356 APPENDIX E. 



which they have made to restore our Eriends who are in Bondage amongst 

 them. — We therefore earnestly pray that no Trade may hereafter be 

 permitted to be carried on with them until our Brethren and Relatives 

 are brought Home to us. 



Eighthly. We complain that a certain Society of People in this 

 Province in the late Indian War, and at several Treaties held by the 

 King's Representatives, openly loaded the Indians with Presents ; and 

 that F. P., a Leader of the said Society, in Defiance of all Government, 

 not only abetted our Indian Enemies, but kept up a private Intelligence 

 with them, and publickly received from them a Belt of Wampum, as if 

 he had been our Governor, or authorized by the King to treat with his 

 Enemies. — By this means the Indians have been taught to despise us as 

 a weak and disunited People, and from this fatal Source have arose many 

 of our Calamities under which we groan. — We humbly pray, therefore, 

 that this Grievance may be redressed, and that no private Subject be 

 here^ifter permitted to treat with, or carry on a Correspondence with our 

 Enemies. 



Ninthly. We cannot but observe with Sorrow, that Fort Augusta, 

 which has been very expensive to this Province, has afforded us but little 

 Assistance during this or the last War. The Men that were stationed at 

 that Place neither helped our distressed Inhabitants to save their Crops, 

 nor did they attack our Enemies in their Towns, or patrol on our 

 Frontiers. — We humbly request that proper Measures may be taken to 

 make that Garrison more serviceable to us in our Distress, if it can be 

 done. 



N. B. We are far from intending any Reflection against the Com- 

 manding Officer stationed at Augusta, as we presume his Conduct was 

 always directed by those from whom he received his Orders. 



Signed on Behalf of ourselves, and by Appointment of a great Num- 

 ber of the Frontier Inhabitants, 



Matthew Smith. 

 James Gibson. 



The Declaration of the injured Frontier Inhabitants, together with 

 a brief Sketch of Grievances the good Inhabitants of the Province labor 

 under. 



Inasmuch as tlie Killing those Indians at Conestogoe Manor and Lan- 

 caster has been, and may be, the Subject of much Conversation, and by 

 invidious Representations of it, which some, we doubt not, will industri- 

 ously spread, many, unacquainted with the true State of Affairs, may be 

 led to pass a severe Censure on the Authors of those Facts, and any 

 others of the like Nature which may hereafter happen, than we are per- 

 suaded they would, if Matters were duly understood and deliberated ; 

 we think it therefore proper thus openly to declare ourselves, and render 

 some brief Hints of the Reasons of our Conduct, which we must, and 

 frankly do, confess nothing but Necessity itself could induce us to, or 



