26^th Sept^r 1756.
S^r
I now do myself the Honour to make my Acknowledgments
for your Lett^rs dated the 28^th of Aug^st & the 2^d Inst. I am
glad to find Your Accounts from Major Lewis are so favourable
& that by the measures you have prudently taken the Defec-
tion of the Cherokees has been prevented. Our Interest with
the Northern Indians is said to decline fast & I am apt to
beleive the Report is not without foundation. The Gazettes
bring you as particular Accounts as I have received of the Sur-
rendry of Oswego, neither have I had any other Advice of the
motions of the Provincial Troops or the four Regiments under
the Command of Lord Loudoun than what the publick papers
bring us. We are told that Col^o Clapham is marched from
Shamokin for Venango with a Body of the Pens^a Rangers, tis
reported that a Set of People there are much offended at these
proceedings of their Military Officers who were only raised to
act on the defensive & to protect the Inhabitants of that Prov-
ince. Our People also seem to be I think for Pacific Measures
for they have been now met a Fortnight & have hitherto
declined appropriating any of the Money that has been already
granted for His Majesty's Service. I am told they will pro-
ceed to Business very shortly & that they intend to begin by
calling me to Account for directing a Fort to be made with
Stone & Earth instead of Stoccadoes & for intimating to them
that they ought to use Dispatch if they would discover any Zeal
for His Majesty's Service. In Consequence of the Earl of
Loudoun's Lett^r I have enlisted more than 50 Men for him, I
hope to make them a hundred let the Result of our Assembly's
Meeting be what it will but I think such a number cannot be
raised in this Province for less than £300 St^g & £3 St^g a man
is much more than the Officers of the Royal American Regi-
ment find themselves at Liberty to give. We have at this
time 200 Militia on our Western Frontiers beside the Troops
that are employed in building Fort Frederick I would gladly
comply with your Request by ordering a Detachment to Fort
Cumberland but really 'tis not in my power, I have desired the
Assembly to make an Augmentation to our Forces but dare
not entertain very sanguine hopes of Success. I have also
recommended to their Consideration the Affair of a Light
House but cannot learn how my Message was received I
am much obliged by Y^r kindness in sending Copies of the
Instructions sent you from the Lds of the Admiralty & am &c.