their Eieftion be 
 thought very fit Reprcfentatives, and yet before 
 the Time of their Service is expired, Circum- 
 ftances may be fo altered, as to render them of 
 all others the moft unfit for fuch a Truft ; and 
 therefore when fuch Circumftances arife, the Peo- 
 ple ought to have an Opportunity of fliewing 
 their Senfe of the Fitnefs of their Reprcfenta- 
 tives, by a new Election, in confequcnce of a 
 DifTolution. Our own Cafe is a moft flagrant 
 Proof of this Inconvenience. ' 
 
 2. A fecond great Inconvenience is that, at the 
 ftated Times of Eledlion, where they are periodi- 
 cal. Things may be fo circumftanced, as that 
 the Eledtion ought to be put off, and the fame 
 Members continued, at leaft for fome Time ; 
 and therefore there fhouid be always fome Perfon 
 empowered and qualified to judge at what Time 
 the Attention of the People may be fpared for 
 the Bufinefs of Eledions, with leaft Detriment 
 to the Country •, and this requires, that fuch a 
 Perfon Ihould have both a Powl:: of continuing 
 and of dijfohing the People's Reprefentatives, as 
 the public Good may require. We v/ould alio 
 feel this Inconvenience greatly, if on the ift Day 
 of 05foher next, every Man of us fhould be called 
 to ele6l our Reprefentatives, and oppofe the E- 
 nemy at the fame Inftant in the Heart of th« 
 Country, which is a very pofTible Cafe. 
 
 
 But 
 
[72] 
 
 But to proceed : Our AfTcmbly faw that the 
 People were become defperate, and would no 
 longer be trifled with. Every Day brought Pe- 
 titions, Remonftrances, and many other clamo- 
 rous Things, figned by great Numbers of Hands, 
 and all inhlling upon a Militia-law in particular, 
 as abfolutely neceliary to colled and condu<fl our 
 natural Strength. To deny this juft Requeft a 
 Moment longer, was dangerous to the laft De- 
 gree •, and to comply with it would prove the 
 Kuin of the Fadion, as was fhewn in the Brief 
 State *. There was no Expedient left to ward 
 off the Storm, but to frame a Sort of Military- 
 bill^ which would reduce the Governor to the 
 following Dilemma. .).,;•' ^ij -av: t^\ r^■^u^.<^ ..\a 
 •' Firft, if he refufed to pafs it as it was, or if 
 he offered any Amendments to it, they were de- 
 termined not to admit of one of them, but to 
 quarrel with him on the Bill, and thus (lop the 
 Clamours of the People againft themfelves, by 
 pretending that they had offered a Military-bill^ 
 but the Governor would not agree to it. 
 ' ' But if he fliould agree to it, they had taken 
 Care of their Intereft, by framing it in fuch a 
 Manner, as to ftrip the Crown of fome of its 
 cffential Prerogatives. 
 
 I'he Governor faw their Drift, and therefore 
 
 as the Law was to continue in Force only about 
 
 eleven Months, he knew that the People in that 
 
 ' Time would be convinced of its Abfurdity much 
 
 * better by feeling its Defeds, than by any At- 
 
 • tempt of his to point them out ; and accordingly 
 he immediately paffed it "f, to the great Mortifi- 
 cation of the Affembly, who defired above all 
 
 lih i ;J i .'Ci'ji t- >i 
 
 .ir^i^-j'^livri*^ ^ 
 
 Things 
 
 ^ ^u j.yH;_i iii oil 
 
 * Page 1 6. Edition ill. __^ ., 
 
 •f- The Corporation Remonftrance his pfefented in the 
 Morning of No<vember the 25th ; and this Law was paffed in 
 the Evening of the lame Day., 
 
 h 
 
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 [73 J 
 
 Things that he might enter into a Difpute with 
 them concerning it. ^ . — 
 
 As foon as the Law was publilhed, the Peo- 
 ple were cxafperatcd at the Iniquity of it to the 
 laft Degree ; and there is not a finglc Man that 
 has yet ftirred in confequence of it. On the 
 contrary, fome Counties have already met and 
 fubfcribed Remonftrances againft it, as a Thing 
 that they neither comprehend, nor will be con- 
 cerned v/ith, fo -that we arc now in a worfe State 
 than ever ; and all our Hopes is, that a proper 
 Militia 'law will be framed for us, by his Mi- 
 jelly's Interpofition, in confequence of our hum- 
 ble Petition for that Purpofe. ''•"•'' * 
 
 But that you may have a more juft Idea of 
 this Law, I fhall give you an Abftra£l of it^ and 
 then (hew what Reafons the People have to be 
 difplcafcd with it. . 
 
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 An A(Et for the better ordering and regula- 
 *' ting fuch as are willing and defirous to be 
 " united for Military Purpofes within this 
 ** Province. 
 
 ^ — ^Whereas this Province was firfl: fettled by 
 (and a Majority of the Affembly has ever fince 
 been of) the People called Quakers, who, 
 tho* they do not, as the World is now circum- 
 ftanced, condemn theUfe of Arms in others, 
 yet are principled againft bearing Arms them- 
 felves •, and to make any Law to compel them 
 thereto againft their Confciences, would not 
 only be to violate a Fundamental in our Con- 
 ftitution, and be a dired Breach of our Char- 
 ter of Privileges, but would alfo in effed be to 
 commence Perfecution againft all that Part of 
 the Inhabitants of the Province ; and for them 
 by any Law to compel others to bear Arms, 
 
 K " and 
 
W: . : !< 
 
 
 [74] 
 
 and except Uk mfclves, would be Inconfidcnt 
 and partial. Yet tur as much as, by the gene- 
 ral I'oLERATioN and Equity of our Laws, 
 <j;reat Numbers of People of other religious De- 
 nominations are come among «j, who, being 
 under no fuch Reltraint, think it their Duty 
 to fight in Defence of their Country, and there- 
 furc have an equal Right to Liberty of Confci- 
 *' ence with others : And whereas a great Number 
 of Petitions from the feveral Counties of this 
 Province have been prei'tnted to this Houfe, 
 reprefenting that they aie defirous of being 
 united under legal Authority for Defence, and 
 that without fuch Authority they cannot have 
 Confidence in each other, nor afllmble to op- 
 pofc the Enemy without the utmoll Danger 
 oi expofing themfeives to Confufion and De- 
 *' (trudion : — And whereas we do not think it 
 reafonable that any fhould, thro' want oi legal 
 Powers, be reftrained from doing what they 
 judge it their Duty to do for tkeir. own 
 Security: - = ' • ''» >•'*; i i-w .iji.ii'-. 
 
 *' Wherefore be it enabled, that it fhall and 
 may be lawful for the Freemen of this Pro- 
 vince, to form themfeives into Companies, as 
 heretofore they have ufed in Imie of War 
 " without Law, and for each Company, by a 
 *' Majority of Votes, in the way ot B.dlot, to 
 *• chufe its own Officers, to wit^ a Captain, Lieu- 
 *'• tenant, and Enfign, who, if approved and 
 " commifTiont'd by the Governor tor the Time 
 *' being, (hall be the Captain, i^c. of each Com- 
 pany refpedively; and the faid Companies be- 
 ing divided into Regiments by the Governor, 
 it Ihall be lawful for the Officers fo chofen and 
 commifTioncd to meet together, and by way 
 '' of Ballot, to chufe a Colonel, Lieutenant-Co- 
 
 •' lonely 
 
 
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 lonel, and Major, for the Regln^icnt, and pre- 
 fcot tiicm to die Governor for iiis Appro- 
 *' bation, 
 
 ** Provided that if he fhall not think fit to 
 commiflTion any Ofiicer fo firft choicn and pre- 
 fented, the Electors fhall chufe two others, 
 one of whom Jhail receive his Commiflion, and 
 " be the OfBcer as aforef^id. 
 
 *' When the faid Companies and Regiments 
 " are thus formed, (f^c. it (hall and may be law- 
 " ful for the Governor, by and with the Advice 
 " and Confent of the Colonels, Lieutenant-Co- 
 " lonels, and Majors of all the Regiments, being 
 " for that Purpofe by him convened, to form 
 " and eftablifh Articles of War, to ercc^t and 
 " conftitute Courts Martial, (^c. Uc. which 
 " Articles fo made, fhall be printed and read to 
 " the refped:ive Companies ; and every Captain, 
 '' Lieutenant, Enfign, and other Freemen, who 
 '' fhall, at leaft after three Days Confideration, 
 voluntarily fign the fame, fhall thenceforth u« 
 deemed well and duly bound, and fubjecl to 
 " the Pains, Penalties, Punifhments, and For- 
 " feitures, that may therein be appointed for 
 *' Difobedience and other Offences : Provided 
 " that fuch Articles be as near as polTible con- 
 ** formable to the Military-laws of Great-Britain^ 
 *' and to the lad A61 for punifhing Mutiny and 
 *' Dcfertion •, and provided alfo, that nothing in 
 *' this A6t fhall give any Power to the Governor 
 *' and faid Ofhcers, to make any Articles or 
 " Rules that fhall in the leaft affedt fuch as are 
 *' fd>«/?/>«//o^_y fcrupulous of bearing Arms, ei- 
 ^' ther in their Liberties, Perfons, or Eflates.'* ' >• 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 ')fi.-. 
 
 By the Preamble of ihis Law, you fee that 
 
 our Affembly are, and have always been ^iakers^ 
 
 . - i K 2 and 
 
1- 
 
 'I n 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 t,- 
 I' 
 
 'N 
 
 ¥ 
 
 [76] 
 
 and that they are ft ill principled again ft bearing 
 Arms. What can be more abfurd than fuch a 
 Declaration from U^ofe who are in the room of 
 our Protetlors? That which is the chief Defign 
 of Government, they declare they can have no- 
 thing to do with ! But then they are gracioiifly 
 pleafed to tell us, that they will not condemn us 
 it we rilK our Lives to fave their Scalps, toge- 
 ther with that Government which they will allow 
 us no Share of. And they give an excellent 
 Reafon for this ; viz. that becaufe they are ab- 
 surdly principled againft bearing Arms them- 
 fclves, they niuft not, by any means, be incon- 
 fiftent with this Abfurdity, by making a Law 
 that requires others to bear Arms. Thofe who 
 are willing and deftrous may, if they pleafe, de- 
 fend the Province i but in cafe a fufficient Num- 
 ber are not willing and defirous to defend it, we 
 ^ill not provide for its Safety, as other Pro- 
 vinces have done for theirs, by compulfive Me- 
 thods, nor depart one Jot from our Principles, 
 if it were to fave it from Deftrudion. Neither 
 will we give up the Government to others who 
 would take Care of its Defence ; for the Laws 
 are all ours^ the Country is curs \ and tho' it be 
 true that great Numbers of People, of other re- 
 Jigicns Denominations, are come among us, yet 
 they came by our Tcleration. 
 , And now what more need be faid to fhew how 
 unjuftly this Province is fwayed by a Fadion, 
 and facrificed to their feparate Interefts. Our 
 very Laws themfeives breathe the Spirit, and 
 fpeak the Language, of a Fadion, who tell us 
 that we are all tolerated only by their Grace and 
 Favour, And y-.^t thefe high and mighty Lords^ 
 ^\io fpeak fo loucily of tolerating others, can plead 
 no Eftgbliftiment in their own Behalf, They are 
 "' ' • ■■ - ■ . ' far 
 
 
[77] 
 
 far from being the ♦ oldcfl: Settlers here, and (lill 
 farther from being the mod numerous. Nor arc 
 wc in the lead indebted to them or their Laws 
 for our Right of Settlement. The Royal and 
 Proprietary Charters, from which their Laws 
 themfelves derive their whole Force, have fe- 
 cured the Enjoyment of free and equal Rights, 
 to the Church of England in particular, and in 
 general to all who believe in One God. 
 
 I have taken the more Notice of this Pream- 
 ble, to Ihew the haughty and partial Manner, in 
 which our Law- makers treat the good People of 
 this Province, infinuating that other religious De- 
 nominations are not upoo an equal Footing with 
 themfelves. As to the Law itfclf, the People 
 objcdl to it chiefly for the following Reafons. 
 
 I ft, There is no Mode of Election prefcrib- 
 cd ; no Perfons being appointed to call the Peo- 
 ple together, or to prefide in their Ballotting, fo 
 that it is only by Chance that they are to meet 
 and chufe their Officers. 
 
 2dly, The Method of executing the Law is 
 extremely indirect and dilatory ; and half the 
 Term of its Continuance may be expired, as 
 well as half the People of the Province mur- 
 thercd, before any thing can be done in confe- 
 quence of it. For when the former Difficulty is 
 by Chance got over, and the inferior Officers 
 chofen, they are tu be returned to the Governor •, 
 and then to be approved by him (if he likes 
 them) i and then to have their Commiffions made 
 out •, and then they are to meet (if any one hap- 
 pens to call them) to chufe Field-officers ; and 
 then, thefe alfo are to be approved by the Go- 
 vernor i and then commiffioned ; and then to be 
 convened in a Sort of Parliament i and then to 
 
 -I . 4,^. %i T ^ ■ propofe 
 
 • The Swei^rs and Lw Vutck firft fettled the Country. 
 
 m 
 
 I 
 
if »ll 
 
 >!. f- 
 
 :*t: 
 
 h' •' 
 
 I 
 I \ 
 
 ii 
 
 [78] 
 
 propofc and debate upon Articles of War, and 
 then to print tliefe Articles, and then to diftri- 
 bute and read them to the Com[)nnies, and then 
 the Companies to confider uj)on them at ieaji 
 three l^ays, and then to fign ihem if they pleale, 
 and perhaps not to fign them attei all ; and then 
 we are jurt: were we begun ; with this fad Differ- 
 ence, that all private AlTociations for Defence 
 are difTolved by the Name ot a Military Law ; 
 and all the while that our Aflembly are devifing 
 Expedients, and n^aking Experiments of unp'-c- 
 cedented Laws, to fuit their Republican Scliemes 
 of Power, many innocent Perfons are paying 
 their Life's Blood as the Price of fuch Madneis 
 and Obltinacy. Surely no one would imagine 
 that ever fuch a Law as this was made to aniwer • 
 an Emergency, when the Enemy were burning 
 and flaying, and when a Moment's Time was 
 not to be loll that could pofllbly be faved I 
 
 3r//v, The Partiality of the Law, and the un- 
 righteous Exemption it gives to particular Per- 
 iuafions, without any E(]uiva!ent to the Public 
 for fuch an Indulgence, highly difgulls the Peo- 
 ple, as it leaves them to defend wjth their Blood 
 a Sett of Men who have engrofTed almofl: all the 
 7\dvantages of that Government, from the De- 
 fence of which they have fo unjuCHy exempted 
 themfelves, which is putting the greater Part of 
 the Province upon a molt flavilh and unequal 
 Footing. On this Mead the People reafon as 
 follows. 
 
 Defence is the common Duty of all who re- 
 ceive Protetlion, Two Things are abfolutely 
 neceflary for Defence \ bodily Force, and 
 Money, which is the Sinezvs of Force, In 
 Cafes where the whole Force of the Community 
 may be requifite for its Defence, the Law itfeJf 
 3 .. .. . . .. cannot 
 
[ 79 1 
 
 cannot (Jir[)cnrc witli the hdily Force of any 
 • Number of Individuals, without violating the an- 
 tecedent Laws of natural Equity, and the funda- 
 mental Principles of Society. But where tlie 
 whole Force of the Community may not be rc- 
 quifite, the Law may abi'olvc a few from their 
 Share in the one Part of Defence, provided they 
 contribute more than their Shar*^ towards tlie 
 other. On this Principle, fome are exempted 
 from bearing Arms in Confideration of their con- 
 tributing more than their Share of Momy\ or 
 perhaps /w^f««//y ; while others are exempted 
 from paying of Money in Confideration of their 
 waking Arms their Tradcy and confequently giv- 
 ing more than their Share o( perfonal Force, 
 
 Now fay the People in this Province, as we 
 hope the Time will never come when the whole 
 perfonal Force of this Community may be requi- 
 fite to its Defence, we lliould molt heartily and 
 charitably excufe Confciences really fcrupulous of 
 bearing Arms, if the Law, which exempts them, 
 had provided for their paying an Equivalent 
 over and above their proper Quota of Money 
 for the Indulgence of fitting at Home to get 
 rich by their Induftry, while we are fpending our 
 Blood and our Time in the common Caufe. 
 But, far from this, the prefent Law leaves us in 
 a worfe Condition than that in which it found us. 
 It deprives us of our natural Rights, and unjuftly 
 exempts one Party from that which is the Bufi- 
 nefs of every Party. For while we defended the 
 Country withour a Law, we could at leafl: tell 
 thofe who were benefited by us, that they owed 
 us fome Return of Kindnefs ; but as the Law 
 now (lands v/e have not even an Opportunity of 
 making any Perfons think t^emfelvcs obHged to 
 us in this Refpedt j and, if m the leaft we affedt 
 
 any 
 
I f 
 
 I? : 
 
 
 a i «■• 
 
 [80 ] 
 
 any of thofe, cither in their Pfirfons or EJlatfs^ 
 who refufe to afTiIl us in the Defence both of their 
 Perfons and Eftates^ we are liable to an Adlion 
 of Damages for doing a public Service. 
 
 Thus a Law which ought to have provided 
 for the Defence of the Province has made it law- 
 ful for any one, or for every one, at Pleafure, 
 to refufe ading in its Defence ; and that Com- 
 pulfion, which in Cafes of Extremity would be 
 juft by ihe I_.aws of Nature, is now declared un- 
 jufl: by the T^aws of our Country •, which Laws 
 mufl: therefore ther.ifelves be highly unjull. 
 
 A^thly^ The Law fubftitutes a new Legiflature, 
 who may, if they pleafe, enacl the fcverell mili- 
 tary Articles, and prevent our defending our 
 Country unlefs we fubjed: ourleives to the rigid 
 Difcipline of Mercenaries, which, however ne- 
 ceflary in their Cale, we cannot think fo necef- 
 fary in a voiuniary Affociation of Freemen, who 
 would much rather ferve on i\< common Plan 
 of Militias. 
 
 5/%, Moreover, tho* we have neceffarily 
 trufted the fupreme Authority of the Province 
 with a Power of making Laws to affe6l Life and 
 Property ; yet we conceive this to be a Truft of 
 {o facrcd a Nature, that it never can be delegated 
 to Awy others than thofe to whom it was origi- 
 nally given. It would feem from this that if 
 our Aifcm[)ly could fecure their own Party, they 
 cr.re ivM iiow fevere the Laws may be that are 
 extended to other Parties ; unlefs this be meant 
 r.s an :\xprc'ient to render all military Laws un- 
 popu!?» • tor the future. Certainly if our AfTem- 
 biy's Confciiinces do not allov/ them to meddle 
 ill Mii':ters \'o neady intercfting our Liberties and 
 R lights, as i\\(t iVfcertamment of the Terms on 
 which we .^re to meet and defend our Country, 
 
 it 
 
 
[ ?,i ] 
 
 it is high Time for them to refign the important 
 Trufts they hold. > > > 
 
 Thefe are fome of the many Objedlions againft 
 this Law on the Part of the People. The Go- 
 vernor likewife has much Reafon to object againlt 
 it on the Part of the Crown, which is deprived 
 of that neceflary Security which it ought to have 
 over the Mililia, by the Appointment of the 
 Ofiicers. And as this Province is circumftanced, 
 fuch a Security is peculiarly requifite, and the 
 Want of it might be dangerous, were the Law 
 to be carried into Execution as it ftands. For 
 tho' it provides very particularly for figning of 
 Articles, [ffc. yet neither the Electors nor Eledcd 
 are required to take the common (^Jtialifications 
 to the Government. Befides the Foreignt-rs in 
 the Province, among whom are many Roman 
 Catholics, will have it in their Power to eleil 
 the chief Part of the Ofiicers, who will in all 
 Probability be Foreigners alfo •, and what Secu- 
 rity we may have in fuch a Militia, I fliall not 
 take upon me to determine, efpecially as the Of- 
 ficers, whether foreign or home-born, are fo en- 
 tirely dependent on the Breath of the People. 
 
 Having thus given an Account of the military 
 Law, and the Means by which it was obtained, 
 I mud obferve to you that the D.iy * before it 
 was pafled, about four Hundred of the Inhabit 
 tants, chiefly Butch, of the beft Sort, from the 
 back Parts of Philadelphia County, not knowing 
 what was done, and being unable to fit Rill any 
 longer, came down to the City in a peaceable 
 and orderly Manner. Some People being alarm- 
 ed at the Approach of fuch a Body towards the 
 Citv, the Governor fcnt the Sheriff out to en- 
 quire what their Intentions were. They replied, 
 
 * ]>! 01' ember 24th. 
 

 ■I ■ r 
 
 [ 82 ] 
 
 that they were friendly, and that they came un- 
 armed, as Children to their Fathers, imploring 
 Protedlion, and a Siifpenfion of all unnecefTary 
 Difputes to another Sealon. Grief and deep Di- 
 ftrels were painted in their Looks. They firfl: 
 •waited upon the Governor, who came out and 
 fpoke to them with t;^e greatell Humanity and 
 Regard. He told thtm that it was not his Fault 
 they remained unprotected — He had always been, 
 and now was, reav'y to agree to any reafonable 
 Law for their Defence which the AfTembly might 
 offer; and at the fame Time he acquainted them, 
 that he had two Days before, received a Letter 
 from the Proprietaries, ordering a free Gift of 
 Jive ihoufand Pou/ds tc be applied towards their 
 Relief in the prefent Emergency •, which Letter 
 he fhewed to fome of the Heads of the People. 
 Their Countenances feenied to brighten at the 
 joyful Tidings, and they departed pouring forth 
 Bleflings and Acclamations ! 
 
 They then went to the AfTembly, and having 
 with Difficulty procured Admiffion, tney laid 
 their Grievances before them. The AfTembly 
 attempted to throw the Blame on the Governor, 
 and afked the People, if they would be pleafed 
 to have their Liberties given up. The People 
 replied, that they neither would nor could enter 
 into the Merits of the prefent Difputes ; that 
 they wanted Frotedion, and did not underftand 
 what Liberties they had to give up when their 
 Lives were every Hour in Danger. The Af- 
 fembly feeing what turn Things were like to 
 take, thought fit to promife them immediate Re- 
 lief ; and accordingly a Bill granting fixty thou- 
 fand Pounds to the King's Ufe, including the 
 Proprietary Gift of five thoufand Pounds, was 
 fent up to the Governor the next Day, which he 
 
 paiTed 
 
[ 83 ] 
 
 pafTed immediately, as he would have done four 
 Montlis before, had the Afl'embly then thought 
 fie to alio A' the Governor a Voice in the Difpoii- 
 tion of the Money, and to depart for a while at 
 lead from their mofl: unjufl: Propofal of taxing 
 their Proprietors by P-erfons who in no Shape re- 
 prefent them -, both v/hich they confcnted to at 
 lali, when they could carry their Oppofuion no 
 tarther. 
 
 Thus have I given you a full Account of this 
 extraordinary Debate, which was carried on for 
 four whole Months, as if it had been a Conteft 
 pro Aris & Focis. And yet, by a fair Calcula- 
 tion, it would not have eafed the Taxables in 
 this Province above Two-pence Sterling one with 
 another •, and therefore it might eafily have been 
 given up on the Part of the AflTcmbly, as no 
 preceding AlTembly had ever attempted to Jay 
 luch a I'ax before ; whereas, on the Part of the 
 Proprietors, I have fhewn that it could not be 
 given up, without giving up their Rights both 
 as Englijhmen^ and as chief Governors of the 
 Province„ 
 
 Now, that it was not the Value of the Pro- 
 prietary-tax, but the Power of taxing, which 
 the AlTembly aimed at all this while, was early 
 dilcovered, by their rcfufing the Value when of- 
 fered by the voluntary Subfcription of feveraJ In- 
 habitants of Philcidelphia^ who being fiuccrely 
 affected to fee fuch an unfeafonable Difpute in-* 
 troduced, humbly prayed the Afremt)ly to accept 
 of their laid Subfcription as the full Value of the 
 Proprietary- tax, that the diitreilld back Settlers 
 might obtain immediate Relief, till fuc.h Time 
 as this new Difpute could be fettled in the pro- 
 per Manner. But this Propofal they rejected 
 with Scorn, as alio another made by the Gover- 
 
 L 2 lior 
 
 V 
 

 [ 84 ] 
 
 nor (and mentioned above) for framing a fepa- 
 rate and equitable Bi!', to tax the Proprietors by 
 AfifefTors to be partly cholcn by the Governor, 
 and partly by the Allcmbly ; with a ful'pending 
 Clauff, fubmitting it to his Majefty's Royal De- 
 termination, v/hethcr the Proprietary Eftate was 
 taxable or not. 
 
 But none of thcfe Expedients ful»^c..! the Af- 
 fcmbly's Plan. The Didrefs of r' ir Country 
 v/as their Opportunity, and they j determi- 
 ned, that if they niufi: facrifice their Principles, 
 by levying Money on the .^takers for Defence^ 
 they fliould obtain a full Equivalent Ly the Ac- 
 complifhment of their iniquitous Scheme of af- 
 iuming to themftlves all the Rights of Go- 
 vernment, and thereby gradfying their unjuft 
 Rcfentment againft a Family to which they 
 owe the higheil Obligadons, and whofe fingle 
 Offence againft them is perhaps the leaving their 
 religious Society, and preferring the general In- 
 rerefl of the Province, to that of the ^laker 
 Hierarchy, - 
 
 I hope you v/ill not imagine that I have 
 been too circuniftannal in thefe Matters, or that 
 I make them of more Importance than they re- 
 ally are. The Conduct of this rich and popu- 
 lous Province, has fo clofe a Connexion with 
 every Scheme that is projected for the Good of 
 thefe Colonies, and the §luaker Politics have fo 
 pernicious an Influence upon the Con.'ucl of the 
 Province, that 1 could not, with any Juffice, be 
 Jefs circcmfrantial in my Account of thefe Fa6ts 
 and Arecdotes concerning them, which I have 
 endeavoured, as far as Time would permit, to 
 lay together in a Manner that may prove lead: 
 tedious to the Reader. 
 
 M 
 
 It 
 
[ 85] 
 
 It is true, one Point is carried, and the Money 
 is obtained. But how was it obtained ? Were 
 they not evidently forced into a Compliance P and 
 had I any Grounds to think that they have re- 
 Iblvf.d to change their Conduct for the future, 
 I fhould, on this Occafion, have been filcnt as 
 the Grave. But, alas ! if any Man can think 
 thus of tliem, he knows them not! ^Yhile they 
 continue to keep the Power folely m their own 
 Plands, it will be as impoflibie to reconcile Light 
 and Darknefs, as to make them prefer the gene- 
 ral Intcrefts of the Provim'e to that of their 
 own Party, till Things are brought to the very 
 lall Extremity. We Ihould have the fame Dil- 
 putes acted over again, were it necelTary to pro- 
 pofe another Money-Bill to-morrovv. And whac 
 honell Heart can be filent while fuch a difmai 
 Profped lies before us ? Molt certainly we have 
 fufFered too much from their idle Difputcs al- 
 ready, and 1 am pained at my very Pleart to re- 
 flect upon what we have fufFered ! 
 • Indeed, had there been no Inconveniences 
 arifing from their Conduct but the Lofs of Time, 
 they might be forgiven ! Nay, had the Lofs cf 
 our Property, and the laying wade a great Part 
 of the Province, been the only LofTes fuftained, 
 thcfe alfo, by future Indutlry, might have been 
 repaired. But, alas ! who fliall gather up the in- 
 nocent Blood that has been fpilt upon our Bor- 
 ders, and in the very Heart of our Country, 
 during their obflinace Continuance of a molf in- 
 fignificant Debate ; and their more obftinate Re- 
 fufal to frame a proper Militia Law. 
 
 For my part, I bear the t^aakers no Ill-will, 
 as they arc Men : In that Capacity they have 
 never offended me, and I wiOi them well. But, 
 as they are Ruhrs^ /Iffembly-Men^ Politicians^ 
 
 and 
 
1 1 
 
 
 [ 86 ] 
 
 and unrighteous Monopolizers of Power^ purfu- 
 irig ffparace Intercfts tronn their Country, and 
 facrificing the Majority of their Fellow-Subjeds 
 to thclc dirty Interefts : — I fay, in this Capacity, I 
 am at mortal Enmity with tht m, and look upon 
 them as Enemies to their Country, as well as 
 acting diredlly contrary to thofe Principles which 
 their Forefathers have profeffed to the World. 
 For, ii they were really that meek and primitive 
 People th^.y pretend to be, would they delight to 
 embroil theinfelves in Government, at a Time 
 when they are avowedly unfit tor it, and thereby 
 fill their Country with Difcord, Confufion, and 
 Mifery ? And all the while they are doing this, 
 ;hey very civilly tell us, that it is for our Good 
 that it Ihould be lb •, and that all their Debates 
 are tor the Prcfervaiion ot our Liberties ! — 
 iVioft cor;fummate Impudence ! What Liberties 
 have we worth preferving, when the Legiflature 
 is ajunto •, when the greater Part of the Province 
 is injurioully denied us due Proportion of Re- 
 prefentatives •, when onePerfuafion claims an ex- 
 clufive Right of Government •, and when we are 
 left at the Mercy of our Enemies, deprived ot 
 the great firfi Privilege of Nature^ the Privilege 
 o^ defending our Lives, and prolecling our Fa- 
 milieSy unlefs we will at the fame Time defend 
 the Lives^ and proteifl the Families of our haugb- 
 iy Mnfters^ v*'ithout the lead Recompence or Re- 
 ward, unlcfs they gracioufly think iit tu bcitow 
 it on us. 
 
 While thefe Things are fo, I will reprefent, I 
 will remonftrate^ nay, I will folemnly protelt 
 again li llich efiablifhed Imquity^ and will never 
 be lilent till 1 fee Jujli^e triumphant^ the People 
 protatled^ and the Avenues q\ public Trujt and 
 Preferimnt opened to Men ot public Merit and 
 
 Inte- 
 
 
 
 A\ 
 
;gc 
 
 
 [87 ] 
 
 [ntegrttyy of whatfoever Denomination or Pjity. 
 And as long as I am confcioiis ot purluing this 
 Plan, the Terms of Reproach thrown out agalnft 
 me by a Faction, 1 fhall confider as Epithets of 
 Honour. And thus I think I may juftly conclude 
 at large with the Lines from wh:ch 1 took my 
 Motto, as they were never more applicable than 
 in the prcfent Cafe ; for our Senators are great 
 Admirers of the Venetian Conftitution. 
 
 " J^ffi^^ ' I'd ^e a mod notorious Villain, 
 " To fee the Sufferings of my Fellow- Creatures, 
 " And own myfelf a Man. To fee our Senators 
 " Cheat the deluded People with a Shew 
 Of Liberty, which yet they never tafte of. 
 They fay by them our Hands are iree from 
 . " Fetters, 
 Yet whom they pleafe they bring to Shame 
 
 " and Sorrow, 
 Drive us like Wrecks down the rough Tide of 
 " Power, 
 " While there's no Hold to fave us from Dc- 
 
 " ftruaion.— 
 " All that bear this are Villain?, and I one 
 " Did I not rife, at the great Call of Nature^ 
 " To check the Growth of thefc Domestic 
 
 " Spoilers, 
 " Who make us Slaves, and tcU us — 'tis cur 
 " CII A RTER." 
 
 4.C 
 
 <¥ 
 
 Itow 
 
 i 
 
 ft 
 
 )te 
 
 :ver 
 
 '^ople 
 and 
 and 
 
 htH" 
 
 Dnembtr 8, i 75). 
 
 I nm, ^'c. 
 
 POST' 
 

 ft •:' 
 
 
 t 
 
 I I 
 
 • [ bS ] 
 
 posrscRipr. 
 
 IStnd you the following Postscript to my 
 long Letter. '1 he Scalping continues! 
 Yeflcrday the Butch brought down for upwards 
 of Go Miles, in a Waggon, the Bodies ot fome 
 of their Countrymen who had been ju(t Icalpcd 
 by the Indians^ and threw them at the Stadi- 
 Honje Door, curfing the fakers Principle?-, and 
 bidding the Committee of Altembly behold the 
 Fruits of their Obitinacy, and confefs that their 
 pretended San6lity would not fave the Province 
 without the Ufe of Means ; at the fame Time 
 threatening, th;jt if they fhould come down on 
 a like Errand again, and find nothing done for 
 their\ProtP(5tion, the Conlequences fhould be 
 fatal.— ^ A Z)///<r^' Mob is a terrible Thing; but 
 Methods are taking to pacify them, and prevent it. 
 
 December i Cth. 
 
 F i N IS,''' .. 
 
 !> I 
 
 A- 
 
 London, Feb. 2, 1756. " 
 In a few Days will he publijhed^ Price One Slji/li?2g, 
 The Third Edition of 
 
 Brief State of the Province of Pennsylvania, 
 in which the Conduct of their Assemblies for 
 feveral Years paft is impartially examined, and the true 
 Caufe of the continual Encroachments of the French 
 difplayed, more efpecia-ly the fecret Defign of their late 
 unwarrantable Invafion and Settlement upon the River 
 Ohio. To whi^h is annexed, an eafy Plan for refto- 
 ring Quiet in the pubUc Meafures of that Province, and 
 defeating the ambitious Views of the French in time to 
 come, in a Letter from a Gentleman who has refi- 
 dcd many Years in Pemifyhania to his Friend in London, 
 
M