232 Assembly Proceedings, March 12-March 29, 1745/6.

U. H. J.
Liber No. 34

The Lower House attend and his Excellency orders them to return
to their House and make Choice of a Speaker
Mess^rs Stoughton and Dashiel from the Lower House acquaint
his Excellency their House hath made Choice of a Speaker
Edmund Jenings Esq^r and Col^o Hammond are sent to the Lower
House to inform them his Excellency requires their Attendance in
the Upper House to present their Speaker for his Approbation
The whole House attend and present Col^o Edward Sprigg as their
Speaker with which Choice his Excellency declares himself well
pleased whereupon his Excellency makes the following Speech
Gentlemen of the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly
It is much against my Inclination that I am obliged to meet you
at this early season but as the Safety of his Majestys Subjects in
this and the Neighbouring Provinces is the Motive I am perswaded
You will chearfully submit to some little Inconveniences for the
Publick good
In a Letter I have received from M^r Clinton the Governor of
New York he represents in strong Terms that the Sollicitations and
Arts practised by Our Enemies the French and their Jessuitical
Emissaries have rendered the fidelity of the Six Nations of Indians
greatly to be suspected and that there is too much Reason to appre-
hend that they will be seduced and drawn of from Our Alliance
unless speedy and proper Methods be taken to prevent it

p. 103

This is the Purport of M^r Clintons Letter and I think it incumbent
on me particularly to recommend thisAffair to your serious Consid-
eration. It is a matter which as it offers you an Opportunity of
shewing Your Care for the Publick Safety so it gives You an Oppor-
tunity of Manifesting your Duty and Zeal for his Majestys Person
and Service, an Occasion the more gladly to be embraced at this
time as We are not Yet informed of the Issue of that unnatural and
wicked Rebellion broke out in Great Britain in favour of a Popish
Pretender
I cannot help adding those poor Indians have at all times, if We
duly Consider their Circumstances a Claim to Our Compassion and
Assistance but in our present scituation when their Friendship is of
great Importance to us, It would be highly impolitick to leave them
to be seduced by our Enemies who will not fail of applying to their
Necessities which as they gave us the first Opportunity of relieving
I doubt not You will come to such a Resolution as will contribute
to secure the Fidelity of these People and disappoint the Schemes of
an Enemy ambitious of making all Mankind as mere slaves as
themselves
Mr. Clintons Letter will be laid before You
Mess^rs Lloyd and Harrison from the Lower House acquaint his
Excellency that their House hath made Choice of M^r William