influence my Representations, I should not offer any farther thoughts upon it seeing that my Salary is Augmented, and my Cares and Trouble in some measure lessened, Considerations of no small Weight with the generality of mankind, but when I reflect that this Reform is a Matter of the most Serious Consequence, that its final operations, require the strictest Canvassing, that the Consequences of Mismanagement have such weight with the Board of Trade as to induce them to say, that were it probable it should again take place "They would not hesitate in declareing their opinion against the Propriety of Suffering the management of this Concern ever to revert into the hands of the Colonies." I say My Lord when I duly consider all this I cannot but Conclude it my Imediate Duty to offer my humble thoughts, and throw all possible light on the Obscure parts of Indian Affairs which being a Terra Incognita, inaccessible to the Generality of even enquirers is thereby more liable to Misrepresentation than any other Subject.

I shall therefore proceed to take a short View of the State of the Colonies and Indians previous to the late War and since with the changes produced in the Politicks and Sentiments of both, from a consideration of which I flatter myself some Conclusions may be drawn relative to the Event of the present System and its future operations.

The General Misconduct and Neglect of Provincial Management is too well known and has been repeatedly expressed as the Sense of Government, It is however said by some that they formerly managed the Indians at a very Cheap and Easy Rate, and that they were in general peaceable, the conclusion to be drawn from thence is, That they had best to have them again in their hands which I am not at all Surprised that many persons concerned in Trade should wish for, I own I shall readily admit that their Transactions were attended with very little Expence and I know what they lost by their own economy, the manner and Success of their Management will require to be more particularly discussed.

The English were unknown to the Western Confederacy before this Century, and the Nature of Our Government Genius and pursuits of our People prevented them from being objects of Jealousy to the Six Nations and others with whom they were some what acquainted, The little we had to do with them was easily and reasonably transacted whilst they had few suspicions of our designs, a slender opinion of our powers and abilities, and whilst the Inhabitants and Traders thro' fear were cautious of giving them offence, On the other hand they saw a small but vigorous enterprizing Colony in Canada, whose Government, Pursuits and Genius, led them to make bold Advances, to carry War into the Midst of their Country, and whose Politicks set one Nation against another which enabled them to penetrate into the Western Territory, and to form Alliances and Trade with Nations entire Strangers to us with one or other of whom they were nevertheless Generally at War, These were a people Sufficient to alarm the Jealousy of Indians. Their Eyes were fixed upon them, and they were glad to see another European power in the Country, and indeed for the greatest part of this Country I cant find that the Indians were undeceived concerning us, Nevertheless in proportion as they became acquainted with Europeans, and courted by both parties, their want encreased, as did the expences attending for the French spared neither pains nor money upon those occasions, whilst we avoided both and what little was given was so ill timed, and thro' the hands of such Americans, Ignorant and Slothfull Managers, as rendered it of little use, so that whoever shall peruse the Records of Indian Affairs will find that their Complaints have been encreasing from the Commencement of this Century and their defection from Our Interest is as Vissible, till at the breaking out of the late War they were totally alienated from

our Interest, At which time the Indians were so far improved in knowledge and avarice that their Services became very expensive and some Gentlemen contributed thereto by unsuccessfull endeavours to acquire an undue Influence amongst them, The Western Indians even at this time were little known and much prejudiced against us thro' the suggestions of the French and our own Misconduct to those few who sometimes resorted to Oswego as I once before related, and as for those who were better acquainted with us, altho' they still retained but a slender opinion of our Abilities, they nevertheless grew Alarmed and Suspicious on observing our encrease and the advancement of Our Settlements, which Joined to a dislike that had been gradually encreasing rendered the appointment of a Superintendant extreamly necessary had no War broke out with France. The Conquest of Canada being Compleated in 1760, we were to enter into Alliances, which would make a tenfold addition of Indians, Our Troops took Possession of the Forts in the Western Country, and our Traders flocked thither with Goods, The French saw that they must share with other Colonies that Trade which they before held unrivalled, and many of them flattering themselves with the hopes of a change and stimulated by Interest spread false Reports amongst the Indians, at the same time those residing in the Western Country and some of those1 Partizans, who had retreated thither on the reduction of Montreal, were very busy in Alarming the Jealousies of these our new Allies, occasiond a General Confederacy against us, on which I went to Detroit in 1761, where I held a Treaty with them, Gave them a strong assurances of his Majestys favour, and that Measures woud be taken for preventing Abuses Encroachments &, whereby I for that time prevented their designs, and on my return represented the necessity for such Establishments as woud remove their Suspicions and preserve peace and order, but before any thing was done therein, the artifices of the French, Misconduct of Our People and Suspicions of the Indians (all which have been often represented) produced the War in 1763-which thro' means of a Vigorous Expedition, and by employing one Nation against another was terminated the year following, One of the principal causes of this War was the Apparent change in our behaviour to the Indians, the want of proper Agents with fit powers amongst them, and the alarming Circumstance of our being the Sole Europeans here by the reduction of Canada, Those Numerous Nations to whom we were introduced by this Conquest had their Natural aversions aggravated by this Circumstance, and our Old Allies began to be much Alarmed at it, This was one of the Natural Consequences of our great encrease of our Advancement into their Country and of the enlargement of our Connections with them and could only be surmounted by degrees by favours, [&] A seemin attention to their Interests, establishments for their Affairs, and some Summary Methods for obtaining Justice—our people are not inclined to do this, They began to think them unworthy attention, they encroached upon them Insulted and Wronged them and altho' they paid dear for this during the Indian War, yet no sooner was it terminated in 1764 than elated thereby, and by the Conquest of Canada, and seemingly insensible that this Conquest had encreased the number of our Indian Enemys, and rendered the management of them an Affair of much more difficulty than before they pushed on their encroachments and at last began to proceed to Rob and Murder them whereever they met them, the general turn and sentiments of our People will in spight of conviction lead them into these Errors. The plan which came over that year met with several delays and thereby time was given to all those whose imediate prospects of advantage might be frustrated by its Establishment to represent the Necessity of a general Indulgence to Trade where they pleased. The French in the Indian Country were at the

1 their. Johnson's MS., XVL, New-York Documentary History, 8vo., II., 900. — Ed.

bottom of this, they knew that if once they were permitted to bring Goods there, they could Secure that part of the Trade to themselves by their Politicks, The Event has Justified this, The Indians have began already to Murder our Traders and the French have aided in plundering them, and persuaded the Indians to threaten all English with death who shall enter their Country, In short they have been only hitherto prevented from taking Arms thro' their reliance on my Assurances from time to time in the Name of Government. That their Affairs were under consideration that they might be assured that such Authority should be given to the Managers of their Affairs as would remedy those Abuses of which they have so often Complained, and of which the Crown seems to be so Sensible. Their Reliance is, and has been entirely on the Crown thro' the powers vested in its Officer, founded on a certainty of the utter impossibility of receiving it at other hands whether the same be owing to inexperience, want of leisure, disinclination, the want of legal Provision adapted to the peculiarity of their Affairs, or to that particular biass of the Colonists which operates so much to the disadvantage of the Indians, throughout their various Subjects of Contention, whether in the ordinary pursuit of their Landed or Commercial Interests in America. These points in the Course of my Correspondence with his Majesty's Ministers have been more than once enlarged on, and I see with Satisfaction that Your Lordship and the Board of Trade are persuaded of their General truth, and therefore I might have avoided giving Your Lordship the trouble of perusing so long a detail, did it not contain some circumstances which will point out the difficulties I must expect to encounter in reconcileing the whole of the Measures according to the Reform to the minds of the Indians, and produce some thoughts from the conclusions and considerations of which I flatter myself that Your Lordship will think it necessary to the Public Quiet that the Colonies have ample directions for the good Management of Affairs of Commerce, as there is reason to apprehend they will not incline to be at much trouble or expence about them. These thoughts are with all becoming deference humbly Submitted to your Lordship. I am to assure Your Lordship that I shall lose no time in compleating and fulfilling his Majesty's Orders touching the carrying the Reform into Execution omitting no pains necessary for explaining and reconcileing it to the Indians, relying on his Majesty's support for the more effectual discharge of the rest of the Dutys remaining under my Superintendency, which I shall always endeavour to perform in the best manner, but there are some points necessary thereto which it is my Duty to lay before your Lordship. The Northern and Southern Departments are put upon the same allowance altho' the Northern has been always considered and admitted to be by much the most Considerable and Respectable whether as to the Number of Indians, their dispositions, or the circumstances attending their Affairs and Management, And as Annual Presents must be given to the Western Indians, Six Nations, those of Canada, and the Shawanese and Delawares, I submit it to your Lordship whether there is a possibility of doing this and providing for all other necessary Contingencies on £3000 pr Annum. In the next place the absolute necessity there is for my having some Subordinate Officers for the carrying on the various operations and Dutys of this Office, Those Deputys and Interpreters who are Essential thereto, do not appear to have a provision made for them, the Sum I formerly proposed for a present alone was £4000. The Contingences are besides as uncertain as they are innumerable and as 1 am directed to remove all those Officers who were established for the Indian Trade, which are the Commissaries, Smiths at the Posts &ca, the future want of those Corresponding Agents, will in many Respects add to the trouble as well as the expence of Management So that the Deputys who are long Established cannot be paid out of the Annual

£3000. without omitting some other essential part of the Service, nor can theirs be dispensed with. But that the Service may not suffer thro' the want of what is necessary and reasonable, I shall endeavour to settle these matters with the Commander in Chief of the Army, in the best manner I can, hoping it will merit approbation.

The other Affairs of the Department, the necessity for continuing the Boundary Line Northerly from Owegy so as to Establish bounds between them and New York in such manner as the Indians shall be prevailed on to agree to, I hope to receive your Lordships Commands upon.

As to the other objects of Concern and the extraordinary Intelligences received I am doing all in my power thereon, and hope to lay them and other Matters more fully before your Lordship in my next, but the Subject of this Letter having already drawn it out to an immoderate length I must for the present draw to a Conclusion, by expressing my humble gratitude to his Majesty for the Augmentation of my Sallary, and my Sincere thanks to your Lordship Assuring you that I should not desire it, longer than I was able to do real Service, and that as all my proposals have been directed with that View, the same shall ever remain the invariable rule of My Conduct, thro' which I persuade myself of his Majesty's favour and the Continuance of your Lordships Countenance.

I have the honour to be, with the most profound Respect

On the 18th of July I received your Letter to me N° 11, acquainting me with your Intention of setting out the next Day after the date of it for the Mohawk Country; and I shall be happy to hear that your Journey has proved as agreeable to yourself as I dare say it will have been beneficial to the Public.

I have only in Command from His Majesty to send you the inclosed Order of His Majesty in Council, confirming the Boundary Line between New York and Quebec, as agreed upon and fixed by yourself and Governor Carleton, for the due Execution of which Order under the several Limitations and Restrictions contained in it, His Majesty has the fullest Reliance on your zeal for & attention to His Service.

Some doubts having occurred to the Lords of Trade whether the two last Acts passed in New York for making provision for quartering His Majesty's Troops were such a compliance with the British Act of Parliament as to give Validity to the Subsequent Acts and Proceedings of the Legislature there, under the Restrictions of the Act of Parliament of the 7th of the King, their Lordships thought fit to make a Report to His Majesty thereupon.

This Report has been since referred to His Majesty's Attorney & Solicitor General for their opinion the Question agitated by the Board of Trade, and they having reported that they are of Opinion, the Act of Assembly passed in New York in June 1767 is such a Compliance with the Act of Parliament of the Seventh year of His Majesty's Reign as leaves the validity of the Acts and Proceedings of the Legislature of the Colony subsequent to the 1st of October 1767, subject to no objection, on that Account, I herewith inclose to you a Copy of His Majesty's Order in Council thereupon, directing the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations to proceed in the Consideration of the other Laws passed in that Province, and make their Representations thereupon to His Majesty in Council in the usual & accustomed manner.

I am &c"

Hillsborough

Order in Council confirming the Boundary Line between New-York and Quebec.

[From New-Tork Council Minute*, Albany, XXVI., 181. ]

At the Court at S' James's the 12th day of August 1768

WHEREAS there was this Day read at the Board a Report from the Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs dated the 9th of this Instant, upon considering a Report made by the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, upon an Extract of a Letter from Sir Henry Moore Governor of New York, to the Earl of Shelburne dated the 16,h of January last, relative to the setling the Boundary Line between that Province and Quebec: By which Report it appears, that it having been mutually agreed upon, between Sir Henry Moore and the Commander in Chief of the Province of Quebec, at a Meeting for that purpose appointed, that the Line of Division between these Provinces should be fixed at the forty fifth Degree of North Latitude, conformable to the Limits laid down in his Majesty's Proclamation of October 1763, and it having been ascertained and determined by proper Observations where the said Line would pass; it is therefore proposed that these Proceedings above stated should be confirmed by his Majesty—His Majesty taking the said Report into Consideration was pleased with the Advice of his privy Council to approve thereof, and doth hereby confirm the said Proceedings above stated, and order that the said Line of Division be run out and continued as far as each Province respectively extends Provided that nothing