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HLUOY
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, -1775
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
GEN
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01810 3868
1
FRO
CONTA 17
Colonial records of la MINUTES
OF THE
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL
OF
PENNSYLVANIA,
FROM THE ORGANIZATION TO THE TERMINATION OF THE PROPRIETARY GOVERNMENT.
PUBLISHED BY THE STATE.
VOL. X.
CONTAINING THE PROCEEDINGS OF COUNCIL FROM OCTOBER 18TH, 1771, TO 27TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1775, BOTH DAYS INCLUDED ; TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY FROM JUNE 30TH, 1775, TO NOVEMBER 12TH, 1776, BOTH DAYS INCLUDED.
HARRISBURG :
PRINTED BY THEO. FENN & CO.
1852.
1
1
------ - -- -
CONTENTS.
1209434
A.
Acrs for preventing tumults & riots, 4; to erect a light house at Delaware Bay, 4; to perpetuated testimony, 18, 20; for sale of goods distrained for rent, 22; to repeal an act relating to tan- ning leather, 23, 24; to regulate chimney Sweepers, 23; to sell the copper mine tract of land, 23; to equalize excise on wine, rum, &c., 24, 41; to grant his Majesty £4000, 32; to recover divers sums of money, 27 ; for the more easy recovery of legacies, 42; to restrain & prevent lotteries, 48, 98 ; for the support of the government, 53; for emiting £150,000, 76; to perpetuate the act of laying duty on negroes imported, 72, 77 ; vesting cer- tain tract of land in Cumberland co., 75, 77, 139 ; for preserv- ing the navigation of Shearman's creek, 76; for limitation of actions, 84; to encourage building good mills, 109; to prevent counterfeiting paper money, 109 ; to prevent infectious, diseases, 139 ; to regulate fishing in the Conestogo creek, 139, 144, 149; to punish rioters, 144; to regulate pedlars, 144; to prevent fraud in packing herring and shad, 144 ; to prevent tumultu- ous assemblies, 149; to grant money to certain counties, 197 ; for emiting bills of credit, 223, 226 ; for building a house of correction in Philadelphia, 237 ; to prohibit the importation of slaves, 245.
Addresses of the Assembly to Governor Richard Penn, 1, 29; to Gov. John Penn, 96, 107, 216 ; from Gov. John Penn to the Assembly, 97, 107; of the Committee of Safety for the province of Pennsylvania to the public, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627.
Advertisement, a dangerous one, 141.
Amunition, delivered to the Colonels of the different battalions of Associators in Pa., 613, 644,
Army, increase of, 467.
Arms of war provided, 298 ; second handed ones purchased, 418.
Apprentices not to be enlisted, 723.
Articles of regulation for associators, 307, 308, 809, 310, 311, 312.
CONTENTS.
Artillery company rules & regulations for recommended, 391, 392, 393, 394.
Assembly, messages from to Governor Penn, 5, 6, 28, 32, 70, 74, 82, 96, 142, 225, 238, 252. 1 Associators for the city & suburbs of the city of Philadelphia, 630. - names of to be returned to the Council of Safety, 687. - -
B.
BATTALION of Foot, to be raised in Pennsylvania, 756.
Barrack master, instructions to from the Committee of Safety, 568.
Bedford county, people of petition, setting forth their dangerous situation, 68, 74.
Berks county, letter from laid before the board of the Council of Safety, 655.
Bermuda Island, the people of in great distress, Congress recom- mends to the several Colonies to send them relief, 412, 413, 414. Billington, N. J. fortifications erected at, 730.
Bills, Loan office, &c., 27; for emitting £200,000 bills of Credit, 28; touching roads in the Province, 39; to emit £150,000 76; for preserving the navigation of Shearman's Creek, 71; to prevent frauds & abuses in leather, 76; to raise county rates, 81, 82.
Board of business established, &c., 280.
Boats, Provincial ones, rules & regulations to be observed on by of- ficers & crew, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327; military stores al- lowed them, 363; General instructions to commanders of, 368, 369, 370, 617; men employed, 465 ; ammunition furnished them, 566.
Boston Post, Parliamentary act respect'g, noticed, 180.
Boundary line between Pennsylvania & Virginia, touching, 150, 156, 158, 161, 165, 167, 174, 176, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 191, 206.
between Pennsylvania & Maryland, 220, 221, 225.
C. 1
CARLISLE, prisoners at allowed to go to Lancaster, 688.
Captains recommended, nominated and appointed by Committee of Safety, 446, 447, 634, 742.
Carahan's deposition, 235.
Canon taken at Providence, R. I., lent to defend the city of Philadelphia, 564, 565.
a
1
CONTENTS,
Carolina prisoners in jail in Philadelphia, 580, 581.
Committee of Safety, 280, 374; president of appointed, 283 , memorials of to the Assembly, 348, 579, 582.
to Congress, 575, 576, 577.
- different committees appointed, 543, 544.
Clothing Agent appointed, 538.
Companies to be formed, recommended, 292, 293, 316; rules re- commended to them, 316, 318, 319.
Conference of Committees of Safety, 631.
Conestogo Indians, massacre of alluded to incidentally, 125, 126, 257.
Conestogo Creek, fishing in regulated, 144, 149.
Connecticut claimants, touching, 3, 4, 50, 86, 87, 111, 118, 119, 120, 128, 125, 129, 130, 133, 138, 143, 151, 153, 154, 155, 163, 177, 178, 179.
Conference with the Connecticut Commissioners, 125, 126, 128.
Connelly, Dr., his movements in Western Pennsylvania, 140, 157, 167, 197, 227, 228, 234, 235, 533.
Counterfeiters and forgers, act relative to them, 89, 99.
Conscience, no violence intended by measures recommended by Committee of Safety, 293.
Conspirators against the State, 661, 663, 666, 667, 669, 694. Council of Safety, minutes of, 279.
Court-houses, money granted to erect several, 197.
D.
DARTMOUTH, Earl of, letters from to Gov. Penn, 102, 220, 246, 248.
Declaration of Independence, to be liberally distributed, 634.
Defence of the River Delaware, 285, 286, 287, 289, 290, 334, 368, 504.
Delaware Indians, message to from Gov. John Penn, 204.
Deposition of Henry Reed, 168.
Deserters, not to be concealed by any one knowing them as, unless fined, 618, 619.
Disturbances in Western Pennsylvania, 141, 157, 161, 166, 167, 169, 234, 235, 533.
Dixon & Mason's line, 150, 182, 183, 187.
Drunkenness punished in the army, 309.'
Dunmore, Lord, Governor of Virginia, letter from to Gov. Penn, 157; to Tilghman, 183, 188.
Vi
CONTENTS.
E.
ENLISTMENT of Soldiers, form of, 468. Ensigns recommended, nominated, and appointed, 450, 464.
Expenses, incidental for purposes of the Government, 17, 12, 53, 266.
F.
FIELD OFFICERS, recommended, nominated, & appointed, 442, 443, 444, 446.
Fire arms, not to be carried out of Pennsylvania without permission, 498.
Fire Sloop, manned for service, 585; allowance to the officers & crew, 585, 586.
Fish, an act to prevent fraud in packing them, 144, 226.
Flints, 30,000 for the use of the army, 632.
Flying camp, 6,000 militia to be raised for that purpose, 611, 704.
Forgers and counterfeiters, act relative to them, 89.
Fort Island, barrack master at, instructions to, 568, 56; survey of bar authorized, 575; ready to accommodate affairs, 587.
Fort Pitt, propriety of keeping small garrison at, 71.
Foulke, Judah, appointed keeper of the standard of weights in Philadelphia, 111.
French, Christopher, Major of his Majesty's 22d Regiment on pa- role, 803, 306.
G.
GAGE, GENERAL, letter from to Penn, 19.
German settlers at the Glades, their petition to have Keble ap- pointed Justice of the Peace, 8.
German companies to be raised in Pennsylvania and Maryland, 621, 622; officers appointed to command them, 643, 679, 685, 757.
Grievances of the citizens of Lancaster and Cumberland Counties, touching payment for carriages in His Majesty's service, 17, 19.
Gunlocks, provincial manufactory of, 506.
Guns, to be completed, 290; to be made of substantial materials, 293; to be provided for service, 298; second handed ones pur- chased, 418.
:
CONTENTS.
vii
н.
HAMILTON, ROBERT, charged with murdering Tracy, 7. Hessians embarked from Staten Island, 753. Hurricane, violent one, in the Island of Antigua, 57, 58, 60. Hostilities, apprehended from the Indians, 192.
I.
INCIDENTAL expenses for the purposes of government, 177, 172. Indians, general war apprehended from them, 192.
- murdered, 196, 199.
names of nations or tribes incidentally mentioned, occurring repeatedly : Six Nations, 177, 192; Shawanese, 192; Dela- wares, 194; Cahuga, 255.
Increase of the army, 467.
Intruders upon Indian lands on the north side of the West Branch of the Susquehanna river, 94, 95.
Instructions to Tilghman & Allen, touching the disputed boundary line between Pennsylvania and Virginia, 175.
- from the Committee of Safety to Henry Fisher, 337, 338 ; 3 to the Barrack Master, 568.
Inspection Committee to assist in procuring rifles, &c., 688.
J. "
JOHNSTON, SIR WILLIAM, letter from to Governor Penn, 53, 192. Johnson Guy, letter from, 200.
LANCASTER, buildings regulated by a certain act of the Legisla- ture, 148. .
Lead, scarce, clock and window weights of lead fused into bullets, 558, 572, iron weights ordered to be cast & exchanged for leaden ones, 561, 637, 649.
Letters, from Nicholas Sutherland, 16; from General Gage, 19; from William Johnson, 21; from Randolph Payne, 57; from Robert Moodie, 86; from William Plunket, 86; from Arthur St. Clair, 140, 145, 194, 202; from Lord Dunmore, 149, 158, 176, 193; to Governor Trumbull, 152, 156; to Smith, 171, to Crawford, 171; from the Earl of Dartmouth to Penn, 102;
- from the Connecticut Commissioners, 121, 133, 138 ; from Dun- more to Tilghman, 183, 188, 191; from Aeneas Mackay, 141,
CONTENTS.
1
1
169; from Governor Trumbull of Connecticut to Governor Hamilton, 9, 119 ; to Governor Penn, 151, 164; from William Crawford, 167, from Doctor Connolly, 167 ; from Devereux Smith, 170; from Richard Peters to H. Wilmon, 179 ; from Allen & Tilghman to Lord Dunmore, Governor of Vir- ginia, 183 ; from Guy Johnson, 200; from Governor Penn to the Connecticut Commissioners, 123, 130; to Arthur St. Clair, 145, 194, 202 ; to Lord Dunmore, 149, 176, 193, to Smith and others, 171; to Lord Dartmouth, 221, 236; to Eden, Governor of Maryland, from Convention of New Jersey, 628.
from the Committee of Inspection and Observation, 497.
Lieutenants, recommended, nominated and appointed, 448, 449, 457,488.
Lodge, masonic, meeting in of the Committee of Safety, 298.
Lock manufactory, to apply to repairing, 627, 641.
Lords Commissioners of Trade, &c., 103.
Lotteries, accounts of several to settle 41.
- to be restrained by law, 48'.
M.
MACKEY AENEAS, letters from, 141, 169.
Mason and Dixon's line mentioned, 150, 182, 183, 187.
Maxwell John, appointed paymaster, 356.
Memorials of the Committee of Safety to the Assembly of Pent- sylvania, 348, 492, 579, 582.
to the Continental Congress, 576, 577, 601.
Menace to extort money, 44.
Messages from Governor Richard Penn to the Assembly, 16, 30, 34, 32, 34, 76, 84; from Governor John Penn, 97, 88, 117, 146,196, 208, 214, 216, 224, 226, 233, 238, 243, 251, 260; to the Indians, 203, 204, 205.
from the Assembly to Governor Richard Penn, 5, 6, 28, 32, 35, 37, 70, 74, 82, 96; to Governor John Penn, 142, 215, · 225, 238, 252.
Mills, good ones encouraged to be built, 109.
Minute men, selected, &c, 293.
Minutes of Indian Conferences held at Philadelphia, 10, 11, 12, 13, 61, 64.
of Council of Safety, 279, 800.
Money authorized to be borrowed by act of Legislatare, 296.
Moody Robert, letter from, 86.
Muskets, to be of certain length, and bore of sufficient size, 282.
ix
CONTENTS.
N.
NAVAL DEPARTMENT, dissatisfaction in, 680.
Naval officers, touching their pay, 518, 522; armament of Dela- ware officers, &c, 731.
Negroes and Mulattoes, imported duty on, 72.
New Jersey, letter from to Congress considered, 628.
Northumberland county erected, 32, 43; petition from the inhabi- tants complaining of the Connecticut settlers, 111.
Associators, Battalion of formed & officers appointed, 746.
0.
OBSERVATION & Inspection committee, copies of instructions to them, 643. .
Officers' commission, form of recommended by Committee of Safe- ty, 321, 444, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451.
Officers of military associations for the defence of American Liber- ty, how to be commissioned, 295.
Old linnen for bandages and lint, &c, 633.
P.
PATROLES, of Associators for Philadelphia, 630.
Patterns for weapons of war, &c., 282.
Pay, monthly, of officers and men employed in the provincial armed boats, 329; weekly allowance, 329.
Paymasters appointed for the army, 356.
Payne, Ralph, Governor of the Leeward Islands, letter from, 57. Penn, Richard, his commission revoked, 91; letter from to Dr. W. Plunket, 86.
Penn, John, appointed Governor, 91; his being commissioned pub- lished with solemnities, 92; his Proclamations, 92, 93, 95, 99, 105, 153, 174, 199, 206, 213, 220, 229, 246, 258, 269; his letters to the Connecticut Commissioners, 123, 130; to Arthur St. Clair, 145, 194, 202; to Lord Dunmore, Governor of Vir- ginia, 149, 176, 193 ; to Governor Trumbull of Connecticut, 152, 156; to Smith, and others, 171; to William Crawford, 171; to Sir William Johnson, 192; to Lord Dartmouth, 221, 236; to Eden, Governor of Maryland, 242, 247; to William Plunket, 275.
Peters, Richard, his letter to Henry Wilmot, 177.
Pikes, as weapons of defence, recommended to the Associators, 322, 653.
x
CONTENTS.
Pikemen, directions how to equip them for service, 322. Pitching axes used by the Flying Camp, 727.
Pilots on the river and bay of Delaware, directed to avoid being taken, 336.
-
appointed for the Delaware, 377.
Plunket, William, letter from, 86.
Port of Boston, Parliamentary act respecting, noticed 180.
Powder mills, encouraged by advancing loans of money, 459, 467; certain conditions observed and suitable places selected, 482, 488; money allowed for building, 501; furnished with saltpetre, 626, 665.
Prisoners of war, a list of their names to be kept in each Colony, 541, 776.
- exchanged, 564, 595, 596, 608 ; allowed to go on parole, 639.
Proclamations by Governor Richard Penn, 14, 44, 58, 88 ; by Go- vernor John Penn, 92, 95, 99, 105, 153, 174, 199, 206, 213, 229, 246, 269.
Profane swearing prohibited in the army, 309.
1
Provincial manufactory of gun-locks, 506.
arms distributed, 517.
Provision made to supply family of poor men in actual service, 646, 658, 669.
R.
RANGERS on the frontier settlements dispersed, 215.
Rank or precedence among the Pennsylvania Associators, rules for establishing adopted, 316, 318, 319, 320, 334.
Rations, allowance of, 500.
Reading, a guard to be kept at, 714.
Redbank Island viewed, 283.
Reed Henry, his deposition, 168.
Redoubt to be erected at Billingsport, N. J., 601, 604.
Reports from Lord Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, 103. Resolutions by the Council of Safety, 279.
Road, from William Masters to the old Germantown road, 46, 47 ; on the line between Vandyke & Holmes, 51; from the Schuyl- kill to the Conestoga road, 55, 69, 112, 193 ; from Northampton to Wyoming, 209.
Rules and regulations for the artillery companies, 391.
- for the government of the Continental army to be printed, 636.
-
xi
CONTENTS.
S.
SAFETY COMMITTEE, appointed for the province of Pennsylvania, 280.
Safety pilot appointed, 376.
Salt monopolized by mercenary persons, conduct disapproved, 747, 748, 751; Salt purchased by Council of Safety and distributed, 780.
Schooner Isabella, touching, 230.
Seamen enlisted in the service of the province, their pay, 513.
Servants and indented apprentices not to be enlisted without a writ- ten consent from the owners, 723.
Shawanese Indians, message to from Governor John Penn, 203.
Shearman's creek, act to preserve navigation of, 71.
Shippen Joseph, jr., continued Secretary to the Council, 91. Ship Snow examined touching embezzlement, 90, 102.
Smith, Devereux, letter from to Governor Penn, 169.
Shot, different sorts ordered to be made in large quantities, 561. St. Clair, letter from, 140.
Susquehanna Company, supposed to have assigned their right to land to the People of Connecticut, 179.
Sulphur ore, intelligence of its existence desired to be imparted, 514.
Sutherland, Nicholas, letter from.
T.
TAXES to be levied on all estates in Pennsylvania, to carry on war, 282.
Tilghman's Report touching the boundary line between Pennsyl- vania & Virginia, 181 ; his letters to Lord Dunmore, 183, 186. Title to be applied to Governor John Penn, agreed upon, 91. Trumbull, Governor of Connecticut, letters from, 3, 119, 151, 164.
Treasurer appointed by the Council of Safety, 281.
U.
UNIFORMS always to be worn by officers going abroad, 628.
xii
CONTENTS.
V
VENUS, Brig, on a voyage for arms & ammunition, 642. Vessels of war applying for commission for letters of Marque & Re- prisal, to furnish a statement of tonnage, &c., 590.
Virginia lays claim to part of western Pennsylvania, 150, 156, 158, 161 165, 174, 176, 180, 181, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 202.
Void, certain acts declared as such, 103, 105.
W.
1
WAR, a general one with the Indians anticipated, 192. Weekly allowance to men employed in armed boats, 329, 331. Welsh, Francis, letter from, 280.
Westmoreland county, disturbances in, 165, 166, 167, 234, 235. - Sundry murders prostrated in, 180.
-people of purchase one hundred fire locks, 417 ; received money to pay troops, 711. Whitesides' deposition, 228.
Wipey, Joseph, a Delaware Indian, murdered, 199.
Window weights, leaden ones ordered to be collected, 637.
Y.
YORK COUNTY, Military Associators in, letters touching them, 300, 335; a committee of the county purchase powder & lead, 344 ; supplies Westmoreland county out of the public stock, some pow- der and lead, 346 ; prisoners on parole allowed to reside at York, 639, 645, 698.
MINUTES
OF THE
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF PENNSYLVANIA.
At a Council held at Philadelphia in the Council Chamber, on Fryday the 18th of October, 1771.
PRESENT :
The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Go- vernor.
James Hamilton, Thomas Cadwallader,
Joseph Turner, James Tilghman, William Logan, Andrew Allen, Esquires. Richard Peters, Edward Shippen, Junior,
The Governor having yesterday received a Message from the As- sembly, acquainting him that they propose to present him an ad- dress, and to claim the usual priviledges of the House, and his Honour having appointed this day for that purpose, about twelve o'clock he directed the Secretary to acquaint them that he attended his appointment in the Council Chamber, and was ready to Receive the House with their Speaker. The whole House immediately waited on him, and the Speaker delivered the following address, Vizt :
" To the Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Go- vernor of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware.
The Address of the Assembly.
" May it please your Honour :
" The Representatives of the Freemen of the Province of Penn- sylvania, in General Assembly met, sincerely congratulate your Honour on your safe Arrival and accession to this Government.
" The appointment of a Gentleman who has resided several years among us, and acquired a knowledge of the Circumstances of VOL. X .- 1.
2
MINUTES OF THE
the Province, is extreamly agreeable to us, and induces to hope, that while he pays a due Regard to the Prerogatives of our most Gracious Sovereign, the just rights of his Subjects, and a faithful execution of the Laws, those Essential Supports to the Honour and Dignity of Government, cannot fail to become Objects of his care and attention, and the people we represent to be made happy under his administration.
"Permit us to assure your Honour, that on our part, nothing shall be wanting to support you in the exercise of the Just rights of Government, and to render your residence among us easy and happy
" Signed by order of the House, " JOSEPH GALLOWAY, Speaker. "October 18th, 1771."
To which the Governor was pleased to return an answer in these Words, Viz" :
" Gentlemen :
"I heartily thank you for your kind Congratulation on my arri- val and appointment to the Government.
" My former Residence among you, at the same time that it af- forded me some insight into the Circumstances of the Province, could not fail to add considerably to my Regard for it, And as I shall on all Occasions study to protect the People committed to my Charge in the full Enjoyment of all their just Rights and Privi- ledges, as well as to support the Prerogatives of the Crown, I flat- ter myself that your kind Expectations in my favor will be in some measure answered, and that my administration may be easy to my- self and happy to the Publick."
The Speaker then, addressing himself to the Governor, claimed the several usual Privileges in behalf of the House, which his Honor was pleased to say were undoubtedly essential in a Repre- sentative Body, and that he should at all times endeavor to protect the House in the enjoyment of them. The Speaker thereupon pre- sented to the Governor a Certificate for £600, for which his Hon- our returned thanks to the House, and then they withdrew.
A Draught of a Message to the Assembly being prepared by a Member of Council at the Governor's Request, the same was read, and being approved, the Secretary Transcribed it at the Table and carried it Immediately to the House, and at the same time laid be- fore them, by direction of the Board, the Depositions of Ashur Clayton and Joseph Morris.
"'Gentlemen :
"I am sorry to be under a Necessity at my first arrival among you, to apply for your Assistance in a very disagreeable Affair, which I understand has given great 'Trouble to the Government.
" It is a matter of public Notoriety that those daring Offenders, Lazarus Stewart and his Accomplices, with a number of adherents,
3
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
have, in the most hostile and Warlike Manner, expelled our people from their Settlements at Wyoming, where these intruders remain, in Defiance of the Powers of Government, which have hitherto proved ineffectual to restrain their daring and Insolent Behaviour.
"Your own Reflections, Gentlemen, will point out to you the fatal Consequences of suffering these lawless People to remain quiet in a possession which they have obtained as it were by Open. War.
"It is more than probable that, encouraged by their late Success, they may extend their Possessions to other parts of the Province, and put our frontier into a state of Disorder and Confusion.
" When you come Seriously to attend to the many mischiefs with which this important Affair is pregnant, I cannot Doubt but you will readily give me your Assistance in Speedily Suppressing these disorders, and bringing to Condign Punishment a set of People who have in the most audacious manner put the Government and its Laws at Defiance; and as one Mean proper for the Accomplish- ment of so desirable an end, and of Preventing Disorders of the same kind, I would remind you of Reviving the late Riot Act.
"I am informed, Gentlemen, that some Provision will be wanted for Subsisting His Majesty's Troops now in the Barracks of this Province, which I likewise recommend to your Consideration.
"RICHARD PENN.
"October 18, 1771."
At a Council held at Philadelphia on Saturday 19th October, 1771.
PRESENT :
. The Honourable RICHARD PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor, &cª.
Joseph Turner, Lynford Lardner, ) Richard Peters, James Tilghman, Esquires.
Edward Shippen, Junior,
Mr. Hamilton having delivered to the Governor a Letter which. he received last Night from the Governor of Connecticut, in answer to the one he had dispatched by express the forth Instant, His Honour by the advice of the Council, ordered the Secretary to lay it before the Assembly for their Perusal. The said Letter follows in these Words, Viz":
" Sir :
"NEW HAVEN, 14th October, 1771.
"I have the Honour of your favor of the Fourth Instant, and am. . extreamly sorry to find that the peace of His Majesty's Subjects has been disturbed in the manner you represent.
"The Persons concerned in these Transactions have no Order and direction from me, or from the General Assembly of this Colony,
1
4
MINUTES OF THE
for their proceedings upon this Occasion ; and I am very Confident that the Assembly, Friends as they have ever been to peace and good order, will never Countenance any Violent, much less Hostile, Measures in Vindicating the right which the Susquehanna Company suppose they have to the lands in that part of the Country within the limits of the Charter, to this Colony. You will see by the repre- sentation from the Committee of the Susquehannah Company, which I had the Elonour to Transmit to Governor Penn, that the Claim- ants under that Company (who no doubt are the people Concerned in the late Transactions), Complain that they were first attacked and Ill treated by the People of your Province, when they meant only a peaceable Possession of the Lands they claim a Title to, and wished to vindicate that Title in due course of Law. Your People, on the other hand, insist, it seems, that the Susquehannah Claimants have been the aggressors. Which have been most in fault it is not my part to determine.
"I can only assure you that it is with the deepest Concern that I see this Controversy conducted in so Violent and Hostile a Man- ner, and that I wish to Contribute all in my power to preserve Peace & good Order.
"I am, with the greatest Esteem, Sir, "Your most Obedient Humble Servant, " JONTH. TRUMBULL.
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