2^o November 1748. 



Though the province of New York has 

 been inhabited by Europeans, much longer 

 than Penjyfoania, yet it is not by far lb po- 

 pulous as that colony. This cannot be af- 

 cribed to any particular difcouragement a- 

 rifing from the nature of the foil ; for that 

 is pretty good : but I was told of a very 

 different reafon, which I will mention here. 

 In the reign of Queen Anne about the year 

 1709, many Germans came hither, who 

 got a tract of land from the government on 

 which they might fettle. After they had 

 lived there for fome time, and had built 

 houfes and churches, and made corn-fields 

 and meadows, their liberties and privileges 

 were infringed, and under feveral pretences 

 they were repeatedly deprivedof parts of their 

 land. This at laft rouzed the Germans ; they 

 returned violence for violence, and beat thofe 

 who thus robbed them of their poffevlions. 

 But thefe proceedings were looked upon in 

 a very bad light by the government : the 

 moft active people among the Germans be- 

 ing taken up, they were very roughly treated, 

 and punifhed with the utmoft rigour of the 

 law. This however fo far exafperated the 

 reft, that the greater part of them left their 

 houfes and fields, and went to fettle in Pen- 

 fylvania : there they were exceedingly well 

 received, got a confiderable tract of land, 



and 



