accordingly appointed, which, while it proves the prior exercise of Jurisdiction to have been, not on the side of Pennsylvania but on that of Virginia, as these were Acts of Public Notoriety, and undertaken under the Authority of public exigence. They prove also more the Impropriety of Pennsylvania's having exercised their Jurisdiction at all in that District without other Authority than their own Opinion and Motive, than their private Advantage, and the Title still stronger of this Government to an Apology for it. "You proceed to intimate that you are certain if any of your Officers have acted Officially beyond the known Limits of the Province, they will be censured rather than supported, I really think I shall be justified in questioning this Assertion, for although much Pains, as is pretended, have been taken to ascertain your Boundary, It would seem very strange, I think impossible, that even this very Boundary is immediately unknowingly exceeded, I am warranted to say, by near a hundred miles, and yet I have not heard of the Dispensation even of that Gentle Punishment you mention, though we know of one of your Officers being supported and justified in Terms not very decent, in a violent Act that has been the Cause of whatever Disturbances or Disputes subsist between the two Colonies. Nor can I think that, if I had upon Application first made to me to take the Country in dispute under the Government of Virginia, intimated my Design to the Governor of Pennsylvania, (which I rather believe you mention by way of recrimination,) it would have had the Effect you say, for there is surely as great a necessity for preventing all disagreeable Consequences now as there was then, and the pretensions of both Parties were, I suppose, the same then as now; and what are your Proposals to reconcile them? Why in your first propose, that every Thing in dispute shall be given up to Pennsylvania, and in your second, that Virginia shall be content without having any Thing given up to it; at least I can find nothing given up by your proposal of the Monongahela, &c; what else therefore, can I conclude from both the Proposals, but that no real Intention is meant to avoid the great and reciprocal Inconveniences of a doubtful Boundary, which otherwise would, I conceive, as it was not intended to be final, have been in a Manner that could justify this Government in general with the People for any Departure from the conceived Opinion of the Limits of the Colony, and myself in particular, with His Majesty, for entering into any agreement that may eventually affect his right. "I join with you in Concern that we should differ so widely in Conception of the Extent of Pennsylvania, as it affects Virginia, but must confess that your Objections have not altered my Opinion of the Construction of your Grant, notwithstanding you are so confedent of being supported in yours. However, I am less anxious about the issue of these different opinions than I am about the Effects of them in the meantime. Your Proposals amounting in reality to nothing, could not possibly be complied with, and your Resolution with respect to Fort Pitt, (the Jurisdiction over which Place I must tell you at all Events, will not be relinquished by this Government without his Majesty's Order,) puts an entire Stop to further Treaty, and makes me sincerely lament that you have put it out of my Power to contribute to re-establish the Peace and Harmony of both Colonies, and to evince my good Intentions as well towards the one as the other. "I am, Gentlemen, "Your most Obedient, "humble Servant, "JAMES TILGHMAN and ANDREW ALLEN, Esquires." (No. 5). Letter from James Tilghman and Andrew Allen, Esquires, to Lord Dunmore. "My Lord: "Since your Lordship is determined, as you are pleased to say, at all Events not to relinquish your Jurisdiction over Fort Pitt, a Period is put to our Treaty, and we can only, with your Lordship's, lament the continuance of those reciprocal Inconveniences of clashing and disputed Jurisdictions, which we are conscious of having done every thing which could be reasonably expected of us to prevent, and We have only to add our Thanks for the polite Attention your Lordship has been pleased to shew us, and the Dispatch you have given to our Business. We intend to leave Town toMorrow, but before our Departure, we shall do ourselves the Honor to wait on your Lordship for your Commands to the Northward, where we shall be ready to render your Lordship any Service in our Power. "We have the Honor to be with great Regard, "Your Lordship's Most Obedient. The Committee appointed to draw up the Letters agreed on Yesterday, laid their Draughts before the Governor, which being ap proved by him, were fairly transcribed, and ordered to be dispatched without Delay. The said Letters follow in these Words, Viz: "Sir: Letter from the Governor to Sir William Johnson. "PHILADELPHIA, 28th June, 1774. "By the repeated Accounts which I am daily receiving from Pittsburg, and other Parts of our Western Frontier, there seems little room to doubt but the mutual Hostilities which have unhappily taken Place between some of the Inhabitants of Virginia and the Western Indians, particularly the Shawanese, will end in a general War, unless some prudent Measures are speedily taken to prevent it. "The occasion of this unfortunate Breach, as well as the particu lars of the Murders which have been committed on both sides, have no doubt been communicated to you, by the Deputy Agent for Indian Affairs at Pittsburg. It will therefore be only necessary for me to inform you in general, that a great Part of the Settlers in our back Country have fled from their Habitations, and that the Panic is daily increasing, to such a Degree that there is just Reason to apprehend a total Desertion of that Country. "I have been induced from a Representation of the Distresses of these People, to Issue Writs to call our Assembly to meet at Philadelphia on the 18th of next Month, to enable me to afford them the necessary Relief. "As it is of the utmost Consequence that this Affair should be properly represented to the Six Nations, and that they should, if possible, be induced to become Mediators between us and the Shawanese and Delawares, I must request you will take such Measures as you shall think most proper to satisfy them that any Injuries which the Shawanese may have received and may consider as a Provocation for the Hostilities committed on their Part, were by no Means done by the Orders or Consent of this Government, but that on the contrary, we have been ever sincerely disposed to preserve Peace and Friendship with them, and are now very willing, notwithstanding what has happened, to listen to Terms of Accommodation, and to renew our Friendship and forget every Thing that is past. Your interposition and influence in this Matter may very possibly have the most salutary Effects. If a Rupture can be prevented, it appears to me it must be through the Six Nations; however, I submit the Matter entirely to your Consideration, and am Sir, with great Regard, "Your most obedient humble Servant, "Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON, Baronet." A Letter from the Governor to Lord Dunmore. "My Lord, "PHILADELPHIA, 28th June, 1774. "I am very unhappy to find myself under the necessity of writing to your Lordship on so disagreeable a Subject as an Indian War, which is now like to become general, unless the Governments of Virginia and Pennsylvania, by some prudent and timely Interposition, may happily prevent the further progress of Hostilities which have unhappily taken Place. I have taken the best Measures in my Power to keep the Settlements, from breaking up, and have called the Assembly upon the Occasion, in order that every proper Step may be taken, either to compose the Differences between His Majesty's Subjects and the Indians, or to defend the Frontiers if pacific Measures should fail. "I have so many Complaints of the Behaviour of Doctor Conelly, that I am obliged to wish your Lordship to make some enquiry into his Conduct, which, if my Information be true, is extreamely oppressive and tyrannical with respect to our People, and what is still worse, there is a great Reason to fear his Military Operations may have a dangerous tendency to involve the Colonies in general in an Indian War. He seizes upon the Property of the People without reserve, and treats the Persons of our Magistrates with the utmost Insolence and disrespect, and with Menaces not only of imprisoning them, but even of pulling down their Houses, and it is said he has sent out, or is to send out Parties against the Indians, with orders to destroy all they meet with, whether Friend or Foe. These Matters may be exaggerated, but I cannot doubt but that Mr. Conolly has afforded some Ground for these Complaints, and altho' your Lordship hath been pleased to claim the Jurisdiction of Pittsburg and the country thereabouts, I would fain hope that you would not encourage Mr. Conolly in such exhorbitances and Outrages as are laid to his Charge. "I have the Honor to be, your Lordship's most Obedient, "To the Right Honorable The Earl of Dunmore, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Province of Virginia, Williamsburg. VOL. X.-13. A Letter from the Governor to Arthur St. Clair, Esquire. "Sir: "PHILADELPHIA, 28th June, 1774. "The Accounts which you have transmitted of the Temper of the Indians, and the Murders they have already perpetrated, are truly alarming, and give every Reason to apprehend that we shall not long be exempt from the Calamities of a Savage War. The Desertion of that Country, in consequence of the Panic which has seized the Inhabitants on this Occasion, must be attended with the most mischievous Effects, and prove ruinous to the immediate sufferers, and distressing to the Province in general. Every Measure therefore, should be attempted to stop the Progress of this Evil, and to induce those who have already gone off, to return to their Habitations, and I must rely on you to exert all your Prudence and Activity for this Purpose. The Steps which have been already taken appear to me very proper, and I have no doubt but that you will continue your Endeavors to restore the drooping Spirits of the People, and inspire them with a Resolution to stand their Ground, at least 'till they are satisfied of the Intentions of the Indians towards this Province. You may assure them that Government sensibly feels the Distresses of their Situation, that it will be attentive to their Interests, and afford them every Assistance and Protection in its Power to give. With this Disposition, I have issued Writs for convening the Assembly on the 18th of next month, and shall immediately on their Meeting lay this Matter before them, and have Reason to expect that such Measures will be adopted as may effectually enable the Government to extend to them a Relief adequate to its wishes and their wants. In the mean Time, I shall give orders for such further supply of ammunition to be sent up as will be sufficient for the present Occasion. "I have wrote to Sir William Johnson, informing him of the Intelligence we had received of these Transactions, and requesting his Interposition with the six Nations, to use their Influence with the Shawanese and Delawares, to prevent further Hostilities on their Part, and to assure them of the sincere Intentions of this Government to continue their pacific Disposition towards all our Indian Brethren. I have also wrote to Lord Dunmore, complaining of Conolly's outragious and tyrannical behaviour at Pittsburg, and representing the dangerous tendency his Military operations may have to involve the Colonies in a general Indian War. "I am, Sir, your most Obedient humble Servant, "To ARTHUR S CLAIR, Esquire, "at Ligonier, in Westmoreland County. "JOHN PENN. "P. S. My Commissioners who attended Lord Dunmore, could not induce him to come into any reasonable temporary Line of Ju |