1734-1755.] POSITION OF PARTIES. 93 



his own way, he was never distinguished by an 

 anxious sohcitude for the rights of others.^ 



At the time of which we speak, his fortunes had 

 not reached their zenith ; yet his influence was 

 great; and during the war of 1745, when he held 

 the chief control of Indian afl'airs in New York, 

 it was exercised in a manner most beneficial to the 

 province. After the peace of Aix la Chapelle, in 

 1748, finding his measures ill supported, he threw 

 up his office in disgust. Still his mere personal 

 influence sufficed to embarrass the intrigues of 

 the busy priest at La Presentation ; and a few 

 years later, when the public exigency demanded 

 his utmost eff'orts, he resumed, under better aus- 

 pices, the official management of Indian aff"airs. 



And now, when the blindest could see that be- 

 tween the rival claimants to the soil of America 

 nothing was left but the arbitration of the sword, 

 no man friendly to the cause of England could ob- 

 serve without alarm how France had strengthened 

 herself in Indian alliances. The Iroquois, it is true, 

 had not quite gone over to her side ; nor had the 

 Delawares wholly forgotten their ancient league with 

 William Penn. The Miamis, too, in the valley of 

 the Ohio, had lately taken umbrage at the conduct 

 of the French, and betrayed a leaning to the side of 

 England, while several tribes of the south showed 

 a similar disposition. But, with few and slight 

 exceptions, the numerous tribes of the great lakes 



1 Allen, Am. Biog. Diet, and authorities there referred to. Campbell, 

 Annals of Tryon County, appendix. Sabine, Am. Loyalists, 398. Papers 

 relating to Sir W. Johnson. See Doc. Hist. New York, II. MS. Papers of 

 Sir W. Johnson, etc., etc. 



