"The Owendaets came on our invitation, and such terms must therefore be offered them as will effectually engage their friendship; the matter cannot now be minced, neither with them nor the other nations. You will therefore please to consider this matter well, and give me your sentiments and counsel in this nice and critical situation of our affairs."

The Assembly's Answer.

"May it please the Governor,

"The secretary, by a verbal message from the governor, on the 20th of December last, acquainted the House, 'that Scaroyady's son-in-law was charged with a message from the Owendaets, to inquire what their brethren the English designed to do in regard to the late encroachments of the French; and having heard, since he came to town, that the King of England intended to send over a number of troops to assist in repelling those invaders, he was willing, if the governor thought proper, to return to his nation, and acquaint them with the joyful news; the governor therefore desired the opinion of the House, whether it would be most advisable for Scaroyady's son-in-law to return now to the Ohio, or go to Onondago with Scaroyady.' Whereupon the House gave for answer, that it was their opinion that it would be most proper for Scaroyady's son-in-law to return to the Ohio as soon as conveniently he could. This is all the part our House have had in relation to the Owendaets; neither did we know of the least intention of inviting them, or any others; so that as they are now come down without our knowledge or request, entirely upon the governor's invitation, it is some surprise to us to find the Indians should have reason to importune him, or that he should be at any loss to know what it is he has to impart to them on this occasion.

"Our conduct towards the Indians in our alliance has been always candid, and free from any subterfuge whatever; so that we do not understand what the governor would mean by telling us that the matter cannot be now minced, neither with them nor the other nations.' And we are likewise at a loss to conceive why they should expect great presents from us, who are wholly ignorant of the intention of their coming.

"The governor has been pleased to refuse his assent to our bills which had provided for Indian and other expenses; and, as our treasury is exhausted by the very heavy charges for the King's service, these Indians are come among us at a very unfortunate time, when it is not in our power to supply them in the manner we are inclined to do; however, we will do all that can be reasonably expected from us, and must leave the rest to be supplied by the proprietaries, whose interest is at least as much concerned as ours in engaging the affections of the Indians at this time." The Governor's Rejoinder.

"Gentlemen,

"If my message gave you room to think that the Owendaets 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 20th and 24th of December last, which were laid before you.

"The other Indians, at their request, accompanied them hither as they were strangers; and Scaroyady says, he has some particular business to transact with this government. I have, in the name of the province, given thanks to the Owendaets 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; recommended to them to continue firm in their attachment to us; and given 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 exigency 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, and earnestly recommend it to you to enable me to send these people away perfectly satisfied."

In this interval also, the governor, in another written message, did his utmost to refute the arguments urged by the assembly, to justify their claim to tax the proprietary estate; but, as the paper is long, and the assembly's answer to it much longer; as the dispute was again and again revived, and a thousand ways diversified; as the data already before us afford sufficient grounds for a fair decision; and as it would require the phlegm of a German to wade through all the minutenesses of it, all these pieces may be collected in an Appendix, for the sake of those so fond of precision, that they cannot be satisfied unless they see the whole of a controversy together.*

* The reasons here advanced, for throwing these papers into an Appendix, are sufficient for excluding them entirely from a permanent collection of Franklin's Works. They are wholly occupied with a controversy between the governor and assembly of Pennsylvania, on a topic of local and temporary interest, and run into details as tedious as they are unprofitable. The merits of the controversy, and all the points of argument, are stated in the text. The following are the titles of the papers alluded to.

1. "Message from Governor Morris to the Assembly, August 12th, 1755.

CHAPTER X.

The Governor calls upon the House to provide for the Security of the back Inhabitants. A Remark thereon. He embarrasses them with Petitions from certain Persons requiring to be armed. A Proposal from certain Gentlemen of Philadelphia to subscribe Five Hundred Pounds in Lieu of the Proprietary Proportion of the Tax. The Assembly send up their Bill to the Governor again, together with the said Proposal. Their Message to the Governor. Some seasonable Remarks. The Governor's verbal Answer to the Assembly's Message. He contends for a Militia. The Assembly order One Thousand Pounds to arm the back Inhabitants. They signify their Purpose to Adjourn. Their Proceedings at the next Meeting.

THE assembly, however, on the very day that they received the governor's paper, prepared him to expect a full, and as they hoped, a satisfactory answer; and in order that the public business of the greatest importance might not any longer be delayed by such disputes, took leave to acquaint him, "That the bill they had sent up to him was a money bill, granting fifty thousand pounds to the King's use, which they saw no reason to alter; that they, therefore, adhered to their bill, and desired the governor would be pleased to give his final answer, whether he would pass it or not, as it then stood."

2. "The Assembly's Answer to the foregoing Message, August 19th. 3. "The Governor's Reply, September 24th.

4. " The Assembly's Rejoinder, September 29th.

5. "Extracts from the Votes of the Assembly, September 29th." Any person, wishing to examine the subject, may of course find these documents in the original edition of the HISTORICAL REVIEW. They are also contained in Mr. Duane's edition, printed in Philadelphia, 1808. And again in his second edition of Franklin's Works, Vol. II. p. 138. See likewise "Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania," under the respective dates as given above; and the Pennsylvania Gazette for August and September, 1755. — EDITOR.

And upon the next, the governor signified in writing, to the assembly, "That, having amended the bill for raising fifty thousand pounds, and not being yet satisfied that it was in his power, or consistent with his trust, to pass it without these amendments, whatever he might be when he should hear what they proposed to say to him upon that head, he thought it necessary, in answer to their message of the day before, to inform them, that he did adhere to the amendments to the bill so by him made."

This message was also accompanied by another, in which the governor specifies, "That he had received a letter from Colonel Dunbar in answer to the proposition he had made to him [at the instance of the assembly, should have been acknowledged,] for posting part of his troops on the western frontier, signifying, that he was willing to employ them in the best manner he could, for the honor of his master and the service of the public, and enclosing the opinion of a council of war, by which he, the governor, was desired to give them a meeting at Shippensburg, where they would wait till he could join them; and that he should readily have gone thither for that purpose, had he not received another letter from Governor Shirley, (in answer to one of his, requesting orders for employing the remainder of the two English regiments in protecting the frontiers of that and the neighbouring provinces,) in which he said, he thought it for his Majesty's service to employ those troops another way, as those provinces were populous enough to protect themselves; and therefore had sent orders to Colonel Dunbar, under cover to him, to march his troops to that city; which he had [already] forwarded to him; and that, as the march of these troops would leave the western frontier exposed to the French and Indians,