and burned all the houses in their towns. The chiefs came to Savannah and communicated these circumstances to governor Wright, who thought it best to compensate the Indians for the loss of their houses, and the superintendent compelled the Indians to restore Lemmons his goods: by these placid measures, the consequences which might have been expected, were removed, and peace was restored.

Alexander Cameron, a Scotchman, had been appointed deputy-superintendent in the Cherokee nation. This tribe had also shewn some discontents arising from encroachments on land claimed by them as hunting grounds, to the north-west of Little river, afterwards Wilkes county; and simi lar complaints were made against encroachments in Carolina, upon a creek called Long-Cane.Steuart directed Cameron to make a visit to the governor in Charleston, and to invite some of the chiefs to accompany him: this visit drew some presents from the governor, and had the desired effect.

On the 27th of October, at the annual meeting of the general assembly of Georgia, governor Wright communicated to the upper house, the instructions of his majesty, requiring implicit obedience to the mutiny act; and desired that those provisions should be made for supplying the king's troops, which by that act they were directed to do. James Habersham, president of the upper house, signified the determination

of that branch of the assembly, to comply with the law. A similar communication was made to the lower house, of which Alexander Wylly was speaker that branch of the assembly resolved to provide a sum not exceeding two hundred pounds sterling, for supplying his majesty's troops doing duty in this province, with the following articles; to wit, firewood, candles, vinegar, salt, bedding, cooking utensils, and smallbeer or cyder, not exceeding five pints, or half a pint of rum, or in lieu thereof three-pence sterling per diem, to each man respectively and also to defray the expense of providing necessary carriages for the said troops on their march through any part of the province, and for the hire of barns and out-houses for their lodgement, in such places where there were no barracks. This law was to commence its operation on the first day of November thereafter, and to continue in force for one year, and to be raised and granted in the next general tax bill. The governor thanked the assembly for the promptitude with which his communication had been complied with. These measures were adopted under the pressure of necessity rather than free will: the colonies being tenacious of their liberties, and jealous of their rights, the rulers of the mother country, found it necessary to be cautious in exercising their power. The government was not only mixed but dependent, which circumstance occasioned a peculiarity in its form of a very delicate

nature.

When oppressions and dissatisfactions were permitted to accumulate, and the governed allowed occasionally to throw off a part of the load, it was to be expected that they would soon do more: the rights of the people therefore required immediate consideration and redress. The petitions which had been presented to the king, were not attended to by the minister, and it was recommended to the colonies, to appoint agents to superintend their demands for redress. Accordingly, at the meeting of the general assembly at Savannah in April, a resolution to that effect was entered into, and doctor Benjamin Franklin was appointed agent for the colony of Georgia, at the court of Great Britain in his acceptance of this appointment, he warmly recommends a peaceable, prudent, firm and animated conduct in the management of public affairs; by which means they would support the character of freemen without losing that of faithful subjects; and would prove that the Americans possessed that true magnanimity which could resent injuries without becoming outrageous, and that they knew what was due to themselves and their posterity, as well as to the mother country and thus they might advance their interest and reputation, and convince the world of the justice of their demands and the purity of their intentions. These measures all mankind would applaud, and confess that those deserved liberty, who so well understood its value, so pas

sionately loved it, and who so temperately, wisely and virtuously asserted, maintained and defended it. With these correct impressions, doc. tor Franklin embarked for England.

When the offensive stamp act of the 22nd of March 1765, received the royal assent in Eng. land, it produced a tumult in every province in America, and nothing but the repeal of it could heal the wound which was anticipated from its operation. This was succeeded by the revival of another act, equally offensive, for quartering his majesty's forces on the inhabitants, and sup plying them in their quarters, and furnishing carriages on marches and other necessary occasions, and that when ever any troops should march through, or be stationed in any place in North America, no expense was to be brought upon the crown. These, with other mortifying and offensive grievances, were in many instances imposed upon the provinces, without their approbation or consent. But such was the disposition of Great Britain, that while we were supplicating relief from one act of oppression, two or three others were substituted in its stead.

A letter was received from the speaker of the assembly of Massachusetts, desiring a union of the provinces in opposition to the oppressive acts of Great Britain; to which the following answer was written:

"Province of Georgia, 16 June, 1768.

Sir-Your respected favor of the 11th of February, came to hand only a few days since. I am sorry it is not in my power to give you so full and satisfactory an answer thereto as the importance of the subject requires. The members of the present assembly of this province, have but lately been elected; and though the writs were returnable and the house required to meet the first of this month, yet our governor thought proper, prior thereto, to prorogue the assembly until November. For this reason, sir, I can only reply to your favor as a private person, or late speaker, and inform you that before the dissolution of the last assembly, the house took under consideration, the several late acts of parliament for imposing taxes and duties on the American colonies; and being sensibly affected thereby, ordered the committee of correspondence, to instruct our provincial agent, Mr. Benjamin Franklin, to join earnestly with the other colonies' agents, in soliciting a repeal of those acts, and in remonstrating against any acts of the like nature for the future. These instructions has been transmitted to Mr. Franklin, and I have no doubt but he will punctually observe them. When the assembly meet, I will lay your favor before the house, and I am sure that such measures will be pursued, in consequence thereof, as will manifest their regard for constitutional liberty, and