No. 112.] ^667 . ' 



the Iroquois, and by the treaty of Utrecht, their territory was 

 guaranteed to remain '' inviolate by any occupation or encroach- 

 ment of France." The Governor of New- York was at length 

 aroused from his lethargy, by the indignant voice of Shirley of 

 Massachusetts, to contemplate the arms of France and a formida- 

 ble fortress, far within the limits of his asserted jurisdiction. 

 Massachusetts, always prompt and energetic in sustaining the 

 national glory, and in redressing the wrongs of the colonies, . 

 olfered to New-York to unite at once with her in an expostula- 

 , tion on the subject, with the French functionaries, and in the 

 ultimate necessity, to unite their arms to repel the aggression. The 

 occupation of Crown Point was only a link in the system, by 

 which France was encircling the colonies of England by a cordon 

 of fortresses. The colonies invoked in vain the attention of the 

 home government, to these encroachments. In vain were pro- 

 testations and memorials laid at .the foot ot the throne, urging 

 that -the safety and the colonial existence of New England and 

 New- York were^endangered'by the occupation of Crown Point, 



The earnest and imploricg voice of the colonies fell on cold 

 and deafened ears. To the vision of the British ministry, Ame- 

 rica was a wilderness, destitute of present fruition and promises 

 of the future. Walpole, whose sagacity seemed to t^ndow him 

 almost with prophetic prescience in the aifairs of Europe, coiihl 

 detect no germ of future empire in the wilds of America. 



Leading minds in the colonies were at that day suspicious, that 

 sinister and corrupt motiv'es were influencing the Eritislf ministiy, 

 ^' who having reasons for keeping well with the court of France 

 the project" (of occupying the Ohiu) ^' was nut only dropped, 

 but the French were encouraged to build the fort of Crown Point 

 upon the tenitory of New-York."* Such was the dimunciation 

 of Spotswood, of Virginia. England, by the ignoble treat} of 

 Aix La Chapelle, relinquislud to P'rance the fortress of Louis-^ 

 burgh, subjugated by the treasures and blood of New England, 

 but left to that power witliout a jirotest, the j>ossessiou of Crown 

 Point. It was not until 1755, that the British government, with 

 emphasis and decision, d» niandrd fiuui France the demolition of 



• Got. Spotawood, of Virginia. 



