last, and the other on the 25th, and I shall punctually conform to his Majesty's Orders signify'd in the two former of them to me concerning the raising of the Regiment, of which his Majesty hath done me the honour to appoint me Colonel, to the utmost of my power, particularly in procuring the Assembly within my own Governmt to contribute their proportion towards the Expence of Levy money etc. for the Troops sent over from Ireland, and to be rais'd here. In the mean time as Sir William Pepperell's and my delay to begin raising our respective Regimts untill Levy money can be obtain'd from the several Colonies, (a point which I am apprehensive may prove difficult to be carry'd) would disappoint his Majesty's Service very much, We shall be under the necessity of raising Money at present by drawing upon our Agent; which may be reimburs'd to the Crown, upon the Colonies complying with his Majesty's pleasure; for inducing my own Assembly to do which I shall use my best Endeavours, as also that our beginning to raise the two Regimts at present shall be of no Disadvantage to my Application to them to be at their part of the Charge for the requisite Levy Money. I now beg leave, Sir, to mention to you that my Lieutent Colonel and Mr. Pitcher, the Commissary General of the Musters of all his Majesty's forces rais'd and to be rais'd in North America, have both assur'd me that my Regimt was to rendezvous at Boston, and Sir William Pepperell's in New York and Philadelphia, and the latter of those Gentlemen tells me that he is certain that the place assign'd for the Rendezvous of my Regiment in your letter which is New York and Philadelphia, and that for Sir William Pepperell's, which is Boston, must be an Error of the Clerk in filling up the Blanks left for the names of those places: If it is not, I would beg leave, Sir, to submit to your Consideration whether in all cases it might not be for his Majesty's Service that the General plan of Rendezvous for my Regimt should be Boston rather than New York and Pensilvania, as in the former case I might have it more under my eye and immediate command, than I could have in the latter, since by his Majesty's Instructions to me as Governour of the province of the Massachusetts Bay, I am forbid to stir out of it without his express leave; whereas Sir William Pepperell may attend and Inspect his Regiment any where. At this time particularly I am concerting Measures with Colonel Lawrence to drive the French out of Nova Scotia next Spring, in Obedience to his Majesty's Orders signify'd to me in your Letter, Sir, dated the 5th of July last, and propose that my Regimt should assist in the Service, unless I am forbid by different Orders; in which first case their being rendezvous'd, as they are rais'd, in New York and Pensilvania instead of Boston would be an hindrance to the Service. Upon these considerations, and the Assurance of the Commissary General of the Musters, that it was design'd by you, Sir, that my Regiment should be rendezvous'd at Boston, and that it must be owing to the Error of the Clerk in copying the letter, that it is there otherwise express'd which seems very probable, I shall assemble my Regimt at Boston, as fast as I can raise them, and continue to do so, untill I have the honour to receive your further Orders upon this head. I am with the greatest respect, Sir, Your most Humble, and W. SHIRLEY. P.S. I shall observe your Directions, Sir, concerning giving Mr. Pitcher all Assistance in my power; and am oblig'd to you for the honour of your Message to me by him. I am affraid there was a mistake in my last, viz, that the Ist of April was the time, by which the 20,00 (sic) stands of Arms should be shipp'd and Dispatches sent in Answer to that letter, whereas it should have been the 1st day of Feb ruary. Rt. Honble Sir Thomas Robinson One of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State. Many thanks to you for all your kindness to Jack. He soon returns to you, like a bad penny. I shall be extremely oblig'd to you for your favour in encouraging Enlistmts into my Regimt, by your Countenancing him in the shape of a Recruiting Officer. I flatter myself it may be for the publick Service, as well as my own and Jack's in particular, as his success in recruiting may facilitate my Obtaining a Company for him in my Regimt, in the first step. I find by your late Message and Speech to the Assembly within your Governmt, that the French are as much in Motion upon the Ohio as we are at Boston. I hope that will instill a little into them, and more into Maryland and Virginia. I can't but think the Maryland Commander in Chief makes a poor figure with his single Company rais'd in his own Government. I detain'd the ship which sailed from hence for London on Monday, till I could get the Message and an Extract of your Speech copy'd out for Lord Halifax, as I imagine that Vessell might be the first Opportunity of conveying them to England. Surely these Commotions will drive the Spirit of Quietism out of your Assembly; and I hope they may turn to the advantage of the publick, and your own in the End. I would beg the favour of you to give my Complimts to Govr. Tinker and your predecessor, Mr. Hamilton. I will do myself the honour to write to the former by next post. 11 Penna. Arch. 2, 215. My hands are full at present, as you will easily imagine, with different matters, which inevitably throw me into a hurry, which I hope will be a sufficient Apology for the Abruptness of this Letter. Be assur'd, Dear Sir, that I wish you all possible success for your own sake, as well as that of the publick; and that I shall, with great pleasure, receive and execute any Commands from you in my power, being with great truth and Esteem, Dear Sir, Your Honour's most faithfull W. SHIRLEY. P.S. I refer you to Jack for all particulars of our movements here. Endorsed: GOVR. SHIRLEY-By his son John, who he sent to recruit for his regiment, recd. Jany. 20. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO SIR THOMAS ROBINSON 1 SIR, Boston, New England, December 24th, 1754. I suppose Gov. Delancey may have sent you a copy of the proceedings of the Commissioners of several of His Majesty's Governments upon this Continent lately assembled at Albany in the Province of New York; least that, by any accident should have miscarry'd, I inclose you one here. That meeting, Sir, gave the Colonies concern'd a fair opportunity of agreeing by their respective Commissioners in a conclusive manner upon Articles of Union and Confederation 1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 15. Printed: Docts. rel. Col. Hist. New York, 6, 930. The Minutes of the Proceedings of the Albany Congress are in Johnson Mss., N. Y. State Library, 1, 127, and printed in Doc. Hist. N. Y. (Q.) 2, 317 ff. for the general defence of His Majesty's subjects and interests in North America as well in time of peace as of war; and it is most evident that their present state requires such an Union to be form'd as soon as is possible, in order to put an immediate stop to the encroachments with which the French have, ever since the conclusion of the late treaty at Aix la Chapelle, been and still are surrounding them and to prevent the total defection of all the Indians, not already gain'd over by that nation from the British interest. The Commissioners of the Massachusetts Province were accordingly furnished with plenary powers for agreeing conclusively on the part of that government with the Commissioners of all or any of the other governments who should be convened at the Congress upon the Articles of such an Union; but the powers produced by all the other Commissioners there, being defective, (as may appear to you Sir by the copies of them which are made part of the record of their proceedings) nothing binding upon their respective governments either for building forts for the defence of the country of the Five Nations or cementing a general Union of the Colonies, could be concluded and agreed upon by them. As to the plan of the proposed Union agreed upon by the Commissioners in order to be layd before their respective constituents for their consideration, a copy of which is contain'd in their proceedings; they had no expectation that it will have any effect, nor could any proper plan be form'd, as I apprehend, in which the several Govts would unite; their different constitutions, situations, circumstances and tempers, will ever be found an invincible obstacle to their agreement upon any one plan in very article, or (if they ever should happen to agree upon one) to their duly carrying it into execution. It appears from that part of the proposed plan fram'd at Albany, which provides that it shall be established by Act of Parliament, that the opinion of the Commissioners there present was that nothing under the force of that would effect such an Union, and what seems to give weight to their opinion is, that the Crown's recommendation of the Union |