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WITH Some Observations in relation to the Disputes now fubfifting between the ENGLISH and FRENCH Colonies m AMERICA. LONDON: Printed for R. Baldwin, at the Rcfe, in p^ur- noJier-Rnu. Mdcciv. { Price Eighteen Pence. ) J: exai give the] Dire Com whic fence pie. I (O INTRODUCTION. ALTHOUGH a Govern, ment may, by its original Conftitution, have alj the Harmony of Parts which the moft exaa Frame and Compofition can give It; yet, if thofe poffefTed of the Executive Power, having the Diredion of the Force of the Commonwealth, apply that Power, which was intended for the De- fence and Prefervation of the Peo- ple, to other Ends and Purpofes ^ than I (2) , than thofe intended, great Difor- ders will be introduced into the Body Politic, which will operate in very different Shapes ; either as they arife from the Ambition of Princes to govern with an unli- mited Sway, or from minifterial and fubordinate Powers forming diftindl and feparate Interefts from that of the Prince and the Sub- jeds j in which Cafe, they mufl: affume a difpenfing Power, and in many Refpecls ad contrary to th« Truft repofed in them. ASs of Power in Princes are generally open, and when they are hurried on by Ambition, or irregular Purfuits, they, likcyupiier^ difperfe or- the ;rate r as i of inli- :erial ming from Sub. miift nd in o th« Es are they )n, or uptter^ lifperfe (3 ) difperfe their Thunderbolts, which often carry more of Terror than Danger along with them ; for when the Storm is over, and they are made fenfible of their Error, all the other Parts of th» Go- vernment may refume their ufual Fundions. But when, thro' the Ambition or Party-views of minifterial and fubordinate Powers, the Harmony and mutual Relation of the great Offices are broke in upon, it puts thofe employed therein into a per- fect Indifpolition and Incapacity of ferving the Publick, and it alfo obliges thofe, who may afterwards prefide in the faid Offices, to adt B2 by I ,, by incidental Events, which are often various, and for the moft part irregular ; fo that Fadts are difguifed, and Objeds reprefented as thro' the wrong End of a Per- fpedivcj which quickly leads Men in Power into Errors and Miftakes, and then they are bound to defend them ; and when in Confequence thereof private Intcreft is preferred to the publick Good, and Strata- gems are employed to deceive the People, it deftroys Society, and renders Multitudes of Men like Herds of Bcafls, without proper Inftruments, without Faith, and without Propriety of Adion. Un- der which Circymflances, a Nation. may not be apprifed of their Weak- nefs ire oper and Un- atioii ^eak- nefs (5) nefs and Danger, until, as in the fudden Approaches of a Palfy, they find themfelves utterly unable to exert their Strength : For when the Harmony and Order of the great Offices are broke in upon, the Changing of Hands feldom produces any good EiFed, as they generally improve on the Corrup- tion of the former ; fo that in fuch Circumftances, the only Remedy to correft the Abufes which IS thro' Time have crept into the Offices, and to free the Officers of the Crown from a fervile Depen- dance in the Difchargc of their re- fpeftive Duties. Now (6) • I I^ow as it is conceived to be Unity of Defign, or the uniform Profecution of one End or Point of View, which conftitutes Strength and Vigour in the Body Politic, it may be of great Ufe to be in- formed of the political Movements of other Kingdoms or States, and of the Genius of their Govern- ment, that we may thereby know what to hope or fear from them^ either in tlie Quality of Friends or Enemies. And therefore, as we have at prefent many Concerns of a very interefting Nature de- pending with France^ it may be of Service to take a {hort View of the Syftem of their Government, I and (7) and the Conftrudtion of their great OfEccs, and in parti hr of their Council or Board of Commerce, that we may be the better enabled to judge of their Strength, Defigns and Connexions in America* The Policy and Genius of all Governments are beft difcerned by th«ir Courfe of Proceedings in their refpedive Offices, which ought to be principally attended to in all Negotiations relative to Trade and Commerce. I have therefore endeavoured to inform myfelf on this Subje<3: in relation to France ; and as my pnly Vie^ in publifhing the fol- lowing ( 8 ) (owing Treatife i? to ferve the Pub- lic, I humbly hope they will accept of my Endeavours, and that the Reader will be pleafed to pardon any Faults or Inad- vertencies I may thro* Miftake be led Lito in the Courfe of this £fiay.v ^ ■>! ■^a i«ifB*M«te > - SECT. i Pub- will and leafed Inad- [iftake }f this (9) SECT. I. Ohfervations on ihs French Politios and Government^ with refpeEl to their Courfe of proceeding in their great Offices, IF Men were a Law unto them- felves, there would not be any Want of either Laws or Magiftrates to keep them in TranquiUity : but, Nature being corrupted, Self-love, NeceiHty, fometimes Hatred, Ava- rice, or one Paffion or other, blinds them, and induces them to violate the Laws of Reafon, fo as to ufe Fraud and Force to fatisfy their unjuft and irregular Defires ; whereupon Legiflatures have form- C ed ( lo) ed a new Reafon, which is term- ed Laws ; but becaufe Laws muft be armed with Corredion, and have fome Soul or living Principle, therefore Magiftrates are appointed to pronounce the Oracles which the Law infpires, to put the Laws in Execution, and to maintain the Authority of them : however, the Magiftrates^ in all well regulated Governments, have no manner of Authority beyond what is by pofi- tive Grant and Commiilion dele- gated to them, and are all of them accountable to fome other Power in the Commonwealth. The Fre7ich Monarchy, which J intend briefly to treat of in this Dif^ ( II ) Difcourfe, is compcfed of a King^ and the three Eftates of the King- dom, namely, the Clergy, the No- bility, and the third Eftate out of the Merchants, Artificers, and Hufbandmen ; and out of thofe three Eftates the Parliament was formed ; but in the Reign of Phi- lip the Fair Parliaments became fedentary, and now have, or claim, a Power to deliberate upon the Pleafure and Edidls of the Kingj even fo as to fufpend any Adt of the Crown, which may by them be deemed contrary to the fundamen- tal and eftabliftied Rules of Co- vernment. C 2 The ( 12 ) The Parliament likewife takes Cognizance of all Appeals brought to them, and have in many Re- fpefts a Superintendency over the whole Affairs of the Kingdom. The King hath not only Parlia- ments and other Officers and Judi- catures to determine Differences amongfl his Subjeds, but alfo a Council of State, which is general- ly compofed of Gentlemen of the Long Robe, by whofe Advice he may corred: all Abufes in the Ad- miniflration of public Affairs, and reverfe all Sentences or Direftions given by thofe in Trufl and Power againfl the Mind and Intention of the ( t3 ) the Crown : (o that the faid Coun- cil, as conftituted, may be juftly ftyled the Eyes, the Ears, and the Hands of the King, as there is not any A<9: done, contrary to the King's Intention, but what may, and often is redreffed by applying to the King in the faid Council of State ; and if, on Examination, it be found that the Officers of the Crown are ag- grieved by any Adt of Power in their Superiors, they may, and of- ten do, m.eet with Redrefs on that Head. Which Regulation hath a wonderful Operation and Effect in the foreign Concerns of the French Nation. For if the Officers of a lower Clafs were barred all Accefs to the Crown, how could they re- fift ( 14) fift the Will of their Superiors, even in Matters which may be contrary to their Duty to their So- vereign, to the Public, and to the Oath of Office they have taken ? Befides, when the Channels of Information are obftrudled, the Crown cannot either punifli the Guilty, nor reward the Virtuous, nor in any refpecfl: exercife thofe Powers which are lodged in it for the Safety and Benefit of the Sub- jed. Tlie Royal Privy Council, in which fecret Affairs ought only to be debated, is compofed of the great Officers of State ; but it de- pends on the Pleafure of the Crown whe- *riors, ( 15) whether the Whole, or any parti- cular Number, fhall be called to aflift with their Advice; and in this Particular different Kings have ta- ken different Courfes. All public A6ts, fuc !i as Peace, and War, raifing of Money, &^c. &^c. are fuppofed to take their Rife from the Crovi^n ; but there have been Debates on this Head, Whether the King ought to be guided by the Advice of the Royal Council, or of the Council of State. However, be that as it will, all the different Modes of govern- ing by Laws are united in the French Monarchy, as no Edidt of the Crown ought to have its full Force ( i6 ) Force and Effed until regiftered in Parliament j and all Grants and other A6ts, which relate to the Exe- cution of the King's Will and Plea- fure, are to be brought into the Council of State : fo that by thofe Cheques and Reftraints, the mu- tual Relation and Subordination of all the Parts of the Govern- ment would be fo preferred, as to make them concur and aft for the Good of the Whole, provided the Monarch or his Minifters of| State would aft uniformly, and not filence the other Parts of the Syftem. But there is fome thing in the Nature of Man, when arm- ed with Power, that hates Re- (Iraint, and when they followl 3 theirl . ( 17 ) their own Wills and Paflions, they follow blind Guides, that will not allow them to be perfeft Matters of their own Reafon ; from which Root have fprung many Ads of Power and Oppreilion. But when Princes ad; agreeable to their c wn Syftem, then Order and Regu- larity in Bufinefs give Motion and Condud, Spirit and Vigour to all public Concerns. In Government there muft be feme Power which, compared with the reft, doth bear the Signa- tures of Authority, and claim the Right of Diredion ; for otherwife thefe Delegates of Power would be at Liberty to gratify every Ap- D petite ( i8 ) petite r.nd Paflion in its Turn, or indulge every Defire which hap- pened to be- uppermoft ; but this is not thought confiftent with the Dignity of the French Monarchy, und indeed their Offices feem to be fo contrived, as to make th^ Kine the fole Mailer and Arbiter of all Rewards, and to confer them himfelf, fo that they who receive any Beneficence of his may be convinced, they owe it to his Bounty ; which is an infalHble Means to attrad: to the Crown the Hope of the Subjed:, and toge- ther with it his Refpeft, as, in fuch Cafe, every one will ftrive to do his Duty, and no one promife himfelf any Grace or Advantage but or ap- this the chy, B to z the rbiter them :ceive Ljr be o his klUble nthe toge- as, in Irive to jromife vantage but f 19 ) but by his Merit and Services : therefore, in order to keep all the Channels of Information open to the View of the Crown, all the Great Boards in Fraiice do, every Year, report to the King in his Council of State the Courfe of the Officers belonging to the refpec- tive Boards ; in which Light the King is to be conlidered as the Center to which all Perfons, em- ployed in the Adminiftration of public Affliirs, and all Matters relative to the Offices, ultimately refort; and from this there rcfults a Spirit of Liberty in the Admi- niftration of public Affairs. D 2 What ( 20) What hath principally contri- buted to the breaking in upon the original Syftem or Plan of Govern- ment, and alfo to introduce many arbitrary Ads of Power and Vio- lence againft the Subjcft in France^ is the Attempts of the Clergy to render thcmfelves Maflers of a great Part of the temporal Jurif- didion, which they have, in a man- ner, forced fome of the French Monarchs to yielH to them. They have alfo obtained the Rights of Mortmain and Indemnity for the Lands they poffefs • whereby the State is much weakened ; and not only fo, but it creates a foreign Monarchy in the Bofom of France. An- ( 21 ) Another great and cffeftual Caufe of breaking in upon the faid Syftem of Government is, the Pow- er conferred oa the Nobility by Fiefs, and by intrtifting them with the Charge of doing Juftice, and of commiflioning Officers for that End, which hath been an Inlet to many Adls of Power and Oppref* {ion on the Subjedts. ., .. ' The Manner llkewife of regu- lating and colleding the public Taxes hath been extremely oppref- five to the poorer fort of the People, as the greateft Weight lies upon them. Not but if the Farms were properly regulated, and not grant- ed ( 22 ) cd in Reverfion, and alfo brought within the View of the Treafury Chamber, and the Farmers thereby properly checked, they might in many Refpeds be confidered as be- neficial to the Subjed. * In France the Conftitution of the Nobility is wholly Military, and therefore they think it incon- fiftent, with their Rank, Quality, or Profeflion to be fubjedt to the Re- ftraints which might be laid on them by a Parliament. Thefe and many other Confi- derations are ftrong Inducements to the Sovereign to adt according to his own arbitrary Will and Plea- Light ifury 3onfi- ments Drding I and Plea- (23 ) Pleafure, and to force all the other Parts of the Gcv^ernment to concur with his Views in any De- viation he may think proper to make from the legal Syftem of Government. Yet the Conftitu- tion hath many natural Strengths ; as for example, the King cannot with Safety undertake any War of Importance without allowing the Parliament the free Ufe and Exer- cife of their Powers ; for if this was denied them, the King could not borrow Money fufficient to anfwer the Expences of the Go- vernment. And, with regard to the great Council of State (which, as above obferved, is generally com- pofed of Gentlemen of the Long Robe) ( 24 ) Robe) the Dignity and Safety of the Crown, the due Courfe of Bull- nefs in the Offices, and the Unity of Adion through all the conftituent Parts of the Government, princi- pally depend on it, as it is a Check upon the whole Adminiftration, and makes the Crown the Center to which all Matters relative to the Offices ultimately refort. In this Regulation there is much Safety : For Informations in any other Shape could not be wholly relied upon, as Minifters are in many Refpefts liable to be de- ceived, as well as the Crown. But when Unity of Adion is preferved, and all Matters left open to the View y of ty of :uent •inci- ;heck Ltion, enter :o the any jhoUy :e in de- But [rved, the IView ( 25) View of the Crown, both the Monarch and his Minifters of State will be freed from many Miftakes and Inadvertencies in their Con- duft ; and the Government will be preferved in perfed Health, and not ficken under the Preflure of crude and undigefted Schemes of Policy, It is the greateft Happinels to a Minifter, and what will afford the higheft Pleafure to an inge- nuous and benevolent Difpofitiori of Temper, to be under proper Reftraints in theExercife of Power ; it frees him from many irregular Solicitations, it preferves him from Gondefcending to many Ads con- trary to his Judgment, and often E un-- ( 26) unworthy of his Character; it will allow him to difplay hisTalents, and make Virtue appear, what it really is, a lovely Form ; and it will keep him from fervile Fears and Conde- fceniions unequal to his Character j vv^hich will prevent him from know^ ing any Mailer but his Sovereign. When the great Sully undertook to reform the Abufcs which had crept into the Adminiftration of public Affairs in France^ divers Things had been engaged by the French Kings to the Ufe of private Perfons, who had paid Sums there- upon ; but as the faid Kings had fold or engaged their Rights at an under Value, Sully thought it juft 2 and K ill nd lly !ep de- :erj mi. Lvers the ivate lere- had t an luft J ind ( 27 ) and fit to refume fomc of the faid Rights, and to recover the Demefne of the Crown from others by a Rent-charge, which fecurcd the Payment of the Money they had advanced : but that the King might reap further Advantage from this Change, it was neceffary to fettle a Fund for the Raifing of thefe new Rents, and for that End a new Impofition was laid upon the Clergy, Counties of State, Companies, Colleges, and other Members of the Kingdom. But as the Advantage of an Exchequer doth not only confift in the bare Getting in of Money, but alfo in a frugal Manner of Expending it, it was likewife neceffary to reform E 2 the (28 ) the great Offices, the Minifters of State having, for many Years before that Period of Time, confidered themfelves to be at Liberty to di- fpenfe with the Rules of their re- fpeftive Offices ; or, it may more properly be faid, they had not any determinate or unvariable Rule of Adion. The Orders and Regula- tions made by the Crown in for- mer Times not being ufually re- newed on the Acceffion of their Kings, nor confidered as having ftill the fame Force and Efficacy as the Ordinances of the Crown in other Cafes ; he wifely and pru- dently confidered that this gave an Opening to many Incroachments by Men in Power ; and that if they, from ( 29 ) from particular Motives, or private Views J deviated from thejuft Prin- ciples of Aftion, thofe who were dependent on, and afted fubfervient tOj them would ever take Advan- tage of fuch Proceedings, and, in their refpeilive Spheres of Adion, improve it to their own Service, n delaying the Bufinefs of the Public, and in throwing infinite Difficulties in the Way of all fuch as had any public Concerns with the Crown ; and that this Evil would in Time be communicated from the Higheft to the Lowcft, even in fuch a Degree as to make the lower Clerks prey upon the Neceflities of the Soldiers and Sailors. . In (30) ). In examining into the faid Mo- tives and Springs of Acftion, it infpired him with a patriot Zeal for the Service of his Kins and Country ; and in order to lay a folid and proper Foundation for the Strudture afterwards to be raifed, he began with a Matter that nearly concerned himfelf, namely, to ufe all his Credit and Power with the Sovereign, to make every Rule of Office equally binding or obligatory with the Edids of the Crown in other Cafes ; and to free the Officers of a lower Clafs from a fervile Dependance on their Su- periors. It was likewife direfted by an Arret of the King in Coun- cil cil Day have hisC his ) n I Mo- rn, it : Zeal T and o lay a 311 for to be ter that lamely, power LC every ding or of the to free Is from .eir Su- irefted Coun- ( 31 ) cil (which is in Force until this Day) that every Officer fliould have a Right, by Petition, to lay his Grievances before the King in his great Council of State ; and to demand any Papers, Entries, or other Records, in any of the Offices u^herefbever jplaced, which might by him be thought necef- fary to fupport the feveral Matters contained in his Petition. ..... ■ »' « A. Such a w^ifc Regulation could not fail of producing happy Ef- ifefts, by freeing thofe employed I in the Servire of the Crown from a fervile Dependance on their Su- periors, and direfting the Method of Appeal to the Crown, by free- ing ( 32 ) ins thofe in the Adminiftratlon of Afiairs of State from irregular and uniuftifiable Solicitations, and b) preventing the Revenues of the Crown from being embezzled or mifapplied, which muft always be the Cafe when there are particular and private Interefts to fu^port, foreign to, and independent of, that of the Crown ; as it is con- ceived to be an undoubted Truth, That it will require more than twice as much to fupport the pri- vate Views of an Adminiftration, as would be neceffary to expedite the Bufinefs of the Public, \\ It may be proper to obferve further, that by the Syftem of the Frendl (33) Fre/icl) Government jiliQ faid Coun- cil of State is tlic hir^-li Watch- Tower, fiom which the King may furvcy all his Dominions, and fometimes all the Dominions of the World, in order to confak the Honour, Defence, Profit and Peace of his Subjects, and alPj their Pro- tcdion from Violence or Injury, either at Home or Abroad. But this cannot be done, if the leading Principle is not in a Condition to a6l its Part well^ and to proper Purpofes. For if the other great Boards do not retain their proper Fundions, but are at liberty to vary from their Rule of Adion, fuch Deviations break in upon the mutual Agreement ^cnd friendly F Ope- ( 34 ) Operation of the Parts ; by which the Government mufi: fuffer a fen- fiblc Difturbancc : and in Pro- portion as this prevails, the Secu- rity and Happinefs of the People nnift be diminifhed ; for if the faid Council of State was to con- cur vatli any of the other great Boards, in any Incroachmcnts upon the Crown, or the Subjed:, under thofe Circumftanccs the King might, in a great meafure, be ex- cluded from having any Share or Diredlion in the Adminiftration of State Affairs, altho' at the fame Time Minifters of State made an arbitrary Ufe of his Name and Authority. However, the French are too wife to admit of fuch In- novations, ( 35 ) novp.tions, and the Parliament of Paris have always guarded againll it, as the greatefl: Misfortune whieh could poflibly attend the King- AoWi ; becaufe, by that Means, they would be rendered incapable cither to defend themfelvcs, or to undertake any Enterprize of Mo- ment ; for in fuch a Situation, a Government may be juftly refem- bled to a disjointed Body, whole Members are diflocatcd, and un- able to aft their proper Parts. Therefore at the AccefTion of every King, the Arrets of former Kings in Council are renewed, and confidered as a ftanding Rule to ad: by ; and in like manner, all the other great Boards regulate F 2 them- (36 ) tljcmfelves in the Execution of th King's Vv^ill and Intention. So that, on the vvliole, the King may- be properly faid to be in his King- dom, what the Soul is in the na- tural Body, which, according to the proper Direction of its Powers, brings either Happinefs or Mifery ; and in this Refped: France may be jufkly fiid to be happy in the Management of \}^z\x American Co- lonics, and in the Condudl of War and Necrotiations, altho' at the fame Time they are in many Re- fpeds miferable, by the wrong Di- rection of their interior Concerns. SECT. -mtiear^ ( 27 ) SECT. 11. r The Motives which ijiduced Lewis the XlVth to cojijlitute a Board of Commerce, and the Plan upon which the /aid Board is conjli- tuted ; and alfo the Chech and Rejiraints the Governors and other Officers are liable to, in the Difcharge of their 7'efpeSiive Duties ; with a general View of their Commerce. IT is not much above half a Century, fince France was not a Soil wherein one could exped to find Trade flourifli ; the Maxims of their Government being, in many (38 ) many Rcfpe-vSls, contrary to that Freedom and Securi ty, which are ab- folutely ncceflliry for the Improve- ment or Enlargement of Trade. However the French King, Lewis the XlVth, in a great mcafure removed thofe Obftacles, by the Rules or Ordinances which he made on conftituting a Council of Commerce in 1 700. For what- ever the Exio;encies of State miaht require him to do at particular Junctures, yet he took effedual Care to provide for the Security and Safety of his Subjects in Ame- rica^ fo as not to leave them a Prey to the Governors and other Officers in the Plantations. Hence it appears evident, that protecting the iiat ab- ide. 3wis fure the L he Lincil ^hat- night cular :aual :urity yim^- lem a lother lence :aing ( 39 ) the Subjedl by a regular Plan, or Syftem of Acfting in the Offices, hath as great an Effect: and Ope- ration in the encouraging and pro* moting of Trade, as th'/Sun hath by fending out his benign and sentle Influence on the Seeds of Plants, in inviting forth their ac- tive and plaftic Pov/ers. Lewis the XlVth, in the Profe- cution of the War he had enter'd into with the Maritime Powers, was made fenl:ble of the great Advantages refulting from Trade and Navigation ; that it wa ; im- poffible for any Country, however advantageoufly lituated, to bear the Expences and Load of heavy Taxes, ( 4^ ) Taxes, without a proportionable Supply arifing from its Com- merce ; and that without enlarg- ing or extending the Trade of his Colonies, which would prove a confiderable Nurfery for Sailors, he could not carry on his exten- live Views, or promote the Gran- deur and Dignity of his Crown : And being likcwife fenfible how neceflary it was to give all man- ner of Encouragement and Secu- rity to fuch as were inclinable to embark in new Undertakings, his Majefty took effedual Care to eftablifli an orderly Courfe of Pro- ceeding, and to ordain a regular Plan to take place, fo as to pre- vent thofe in Truft and Office in a tlie ( 40 the faid Colonies, from having it in their Power to render any thing done by them fallacious or uncertain, and if poflible to pre- vent all Caufes of Injury to the Subjects i^broad, and not to let the Property of the French Plan- ters reft in the Hands of their Go- vernors without any regular Check or certain Controul which could be depended upon. The French King was under no Reftraint in appointing what Form of Government he thought fit, or in direding that all the Lands in America iliould be confidered as a Demefne of the Crown : but as the Order and Subferviency of Q all ( 42 ) all leffer Syftems, and their Con- currence to the Good of the ge- neral Syftem, depend upon the Subordination of the Parts, the Conftitution of the French Coun- cil or Board of Commerce, and the Form of Government inftituted in the Colonies, evidently fhew, that the Crown referved to itfelf only a kind of parental Property in the American Colonies. And in many other Refpeds the political Views and Forefight of the French King and his Mini- Iters of State cannot be fuffi- ciently admired, in making the Crown the Center to which all Matters relating to the Colonies muft ( 43 ) muft ultimately refort, by one Conveyance or through one Chan- rel only, and in keeping the Of- fices, in all their feveral Branches or Departments, uniform, entire, and open, under fevere Penalties to be inflifted on the Aggreflbrs, and recoverable by the Subje<9: when injured by thofe in Truft and Pow- er under the Crown. But in order the more clearly and efFedually to illuftrate the faid Matters, it will be necef- fary to take a Survey of the Infti- tutions. Regulations and Ordinan- ces, which are in Ufe in the French Council of Commerce ; to point out the wonderful Opeiation and G 2 Effea ( 44 ) Effed they have had in promoting their Trade and Navigation, and afterwards to demonftrate that the Plan or Syftem of all Offices is to be confidered as a Piece of Clock- work which, by its Springs, di- reds the Wheels in their Mo- tion, . . ; - ■■ '- The French King by his Arret to eftablifh a Council of Commerce, declares, " That he was more ^' difpofed than ever togrant a par- '* ticular Protection to Commerce, ^^ to fhew his Efteem of the good " Merchants and Traders of his *^ Kingdom, and to facilitate to *^ them the Means of making Com- " merce flourifh and extending it : "he "h( '' C " exi nu: '^the "Co "Ro " ner; "hea ^^and " ture " fha (45 ) " he judges, that nothing can be " more capable of producing this " EfFed, than the forming a ^^ Council of Commerce, which ^' {hall be wholly attentive to the *' examinitig and promoting what- " ever may be moft advantageous ** to Commerce, and to the Ma- '^ nufadures of the Kingdom. " Which he being defirous to fettle, ^^ the Report of Mr. Chamillart^ " Counfellor in Ordinary to the " Royal Council, Comptroller Ge- " neral of the Finances, being " heard, he the faid King, being ^* in his Council, has ordained, ^^ and oidains. That for the fu- " ture a Council of Commerce *^ fhall be held, at leaft, once every at the irin- lalties |rets ; and (63 ) and if any of the French King's Subjedis, either at home or abroad, are injured cither in their Pcrfons or Properties by the faid Gfover- nors, Intendants, ^c. afting con- trary to the King's Pleafure, fig- nified by the faid Arrets, the Sub- jefts injured, on Proof made there- of before the faid Council of Com- merce, are, on Application to the King in his Cotmcii of State, in- titled to Relief. So that by the regular Return of the Records, the French SubjeSs in America arc intitled to appeal to the Crown for Juftice ; and as all Abufes contrary to the King's Intention are conlidered as an Offence of the bigheft Nature againft the Crown, ! * ( 64 ) Crown, the Complainants, If jiiftly intitled thereto, fcldom or never fail to meet with Rcdrefs, without being put to any extraordinary Charge on that Account. As is above obferved, the Gover- nors in the French Colonies adl in two Capacities j but as a military Officer, they have difcretionary Orders, and proceed according to the military Law, and from this Latitude they fometimes commit great Acfts of Power ; but in a civil Capacity they are wholly re- ftrained by the Regulations and Arrets of the King ; and to guard againft all Inconvenience which might arife from having improper Perfons ( 65 ) Pcrfons to fuccced the Governors, in cafe of their Death, the King hath always appointed Lieutenant- Governors, both civil and military. The Excellency of thofe Ordi- nances and Arrets of the French King is, that they preferve one regular, uniform, and entire Rule of Adion ; fo that the French Sub- je6ts abroad may, in all Cafes of Oppreflion, and Ads of Violence committed by the faid GovcrnorSj Intendants, &^c. meet with Re- drefs at a fmall Expence ; as the Matters complained of, if they relate to Matters of Property, muft be upon Record, and duly tranf- mitted to the French Council or K Board { 64 ) Crown, the Complainants, if juftly intitled thereto, feldom or never fail to meet with Redrefs, without being put to any extraordinary Charge on that Account. f As is above obferved, the Gover- nors in the French Colonies adl in two Capacities ; but as a miUtary Officer, they have difcretionary Orders, and proceed according to the military Law, and from this Latitude they fometimes commit great Ads of Power ; but in a civil Capacity they are wholly re-^ ftrained by the Regulations and Arrets of the King ; and to guard againft all Inconvenience which might arife from having improper Perfons try t in :ary lary gto this imit n a re- and luard hich oper rfons ( 65 ) Perfons to fucceed the Governors, in cafe of their Death, the King hath always appointed Lieutenant- Governors^ both civil and military. The Excellency of thofc Ordi- nances and Arrets of the "French King is, that they preferve one regular, uniform, and entire Rule of Adion ; fo that the French Sub- jeds abroad may, in all Cafes of Oppreflion, and Adls of Violence committed by the faid Governors^ Intendants, ^c. meet with Re- drefs at a fmall Expence ; as the Matters complained of, if they relate to Matters of Property, muft be upon Record, and duly tranf- mitted to the F^'cnch Council or I V Board ( 66 ) S l>o;irJ of Commerce ; or ellc, a before obferved, from the faid Omiilion, the (jovernors, liiteii- diints, &^c\ are Hahle to the IV- naUics direded by the KiinA faid Arrets. Which Penalties have, in fome Infhanccs, been given to the Complainants, in order to repay their Damages or Kxpences tluring the Delay thereby occalioned. Altho' it is very obfervable, that the Records are fo regidarly form- ed, kept, and tranfmitted, that the French Council of Commerce depend principally upon the Re- cords in Matters of Information, as they do not admit of any Soli- citors, or even Advocates to plead before them ; they keep a Clerk in lis Una tctv- Tc- fu'ul in ( f>7 ) in ilicir Ofllcc, vvliofc folc Hufi- ncis is to draw up Memorials, Rc^ pivlciUations, and Petitions, for Inch Pcrlons as have any Occafion to prefer them, or apply tor Re- drels to the fiiid Couneil or Board of Commerce. In relation to whieli it is fur- ther proper to obferve, that the principal End and Defign of con- ftituting a Board of Commerce was to guard againfl: all Incroaeh- ments on the Rights of the Crown, or the Property of the Subject ; and in order thereto to take ef- fedual Care, that the Ordinances or Arrets of the Crown fliould be K 2 duly ( 68 ) duly obfcrvcd, which c.in only be done by prcferving Harmony and Order in all their Proceedings in the Colonies. • Now in refpedl to this, the Board cannot admit? of any De- viations in the Governors or In- tendants, or admit them to offer any colourable Pleas or Pretences in excufe for their Conduft ; for if this was once allowed of, it would break in upon the whole Svftem of the Board : and inftead of reprefenting Matters in a proper Light to the Crown, they might be made ufe of to very diiFerent Ends and Purpofes, by concealing many (69 ) many Ads of Oppreflion, and throvvino; a Veil over the Conduit of Men in Power. The faid Council of Commerce likewife takes fpecial Care to pre- ferve the Officers of a lower Clafs from any fervile Dependance on the Governors or Surintendants ; which keeps thofe Offices in the Difcharge of their refpedlive Du- ties under the Protedion of the Crown ; for if they could not meet with Relief, or be defended from arbitrary Ads of Power, how would it be poffible for them to relift the Will of their Superiors, even in Matters which might be contrary ( 70 ) contrary to the Orders of the Crown ? . And as the Hopes of due Re- ward is a very ftrong Incitement to animate or pufli Men forwards in their Duty, fo by the Inftitution of the Council of Commerce, they are to give a particular Account to the French King, of the Con- duft of all the Officers who are employed in America ; and there are few, if any, Inftances, wherein thofe who have behaved well have not been properly rewarded and promoted, and thofe who deviated from, or adled contrary to their Duty, been accordingly puniihed and difaiiffcd. All ( 72 ) the Re- ment vards ution they :ouat Coa- o are there erein have and iated their iOied All All the Revenues arifing in the French Colonies are accounted for in the Chamber of Accompts, and all Officers employed therein give Security to the faid Chamber for the due Performance of their Duty; fo that upon any Negledl or Omif- fion in returning their Accompts, agreeable to the Rules prefcribed to them, their Sureties are liable to be profecuted ; and by this Means, there is a conftant Fund or Supply for the Ufe of the Colo- I nies, which for the moft Part is I applied to the Ufe of the Colonies, in fuch manner as is advifcd by the Council of Trade. Tl le ( 71 ) The Credit and Influence of the faid Council hath great Wei^^ht with the French King, in all Mat- ters relating to Trade and Com-- m::rce ; fo that it very feldom happens that they recommend any Thing to the C ro^^ vi, but what is carried into Ex ru.ion. And if there be any foreign Intereft to oppofe fuch Meafures as are re- commended by them, the French King hath, for the moft part, judged it to be for the Service of the Crown, to carry the faid Mea- fures into Execution, and then to hear and debate the Point in Queftion, with any other Nation which may oppofe it. 2 The ( 73 ) : of ight vlat- lom-" dom . any lat is id if :ft to e re- rench part, ce of Mea- n to t in ation The The faid Regulations fpeak fuf- ficiently for thcmfelvcs ; but vvhat adds more Strength and Vigour to the whole, and what hath made the faid Council of Commerce adt with fucTi Force and Energy in proteding the French Subjefts a- broad, and alfo in proted^ing and encouraging their Trade, and Na- vigation, and Manufadlures at home, arifes principally from their not having any Power, either in them- felves, or at the Inftigation of others, to difpenfe with the efta- blifhed Rules of their Office ; and that the faid Governors or Inten- dants abroad cannot any more difpenfe with the Ordinances and L Arrets (7+) Arrc*-s of the Crown, than our J lycJlminfter-Hall uu;2;c3 111 i'y' cjimtniier-nau can wiili the Rules and Forms efta- bliii icd in our Courts of Law. The good EfFeds and Opera- tion which thofe Regulations and Arrets in Vra7ice have produced, may be Better known by taking a curfory View of the Trade and Navigation of the French Colonies at the Time when their faid Coun- cil of Commerce was firft inftitu- ted ; and fo compare it with the prefent State thereof, and the fur- priling Increafe of Trade and Na- vig-ation in that Kingdom. la ( 75 ) )iir :an cra- and cedj iga and pnies 3un- litu- the fur- Na- la In 170T the French did not employ above one hundred Ships in the Wcjl-India Trade, and thofc Ships were not near the Size, Di- menfions, or Burthen of tlieir Ships at prefent employed tlv^rein, nei- ther were their Commodities of equal Goodnefs or Value of thofe which they now produce ; but by a Calculation made of the Amount of the Produce of their Wejl- India Colonies from the Year 1737 ^^ 1744, the F?^e?ich Iflands have in Sugar, Rum, Molaffes, Indigo, Pi- mento, Cotton, Pepper, Ginger, Coffee, &^c, &'c. produced to the Value or Amount of two Millions, four hundred thouHmd Pounds L 2 Ster* . .-«-. j^\:ia[i««*"'*' (7^) Si^JiViu^y per A^;u/;//j and upwards, independent of an cxtcnfivc and profitable private Trade carried on from SLDomingo with the Spaniards in America. And moreover it ap- pears, that in the fa id JVcJl-India Trade or Commerce, one hundred a*id twenty thoufandTons oi.Fre7tch Shipping, with eleven thoufand Sailors, are annually employed; the Freight of which (a^s computed) amounts to four hundred and eighty thoufand Pounds Sterling per Annum^ and upwards. lin That by a Calculation at the fame Time made, of the Produce of the French Settlements on the Continent of America^ and alfo ot their rds, :ind 1 on ij'ds ap- ndia ired fand ; the jtcd) and rling the iduce the fo ot their (77) their Fifliery on the Coaft ot New* foundland^ &c. the Amount there- of is computed at eight hundred and twenty thoufand Pounds Ster- hng per Annum^ and upwards. That the faid Freight in Time of Peace amounted to two hun- dred and twenty thouHmd Pou..ds Sterh'ng, and upwards, wliich, in- cluiive of their Fifhery, annually employed nine thoufmd Seamen. The Regulations made in the faid Board of Commerce have alfo had a furprifing EfFed on their Manufadtures, and other Branches of Trade, as they have been there- by enabled to carry on a great Trade to (78) to hidia^ Turkey, Jlfrka^ and even to fupply Spain with a great Part of the Commodities fuited to the Spani/h American Trade, which brings a continual Source of Trea- fure and Riches to the French Na- tion ; and in Conjundlion with the Advantages gnined by their own American Trade, enables them to borrow great Sums of Money to anfwer the Exigencies of the State, and likevvife to repay the fame^ without laying themfelves under the Neceffity of mortgaging their Funds in perpetuity. I fliall only pray Leave to ob- ferve further, that from the whole Conduit of France they evidently % appear the lich rea- Na- I the own :n to y to Itate, amCj nder their ob- hole :ntly ipear ( 79 ) appear to be of Opinion, that the Dominion of the Seas, and the Strength and Riches of their Coun- try, in a great meafure depend upon the Improvement of their American Colonies ; to gain which great and valuable End, they will not be wanting either in Induftry, or in the Application of Money. This being the Objecfl of fc great and powerful a Rival, how juftly doth it claim our Attention in fecuring our Intereft in America^ and in adopting eveiy Scheme of theirs, which may fuit our prefent Interefts and Defigns, SECT, ^ ( 80) SECT. III. T6e Deftgns of the French /;; form- ing ConneBions with the Indians, and in exte?tding their T*erritories in America ; nsoith fome ftcrther . Ohfervations in relatio7t to the general Plafi of Power^ which they are endeavouriiig to ejiablifh. IN the foregoing Sedions I have endeavoured to fliew, that wherever Order, Coherence, and Union are obferved,.the eftabhlTied Connexions, and orderly Conduft of pubUc Affairs, lead ultimately to the Good of the Society ; and ou the contrary, the afting by inter- ians, tories rther the which %hlifi* DllS I that and liilied nduft atcly and ig by inter- ( 8i ) intermediate Events, which are often varied by ten thoufand ir- regular Caufes, leads to Unhappi- nefs and Mifery. And that where there is no Determinations to uffo- ciated Forms, neither Patriotifm nor Heroifm can fenfibly afFed Men in Truft and Office, fo as to incite them tQ ad: for the public Good, . I have likewife obferved that all leffer Syflems ought to con- cur to the Good of the gene- ral Syftem pr Plan of Govern- ment, and that when this is want- ing, there cannot be Unity of De- fign J but on the contrary an eter- M nal ( S2 ) nal Clafliing and Jarring of In- terefts. I have alfo endeavoured to fliew that the Wifdom of the French PoUtics arifes principally from the mutual Relritioa and Subferviency of their public Offices, as the freeing the Officers of a lower Clafs from a fervile Dependancc on the Governors and Intendants in Amerkay is a great and effec- tual Means of bringing every Mat- ter of Importance to the View of the Council of Trade, and con- fequently to the View of the Crown ; and that the Hope of Reward gives an additional Spring and Energy to thofe em- ployed (83) ployed in the Difcharge of their refpedive Duties : for if the con- trary Pradice was to take place, it might be more dangerous to expofe Faults than to commit them, and under fuch Circumftan- ces an Officer is obliged, in regard to his own Safety, to fubmit to every thing his Superiors may di- reft, w^ithout any Refped had ci- ther to the Orders of the Crown or the Good of the Public. 91 Whilft our Colonies remained uridifturbed by the French^ there were many Caufes of a mixt Na- ture, which contributed greatly to the Settlement of them; but now that the Affairs of America M 2 arc ( 84) are one of the principal Objefts of the Fre?ich Nation, the Pro- teflion of our Colonies becomes a Matter of public Concern, and claims the Attention of the Go- vernment. Therefore, as is con- ceived, it tnay not be improper to take a general View of the Con- dudl of the F?^e?2ch^ in relation to their Incroachments, and to the Settlement of their Colonies. In the firft Settlement of Ca- 7iada^ the French had many and great Difficulties to contend with, neither the Country nor the Cli- mate being inviting. And the Obftruftion? they met v/ith from the Indians would have deterred moft ids *ro- [iies and Go- :on- IV to Mon- ition d to lies. Ca- and ith, Cli- the from terred moft ( 85 ) moft other Nations from any At- tempts of thiij Nature. However, the Glory of the French Monarch, and alfo the Hopes of being ta- ken notice of, do at all Times influence the French to undertake or attenipt the moft hazardous Enterprifes. I » 1. .• . \- t In i6ir2, the French fent out many Perfons to fettle in Canada ^ who would otherwife have been confined in the Galleys, and alfo Numbers of fturdy Beggars and loofe Women ; and to defend the Settlement from the In- dians^ there were fome Com- panies of regular Troops tranf- ported thither. But there does 1 not C 86) not appear to have been any con- fidcrablc Number of Forces tranf- ported to Canada^ until Monf. De Trafi^ appointed Viceroy of America^ arrived at ^ebec in 1665, after which Cang7ton% Re- giment was broke, and both Of- ficer^ and Men had confiderable Quantities of Land allowed them to fettle on. After the Reform of the faid Troops fevcral Ships were fent thi- ther from France^ who carried a great Number of Women along with them, under the Diredion of fome old Nuns; and when they arrived there, the Men, that wanted to be manied, made their Ad- s Re- hOf- erable them e faid It thi- led a along eftion when that their Ad- ( 87 ) Addrefles to the above-mentioned Governeffes, and after the Choice was determined, the Marriage was concluded in the Prefence of a Prieft and a public Notary. And the next Day the Governor, by the King's Order, bellowed upon fuch married Perfons a Bull, a Cow, a Hog, a Sow, a Cock and Hen, two Barrels of Salt-meat, and eleven Crowns in Money. The French King likewife gave the Clergy confiderable Grants of Lands in Canada ; and, in parti- cular, to the Diredors of the Se- miaary of St. Sulpitius at Paris he gave the Ifland of Monreal^ with the Privilege of nominating a ( 88 ) a Bailiff and leveral other Mairi- ftrates ; and at firft they had th^ Liberty of nominating a Governor, but afterwards the King deprived them of it, as he found it neceffary to fortify the Town of MonreaL * The faid Seminary of St. Sulpi- tius fent thither a great Number" of Mifllonaries, and there are like-* wife great Numbers of Jefuits who go to ^luebec^ and are from thence difperfed into all Parts of the Country, and mix with the In- dia?ts in their Townfliips ; and as they temporife with the In- dians in their Cuftoms and Drefs, it is chiefly by means of the Je- fuits that the French have ex- tended ithQ rnor, rived ;ffary -eal. imber s who hence f the e In- and c In- refs, e Je- e ex- ended ( 89 ) tended their Trade and Influence among the Indians. Thofe who carry on the Fur- Trade in Canada^ do it by Li- cence; but then they emp).vy vaft Numbers oi hidian Traders whom they call Cctireurs de Bois^ who are expert in that Trade, and go in Canoes, and trade with moft of the Savage Nations round the Go- vernment of Canada, Thcic Coureurs de Bois are, at prefent, become very numerous, b^ing computed, at leaft, at 1500 Men, who are often employed as a kind of flying Corps,^ and joined with the Indimsy either to attack the Englijhy or fuch Indians as are in N Friend- V ■; sAJ #. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) % // {./ /. 1.0 I.I 14s I2J IM 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 -•1 6" ► ^ i t> A ,4^ *^ V *^ .1^^^ V ^ Photographic Sciences Corporation ^. \ s V ^, ^\^ »■' :\ \ 4^ c^ ■<^ 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 my Mi' J (9o) Friend&ip with them : but altho' their Numbers ftrengthcn the Hands of the French^ yet the ex- orbitant Prices that thofe who have the Licenfes exadt from the Coiirenrs da Bois have been one great Means of bringing many of the Indian Tribes to trade with the Englip^ as they are fuppHed with their Goods at leaft lOO per. Ce7it, cheaper from the Rnglijlo Traders. But what at firfl: principally ob- llrufied the French in their exten- five Views, was the Obftrudions given them by the Five Nations, as they were thereby for many Years prevented from difcovering the :{ie le ob- Iten- iors ons, lany [ring the m I ( 91 ) the Lakes, carrying on a Trade, and forming Alliances with the Savages who lived to the Southward and Weft ward of them ; therefore, in order to remove that Difficulty, they applied to King Charles II. to give Orders to his Goveinor at New-Tork^ to forward a Peace between the French and the Five Nations, and to reprefent the Frefich Power to them in fuch a manner, as to perfuade them that their own Safety required their coming into Terms with France, However, the faid Governor did not comply with the King's Or- ders on that Head ; yet as he was not at Liberty to ad: openly a- gainft: the French^ they improved N 2 thi 'I I (92 ) this Opportunity in extending their Lines, and in building Forts to the Southward, by which means the Five Nations have been much gal- led ever liace the Building of Fort Frcntenac ^nA Niagara. It is true, the Five Nations demolifhed the faid Forts ; but the French foon rebuilt them, and added feveral other Forts to them, as a Retreat to their friendly htdians^ wheri they attacked the Five Nations. The French have likewife cut off or deftroyed many of thern by Treachery, and fometimes by open Force, when the Englijh negleft- pd to fupport them ; fo that thofc brave and warlike People are great- '■■ ■ ■ !y I- (93 ) ly reduced, and at prefent unable to withftand the Fre?ich ; which hath been much owing to our en- gaging them in Wars with the Frenchy and then leaving the whole Burthen of the War on them. This they feem to be fen- lible of, as they have often repre- fented to the People of New-Tori^ that when they made them take up the Hatchet againft the French^ they did not fupport them after- wards as they ought to have done. I have above obferved the View^ of the Fremh in ereding the Forts Frontenac and NiagarUy ^c. which may be further explained \)y a Propofal which was laid be- fore ( 94 ) fore Count Frontenac, the fccond Time he was Governor of Canada^ viz, " Since we (meaning the *' French) cannot deftroy the ho- ^^ queje or Five Nations, with our *' own fingle Forces, we are ne- ^' cefllirily obHged to have Re- ^^ courfe to the Savages who are '^ our AlHes ; and it is certain, as " they thcmfelves forefee, that if *' thefe Barbarians could compafs " the Deftrudionof our Colonies, *^ our friendly Indians would be *^ fubdued by them fooner or la- <^ ter, as it has happened to many " other Indians ; now, fince they " are well afFefted to this Defign, " we muft endeavour to facilitate ^^ to them th^ Means of putting it (( m w :ond the Iro- \i our e ne* Re- do are lin, as hat if )mpals Ionics, Id be or la- many they fefign, ilitatc :ing it I c< in ( 95 ) ^' in Execution ; for you may ea~ " fily bcHcve that thefe People, *' however favage they may be, *^ are not fo void of Scnfe^ as to ^^ travel two or three liundred " Leagues from tbrii own Coun- ** try to fight againft their Ene- " mies, without beincr {\:rc of a " Place of Retreat where they may " repofe themfelves and find Pro- *' vifions. There is no Queftion ^' therefore but we fliould build " Forts upon the Lands of the Iro- " qi^e/ky and main :ain them in fpite " of their Teeth. And therefore " it is propofed to build and main- " tain three Forts upon the Courfe " of the Lake ; one at the Mouth ^' of the Lake£r/>, another near to '' the ( 96 ) " the Waterfall called Saut SL ** Marky and a third at the Mouth *^ of the Bay of Toronlo.'^ The faid Propofals were tranf- mitted to France ; but they were then too much engaged in other Affairs to take notice of them ; however, about the Year 1725 or 1726, they, in part, complied with the faid Propofals in building a fmall Fort near to the Waterfall called Saut St. Marie^ and in ered- ing a Fort of confiderable Strength at Crown Pointy which is on the Lands of the Five Nations, and }n many Refpedts of more Service to the French^ and confequently more hurtful to th^ EngJi/hy than any it St. i4outh tranf- ^ were other them ; 725 or mplied Jllding aterfall ered- rength on the and ervice uently than any (97 ) any of the Forts the French have buiit from ^ehec to the River Ohio. By this Fort they keep the Iroquefej or Five Nations, under conftant Alarms, and diftrefs them and their A Hies in their Huntings ; and by Crown- Pointy Fort Fron- tenac^ Niagara^ &c. they keep open a Communication with the Wejlern Indians. They Hkewife prevent the Englijh from making a proper Ufe of the Five Nations againft the Eajiern Indians y who live in (what the French call) the Province of GafpeJJiey which is properly part of, and belongs to Nova-Scotia ; and by this means, the Indians to the Eaftward of New-Englaitd are left at liberty to make continual In- O roads { 98 ) roads upon the EngliJIj Settlements of Nova-Scotia ; altho' it might be eafily prevented, if the Five Na- tions w^ere at liberty, v^^ith Safety to themfelves, to attack the faid Eajier?t Nations in the Province of Gafpcjfiey or more properly fpeak- ing,, in the back Parts of the Pro- vince of NovaScotia. „ Crown 'Poi/U is near to the Bran-^ ches o(Hud/ons River, which runs \yj Albany XoNewTork-^ and there- fore, from the Situation of the faid Fort, the Province of New-Tork may be brought into imminent Danger ; and indeed inTime it may endanger the Safety of the whole Continent of America : for if ever '1/: . the ( 99 ) tl^ French can take us at an un- guarded Hour, and could make themfelves Mafters of New-York^ they would be enabled thereby to cut off the Communication be- tween the Northern and Southern Colonies, and by the Aid of the Indians^ they might have it in their Power totally to deftroy the Englip Settlements ; nay it is to be feared, that the Fremh have had this in View for fome Time paft ; and altho' the Englijh have above ten tinies the Number of Settlers which the French have in their Colonics on the Continent o{ Afmrica^ yet the Englijh Frontiers being very extenfive, making near i 'joo Miles in length, and the Fre?jch haiing Q 2 moft ( 100 ) moft of the Indians in their Inter- eft, it is not eafy to guard againft the Indians in their fudden At- tacks ; for before the Englijh can colled any Number of I^^ople to- gether tooppofe them, xht Indians may, in the mean time, retire and fhelter themfelves behind t\icFrench Forts, and in fuch an extended Foreft 'tis fcarce poflible, through Swamps and Thickets, to purfue them with any Profpeft of Advan- tage, or even to fupply an Army with Neceflaries in fuch an En- terprize. The Views of the Freniph began to be public and open about the Year 1726, even fo as to make it im- ( ^^I ) impoffible to niiftuke their Dcfigns, provided the Englif ^-^d given the leaft Attention to the Concerns oi America. The Defigns of the French in taking in tht Great Lakes^ was to fecure the Indians^ and the Fur -Trade to themfelves. The Building of Crown-Point was to awe the Five Nations, or otherwife to bring them into the Meafures of France. The Treaties with the Eaftern Nations, or Tribes of In- dians^ and the Erecting a Province out of Nova-Scotia^ by the Name of Gafpejjiey was to enlarge their Territories on the Sea Coaft, and to extend their Fifhery • fo that what they have now done at Ohio is little, in comparifon of the In- croachments I ( 102 ) cfoachments they have formerly made on us ; nor in this Particular havp they deviated from their for- mer Scheme ; as the Forts they have lately built are almoft in a dircQ: Line with Niagara : How- ever, it is probable, they would not have afted fo haftily in this Matter, only that they were alarmed at the Settlement begun to be carried on by the Q^h Company. It is fur- ther obfervable, that if the French furrendered to us the Forts which they have lately taken at Ohio,^ and yet continue to extend their Bouth Line, they \70uld thereby take in a great Part of Virginia.^ and of North and South Carolina. and leave us wlioUy expofed to the Ex- ( 103 ) Excurfions of t\it Indians^ ill all our frontier Settlements ; and there- fore, whenever we have regulated our Affairs fo as to be in a Con- dition to recover fuch Part of our Colonies, as the French have, by their Art and Addrefs, taken Pof- fefllon of, we ought not only to demolifli the Forts which they have lately built on the Branches of the River Ohio^ but to take Crown- Point and Niagara from them, and alfo to build Forts for the Pro- tection of the Five Nations, and for enlarging our Trad^ and Com- merce with the Indians. '■' \ ' ' In the Treaty which was made between the Five Nations and the Cover- ( I04 ) Governor crf* New^-Tork in 1 746 ; the Governor expreffes himfelf to th€ following EffeA, viz. i t.. a u " The King your Father having " been informed of the unmanly " Murders cx)mmitted ( ^H ) lea^is^ and the Lieutenant Gover- nor refides at Mobille. After treating of the Settle- ments of the French on tlie Con- tinent, it may be proper to make feme brief Obfervations in relation to their other Settlements, and their furprifing Increafe or Im- provement fince 1 70 1. In a Memorial of the Board of Commerce, at ihat time prefented to the King in his Council of State, the faid Board reprefents as follows : ** That the Coafl: of Cayenne is about 60 Leagues in Extent, and not ( ITS ) not above ten or twelve of it are inhabited. That its Soil is very good, and that the Sugars it pro- duces do near equal in Goodnefs the white Sugars of Brazil ; that it afFords Rocou, which is a Drug for dying Red ; and that t here are not above 600 Whites, including Men, Women and Children, and 2000 Blacks of both Sexes. That the Ifland of Grenade is, in Circuit, about 25 Leagues; the number of Whites, including all Ages and Sexes, 200 ; and of Blacks of both Sexes, about 600 ; and that the faid Ifland produces Sugar, Indigo, Cotton, and Caflet. 0^2 That "l\ ( ii6 ) ; That Mariinico is about 6q Leagues in Circuit, the Soil good, and very fertile in Sugars, Cocoa, Indigo, and Cotton: that there were formerly 3500 white Men, and about 16000 Blacks of both Sexes on it. That Guardaloupey and the Land belonging to it, make about 50 Leagues in Circuit, contain about 1500 white Men, and about 8cQO Blacks of both Sexes. Marie Galante is in Circuit a- bout 16 Leagues, produces Sugar, Indigo, Cotton, and Ginger ; it was ( XI7 ) was taken by the Englijhy whq afterwards abaudoned it. «: )!i:: i i V » St, Cruce is about 25 Leagues round ; during the War with the Englijhy it was abandoned, and the Inhabitants tranfported to St. Domingo. Hifpaniolay or St. Domingo^ is about 500 Leagues in Circuit. The French poflefs one half of it from pape Franqois to the Vaches^ and the Spaniards have the other half. At Cape Franqois there is a good Port and about 900 white Men, and 2000 Blacks of both Sexes. To the Southward of that is Port du PaiXy >vhich the Englijh plundered and the I ,^ ( 1^8 ) the Inhabitants deferted it. In the Diftrid of Leogani the Governor refides, in which there are about 2000 white Men, and 15000 Blacks of both Sexes. ■ 1 1 Petit Guam has a good Port, and about 600 Whites and 2000 Blacks. There are fome other Iflands, as La Dominique^ Les Xaintes^^ St. Martin^ and St. Bartbolemy^ which were then almoft uninhabited." It is proper to remark here, that the French Board of Commerce do not make any mention of the Iflands of St. Vincent^ St. % Lum^ ( "9) Lucia^ or Tobago ; and although they mention La Do?ninique^ it is amongft the Illands which they fay r.re not fettled, yet there were then feveral Englijh Families re- fiding in Dommique. \ The Board of Commerce fur- ther report, that the lafi: War, and the Sicknefs known by the Name of Stam^ which a Ship brought from that Place, have much di- miniflied the French Colonies ; and that this, and the Neighbourhood of the Iflands which the Englijh poffefs, are very prcfling Motives for ftudying ferioufly the Safety of thofe Iflands and Colonies. By ( I20 ) ' By the above Calculation thfe French had then 8850 white Men, and 45600 Blacks in the liiid Iflands or Colonies ; but by a Calculation made in 1751, the French had then, in the faid Colo- nies, upwards of 5 1 500 white Men fit to bear Arms, independent of many thoufands of Sailors employ- ed in the Trade of the Colonies^ and 364800 Slaves of both Sexes ; end fince the Increale of their Colonies, they have incroached iipon the Englijh in fettling the Iflands of St, LuciUy Tobago^ Do- mintque^ &c. ^ The f 121 ) The Treaty that was on Foot for evacuating the faid Illand was much for the Service of the Eng- lip Nation, and indeed there were great Hopes of its fucceedingj but when the French found themfelves prefs*d on that Head, they artfully contrived a Treaty by Commif- fioners to be fent to Paris ; which gave the French an Opportunity of mixing the Concerns of the Iflands with thofe of the Conti- nent, fo that they had it there- by in their Power to delay the Eva- cuation of St. Liuciuy Tobago^ &c. The French Hkewife intended, if they came to a Divifion with R the ( 122 ) the EnglifJj on the Continent oF America^ to include our friendly Indians within their Bounds or Li- mits, and fo turn our own Weapons againfl: ourfelvcs. Many of the Indians to the Weft of the Apalacian or Blue Moun- tains have acknowledged them- feives fubjeft to the Crown of Great Britain ; and were we to determine thf:ir Territories to be within the French Limits, it would be throwing them into the Arms of France^ deftrudtive of all our fron- tier Settlements, and would put an entire Stop to the Trade and Commerce which hath been hi- therto carried on with them ; and it I 123 ) it is alfo much to be feared, that the French would in fuch cafe e- reft divers Forts witnin their Terri- tories, and in a manner compel them to make War on us. Thefe are the Effeds which would naturally arife from coming to a Divifion with the French \ but it is very difficult to judge what Good it could produce to the EngliJJj. For if fuch Limits were deter- mined, thofe who fettle on our Frontiers would not be more fecure in refped of their Lives or Pofleflions j as it has al- ways been and will be the Policy R 2 of ( 124 ) cS France y to ftir up their friendly Ir.dlcms to annoy cur Frontier Set- tlements, and afterwards difavow tv^ery Acl done by them. The Defign of mentioning thefe Matters is with a View to fliew that the French have always had a great Advantage over the EngUJh in treating with them ; as they puil^-ie one fteady uniform Method of Proceeding, and keep all the Channels of Information fo open and entire, that at the French Court they are apprifed of every thing that has the leaft Relation to their immediate Intereft. The ( 125 ) The Fre?tch are alfo extrcaie- ly fenlible of the Benefit of Na- vigation, anei th.it the Happinefs and Glory of their Kingdom de- pends upon It ; and they arc not ignorant, that the Navigation of France owes all its Increafe and Splendor to the Commerce of its Colonies : But now they have ex- tended their Views further, and en- deavour to obftrud the Englijh Commerce in all Parts of the World, as by that means they will not only increafe their own Power axid Inliuence, but in Proportion weaken ours ; which will give them a double Advantage over us, and, if not properly checked, it may, 2 in ( 126 } in time, enable them to extend their Influence and Power all over Europe. And although we have exerted ourfelves in Defence of the }3;ilance of Power in Europe ; yet it is to be feared that we muft ad lingic, and without any Support from our Allies, in the Defence of our Trade and Settlements. The Ambition of the French in extending their Empire is without any Bounds or Limits, and there- fore they countenance every Scheme, or Propofal, that has the lealt Profpedl of forwarding their grand Defign. In relation to which it may not be improper to mention the Scheme of an Of- ficer 1 LS { 127 ) ficcr of fome Note in the French Service in America^ viz. That they ought to life their utmoft endea- vours to make themfelves Mafters of the EfigliJJj Iflands in the TVeJl- IndicSy and to encourage the Eng- lijh Colonies on the Continent of America to unite and form a Re- publican Government; and, that in order to induce them thereto, it would be for the Service of France to open all their Ports to them, both in Europe and America, Such Schemes appear at prefent to be wild and extravagant, yet there are many things in the Womb of Time, which may favour the ambitious Views of Fra7jce in fuch Enter- prifes. But ( i28) But to refume the Subject: Whenever a Government has Con- fiftency and a proper Manage- ment of their Aftairs in time of Peace, we may expe6l the {lime in War ; and without them even for- tunate Events will not turn to the Advantage of any Nation. Now if England was to commence a a War againft France^ in fupport of her Trade and Colonies, what could be hoped from it, unlefs we firft correct the Abufes, which have through time crept into the Offices ? Which ought to be our firft and principal Care, before we make any Efforts to extend or proted: our Trade and Settlements, left left by wrong Information we apply improper Remedies, which in the End may prove dcftruc- tive to this Nation ; we may Uke- wife lay the Foundaticjn of a kind of Independency in the Colonies on the Continent of America^ and by permitting them to iffuc Pa- per-Bills of Credit, which are of- ten calculated to enrich particular Perfons altho' at the fame time they deftroy public Credit, we may alter the Courfe of their Trade and Commerce. The Suc- cefs the French have had^ and nov/ have, in enlarging their Trade, and extending their Settlements, doth not arife from the fuperior Abilities of thofe at the Helm, nor 8 from ( 130 ) from a warmer Zeal, or greater Application to the Service of their Country ; for, without Compli- ment, we have the Advantage of them in thefe Refpefts : but their Advantages over us arife from the mutual Relation and Subordi- nation of their Boards ; which is abfolutely neceflary to the uni- form Profecution of Bufinefs in all Defigns of Importance. The Affairs of Afmrica are at prefent very ferious and in* refting, and juftly claim the ut- moft Attention; and therefore, as is humbly conceived, it may be fit and proper (in thofe who have the Power to redrefsl to confider : 2 the ( X3I ) the prefent State of our Colonies the Offices relative thereto : And as France could not have aded with equal Succefs, provided they had not had a Fund appropriated to the Ufe of the Colonies, which hath been always applied accords ing to the Exigencies of their Affairs ; it may be likewife pro- per to eftablifli a Fund for the Ufe of our Colonies ; but previous thereto, it will be expedient to en- quire into the Manner of account- ing for the Revenues of the Crown in America ; for if it fhould be thought agreeable to the Wifdom of the Legiflature to create any new Funds in America for the Ufe of the Colonies, either by a S 2 Stamp- ( 132 ) gtamp -Duty on Vellum and Paper, or any other Way, to be appro-r priated to their Ufe, the Money colledled muft pafs through the Hands of the Officers who are ap-f pointed to receive his Majefty's Re- venues iu America ; and therefore it will be previoufly neceflary to know, whether the manner of acr- counting for his Majefty's Reve- nues in yhnerka is fo regulated, as to givx any juft or reafonable Hopes of having the Money colledted ap^ plied folely to the Ufes for which it is intended. . v.* '. : The Concerns of America^ and alfo the Proceedings of our Council pr Board of Commerce, are under the y )re to ac-: ve- . as ( ^33 ) the View and Infpe6lion of the Hon. the Houfe of Commons ; for as is humbly conceived, it appears evident from the Steps which were taken, previous to the Eftablifli- ment of a Council or Board of Trade in 1696, from the Syftem of the faid Board, and from their Courfe of Proceedings for the firft twelve Years, that the faid Board was intended as a kind of Ap- pendage to the Hon. the Houfe of Commons. and There . re many other Things in relation to our Colonies worthy of Confideration, which will be more properly the Subjed of another Difcourfe. FINIS.