The Lower House. 423

neighbouring Colony, for that important Enterprize. For my own
Part, I can see the Transactions of these People, against whom our
Aid is sollicited, in no other Light than that of flagrant Acts of
Hostility, and I hope you will not give a softer Appellation than
that of an Invasion, to their unjust Usurpations and Encroach-
ments on his Majesty's Dominions, their Presumption to erect Forts
on Lands to which our Sovereign has a most indubitable Right by
a Concession, or rather a Purchase, not many Years since, from
the Indians, who 'til that Time had held them in Possession. The
Summons sent them to retire and relinguish Territories, to which
they could have no just Pretensions, you see was answered with a
Letter of Defiance [see pp. 409-411]; and by them, or at their Insti-
gation, the greatest Violences were committed on several of our
Fellow Subjects. 'Twas this Behaviour, and the Dread of repeated
Insults, that obliged the Virginians to enter on Measures, which, as
they demand our highest Approbation, we cannot, without the Charge
of Inhumanity, render abortive.

L. H. J.
Liber No. 47
March 6

You are, I doubt not, fully certified of the Grounds for the Intelli-
gence we received last Saturday, of the dutiful and generous Resolu-
tion of our Neighbours, to engage in supporting his Majesty's Right
to the Country, which is at this Time invaded; but I submit to your
Consideration, a Letter from the Governor of Virginia, confirming
it; by that you will learn what Dependence they have on our Disposi-
tion to concur with them in an Endeavour, to extinguish at once our
Enemy's Hopes of making farther Progress in their ambitious
Schemes. This, the Duty of my Station obliges me to conjure you,
by your Desire to maintain the Faith and Confidence our Neighbours
have in us, by the Honour of the British Crown, and the Safety of
these Provinces, with the utmost Dispatch to resolve.
Hor.° Sharpe.
And the following Letter from the Governor of Virginia, viz.
Williamsburg, February 23, 1754.
Sir,
I received the Favour of your Letter the 10th Current, and observe
your Assembly were to meet the 25th, and hope they will chearfully
aid the intended Expedition against the Enemies of our Country.
I prorogued our Assembly this Day, they have given 10,000 l. this
Money, for the Support of his Majesty's Right to the Lands on the
Ohio, in Consequence thereof, I design immediately to raise five
or six Companies of Men, to march to Will's Creek with all pru-
dent Expedition, but I dread their being there so soon as I formerly
wrote you, but I hope they will be early in April, and should be glad
your Forces could be there at the same Time.
I have wrote to the Cherokee and Catawba Nations of Indians, to
the Southward of this, who some Months ago offered a Body of
1000 of their Warriors to go to the Ohio. I have, by Express,

p. 396