that it is neither necessary nor expedient to deny the present assembly the exercise of their just rights, that a future governor may have an opportunity of obliging a future assembly by permitting it.

That an act of parliament made expressly to remedy disorders in the eastern governments, and in which this province is neither named, nor intended, cannot by any construction be supposed binding on the governors or assemblies of Pennsylvania.

"That to refuse a grant of ten thousand pounds to the king's use at this critical juncture, when the service of the crown, and the welfare, present and future, of all the British colonies, seem to the governor so eminently to demand supplies, merely from an opinion in the governor, that he can judge better than the people's representatives what is most for their ease, or that a future governor may have an opportunity of making himself acceptable, appears to this house to be sacrificing too much, to considerations of uncertain and small moment.

That we have now offered the governor a bill for granting ten thousand pounds to the king's use, to be sunk by extending the excise for ten years, (a bill of the like tenor of that of 1746 [passed by governor Thomas] for granting the sum of five thousand pounds to the king's use, to be sunk by extending the excise for ten years) to which he has been pleased to refuse his assent.

"That as the governor [in his message of the 1st of March last] acknowledged the term of ten years for extending the excise to sink the five thousand pounds, was "a short space of time," and that there was not the least probability of that act's producing any of the inconveniencies complained of;" the same term of ten years for extending the excise to sink ten thousand pounds, must, in consequence, be allowed a "short space of time:" and, the bill he now refuses being of the same tenor, there cannot be "the least probability of its producing the inconveniencies complained of; the preventing of which for the future appears clearly [to the governor] to have been the sole end and purpose of the royal instruction."

That the governor having, as he hoped, [to use his own words] "incontestably proved, that the true and real intention of the royal instruction could have been no other than to guard against the abuses enumerated in the body of it; and the act for granting five thousand pounds for the king's use, passed by the late governor, in 1746, being of a singular and quite different nature from acts passed upon ordinary occasions, could not be comprehended within the meaning of the said instruction:" the bill now offered to the governor for granting ten thousand pounds for the king's use, being also of a singular and quite different nature from acts passed upon ordinary occasions, and of the same tenor with the act passed in 1746, cannot be comprehended, by the governor, (unless he has very lately altered his opinion) to be within the meaning of the royal instruction; and therefore,

'That it is our opinion, that if the governor is restricted by any instruction from passing this bill, it must be by some instruction which he has never been pleased to lay before this house, and not the royal instruction, the operation of which, against bills of this tenor, he hath so effectually invalidated.

That this house will this day adjourn to the nineteenth day of the month called August, next.'

Before they adjourned, however, and without any mention made of these resolutions, they addressed the governor by message; in which, having civilly and thankfully observed the care he had taken, to obtain the best intelligence he was able of what was proposed to be transacted at the ensuing treaty to be held at Albany, &c. they proceeded as follows. 'And as he has been pleased to request our sentiments on the instructions to be given the gentlemen commissioners on the part of this province, " to which he will pay the greatest regard," we can do no less than return him our grateful acknowledgments for his condescension and justice; and would cheerfully comply therewith at this time; but when we consider, that no propositions for an union of the colonies, in Indian affairs, can effectually answer the good purposes or be binding farther than they are confirmed by laws, enacted

under the several governments comprized in that union; that we know not what restrictions the governor may lie under in passing our acts; and that we have very little reason to depend upon any assistance in our Indian expences, whereby a former assembly, it has been respectfully addressed for, and where we think in justice we have a right to expect it; we are, under these circumstances, at a loss to advise him on the important articles he has been pleased to propose to our consideration. Nevertheless, as we have already declared our satisfaction in the gentlemen the governor has been pleased to name for this commission, so we confide in their abilities and prudence to answer the ends proposed in the letter from the lords of trade, of the eighteenth of September last, by renewing at this interview, the covenant chain. with the six nations, and by frustrating, as far as lies in their power, any attempts which have been made to withdraw them from the British interest: and for this purpose, in compliance with the said letter from the lords of trade, we have now granted a present to be made to those Indians on our behalf, however inconvenient we may judge it to hold our treaties at Albany on other occasions'.

Lastly: the governor also, on his part, desired the members sent with this message to acquaint the house, that as some parts of the minutes of that session might be necessary to be mentioned in the representation the governor found himself obliged to make to his majesty, in answer to his royal order, in relation to the invasion of his dominions by the French and their Indian allies, he desired the house would order a copy thereof to be delivered to him: and an order was thereupon made, that the said minutes might be delivered to him accordingly.

Their next meeting was on the 7th of August following, by special summons: upon which occasion, the governor, having sent for the house, acquainted them with Washington's defeat, and in the most solemn manner (his words) recommended to them a cheerful and vigorous resolution of dislodging from the neighbourhood of their settlements, [not the settlements themselves, or parts unsettled far within the limits of

the province, as before confidently asserted from undoubted assurance] not indeed as principals, but in concurrence with the government of Virginia, when the determinations taken there should be communicated to them-urging, that in the mean while it would be highly expedient to take into consideration the most proper ways and means of raising a supply for this service; and that in doing thereof, they should industriously avoid whatever might be likely to occasion any difference of opinion between him and them, to the detriment of the common cause, &c. That some provision should be made for the support of such Indians as, flying from 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 an 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 inforced 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 said 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 services 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 pur