build it was claimed by the crown, and was very probably beyond the limits of Pennsylvania; that at least it would be beyond the reach of our laws, as appeared by the people already settled on Juniata, just beyond the North Mountain; that this, instead of healing, might create irreconcilable breaches with our Indians, considering what sort of people would probably reside there; that the Indians had never heartily requested it, nor did it seem to be their interest so to do; and if they had requested it, as they were in subjection to the Six Nations, it would be necessary to have their assent; that this precipitate act would probably create a jealousy in the French, and give them some pretence of an infraction of the treaty of Utrecht on our part, and might finally engage the British nation in a war with France. These, and many other reasons, were urged at that private conference, as several of those members apprehended, to Governor Hamilton's satisfaction. And it appears by George Croghan's journal, that those Indians neither did, nor did they think they could, give leave to build a house on the Ohio, without the express consent of the Six Nations; and accordingly they took two months to acquaint the Onondago council with this transaction, and then to send us word, which they never complied with.

"It appears further, by the assembly's message to Governor Hamilton, on the 21st of August, 1751, taken from the informations of Conrad Weiser, and Andrew Montour, that the request, inserted in George Croghan's journal as made by the Indians at Ohio to this government, to erect a strong trading-house in their country, as well as the danger it is there said they apprehended from the attempts of the French, was misunderstood or misrepresented by the person the governor confided in for the management of that treaty.'

But it may be unnecessary to pursue this inquiry into an affair wherein George Croghan thought himself unkindly, if not unjustly, sacrificed to private ends, as is well known to such as were acquainted with this affair, and appears in the letters and other papers sent by himself to some of the members of that assembly."

Coming then to the other new charge, namely, that the assembly would not admit, that the French encroachments were within the King's dominions, they maintain that this charge is as ill-founded as the other; "For," say they, "though the House never took upon them to ascertain the bounds of the King's dominions, they never directly or indirectly denied those encroachments to be within them." They then proceeded to examine the extracts from the council minutes sent by the governor, in proof that money bills had been amended by former governors. They demonstrated in ten several instances, those extracts had not been fairly represented. And they concluded in these words; "Were all these to be deducted from the list, it would appear that there are but few instances in our journals of proper money bills amended by the governor, and the amendments agreed to by the House; this is no more than was acknowledged by the preceding assembly, in their message of the 29th of September, where they say, that in a very few instances their predecessors might have waved that right on particular occasions, but had never given it up."

Scarce had the House agreed with their committee in laying aside, for the present, the first of these answers, for the reasons assigned in the second, than certain inhabitants of Philadelphia, joined with others of the county of Chester, in all twenty-nine persons, thought themselves at liberty to assail the House in person with a petition, desiring, that the governor and

the House would unite in the fear of God, &c. And as the minute taken of this strange incident (which followed the Philadelphia remonstrance in much such a manner as the legion-letter followed the Kentish petition before referred to) will serve at once to show the ferment which then prevailed in the province, and yet how far the people in general were from desiring to be preserved against the incursions of the enemies, at the expense of their constitutional liberties; it is here inserted, to wit;

"The Speaker told them, that it was well known this House was composed of members chosen without any solicitation on their parts, to be the representatives of the people, and guardians of their liberties; that the whole powers the House were invested with, were derived from the people themselves; and that, as the House had hitherto, so they should still continue to discharge the high trust reposed in them, to the best of their understanding and abilities; and then asked them, whether they desired that the House should give up any rights, which, in the opinion of the House, the people were justly entitled to. Some of the petitioners, in behalf of the whole, answered, No; they were far from requiring any thing of that kind; all they wanted was, that some expedient might be fallen upon, if possible, to accommodate matters in such a manner, as that the province might be relieved from its present unhappy situation. To this the Speaker replied, that nothing could be more agreeable to this House than a harmony between the two branches of the legislature; and that, as the governor had yesterday evening sent down a message, intimating that the proprietaries are now disposed to contribute a sum of money towards the common security of the province, there was a great probability that all controversies on that head were at

an end, and that some method would be speedily taken for relieving the province from its present difficulties."

In effect, the governor having given his consent to the militia bill, and the House having made some immediate provision, for landing and relieving the miserable French exiles obtruded upon them from Nova Scotia, they proceeded to resolve, first, unanimously,

"That the right of granting supplies to the crown in this province, is alone in the representatives of the freemen met in assembly, being essential to an English constitution. And the limitation of all such grants, as to the matter, manner, measure, and time, is in them only." And then,

"That, in consideration of the governor's message of yesterday, by which it appears, that the proprietaries have sent him an order on the receiver-general for five thousand pounds, to be paid into the hands of such persons as shall be appointed by act of assembly, and applied, with such sums as the assembly should grant, to such uses as may be necessary for the common security of the province; and as it would not be reasonable or just, at this time, to tax the proprietary estate, in order to raise money therefrom, over and above the said grant from the proprietaries, the House will immediately proceed to form a new bill for granting a sum of money to the use of the crown, and therein omit the taxation of the said estate."

Accordingly such a bill was ordered the same day, and, in full confutation of all the injurious surmises that they did not so much as intend to save their country, prosecuted with so much zeal and alacrity, that it received the governor's assent the next but one following.

CHAPTER XIV.

The Indian-Trade Bill. Complaint of the Shawanese Indians. Resolution concerning the Indian-Trade Bill, and irregular and improper Petitions. The Message of the Assembly in Regard to the Enlisting of purchased Servants. General Shirley's Letter of Acknowledgment for a voluntary Present of Clothing sent to his Troops. Bill for Extending the Excise. Assembly adhere to their Bills and assign their Reasons. The Governor goes to Newcastle, and the Assembly adjourn.

THUS the two branches of the legislature were at last united in the great duty of making all contribute to the defence and preservation of all.

But, though the storm was for the present over, some marks of recent turbulence still remained. The governor, though frequently called upon, could not be brought to pass the bill for regulating the Indian trade. The House, therefore, thought proper to press him with such a message, as should, by explaining the nature of the bill, not only indicate the nature of the abuses it was calculated to correct, but also oblige him, if possible, to account for his delay; and the message agreed upon was as follows, namely;

"May it please the Governor,

"As the bill for regulating the Indian trade, by employing sober and discreet persons to reside among those nations that remain friends to this province, for the purpose of furnishing them with the necessary goods in exchange for their peltry, at easy and reasonable rates, on account of the public, and thereby securing them to our interest, seems to us a bill of great importance at this juncture, we are very desirous of bringing it to a conclusion as soon as possible; and