without the concurrence or approbation of neighbouring colonies, greatly endangered by it; or make particular treaties of neutrality in case of a general war, to their own private advantage in trade, by fupplying the common enemy; of all which there have been inftances-it was thought better to have all treaties of a general nature under a general direction; that fo the good of the whole may be confulted and provided for.

Indian Trade.

That they make fuch laws as they judge neceffary for regulating all Indian trade.

Many quarrels and wars have arisen between the colonies and Indian nations, through the bad conduct of traders; who cheat the Indians after making them drunk, &c. to the great expence of the colonies both in blood and treafure. Particular colonies are fo interested in the trade as not to be willing to admit such a regulation as might be beft for the whole; and therefore it was thought beft under a general direction.

Indian Purchases.

That they make all purchases from Indians for the crown, of lands not now within the bounds of particular colonies or that shall not be within their bounds

In time of war it feems convenient, that the meeting should be in that colony, which is nearest the feat of action.

The power of calling them on any emergency feemed neceffary to be vefted in the Prefident General; but that fuch power might not, be wantonly used to harass the members, and oblige them to make frequent long journies to little pofe, the confent of seven at least to such call was fuppofed a convenient guard.

Continuance.

pur

That the Grand Council have power to choose their speaker; and shall neither be diffolved, prorogued, nor continued fitting longer than fix weeks at one time; without their own confent or the fpecial command of the crown.

tion;

The fpeaker fhould be prefented for approbait being convenient, to prevent mifunderftandings and difgufts, that the mouth of the council fhould be a perfon agreeable, if poffible, both to the council and Prefident General.

-་ Governors have, fometimes wantonly exercifed the power of proroguing or continuing the feffions of affemblies, merely to harafs the members and compel a compliance; and fometimes diffolve them on flight difgufts. This it was feared might be done by the Prefident General, if not provided

against :

against and the inconvenience and hardship would be greater in the general government than in particular colonies, in proportion to the distance the members must be from home, during fittings, and the long journies fome of them must neceffarily take.

L

Members' Allowance.

That the members of the Grand Coun cil fhall be allowed for their fervice ten fhillings fterling per diem, during their feffion and journey to and from the place of meeting; twenty miles to be reckoned a day's journey.

It was thought proper to allow fome wages, left the expence might deter fome fuitable perfons from the fervice; - and not to allow too great wages, left unsuitable perfons should be tempted to cabal for the employment for the fake of gain. Twenty miles was fet down as a day's journey to allow for accidental hinderances on the road, and the greater expences of travelling than refiding at the place of meeting.

Affent of Prefident General and his Duty.

That the affent of the Prefident General be requifite to all acts of the Grand Council;

when some of them are reduced to more convenient dimenfions.

Purchases from the Indians made by private perfons, have been attended with many inconveniences. They have have frequently interfered, and occafioned uncertainty of titles, many dif putes and expenfive law-fuits, and hindered the fettlement of the land fo difputed. Then the Indians have been cheated by fuch privatė purchases, and discontent and wars have been the confequence. These would be prevented by public fair purchases.

Several of the colony charters in America extend their bounds to the South Sea, which be perhaps three or four thousand miles in may length to one or two hundred miles in breadth. It is fuppofed they must in time be reduced to dimenfions more convenient for the common purposes of government *.

Very

* [Mr. Baron M- in page zoo of his account of the Proceedings at Quebec, for obtaining an Affembly, has the following hint: The vast enlargement of the province [of Quebec] by adding to it a new territory that contains, according to Lord Hillfborough's estimation of it, five hundred and eleven millions of acres, (that is, more land than Spain, Italy, France, and Germany put together, and moft of it good land) is a measure that would require an ample difcuffion.'That the reader may not fufpect that thefe dimenfions were convenient for uncommon purposes of government, I fhall quote the motives affigned upon this occafion by the act regulating the government of Quebec. By the ar rangements made by the royal proclamation, a very large extent of [outlying] country, within which there were several colonies ⚫ and fettlements of the subjects of France, who claimed to remain

⚫ therein

Very little of the land in those grants is yet purchased of the Indians.

It is much cheaper to purchase of them, than to take and maintain the poffeffion by force: for they are generally very reasonable in their demands for land; and the expence of guarding a large frontier against their incurfions is vaftly great; because all must be guarded and always

• therein under the faith of the faid treaty, was left without any ⚫ provifion being made for the administration of civil government therein: i. e. a few Indian traders were a pretext for this appropriation of a tract of country, which according to the minifter's eftimate, was more than 13 times larger than England and Wales united, nearly 128 times larger than Jamaica, almoft part of Europe, and confiderably more than part of the whole ha bitable earth, (comparing it with the feveral calculations in The Political Survey of Great Britain by Dr. Campbell, and in that of Jamaica by Mr. Long.) Now all the inhabitants of the province of Quebec, fays this very act, amounted at the conqueft! to above fixty-five thoufand [only,] profeffing the religion of the church of Rome, and enjoying an established form of conftitution and fyftem of laws.' E.]

[ Dr. Franklin, (fays Mr. Kalm the Swede,) and feveral other: gentlemen, frequently told me, that a powerful Indian, who poffeffed Rhode Island, had fold it to the English for a pair of fpectacles: it is large enough for a prince's domain, and makes a peculiar government at prefent. This Indian knew [how] to fet a true value upon a pair of fpectacles: for undoubtedly if thofe glaffes were not fo plentiful, and only a few of them could be found, they would, on account of their great ufe, bear the fame price with diamonds.' See Kalm's Travels into North America, Vol. I. p. 386, 387. At the time when the Swedes first arrived, they bought land at a very inconfiderable price. For a piece of baize, or a pot full of brandy, or the like, they could get a piece of ground, which at prefent would be worth more than 2901. Sterling. Ib. Vol. II. p. 118. The truth is, that the Indians confidered their: lands as mere bunting-manors, and not as farms. E.],

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