362 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk.III

find that any Violence hath been committed within this Prov-
ince on any Indian since the Conclusion of the late War, nor
have any Lands been granted in Maryland beyond the Limits
described in His Majestys Proclamation of 1763 or even to
the Westward of Fort Cumberland, if therefore any Settle-
ment has heen made on Lands to which the Indians have any
Pretensions it has not been by Persons claiming Protection
under this Government & your Ldp may be assured that I
shall never Countenance the making any Settlement that can
possibly give the Indians the least Cause of Offence & If any
of the Inhabitants of this Province shall injure them in any
respect I will endeavour to have the Offender punished ; but
as there are on the Frontiers of these Provinces Persons that
support themselves by Hunting & among them Men of no
Character or principle It will I am afraid be impossible to pre-
vent such from going & building Houses or Cabbins beyond
the Limits prescribed by the Royal Proclamation unless the
Military to the Westward of these provinces are directed to
destroy such Houses & otherwise to punish such Offenders.
Should I hear of any Transaction within or in the neighbour-
hood of this province likely to give the Indians Uneasiness I
shall immediately advise both General Gage & S^r William
Johnson thereof & will use all means in my power to prevent
the ill Consequences of such Uneasiness & to preserve Peace
& Harmony between the Neighbouring Indians & His Majestys
Subjects in this province.

Original.

[Sir Wm. Johnson to Sharpe.]

Johnson Hall Jan^y 29^th 1767
Sir
I had the favor of your Letter concerning the running the
Divisional Lines a few days ago, before which I received a
Letter from Governor Penn on that Subject which I imediately
answered assuring him of my readiness to assist in obtaining
permission from the Indians for that purpose & of doing all I
could to remove any unjust Suspicions thereon which I have
reason to think will be the case from their present jealousy for
other reasons I therein assigned, at the same time informing
him that it would be necessary to have all the Chief Sachems
and principal Warriors of the Six Nations present for render-
ing it more effectual which at this season I was certain could
not be done for Less than £500 N York Curr^y in presents to
the Chiefs & entertainment on their way to, and at the Con-
gress altho I offered to lessen it by meeting them 50 miles
from hence at the Upper Settlements, for there is no Calling
of them, or any business without expence, & I made the