the enemy, had taken refuge amongst their brethren of Pennsylvania; that the inhabitants on the frontiers, had also, by their petitions applied to him for protection; that the defenceless state of the province in general, demanded their special consideration; that it was become his indispensable duty to press it upon them accordingly, &c. And in the close of all he expressed himself as follows;

"It is with great satisfaction, that I now communicate to you the proceedings of the commissioners at the late treaty at Albany; as, on perusal thereof, you will clearly perceive, that the lands on the river Ohio do yet belong to the Indians of the Six Nations, and have long since, been by them put under the protection of the crown of England. That the proceedings of the French in erecting forts on that river, and in the countries adjacent, have never received the countenance or approbation of those nations; but, on the contrary, are expressly declared by them to have been without their privity or consent. That they are greatly alarmed at the rapid progress of the French, and in severe terms reproach us with supine negligence, and the defenceless state of our possessions; and, in effect, call upon us to fortify our frontiers, as well for the security of their countries as of our own. That, after a due and weighty reflection on these several matters, with many others of equal importance, the commissioners thought it necessary to consider of, and draw up a representation of the present state of the colonies; and from thence, judging that no effectual opposition was like to be made to the destructive measures of the French, but by a union of them all for their mutual defence, devised likewise a general plan for that purpose, to be offered to the consideration of their respective legislatures.

"And as both those papers appear to me to contain matters of the utmost consequence to the welfare of the colonies in general, and to have been digested and drawn up with great clearness and strength of judgment, I cannot but express my approbation of them; and do therefore recommend them to you, as well worthy of your closest and most serious attention."

The particulars contained in this speech were also enforced by several papers communicated at the same time; and the House, taking the premises into consideration, after various debates, divisions, rejections, &c., agreed to a bill for striking the sum of thirty-five thousand pounds in bills of credit, and for granting fifteen thousand pounds thereof for the King's use, and for applying the remainder to the exchange of torn and ragged bills; which, being presented to the governor, produced the following answer, viz.

"The governor promised himself, from the request he made to the House in his speech at the opening of the session, that (considering the importance of the occasion) they would have fallen upon some method of raising money for the King's use, to which he might have had no material objection; and could not help therefore being extremely mortified at finding the bill, now presented him for that purpose, to be not only formed on the same plan, but to be nearly of the same tenor with that to which he refused his assent at their last meeting. He has nevertheless complied with the proffer he then made them, and has agreed to extend the fund they have chosen to raise the money upon, in the same proportion as they have increased the sum granted to his Majesty. But the House is peremptory, and will admit of no alteration in their bill. All then that remains, after assuring them that the governor, lest the King's service should suffer, has strained his

powers even beyond what he almost dares think consistent with his safety, is, to submit our respective conduct to the judgment of our superiors. But he hopes this also may be rendered unnecessary by the arrival of the gentleman that is to succeed him in the administration, who may every day be looked for among us; and who may possibly think himself more at liberty with respect to the matter in controversy, than the governor can presume to do. In the mean while it is hoped no considerable detriment may arise to his Majesty's affairs in the short interval between this and the time of his actual arrival.

"So much has already been said upon this subject on another occasion, that the governor declines any farther enlargement thereon, as well knowing that public disputes of this nature frequently terminate in private animosities, which he is very desirous of avoiding; and therefore only expects from the House, that they will do him the same justice he is willing to do them, in supposing him to act from his judgment, when he tells them that he cannot recede from his amendments."

This was the last act of Mr. Hamilton's government. Weary of a service, which he found incompatible, if not with his notions of honor, at least with his repose, he had desired to be dismissed; and was succeeded by Robert Hunter Morris, Esquire.

CHAPTER VII.

Governor Morris's Arrival at Philadelphia, and first Speech to a new Assembly. The Assembly's Answer and Adjournment. Being assembled again, the Governor in his Speech requires them to raise and keep up a considerable Body of Troops. They present a Bill for raising Forty Thousand Pounds on the former Plan. The old Instruction, and an Opinion of the Attorney-General's pleaded by the Governor in Bar of his Assent. A Message from the Assembly, fully demonstrating that Pennsylvania was not comprehended in the Instruction insisted upon; also desiring a Sight of the Instructions he himself had received from his Principals. A second Message, in which they call upon the Governor to give his Assent to the Bill. The Governor's Reply, declining the Bill as before, and evading the Communication of his Instructions. The Assembly's Rejoinder, justifying the Requisition they had made of his Instructions. The Governor questions their Right to have these Instructions laid before them. The unanimous Resolutions of the Assembly concerning the Proprietary Instructions, in which they declare it as their Opinion, that the said Instructions were the principal if not the sole Obstruction to their Bill. A Brief of the Governor's Surrejoinder. Some general Remarks.

In the beginning of October, 1754, much about the time of Mr. Morris's arrival at Philadelphia, a new assembly was to be chosen in the course of the year, and had been chosen accordingly.

To these summoned, according to form, up to his council-chamber, the new governor made a short speech, importing, "his persuasion that the proprietaries had nothing more at heart than the welfare and prosperity of the people; his own self-flattery, that it was from the opinion, that they had entertained of his disposition to promote the general happiness to the utmost of his power, they had made choice of him; the resolution he had taken not to disappoint them; assurances, that he should upon all occasions be studious to protect the people committed to his charge in their civil and religious privileges, and careful to maintain the just

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rights of government, as equally conducive to the public good; a recommendation, in particular, of the state of the frontier, both of that and the neighbouring governments, where they would find the French acting with a steady uniformity and avowed resolution to make themselves masters of the country; an interspersion of certain stimulatives, drawn from a contemplation of the miseries they would be exposed to, in case they suffered the enemy to strengthen themselves in their posts; and an earnest call upon them, in his Majesty's name, to exert themselves at that critical juncture in defence of their country. And, lastly, a declaration, that if they should find any laws wanting for the better government of the province, he should be ready to enter upon the consideration of such as they should propose, and give his consent to such as he should think reasonable.”

More doubts than confidence, it may be presumed, this speech excited; for the assembly having, upon the report, bestowed some time in the consideration of it, thought fit to call for a copy of the governor's commission, as also of the royal approbation, before they proceeded to answer it.

This answer was also as dry, and as cautiously worded, as the governor's speech. They echoed back what parts of it they could; and they joined issue with the governor in promising, with the same sincerity, to contribute every thing in their power to support him in the exertion of the just rights of government, conducive to the good ends by him specified. After which they proceeded in these words; "The encroachments of the French on his Majesty's territories, and their hostile proceedings in this time of peace, are truly alarming; and, as they have been long since known in Great Britain, we were in hopes, on the governor's arrival, to have received instructions from the crown how to con