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L. H. J.
Liber No. 4;
May 8
p. 417
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myself with reminding you, that the Enterprize which the Virginians
have begun, and the neighbouring Governments unanimously en-
gaged to prosecute, is undertaken for the Preservation of our com-
mon Safety, and that it's Miscarriage must be productive of the most
fatal Consequences: A due Reflection on this, I am willing to believe,
will sufficiently prompt you to a Performance of the Duty we owe
our Sovereign, our Fellow Subjects, Ourselves, and our Posterity.
How conducive it would be to the Success of this important Expe-
dition, and to our future Security, to prevail on those Indian Nations,
whom the Artificers and Insinuations of our Enemy have hitherto
been unable to seduce, to espouse our Cause vigorously at this criti-
cal Juncture, I leave your own Reason to suggest to you; That and
the cogent Arguments contained in some Letters that shall be offered
to your Consideration, will, I am persuaded, convince you of the
indispensable Necessity there is of complying with his Majesty's
Pleasure, signified to us by the Lords of Trade, concerning an Inter-
view with the Six Nations at Albany; and will also induce you to
consent that the Commissioners from this Province, be vested with
Power and Liberty to concert Measures, and stipulate with the
several Persons that may be deputed thither by the other Provinces,
for building Forts and Places for the Reception and Defence of the
Indian Wives and Families on Occasion, who must otherwise (while
the Warriors are engaged from home in our Service) be deserted
and abandoned to the Rage of their incensed and revengeful Enemies.
Upon no Account would I divert your Attention from what has
been now premised; but as I conceive that the Pleasantness of the
Season will, after the Dispatch of what I have been recommending
to have the first Place in your Consultations, tempt you to proceed
to other Business, I cannot but take Occasion to acquaint you, with
the Pennsylvania Government's having shewed some Inclination to
pass a Law, for the more effectual Punishment of such Persons as
shall counterfeit and utter, among them, the Paper Currency of this
and the other Provinces; as such an Act would be an additional Sup-
port to the Credit of our Currency, I flatter myself you will encour-
age it's being passed, by preparing a similar Law for the Support
of the Credit of their Paper Currency among us.
The excessive Charge and Burthen this Country is at present
subjected to, by the great Increase of Pensioners in several of our
Counties, I believe, might be hinted at, as calling for, and capable
of, a Remedy; if it be truly represented, that the Distribution of the
great Sums, annually collected for the Relief of the Poor, as it is now
made, instead of being an Encouragement to and Reward of Indus-
try, proves too frequently an Incitement only to Debauchery and
Idleness.
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