Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1750. 491

New Allies, the Owendaets and the TwightWies make a Body
of Fifteen hundred, if not two thousand men, and in my Opin-
ion these different Nations are now upon the Ballance: If a
prudent Management and Seasonable Liberality be exercised,
they may be retained in our Interest: But if no Notice be
taken of them, nor Suitable Presents be made them, the French
may Justly reproach the Twightwies for their Defection, and
they will cast their Reproaches on the Indians who persuaded
them into our Alliance, and thereupon they may not only
leave us themselves, but draw off Our Indians with them and
if we fall into these unhappy Circumstances it is not Probable
We shall Retain the Six Nations at Onondago long, for when
these are Stripped of their Allies, and of these Western Indians

Lib. C. B.

they will be despised, or to avoid Contempt, go over to the
French with the other Indians
This I take to be a true Representation of the State of
Indian Affairs, and it gives me much Concern that the Council
at Onondago should not be able to retain their People among
them, but by Suffering their Young Indians to go and Settle
those distant Parts, give rise to a new Interest, that in a little
time must give them Law, instead of taking it from them:
But the thing is too Plain to be Concealed and makes it
Necessary that some thing be done on this new turn of affairs.
This Province has chearfully been at a very Considerable
Expence to preserve these Indians, and was it in Ability,
might continue to do so, but they grow too Numerous for any
Single Colony, on which Account it is become expedient that
this Matter should be fully set forth, and as I have taken the
freedom to Place it in what Appears to me, to be the true
light, to the Governors of New York and Virginia, I now do
the same to you, in hopes that something may be done to
frustrate the Effects of the indefatigable Pains the French are
taking in that Quarter I am
S^r
Your Most Obed^t Hble Servant
Philadelphia Sept^r 20^th 1750 James Hamilton

The Honourable the Governor of Maryland

Which Letter and Papers being read It is the humble Advice
of this Board that His Excellency be pleased to send the fol-
lowing Answer thereto

Annapolis 18 Octo^r 1750
S^r
Your favour of the 20^th of last Month with the Papers con-
taining Copies of Messages from the Ohio Indians and then
Allies which I received a few days ago, I laid this day before

p. 421