"Permit us, however, to add, that we think it will be necessary to press their Union amongst themselves, and that they will do well to have due regard to the Opinion of their old & experienc'd Men, whose Advice from the Account they give seems to have been laid aside; most of Us you are sensible are Men of Peaceable Principles, & the Presents we gave (and those formerly given on behalf of this Government so far as we have understood) were to supply them with Necessaries towards acquiring a Livelihood and to cultivate the Friendship between Us, and not to encourage their entring into War. This we think most for the King's Interest and the Peace & Safety of his Colonies in America, it being well known that Wars once begun amongst them are not to be ended without great difficulty, & are attended with so much Bloodshed & Cruelty as usually excite Revenge & like Inhumanity from the Indians in the French Interest against those in Amity with us, and against others the King's Subjects. "We observe from Conrad Weiser's Letter, which You were pleased to order to be laid before us, the Indians continue their Complaints of the Injuries they have received by the carrying of Rum amongst them, and we therefore hope You will endeavour to prevent this for the future by directing the Laws provided against this abuse to be duly put in Execution. "As to that part of the Message we have mention'd which relates to Governor Shirley's Letters & Proposals, we are not inform'd of any further Accounts receiv'd from him since our last Meeting, and therefore our Sentiments on that Occasion at this time will, we presume, be of little Use. "Sign'd by Order of the House. "11th Mon., 9th, 1747." "JOHN KINSEY, Speaker." And then they were call'd in & told that tho' the Council was preparing some Matters of Moment to lay before the House, yet since they were inclined to adjourn the Board were willing to acquiesce. The Secretary was order'd to desire the President to send a copy of the Assembly's Message of the 6th Instant to Governor Clinton, with a proper Letter on the Subject. Mr. William Moore & Mr. Samuel Flower presented to the Board the Returns of the Subaltern Officers of Eleven Companies chosen by the Associators of Chester County, whereby it appear'd that Mr. Moore was Elected Colonel, Mr. Flower Lieutenant Colonel, & Mr. John Mathers Majors of the Associated Regiment of Foot of the said County. Colonel Moore & Lieutenant Colonel Flower having took & subscribed the Oaths to the Government, their Com missions were deliver'd to them. Commissions were Sign'd Consti tuting the said John M'Coull, Esqr., Capt. George Taylor, Esqr., Captain. John Mathers, Major. Kent, Gent., Lieut. George McCullough, Gent, Ens.) Joseph Talbert, Gent., Ens". James Hunter, Esqr., Capt". Charles Moore, Gent., Lieut. Benjamin Weatherby, Gent., Ens". At a Council held at Philada. the 22d Jan"., 1747. PRESENT: The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President. The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd. The President's Letter to Governor Clinton, inclosing the Assembly's Message of the 6th Instant, was read as follows: "Sir: "PHILADA., 11th Jan"., 1747. "Your Excellency's Letter by Express arriving the Day before the Assembly sat, the Council had an opportunity of laying it before them, together with Your estimate of the Pay due to the four Pennsylvania Companies who were on the Muster Roll at the time of their Discharge, & again earnestly desir'd them to comply with His Majestie's Demand, but without Success as You will see by their Message, a copy whereof I have inclos'd. Now your Excellency knows that they will do nothing. Be pleas'd to favour me with an Answer to the Letters I have had the honour to write to You on this Occasion, being with perfect Esteem & Regard, "Your Excellency's most obed'. Servant, "His Excellen". Gov'. CLINTON." "ANTHONY PALMER. A Letter from Governor Clinton to the President was read & order'd to be enter'd. "Sir: "NEW YORK, 5th Jan"., 1747. "I am favour'd with Your Letter of the 29th December, in conjunction with several Gentlemen subscribers thereto, representing that a Scheme is sett on foot for raising Fortifications for the Defence & Security of Your Province, But as You have not Cannon in readiness for that End, You desire the lent of some from this Province till You can be supply'd from England. "I acquainted His Majesty's Council with Your Request, who have advised me to inform You That as His Majesty has sent an Engineer over to his Province on the Pay of the Crown, & whose Arrival from Boston I daily expect, it will not be adviseable in me to part with any of the Cannon within my Government till he is thoroughly inform'd with the State & Condition of this Province, & what further Fortifications may be wanting for the better defence thereof. "I shou'd be very willing to oblige You on this Occasion, as I am sensible it must contribute to His Majesty's Service, & when this Gentleman arrives I can better Judge whether & how far I can comply with what You desire. In the mean time I am very truly, "Sir, Your most obedient humble Serv", "The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr." "G. CLINTON. The President having last Night recieved a Letter from Mr. Ogle by one Captain Higginbotham, he laid it before the Board for their Consideration, and the Letter being read it was order'd to be enter❜d. "ANNAPOLIS, Dec 3d, 1747. "The Bearer of this, Captain Higginbotham, is one of those who had Patents for Land on Your side of the Temporary Line before His Majestie's late Order in Council, & as he inform'd me that he meets with some Difficulty in enjoining the Benefit of the said Order of His Majesty, I thought myself obliged to trouble You with this in his favour, not doubting of your doing him Justice & preventing Your People from giving him any molestation under any pretence whatsoever, which piece of Justice I shall be always ready to observe in favour of any of Your People under the like Circum stances. "I am, Sir, Your most obed & h'ble Serv "The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr." "SAM. OGLE. The Members observing that as the Royal Order referr'd to in Mr. Ogle's Letter was to be the measure by which both Governments were to regulate their Conduct in all Disputes happening upon the Borders, order'd the Secretary to read it, & then calling for Captain Higginbotham, who attended without, they heard from him a Relation of his Case, and least they shou'd misconceive any part of what he said, they desir'd he wou'd get it drawn in writing, which he promis'd to do & to deliver it to the Secretary. Some Members informing the Board that if the Indian Goods design'd to be sent with Mr. Weiser were not immediately secur'd there wou'd be difficulty in getting them, Mr. Lawrence & Mr. Logan were desir'd to set down the particulars of what the Present was to consist, & to bespeak the Goods in time. The Board taking into Consideration that the Indians having in their late Treaty address'd themselves to all the Provinces, & conceiving that the Burthen of so large a Present as wou'd be necessary to be made ought not entirely to lye on this Government, since the other Southren Provinces were equally with this expos'd to Danger in case the Indians shou'd turn against Us, came to a Resolution to send Copys of the Treaty & of the Messages that had pass'd in Consequence thereof between them & the Assembly to the Governors of Maryland & Virginia, & to entreat them to lay the same before their Assemblies, & to recommend it to them to send one or more Persons to go with Mr. Weiser, & order'd the Secretary to prepare proper Letters to be laid before the Board on Monday next. At a Council held at Philada. the 25th Jan 1747. PRESENT: The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President. The Minutes of the preceding Council was read & approv'd. The President's Answer to Governor Clinton's Letter of the 5th Instant, was read in these words: "Sir: "PHILADA., Jan" 25th, 1747. "The Council who did me the Honor to join with me in the Application for a supply of Cannon for the Batteries intended to be placed on our River, desire me to return Your Excell their very hearty Thanks for Your obliging Letter. They are in hopes, since You are pleased to express a willingness to gratify their Request, that when the Engineer arrives & knows your Excelley Inclinations, there may be some Cannon spared, without prejudice to Your own Fortifications. As I acquainted You in my former that We had sent Orders to England for a Supply, I can now assure Your Excellency that we expect them the next Summer, and as soon as they arrive, the others shall be return'd upon Demand, so that your own Cannon may be with You again in a few Months, or before the Engineer may have occasion for them. "I am Your Excellency's most obed' hum. Servant, "ANTHONY PALMER. "His Excelly" GEORGE CLINTON, Esqr." The Secretary laid before the Board the Draught of a letter to Governor Gooch & Governor Ogle, which was read & approved, & order'd to be sent forthwith by Express to those Governors: "Sir: "PHILADA., January 25th, 1747. "I have the pleasure to inform You that the Indians seated on the Branches of Ohio, and to the South & West of Lake Erie (Places within the Bounds of Virginia, Maryland, & Pennsylvania), have this last Summer shewn great Zeal for His Majestie's Interest in those parts, & by their seasonable Declaration of War have prevented some very bad Designs of the Governor of Canada, which wou'd otherwise have taken Effect. This came to be known first by a Letter sent to this Government from some of the Six Nations & other Indians seated at Canayahaga, a Place on or near the river Conde, which runs into the Lake Erie, who send down a French Scalp in token of their having begun Hostilities against the French and their Indians. The Traders afterwards confirm'd this, with this further Circumstance, that the French Governor had sent the Hatchet to those Indians, and that they had rejected it, at the same time letting the French Governor know that they were heartily for the English, & wou'd fight for them & not against them. This determin'd our Government to give them all the Encouragement possible, & while they were deliberating in what manner to Convey to the Indians a quantity of Goods bought for their use, ten Warriors living at Ohio came fortunately to Phila |