of all Europe, are upon us; and the fate of this country, the happiness or misery of your posterity, very much depend on your resolutions.'

Thus Pennsylvania alone must be put in the front of the battle, must undertake for all, pay for all, &c. and is goaded on so to do by the very proprietaries and their deputy, who should have stood in the gap, and endeared themselves to the province, by endeavouring to have the load laid as equally on the whole continent, and the effort made as generally as possible.

It is visible, the governor's name signified nothing, whe ther Hamilton or Morris, except that the hardest driver was sure to be the best thought of by his employers: and it was but natural, that the assembly should be as resolute to continue the province in such a state as might render it worth preserving, as they were willing to contribute whatsoever they properly could towards its preservation. Pennsylvania was more dear to them for the excellency of its constitution, than the excellency of its soil; and whatever the narrow notions of proprietaries may be, as the liberty of the province is diminished, the value of their possessions in it will diminish in the same proportion.

To discharge all duties at once, therefore, they again put the demands for the general service, and those for the particular interest of the province, upon the same footing, by the old expedient of a currency bill, providing for striking the sum of forty thousand pounds in bills of credit; one moiety for the king's use, and the other for replacing damaged bills: which they sent up to the governor for his concurrence, with a written message, of which what follows was the most material part.

"Though we hope the number of the French, and their Indian allies, mentioned in George Croghan's letters are full large, yet the uncommon efforts they have made towards obtaining a possession on that part of his majesty's dominions, are truly alarming, and dangerous to the British interest in North America: and we have good reason to believe, the sums granted the king by our late assembly, had the then

governor been pleased to pass the bills offered to him for that purpose, "might in a great measure, if not totally, have prevented the bad situation of our affairs at present," and have placed our duty to the best of kings, as we desire it should always appear, among his most loving and loyal subjects. And for this reason, it is with concern we find, by the above mentioned letter from the secretary of state, "That it was with great surprise the king had observed, in our late governor's answer to the earl of Holdernesse, he had been totally silent on that part of his majesty's orders, which relate to a concert with the other colonies." 'But as we have great confidence in our governor, that he will at all times afford us all good offices and protection, and will be pleased to represent us and our affairs in a favourable light, as we hope he may do with great justice; so, on our part, we shall not fail to contribute every thing in our power to answer all reasonable expectations from so young a colony, so far as is consistent with our civil and religious liberties; beyond which, under so good a king, we are well assured nothing further will be asked or expected from us: and, in return for the governor's justice and protection, it will give us particular pleasure to make his administration in this province easy to himself, and honourable to all.'

Amazing was the answer by the governor, on the sixth day afterwards returned: for having, at his very outset, taken shelter under the old exploded instruction to governor Thomas, and Ryder the attorney general's opinion upon governor Hamilton's case, delivered in the following compendious manner: 'I am of opinion, it is by no means safe or adviseable, or consistent with his duty, to pass such bills, without a suspending clause;' and suggested, that he could not by any means agree to the said bill, because forbid by the said instruction, without such a clause. He then proceeded to say, 'however, as the act of parliament restraining the four eastern governments from emitting paper-currency, gives them a power to strike bills of credit in case of emergency, I hope I shall be justified in thinking the reason holds good as to us who are in the greatest danger, being already invaded

by the French, and in immediate expectation of outrage from the Indians in their alliance: I will therefore join with you in any bill for striking what sum you shall think our pressing occasions demand, provided a fund be established for sinking the same in five years.

"I am exceedingly obliged to the house for their kind sentiments with regard to me, and shall make it my peculiar care so to act as to merit the continuance of their good opinion; and can truly say it is no small mortification to me to be obliged to differ in opinion from the representatives of the province, who, I am convinced, act from upright motives, and what they esteem to be its true interest; but would willingly hope, when they come to reflect on the obligations I am under to pay obedience to his majesty's instructions, that they will not press me to disobey them; especially when they consider, that, should I disregard my own honour and safety in passing a bill circumstanced as this is, there is great danger of its being disapproved by his majesty; and what loss and confusion such an event would cause in the province, by the paper-bills becoming of no value, I need not particularly mention.'

From the year 1740, down to the time of this altercation, his majesty's ministers had never once interfered in this dispute; nor in these requisitions from the secretary's office, in the king's name, of aids from his American subjects, is the least trespass on the right of the subject, by any injunction direct or indirect concerning the mode of raising these aids, to be traced: and yet this petty proprietary governor dares to make a bugbear of his majesty's disapprobation, at the same time, and in the same breath that he leaves a gap for dispensing with the very instruction he pleads, provided the proprietary turn is served, of reducing the term to five years.

It is moreover reasonable to think the governor had in his hands at this very time a third letter from the secretary of state, now Sir Thomas Robinson, dated October 26, 1754: for on the very next day after this message was delivered, he sent down a copy of the said letter to the house, accom

panied with another written message so timed and constructed, as to render it as embarrassing as possible.

This third letter imported, that the ministers had at last come to a resolution of taking some measures of their own for the defence of America. Amongst others it was said, the king had commanded two regiments of foot, consisting of five hundred men each, to repair to Virginia, there to be completed to seven hundred; as also to send orders to governor Shirley and Sir William Pepperell, to raise two regiments of one thousand men each; for which officers were to be appointed, and to repair to America forthwith; all to be commanded in chief by a general officer of rank and capacity, accompanied by a deputy-quarter-master-general, and a commissary of the musters, who were likewise to set out as soon as conveniently might be, in order to prepare every thing for the arrival of the regiments to be sent, and those to be raised. What follows is in the very words of the letter, viz.

'You will receive from that general, and the other officers just mentioned, a full and exact account of the arms, clothing, and other necessaries, to be sent upon this important occasion; as likewise of the ordnance stores, and of the officers and attendants belonging thereto: all which being ordered for this service, are such proofs of his majesty's regard for the security and welfare of his subjects in those parts, as cannot fail to excite you to exert yourself, and those under your care, to take the most vigorous steps to repel your common danger; and to shew that the king's orders, which were sent you last year by the Earl of Holdernesse, and were renewed to you in my letter of the 5th of July, have at last roused that emulation and spirit which every man owes at this time, to his majesty, the public, and himself. The king will not therefore imagine, that either you, or the rest of his governors, will suffer the least neglect or delay in the performance of the present service, now strongly recommended to you, particularly with regard to the following points, viz. That you should carefully provide a sufficient quantity of fresh victuals, at the expence of your govern

ment, to be ready for the use of the troops, at their arrival. That you should likewise furnish the officers, who may have occasion to go from place to place, with all necessaries for travelling by land, in case there are no means of going by sea; and that you should use your usmost diligence and authority in procuring an exact observance of such orders as shall be issued from time to time, by the commander in chief, for quartering the troops, impressing carriages, and providing all necessaries for such forces as shall arrive, or be raised within your government.

'As the articles above-mentioned are of a local and peculiar nature, and arising entirely within your government, it is almost needless for me to acquaint you, that his majesty will expect, that the charge thereof be defrayed by his subjects belonging to the same. But with regard to such other articles, which are of a more general concern, it is the king's pleasure, that the same should be supplied by a common fund, to be established for the benefit of all the colonies collectively in North America; for which purpose you will use your utmost endeavours to induce the assembly of your province to raise, forthwith, as large a sum as can be afforded, as their contribution to this common fund, to be employed, provisionally, for the general service of North America, particularly for paying the charge of levying the troops to make up the complement of the regiments above-mentioned, until such time as a plan of general union of his majesty's northern colonies, for their common defence, can be perfected.

'You will carefully confer, or correspond, as you shall have opportunities, upon every thing relative to the present service, with the said general, Sir William Pepperell, and governor Shirley, or either of them; and as it is the king's intention to give all proper encouragement to such persons who shall engage to serve upon this occasion, you will acquaint all such persons, in the king's name, that they will receive arms and clothing from hence, and that they shall be sent back, if desired, to their respective habitations, when the service in America shall be over.