182 AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



and inoffensively among us during all our late Troubles, and for many- 

 years before, and were justly considered as under tbe protection of this 

 Government and its Laws, calls loudly for the vigorous Exertion of the 

 civil Authority to detect the Offenders and bring to condign Punishment, 

 I have therefore, by and with the advice and consent of the Council, 

 thought fit to issue this Proclamation, and do strictly charge and enjoin 

 all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, Constables, Officers, Civil and Military, and 

 all other his Majesty's liege Subjects within this Province, to make dili- 

 gent Search and Enquiry after the Authors and Perpetrators of the said 

 Crime, their Abettors and Accomplices, and to use all possible means to 

 apprehend and secure them in some of the Public Gaols of this Province, 

 that they may be brought to their Tryals, and be proceeded against 

 according to Law. 



^^And whereas^ a number of Indians who lately lived on or near the 

 Prontiers of this Province, being willing and desirous to preserve and 

 continue the ancient Friendship which heretofore subsisted between them 

 and the good People of this Province, have, at their earnest request, been 

 removed from their Habitations and brought into the County of Phila- 

 delphia, and seated for the present, for their better Security, on the 

 Province Island and in other places in the neighborhood of the City of 

 Philadelphia, where Provision is made for them at the Publick Expence. 

 I do therefore hereby strictly forbid all Persons whatsoever, to molest 

 or injure any of the said Indians, as they will answer the Contrary at 

 their Peril. 



" Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, at Phil- 

 adelphia, the twenty-second day of December, Anno Domini, one thou- 

 sand seven hundred and sixty-three, And iu the Fourth Year of His 

 Majesty's Eeign. 



"John Penn." 

 "By His Honour's Command. 



"Joseph Shippen, Junr., Secretarj^ 

 "God save the King." 



The proclamation proved waste paper, for the Paxton men assembled 

 in greater numbers, and breathing slaughter and vengeance, drew near 

 Lancaster on the evening of December 26th, and on the following morn- 

 ing, Avhen the whole community was engaged in the solemnities of the 

 sanctuary, suddenly galloped into town, "seized the keeper of the Work 

 House, overpowered him, rushed into the prison and speedily accomplished 

 the Avork of death ; the poor Indians, to the number of fourteen, were 

 butchered in cold blood, and the Paxton men, elated at their success, left 

 the town in the same haste with which they had entered it." Gordon says 

 that " it is not i)ossible to exculpate the magistrates of the town from 

 the charge of criminal negligence, since it was in their power to have 



