tions that have been preferred to me from the Inhabitants of several parts of this Province, representing their naked and defenceless Condition, and praying Means may be supplied to enable them to defend themselves, which you are sensible is not in my power to comply with. He will also lay before you a Letter I received last Night from John Harris, giving an account of a large party of Indians actually set out from the French Fort, with design to fall upon and destroy the Inhabitants of this and the neighbouring Provinces. You have, Gentlemen, this piece of intelligence as I received it, and will form your own Judgment of the Truth of it. For my part I think it probable, and therefore recommend it to you to take immediate thought about it, as the consequence will be very terrible to the Inhabitants if this account be true; and it can do them no injury to be upon their guard, if it should prove false. "ROBT. H. MORRIS.

"Philadelphia, August 15, 1755.”

The Speaker attended by the whole house waited on the Governor with the Bill entituled "An Act for extending so much of an Act intituled An Act for punishing Mutiny and Desertion, and for the better payment of the Army and their Quarters,' passed in the twenty-eighth Year of the present Reign, as relates to the Quartering and Billeting of Soldiers, and payment of their Quarters in that part of Great Britain called England," which was passed into a Law, Scaled and Lodged in the Recorder's Office.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, Monday, 18th August, 1755.

Scarroyady, Jonathan Cayenquiloquoa, Moses Canadies, Jacknachdorus or John Thutcatany, Atackquosson, Conrad Weiser Interpreter.

Mr. Weiser acquainted the Governor and Council that he had, in converation with the Owendats, learned their History, and it was as follows, viz":

"They were invited to come to a great Treaty to be held in Winchester in fifty-nine; that accordingly they set out with that intention to come to Virginia, passing by the French Fort on Minongehelo, the head of the English Expedition, and were invited to stay with the French in the Fort, but in vain; so they came along by Peter Churlier's old town so far as Aughwick to receive further Directions

from the Governor of Pennsylvania, at which last-mentioned place they received the fatal news by Aron, the Half King's Son. Then they resolved to go as far as Carlisle to receive the Governor's directions; but when they came to Carlisle they were told that the Governor of Pennsylvania had been there, but could not stay after he heard of the defeat of the English Army, and that they tho' Indians must follow him to Philadelphia, and that in a few days Conrad Weiser's Son arrived by order of the Governor of Pennsylv to convey them to Philadelphia."

After which the Governor informed the Council,

That Scarroyady had sent him several Messages by Mr. Weiser to desire he would not speak to the Owendats till he, Scarroyady, had an Opportunity of sounding them as to their Affection for the English, and not to be uneasy if it should take some time to do it.

On Saturday the 16th of August Scarroyady informed the Governor that he had taken many Opportunities of conferring with the Owendats, and tho' in their frequent Conversations with him they had always expressed themselves in a friendly manner towards their Brethren the English, yet he advised the Governor if he had any thing of consequence to say to the Six Nations not to lay it before them in the presence of the Owendats.

He further advised the Governor to speak to them by themselves, and to give them seperate presents, and the sooner this was done it would be the better. He found they desired to return home; they said their Famalies, as they had been a long while from home, would think something bad had befallen them, and they wished their Brethren would let them know what they had to say to them.

That upon this he desired Mr. Peters and Mr. Weiser would think of a proper Assortment of Goods for a present, and bespeak them that they might be ready.

The Governor further informed the Council that Mr. Weiser had this morning found the Owendats in a very bad Temper, and said if the present was not delivered to them this day he believed they would go away; that he had acquainted the Speaker with what was thought necessary to be given, as well to the Owendats as to the Six Nations, and he concurring with him in opinion and promising to mention it to the House, Mr. Peters and he had ordered that part of Goods intended to be given the Owendats to the Governor's House, to be delivered to them after dinner.

The Governor ordered the Goods in, and then spoke as follows: "Brethren, the Owendats

"The Goods now lying before you are the Gift of the Good People of this Province. They desire your acceptance of them as a Mark of the sincere affection they bear you, and of the greatful

sense they have of your Friendship in coming to pay them this visit at such a dangerous time."

Here the Interpreter received the following List of the Goods:

"We consider you as united to us in a firm League of Friendship and as having the same Interests with us, in consideration of this we desire that when you return home, as You live at a great Distance and among our Enemies, You would observe every thing that is doing, keep up a close Correspondence with us, and give us early notice when any thing is intended against us.

"We expect you will do all in your power to prevent any Injury being offered to our back Inhabitants; and if it should be told you that notwithstanding your good Offices Hurt is projected against us, You will dispatch one of your Tribe in whom you can repose a Confidence, and whom you know to be a Friend of the English, to give us notice of such intended Harm that we may be prepared to defend ourselves.

"We cannot give you the IIatchet, but we depend on the continuance of your Friendship, and that you will neither be concerned in any attempts against the Lives or properties of our Inhabitants, nor as far as lies in you to suffer others to do us hurt. say to your nation, and accordingly you will acquaint them with our request. In Confirmation whereof We give you this Belt.”

Here a Belt was given.

This we

A Message sent by the Governor on the 16th Instant to the Assembly, in Answer to theirs of the 12th Instant on Indian Affairs, was read in these words:

"A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.

"Gentlemen:

"If my Message gave you reason to think that the Owendats came here on a particular invitation of Mine at this time, I have led you into a mistake; they set out from their Country, as they have informed me, on the plan set forth in the Minutes of Council of the twentieth and twenty-fourth day of December last, which were laid before you.

"The other Indians at their request accompanied them hither as they were strangers; and Scarroyady says he has some particular Business to transmit with this Government. I have in the name of the Province given Thanks to the Owendats for this kind visit, and to those of the Six Nations that were with our Army in the late Action; assured them all of the Affections of the English; recommend to them to continue firm in their Attachments to us, and give them Room to expect some presents as a token of our Regard.

"As the Treasury is exhausted I can only say that I will readily pass a bill for striking any sum in Paper Money the present Exi gency may require, provided Funds are established for sinking the same in Five Years.

"The Secretary will communicate to you what was said to the Indians Yesterday, and I shall lay before you what may further pass between us, & earnestly recommend to you to enable me to send these people away perfectly satisfied.

"PHILADELPHIA, Aug 16th, 1755."

"ROBT. H. MORRIS.

The Governor laid before the Council a Letter from Gov De Lancey and his Message to the Assembly thereupon:

"Sir:

A Letter from Governor De Lancey to Governor Morris.

"NEW YORK, 7th August, 1755.

"I inclose you a Copy of an Extract of Governor Lawrence's Letter to Lieutenant Governor Phipps, which I received Yesterday. His intelligence should be a strong motive to induce us to continue to restrain by every means in our power supplying the French with provisions, as they must be greatly distressed for want of them.

The Assembly yesterday voted 400 additional Men to reinforce those under Major General Johnson, which I hope will soon be raised and sent away. The Governor of Connecticut I expect will send 500, and if Massachusetts Bay do the like we shall have a

force sufficient near Crown Point to withstand the Canadians tho' they shou'd be joined by the Troops from France which have escaped up the River St. Lawrence.

"And if Jersey send more Men to Colonel Schuyler to reinforce General Shirley, and I hear their Assembly have voted £30,000. We may have reason to hope we shall be able to cope with the French.

"I am, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant,
"JAMES DE LANCEY.

"To Governor MORRIS."

A Message from the Governor to the Assembly. "Gentlemen:

"By an Extract of a Letter from Governor Lawrence to Lieutenant Governor Phips sent me by Governor De Lancey, I find that the French at Louisburgh are in great distress for provisions, insomuch that he thinks they may be reduced to the necessity of giving up the place to us if a supply can be prevented.

"I therefore recommend it to you to think of some proper Law that may most effectually prevent their being supplied from this Province.

"Philadelphia, August 16th, 1755."

"ROBT H. MORRIS.

Sundry Letters from Mr. Burd relating to the new accounts of the poor people employed in cutting the Roads for the use of the Army were read, and the Accounts sent to the House by the Secretary.

Mr. Alexander having been so kind as to transmit to the Governor a Copy of an order made by the Governor and Council of the Province of New Jersey relating to the unjust pretentions and mutinous behaviour of some of the people of Connecticut, the same was read and ordered to be entered as a precedent to be observed in case those restless Spirits continue their design of settling Lands in this Province.

Copy of the Minutes of the Council of the Province of New Jersey. "At a Council August 9th, 1755.

"His Excellency laid before this Board sundry Depositions, which being read it from thence appears that a considerable number of the people of the County of Hunterdon, and particularly of the late Rioters on the Society's and Byerlie's Tracts there, have within a