WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE EARL OF

MY LORD,

HOLDERNESS 1

Boston, January 7, 1754.

I have the honour of Your Lordship's letter dated 28th August last, signifying to me, "that His Majesty had received information of the march of a considerable Number of Indians, not in his alliance, supported by some Regular European Troops, intending, as was apprehended, to commit some hostilities on parts of His Majesty's dominions in America, and directing me to use my utmost diligence to learn how far the same may be well grounded, and to put me upon my guard, that I may at all events be in a condition to resist any hostile attempts, that may be made upon any parts of His Majesty's dominions within my Government" signifying likewise "that it is the King's Royal will and pleasure that I should keep up an exact correspondence with all His Majesty's Governors on the Continent; and in case I should be informed by any of them of any hostile attempts; that I should immediately assemble the General Assembly within my Government, and lay before them the necessity of a mutual assistance, and engage them to grant such supplies as the exigency of affairs may require" —

In obedience to His Majesty's pleasure I have used my utmost diligence to learn how far the information of the March of the Indians and Troops mentioned in your Lordship's letter may be well grounded, together with their designs and destination: and the result of my inquiry is contained in the inclosed paper No 1. to which I beg leave to referr Your Lordp.

I have taken the necessary measures for putting the Militia of the province into a readiness for His Majesty's service, in

1 Original, P. R. O., C. O. 5, 14. Printed: Docts. rel. Col. Hist. N. Y. 6, 822. A transcript from the original in the Public Record Office is in the Parkman Papers in the Mass. Hist. Society. 2 See ante, p. 12.

case of any sudden exigency; and have recommended to the Assembly to make provision for putting several Forts and Garrisons into a proper posture of defence, and communicated to them His Majesty's Royal pleasure concerning his Colonies upon this Continent, giving mutual assistance to each other, in case of any hostile attempts against any of them.

In answer to this they have sent me a Message; a copy of which marked No 2. I have taken the liberty of inclosing to Your Lordship in order to be layd before His Majesty according to the Assembly's request, provided your Lordship shall judge that proper to be done.

I likewise take upon this occasion, the liberty to observe to your Lordship that tho' I am fully persuaded, that this Province (as the Assembly undertakes for it in their Message) will at all times with great cheerfulness furnish their just and reasonable quota of Men or money towards the assistance of any other of His Majesty's Colonies upon this continent, in case of an invasion or hostile attempt; and can't but hope, from the necessity of an union among all the Colonies for their mutual defence against the common Enemy, that the others may be likewise disposed to do the same; yet, unless it shall be determined by His Majesty, what is each Colony's just quota of Men or Money which it shall raise or contribute in the common cause, when any one or more of them shall be invaded, or harras'd by the French or Indians, whether in a time of open declared Warr or not, and they shall be obliged in some effectual manner (as his Majesty shall think most proper) to conform to that determination upon every emergency; yet, I say, My Lord, there seems just reason to apprehend from past experience, that the want of such a settlement, and a method to enforce its taking effect, will be an obstacle to the carrying into execution any general plan for cementing an Union among His Majesty's subjects upon this continent, for the defence of His Majestys territories committed to their trust.

What greatly incourages me to take the liberty of submitting this observation to your Lordship's consideration, is,

that it was thought necessary by the Government in King William's Reign to settle the Quota of Men and Money, which every one of the Colonies should be alloted to raise for the defence of New York; and that I find the like settlement continued in Sir Danvers Osborne's, late Govr. of New York's 95th and 96th instructions; a copy of which No 3. to save your Lordship trouble, I likewise inclose.

The carrying of this settlement into execution, Your Lordship will be pleased to observe, stands solely upon the King's recommendation of it, and I can't learn upon the best inquiry, I have been able to make hitherto, that it ever took effect, yet, I must likewise remark this fact to Your Lordship, that since the time of making that settlement, the abilities, and circumstances of several Colonies are much altered, so that, that would be a very unequal rule for settling the just proportion of their Quota's in Men or money at this day. For instance: Your Lordship will find the Quota of Men allotted to this Province to raise for the assistance of New York is 350, and that allotted to Pennsylvania is 80. Now, such a proportion between the two governments at this time would be extreamly unequal; the Number of Inhabitants in Pensylvania having since King William the 3rd's Reign been so much increased by the great number of Foreigners, who have annually transplanted themselves and their families thither, from the Palatinate, Swiss Cantons and Northern Parts of Germany, and by the natural increase of the people, that some have computed them at 500,000 persons; whereas the increase of the numbers of Inhabitants in the Massachusets Bay within that time (not to mention their having had but a very inconsiderable number of Foreigners transplanted among them) hath been greatly hindered by having many of their valuable Townships lately lopped off by the new Settlement of the boundaries between them and the Province of New Hampshire in 1737 as also by the settlement of the boundaries between them and the Colony of Rhode Island in 1741; and the province hath been further reduced by the great loss it sustained of its inhabitants by sea and Land in the expedition against Cape Breton, and the preser

vation of Nova Scotia, both, before and during the whole course of the late Warr; so that there is no reason to doubt but that at this day the Inhabitants of Pensylvania tho' they should be computed only 400,000, are about double the number of those of this Province.

The like remark may be made upon the proportion of the Quota of men and Money settled between the Colony of Connecticut and this Province, which is about 1 to 3, that Colony being alloted to raise 120 Men, and the Province 350, whereas the Colony, by means of the beforementioned reduction of the ancient, reputed limits of this Province, and its being exhausted of its Inhabitants in the late expeditions, and Warr, hath since making the aforesaid settlement so far got the start of the Province in the increase of its Inhabitants, that the just proportion at this day between them is (according to the computation of good Judges) no more than as 2 to 3. There are other circumstances besides to be considered in adjusting the proportion of the Quota between the Colony and the Province; viz: the Colony is entirely covered by this Province, so that it hath no frontier of its own, to defend in time of war, and consequently is at no expence in the maintenance of marching Companies, Forts and garrisons for that purpose; whereas the Province hath a very extensive frontier, which is constantly harras'd by the Indians and French, upon every rupture, and at a very considerable charge in maintaining marching Companies, Forts and Garrisons; and in time of peace the Colony's Taxes for the support of His Majty's Government among them, is very trifling in comparison of that of the Province's.

I submit these observations to your Lordship's consideration as specimens of the alteration of the circumstances of the Colonies with regard to the proportion, which they bore to each other in respect of their number of Inhabitants and ability in King William's Reign, and their present state, and to shew, how unequal a rule the settlement made at that time for adjusting their respective Quotas of Men and Money, would be for adjusting them at this day.

I must further add upon this head, that nothing would

to direct his Governor of New York to hold an interview with them, for delivering those presents, for burying the hatchet, and for renewing the Covenant Chain with them; we think it our duty to acquaint you therewith, and as we find it has been usual upon former occasions when an interview has been held with those Indians, for all His Majesty's Colonies whose interest and security is connected with and depends upon them, to join in such interview, and as the present disposition of those Indians and the attempts which have been made to withdraw them from the British interest, appears to us to make such a general interview more particularly necessary at this time; we desire you will lay this matter before the Council and General Assembly of the Province under your government and recommend to them forthwith to make a proper provision for appointing Commissioners, to be joined with those of the other Governments, for renewing the Covenant Chain with the Six Nations, and for making such presents to them as has been usual upon the like occasions. And we desire that in the Choice and nomination of the Commissioners, you will take care that they are men of Character ability and integrity, and well acquainted with Indian Affairs.

As to the time and place of meeting it is left to the Governor of New York to fix it, and he has orders to give you early notice of it. We are, Sir

I received by the last post a Letter from the Earle of Holdernesse dated 28 August past (a Circular one as it ap

1 Original in the Maryland Historical Society. Printed: Arch. of Md. 6, 11; 31, 25.