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herewith inclosed You will Judge what a Wavering and fickle Dis-
position the United Nations of Indians in League with the Respec-
tive British Colonies on the Continent, are at length brought to,
Through the Indefatigable Industry and delusive Artifices and In-
trigues of the French, and will thence Conclude how much it imports
these Respective Governments to unite their Force and Councils, in
order to defeat their Destructive Schemes
The ffrench of Canada, from the late Success of the British Arms
in the Conquest of the Island of Breton, no doubt are become Ap-
prehensive, that wee have Views of penetrating farther into their
Country (as I hope the Case may be) And makeing them still more
Sensible of British Resentment: As no Acquisition Could be of
such Infinite advantage to these Colonies, It must Therefore be a
Matter we have almost Warmly at Heart, And the ffrench most
Terrible Ideas of, It behooves them thereof to Exert their profound-
est Policies and Craft in pursuing at all Adventures, such Measures
as may be most likely to frustrate any such Attempts, and divert
that Torrent which they may imagine seems Ready to overwhelm
them; And as a Main Expedient to ward off the Impending Danger,
It seems probable the French have made the Strongest Efforts to
induce our Indians to a Revolt, And indeed they seem to have made
but too great Condesention towards it, by Accepting from the Gov-
ernor of Cannada Belts of Wampum Containing the figure of a
Hatchet, Signifying among those People a Declaration of Warr,
upon Condition only of Carrying them to their Respective Castles
to deliberate upon, before they give their decicive Answer. Since
Matters are brought to this Crisis, I Could not hesitate one Moment
about Communicating this Intelligence to the Governours of the
Respective Colonies, concerned in the Issue of an Affair of such great
Concern And at the same time informing them of the Steps I am
taking, in order to Retain these reunited Nations in their fidelity to
his Majesty and firm to their Engagements entered into by their sev-
eral Treatys, Concluded and so Often Renewed and Confirmed
between them and the Governors of the Respective British Colonies,
To this end I have appointed the fourth day of October next for a
Meeting and Conferrence with them And have Thought it neces-
sary (as the Value of Indian Goods is Exceedingly enhanced) to
be provided with £1000, which is upwards of the Value of two years
usual presents, As the most perswasive means to Restore them to
perfect good Temper, and Reestablish them in a firm Attachmt to us,
insomuch as to engage them (if possible) to Joyn heartily with us
in an Offensive prosecution of the Warr whenever it shall become
Necessary. These are my Views which I shall use my utmost En-
deavour to Attain to the Accomplishment whereof, The presence of
Deputys from your Governmt at the same time furnished with the
like means (as it seems absolutely necessary so) will no doubt very
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Black Book
No. 8
Letter No. 96
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