Rank and Capacity, to be appointed to command in Chief all the King's forces in North America, a Deputy Quarter Master General, and a Commissary of the Musters, shall set out, as soon as conveniently may be, in order to prepare every thing for the arrival of the Forces abovementioned from Europe, and for the raising of the others in America. You will receive from that General, and the other Officers just mentioned, a full and exact account of the Arms, Cloathing, 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 Kings orders, which were sent you last year, by the Earle of Holdernesse, and were renewed to you in my letter of the 5th July,1 have, at last, roused that emulation, and spirit, which every Man owes at this time, to His Majesty, the publick and himself. The King will not therefore imagine, that either you, or the rest of his Govrs., 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: vizt: That you should carefully provide a sufficient quantity of fresh victuals, at the expence of your Governt, 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 traveling by land, in case there are no means of going by sea; and: That you should use your utmost 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 1 Robinson's letter of July 5 to Shirley is in P. R. O., C. O. 5, 211. It is of about three hundred words, and directs him as to formation of plans for the Kennebec campaign and coöperation with other officers in Nova Scotia. See Shirley to Robinson, Dec. 14, post, p. 107. 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 Governt, 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 complements of the Regiments abovementioned) 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 conferr, or correspond as you shall have opportunities upon every thing relative to the present service, with the said Genl., Sir William Pepperell, 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 cloathing from hence, and that they shall be sent back if desired to their respective habitations, when the service in America shall be over. As the several Governors, in all the King's provinces and Colonies in North America, will receive by this conveyance a letter to the same effect with this, which I now send you, they will be prepared at the same time, to obey His Majesty's commands; and I am to direct you to correspond with all, or either of them, occasionally, as you shall find it expedient for the General service. I am ettc. T. ROBINSON, WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO ISRAEL WILLIAMS 1 Boston, Novemr. 7, 1754. SIR, I have received Advice of a Party of Indians setting upon a small Detachmt sent out from the Garrison at Teconick, killing and scalping one, and taking four of them Prisoners, as you will see by an Extract from Captain Lane's Letter to me, dated the 30th of October last,2 By which and an Extract of another Letter from Lieutt. Howard, you will find Grounds strongly to suspect that the Norridgewock Indians were Privy to this Design, if not actually concerned in the Execution of it. And by these Extracts you have also Information of further Mischief forming among the Canada and other Indians against our Frontiers; Therefore you will send Advice thereof to the exposed Places in your Parts of their Danger, that so they may be upon their Guard to prevent a Surprize. I am, Your Assur'd Friend and Colo. Israel Williams. W. SHIRLEY. 1 Original, Mass. Hist. Society, Col. Israel Williams Manuscripts, 71 D, 92. The following is the extract mentioned (Col. Israel Williams Manuscripts, 71 D, 92): Fort Hallifax, Octor. 30, 1754 MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, I beg leave to acquaint your Excy. that this Morning I ordered a Detachment of ten Men to go with the Team to fetch a Load of Logs, and they went and loaded the Team (not above two Gun Shott from the Block House upon the Hill) and as they were coming back the Indians fired upon them, and kill'd one man and scalp'd him, carried off four of the Men, and shott two of the Oxen. I immediately issued out with all that was able to go, and pursued them as far as we thought convenient, but they went off with all the Expedition that was possible. Copy Attest, J. Willard, Secry. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY 1 Boston. December 4, 1754. SIR, I mentiond it Yesterday to your Excellency as my Opinion, that Excluding the People of the Colonies from all Share in the Choice of the Grand Council would probably give extreme Dissatisfaction, as well as the Taxing them by Act of Parliament where they have no Representative. In Matters of General Concern to the People, and especially where Burthens are to be laid upon them, it is of Use to consider as well what they will be apt to think and say, as what they ought to think. I shall therefore, as your Excellency requires it of me, briefly mention what of either Kind occurs at present, on this Occasion. First, they will say, and perhaps with Justice, that the Body of the People in the Colonies are as loyal, and as firmly attach'd to the present Constitution and reigning Family, as any Subjects in the King's Dominions; that there is no Reason to doubt the Readiness and Willingness of their Representatives to grant, from Time to Time, such Supplies, for the Defence of the Country, as shall be judg'd necessary, so far as their Abilities will allow; That the People in the Colonies, who are to feel the immediate Mischiefs of Invasion and Conquest by an Enemy, in the Loss of their Estates, Lives and Liberties, are likely to be better Judges of the Quantity of Forces necessary to be raised and maintain'd, Forts to be built and supported, and of their own Abilities to bear the Expence, than the Parliament of England at so great a Distance. That Governors often come to the Colonies merely to make Fortunes, with which they intend to return to Britain, are not always Men of the best Abilities and Integrity, have no Estates here, nor any natural Connections with us that should make them heartily concern'd 1 B. M., Additional Manuscript 35911, 60. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. Shirley could hardly have found a better representative of the colonies at large than Benjamin Franklin, and the governor's caution is shown in this request for his opinion. for our Welfare; and might possibly be sometimes fond of raising and keeping up more Forces than necessary, from the Profits accruing to themselves and to make Provision for their Friends and Dependants. That the Councellors in most of the Colonies, being appointed by the Crown, on the Recommendation of Governors, are often of small Estates, frequently dependant on the Governor for Offices, and therefore too much under Influence. That there is therefore great Reason to be jealous of a Power in such Governors and Councils, to raise such Sums as they shall judge necessary, by Draft on the Lords of the Treasury, to be afterwards laid on the Colonies by Act of Parliament, and paid by the People here; since they might abuse it, by projecting useless Expeditions, harrassing the People, and taking them from their Labour to execute such Projects, and merely to create Offices and Employments, gratify their Dependants, and divide Profits. That the Parliament of England is at a great Distance, subject to be misinform'd by such Governors and Councils, whose united Interests might probably secure them against the Effect of any Complaints from hence. That it is suppos'd an undoubted Right of Englishmen not to be taxed but by their own Consent given thro' their Representatives. That the Colonies have no Representatives in Parliament. That to propose taxing them by Parliament, and refusing them the Liberty of chusing a Representative Council, to meet in the Colonies, and consider and judge of the Necessity of any General Tax and the Quantum, shews a Suspicion of their Loyalty to the Crown, or Regard for their Country, or of their Common Sense and Understanding, which they have not deserv'd. That compelling the Colonies to pay Money without their Consent would be rather like raising Contributions in an Enemy's Country, than taxing of Englishmen for their own publick Benefit. That it would be treating them as a conquer'd People, and not as true British Subjects. That a Tax laid by the Representatives of the Colonies might easily be lessened as the Occasions should lessen, but being once laid by Parliament, under the Influence of the Representations made by Gov |