in invading our Lands. I have desired him to write me by what Authority he proceeds in this unjust and unwarrantable Manner, and have desired him immediately to return, otherwise I shall be obliged to follow the Directions and Powers invested in me from his Majesty of Great Britain by repelling Force by Force. The Messenger has been gone three Weeks; when he returns I shall acquaint You of his Proceedings, Reception, and Answer of the French Officer.

"We have several Workmen gone out to build a Fort at the Forks of Mohongialo with the Approbation and desire of the Indians, but if the French have embarked and gone down the River I fear they will prevent our Designs.

"I am fully of Opinion that all the Colonies should join in opposing the Designs of the French, for they will be cruel bad Neighbours if allowed to settle so near our Western Frontiers.

"Our Assembly is now sitting; I have by Order from Home represented to them the Necessity of a proper Supply in case of Need, but I fear they will be very backward therein unless the Messenger I sent to the French returns before the House is up; they say if occasion they will readily come into a Supply, but this Dominion is so extensive and the Expence of calling the House of Burgesses so very large that I wish they may do it now.

"I shall write Mr. Glen of the Necessity and Usefulness of enlarging those Indians. The Commissioner I sent to Winchester was chiefly to deliver a Present to the Twightwees and to receive their Assurances of Friendship to the British Subjects, and to ask them and some of the Chiefs of the other Nations of Indians to meet me at Winchester next May, when I propose to give them a considerable Present and to endeavour to make Peace between the Northern and Southern Indians; after that to make a strict Alliance between the many different Tribes and the King of Great Britain and his Subjects setled on this Continent. I shall therefore be glad of your Assistance in an Affair I think so necessary for our Mother County, the Trade and Safety of these Colonies. The Express I sent to New York is not yet returned, which gives me some Uneasiness.

"I presume the Letter I sent You by him was from the Earl of Holdernesse, I suppose for a mutual Supply from all the Colonies. I shall be glad if so to know the Disposition of your People on this present Emergency.

"My time is much taken up with the Assembly, therefore can only say farther, that I remain with sincere Regard and Respect, 'Sir, Your obedient humble Servant,

"ROBT. DINWIDDIE.

"Governor HAMILTON."

Then was read another Letter from Governor Dinwiddie in the following Words:

"Sir:

“WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia, January 29th, 1754.

"The Return of the Gentleman whom I sent Express to the French Commandant to know what Steps the French were taking on the Ohio, enables me to acquaint your Honour that on his arrival there he found that the French had taken Post on a Branch of that River and built a Fort, wherein they had mounted eight Pieces of Cannon, Six Pounders, and that they had in Readiness Materials for other Forts, which they declared their Intentions to erect on the River, and particularly at Log's Town, the Place destined for their Chief Residence, so soon as the Season would permit them to embark; and for which Purpose He saw two hundred and twenty Canoes ready finished, besides a great number more blocked out. Having delivered his Credentials and my Letter, he complained to the Commander of the Violence that had been offered to his Majestie's Subjects in seizing their Effects and making Prisoners of their Persons, to which he was answered, That the Country belonged to them; that no Englishman had a Right to trade upon those Waters, and that he (the Commandant) had orders to make every Person Prisoner that attempted it on the Ohio, or the Waters of it.'

"Your Honour will perceive these to be their Sentiments by the enclosed, and it were superfluous to advance many arguments with so discerning and Sagacious a Servant of our Master to prove the Urgency that presses every one of his Majestie's Colonies to exert themselves on this Occasion to Vindicate the Honour and Dignity of his Crown, and justify his undoubted Rights against the Invaders of the British Property.

"The Power of our Enemies is far from being contemptible, and it is as certain they will exert its utmost Efforts to procure all possible Advantages against Us. They have already engaged Three Indian Nations, the Chippoways, Ottoways, and Orundacks, to take up arms against the English, and from the best Information Major Washington learned that the French had Four Forts on the Mississippi, besides their Strong Settlement at New Orleans, where they have above Fourteen Hundred Men in Garrison; That by means of the River Ovabaseck they have Communication between Canada and the Mississippi, and some Forts on the Owabesh to cover and protect this Communication.

"Before they sent their Troops into Winter Quarters last Fall they called the several Tribes of Indians near their Fort together and told them that altho' the approaching Season and the State at that time of the Waters made it necessary to send the chief of their Forces into Winter Quarters, yet they might be assured to see

them early in the Spring with a much more considerable Armament, and that then they would take Possession of the Ohio, and threatned them if they were not entirely passive.

"These Circumstances induced me to order out for the present a Detachment of the Militia and call together the Assembly, which I have ordered to meet the fourteenth of next Month, and hope they will enable me to take more vigorous Measures, which I shall then do with all Expedition, and propose to have what Men I can raise at Will's Creek on the head of Patowmack River early in March, which I have chosen for a Place of Rendezvous, as being more generally convenient for us all and nearest the Scene of action.

"It may, perhaps, interfere with the Service to divide the Command, and therefore I should be glad to find that it were agreeable to you to entrust my general Officer with the command of the Forces You can prevail with your Assembly to raise on this occasion.

"I have no doubt but you will be qualified upon this present Situation of our Affairs to raise a considerable Force for defeating the Designs of the French, and as you have many Persons among You that understand the Lands upon the Ohio, they will be able to give you proper Intelligence; but it appears to me absolutely necessary to be very early on the Ohio with such Forces as we possibly can collect together; and as I have no doubt of your earnest Inclination to promote the Dignity of the Crown and the Safety of these Colonies, I pray an Answer on the Return of this Express, and am, with great Respect, Sir,

"Governor HAMILTON."

"Your most humble Servant,

"ROBT. DINWIDDIE."

In which was enclosed the following Letter from the French Commander to the Governor of Virginia:

"Monsieur:

"Comme j'ai l'honneur de commander en Chef, Monsieur Washington, m'a remus la lettre que vous ecriviez au Commandant des Trouppes Francoises.

"J'aurois ete charme que vous lui eussiez donne ordre on qu'il ent ete dispose a se rendre en Canada pour voir Monsieur notre General, au quel il appertient mieux qu'a moi de mettre au jour l'evidence, et la realite des droits du Roi mon Maitre sur les Terres scituees le long de la belle Riviere, et de contester les Pretentions du Roi de la grande Bretagne a cet egard.

"Je vais adresser votre lettre a Monsieur Le Marquis Duquisne; sa reponse me servira de loi, et sil m'ordonne de vous la communi

quer, Monsieur, je puis vous assurer que Je negligerai vieu pour Vous la faire tenir promptement.

"Quant a la Sommation que vous me faites de me retirer, je ne me crois pas dans l'obligation de m'y rendre; quelques que puis sent etre vos Instructions, Je suis ici en vertu desordres de mon General, et je vous prie, Monsieur, de ne pas douter un instant que je suis dans la constante Resolution de m'y conformer avec tout l'exactitude, et la fermete que l'on peut attendre du meilleur Officier.

“J'ignore que dans le cours de cettee Compagne il se soit rien passe qui puisse etre repute pour Acte d'hostilite, ne qui soit contraire aux traitez qui subsistent entre les deux Couronnes, dont la Continuation nous interresse, et nous flattee autant que Messieurs les Anglois. S'il vous eut ete agreeable, Monsieur, d'en venir sur ce point a un detail particulier des faits qui motivent votre plainte, j'aurois eu l'honneur de vous repondre de la facon la plus positive, et je suis persuade, que vous auries en lieu d'etre satisfait.

"Je me suis fait un Devoir particulier de recevoir Monsieur Washington avec la Distinction qui convient a votre Dignette a sa Qualite et a son grand Merite; je puis me flatter qu'il me rendra cette Justice au pres de vous, Monsieur et qu'il vous fera connoitre ainsi que moi le Respect profond avec lequel je suis.

"Monsieur, votres tres humble et tres obeissant Serviteur. "LEGARDEUR DE S PIERRE.

"Du Fort de la Riviere, au beuf le 15 xbre, 1753.".

Then was read a Letter from Governor Delancy in the following Words:

"Sir:

"NEW YORK, 7th December, 1753.

"I have lately received a Letter from the Commanding Officer at Oswego of the eighth November, acquainting me that since his former to Governor Clinton the greatest Part of the French Army that went up this Summer to Ohio had re-passed Oswego, from whom Two Men deserted, the One an Englishman taken at Minas during the late War, the Other a Frenchman; that from these he learned that the French have not been able to accomplish their Designs on the Ohio by reason of the Indians, but threaten a second Tryal next Year; they also informed him that the French Army had been very sickly, and great numbers had died of the Scurvy through the badness of their Provisions, and that the Indians to the Southward had not only bid them Defiance but had forced from them both Provisions and Brandy several times; they farther informed him that the French had taken Two English Prisoners whom they sent

to Canada in Irons. I communicate this piece of Intelligence as it cannot but be agreeable to You, if the Information contained in the Letter be true. You will observe the French threaten to renew their attempts next Year; this they will probably do unless the Difficultics which they may apprehend from the Indians in the Execution should deter them. The French building Forts and making Settlements on the Ohio will prove of pernicious Consequences to his Majestic's Dominions, for as that River (according to the Idea I have of the Country) is much nearer to the back Settlements than the Course the French used to take through the Lakes, they will more easily make Incursions upon the British Subjects, being near and having a Place of Retreat and Security at their Forts, they will intercept the Indian Trade, and draw the Indians into a greater dependance on them than is consistent with the Safety of his Majestie's Subjects in that Part of America; if the French have Forts at proper Places on the Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia may find that in another War they will become as sharp Thorns in their Sides as Fort St Frederick at Crown Point is to Massachusetts Bay and New York. These Considerations may perhaps deserve the attention of Mr. Penn and your Assembly.

"I am, Sir,

"Your most obedient and most humble Servant,

"The Honble Governor HAMILTON."

"JAMES DELANCY..

Then was read another Letter from Governor De Lancey, enclos ing an Extract of a Letter from the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, both which are in the following words:

"Sir:

"NEW YORK, 11th December, 1753.

"On Friday last I received the enclosed Lctter with others to the Governors of Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and the Massachusetts Bay, from the Lords Commissioners for Trade and the Plantations, to be forwarded as addressed, and as they are referred to in their Lordship's Letter to me, I enclose you an Extract of it, in Pursuance of which I proposed an Interview with the Indians at Albany on the thirteenth or fourteenth Day of next June; the Assembly here have this Day resolved that they will make Provision for the Presents usually given on such Occasions, and for the Expence of my Voyage thither, so that I intend to meet the Indians at the Time and Place above mentioned. Assembly have also resolved upon my laying before them the Letter from the Earl of Holdernessc, that they will make a suitable Provision for assisting any of the neighboring Colonies to repel Force by Force in case they be invaded in an hostile manner by any

The