The Lower House. 65

from this Province they may be seduced by the French to go over
to the side whereby the Lives of the back Inhabitants will be in the
utmost Danger, These Considerations have induced us to give them
the Goods mentioned in the account Delivered you herewith, and to
promise to send the Interpreter with a Larger present, to their Fire
at Ohio in the Spring, you will therefore take Care, at this Session,
to come to such Resolves as will enable us to make good our
Engagements.
Examined by. Anthony Palmer, President
Richard Peters. Secr.
Novemb^r 25^th 1747

A message to the President and Council from the Assembly.
May it please the president and Council.
We have taken into our Consideration y^r Message of the 25^th of
November last, concerning the Treaty held with the Indians from
Ohio: The Importance of These Indians towards the Continuing
and Cultivating the good understanding which hath so long subsisted
between the Government and the six Nations we observe, from the
Treaty depends pretty much on the account they give of themselves;
however as they are a part of the Six Nations, who very probably
in this Calamitous Time, are often in want of Necessaries to ac-
quire their Livelihood, we approve of the present you thought fit
to make them, and also of the Account you have sent the six Nations
of a Larger psent intended for them in the Spring; and we shall
take the Care which is Necessary to enable you to fulfil that Engage-
ment, permit us however to add that we think it will be Necessary
to press their Union amongst themselves; and that they will do well
to have due regard to the opinion of their old and well Experienced
men, whose advice from the account they give seems to have been
laid Aside, most of us you are Sensible are men of Peaceable Prin-
ciples and the presents we gave, and those Formerly given on behalf
of this Government, so far as we have understood, were to supply
them with Necessaries towards acquiring a Livelihood, and to Culti-
vate A Friendship between us and not to encourage their entering
into a war. This we think most for the Kings Interest and the Peace
and Safety of His Colonies in America; it being well known, that
wars once begun amongst them are not to be ended without Great
Difficulty and are attended with so much Bloodshed and Cruelty, as
usually excites Revenge and like Inhumanity from the Indians in
the French Interest, against those in Amity with us, and against
others the Kings Subjects. We observe from Conrad Weiser's Let-
ter, which you were pleased to order to be laid before us, the Indians
continue their Complaints of the Injuries they have received by the
Carrying of Rum amongst them; and we therefore hope you will
endeavour to prevent this for the future, by directing the Laws pro-

L. H. J.
Liber No. 46
May 10