which they cannot otherwise do, as there are so many absentees, minors & God knows what, besides a present repeal would injure many people who have been at a considerable expense & mean I am sure very fairly to the public- The lazy Committee I find have neither wrote to you nor the Agent, representing the state of the Colony but as the Assembly is just broke up, they propose setting about it without any further delay.

We were yesterday in Council declaring War against New Hampshire for scandalously hawking about Townships to the highest bidders and taking in every ignorant Peasant both in this Colony & the Jersys for what money they have to spare for Grants its. imagined they have not the least right to make the Proclamation is not yet printed, you will have one when it is. Mr Colden will send another to the Board of Trade When will they make the Colonies so happy as to settle their limits? 'tis a cruel neglect I forgot to tell you before that the two pipes of Madeira lie safe asleep in my cellar.

I am always

D: Sir.

y most Obd humb' Serv

JN WATTS.

The good folks at home are quite overshooting the mark about trade here, little do they think Mother Country will pay for it all at last & when that happens commerce will be dispassionately consider'd. The intercourse between the Dutch &c, & the Colonies (I mean Dry Goods every where) ought to be entirely suppress'd, but the rigorous execution of the Sugar is injurious, Like ninepins, says Hudibras, one merchant knocks down another, the King Pins that fall heaviest will fall at home, & manufacturers feel the weight of 'em

DR SIR,

R. PETERS [?] TO MONCKTON.

PAXTON (PENNSYLVANIA) RIOTS.

PHILADELPHIA January 19th 1764

I wrote to you by Mr. Croghan who took his passage to London in the Britania Captain Tillet, and sail'd from our Capes the 30th last month, to which please be referred. Since then the Connastago Indians were all killed, of which affair permit me to give you a Detale.

About 40 of the Inhabitants of Paxton on some assurance, they had received, that the Connastagoe Indians tho under the protection of Pensylvania, had from time to time since the commencement of the present war with the Savages, not only carryed them all the news they could collect, but also great Quantities of Amunition, did arm themselves and goe down to the mannor, and there killed 6 of the said Indians, this was loked upon by the Government as a most horrid action, and not only a violation of the laws of Government & society but of humanity. Therefore the Governor issued his proclamation offering a Reward for apprehending any of the Murderers and Bringing them to Justice.

The Magistrates of Lancaster, on the Commission of the above affair, for the more effectually protecting the 14 surviving Indians of the Conastagoe gang, from a like fate, order'd them into the Work house of that Burrough. But no sooner had the above proclamation appeared, than the enraged Inhabitants from all parts of the Frontiers, collected together, and agreed on going to Lancaster, to finish the 14 Indians, which they accordingly did.

All this tho' in fact committed by persons of various Countries and Denominations, the Quakers alledge was

done by the Irish, whom they call Rebels, Murderers and disturbers of the peace; recounting the Irish massacre which they say was not of a more barbarous nature than the present, and threaten them with all the Vengeance of Justice. Those Discriminations are very disagreeable to the Irish in this City, and am apprehensive will produce very inveterate parties in the Government. The Presbyterians are kindling fast and considering themselves as the only people, at whom those invectives are aimed; are determined to lay aside the Religious animossities subsisting between themselves, and now unite to make the Government as Disagreeable to the Quakers as they possibly can, and in order thereto will the next Ellection Day, choose their Cleargy to represent them; a thing that I believe will prove very disatisfactory to the Friends.

Every person that Regards the Rights of Society should condemn those Rioters, as violators of the peace and quiet of the Community; and because we know not, where or how such may end; every body ought to Endeavour to suppress them. But the meathod we take to preserve Peace and administer Justice in the present affair, only tends to inflame the minds of People and begets a Civil War, and tho' the Manner of killing those Indians appears dasterdly and savage, yet upon a Recollection of the following facts, I think the Horror of the Crime will be much extenuated.

1st That the Government upon the Commencement of this War did not afford to the people that succour and protection that was due to them & their condition then required, is well known.

2. That in consequence of this default of the Government many families were drove from Competancy, to the greatest degree of want & misery, and that hundreds had fallen sacrifices to the Cruelty of the unprovoked Savages is a melancholly truth

3 That the Government tho' affectedly and ostenta

tiously Charitable, & tho' very sensible of the number of Widows, orphans and helpless Families now naked and starving thro the Country, who were drove from their Plantations By the Indians; have not given them the least Releaf, is a fact that stains their Humanity, and that the poor Sufferers can testify.

4th That a number of Voluntiers frequently had gone out against the Indians, without fee or Reward from the Government, and return'd with scalps; yet instead of meeting with the Countenance and Encouragement of the Government, they were discouraged, nay abused for asking a Premium for the scalps they produced. This is too well known.

5th That the Indians residing amongst the Moravians have killed some of the Inhabitants of North Hampton could be presumptively proved, and that they had supplyd the Enemy Indians with amunition, was fully proved, yet those Indians were brought down 155 in number and placed on the province Island, there tenderly fed and cloathed at the publicks expense whilst the poor Creatures that were drove from their habitations by those and other Indians have not felt the lest spark of the Governments Charity or Compassion, tho in a most deplorable Condition for the want of the necessaries of Life. This is also a fact not to be denyed. I leave to you Sir to infer from those truly stated facts, as you please, which when done, I dare say will lessen in your eyes, the crime of the Paxton Voluntiers. I shall only say, that the Government failing to give the people that protection, they were bound to do; the compact between them, is broke; and that the people are then by the Laws of Nature oblig'd to preserve themselves; and that the most effectual way of doing this, is to kill those Barbarians wherever they meet them. You'll say perhaps the Paxton Volunteers ought instead of killing those Indians, to avenge themselves of them in a Judiciary way, I answer, that to expect this were in vain;

because they saw the Moravian Indians, whose villenies & treachery to the people on the frontiers of North Hampton, were more notorious than that of the Conastoga Indians, to the Inhabitants of Lancaster County, yet they were thro the influence of the Q. M cherished and supported by the Government. M: Dow is now in town and declares that

one of those very Indians which I. — P. hugs in his Bosom, was at Bouquet's Action, in armes against us. Is not this intollerable.

Our assembly is now sitting, what they are doing, I cannot tell you; but that a Bill is preparing to enact a Law, that who ever may kill an Indian hereafter, shall be brought down to Philad County, Bucks or Chester; to be tried and if they are Ierish [Irish] hang them right or wrong. This is pretty well from a people remarkably tenacious of their Liberties. M: Allen's absence is now much regretted.

When the Indians were killed at Lancaster, those that were fattening on the Island, the Quakers apprehended, were in danger from the Paxton People; and thereupon got them into Boats with a number of sailors & cannon to defend them, & put armes into their hands, desiring them to defend themselves, that the Irish were coming down to kill them. I.-P.- was Generalissimo on this ocasion. They afterwards thought to send them thro' York Government, to their Brethren in the woods. But the Yorkers would not suffer them to pass thro that Government, so they are obliged to Return and are now quartered on the friends thro' the Country. I have tired you with this subject so shall desist.

Yours &c &c