358 HISTORY OF 



the good people of this province, have, at their own 

 earnest request, been removed from their habitations and 

 brought into the county of Philadelphia, where provision 

 is made for them at the public expense ; 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 tlie said 

 province, at Philadelphia, A. D. 1763, Dec. 22cl, and in 

 the 4th year of his Majesty's reign. 



By his honor's command. John Penn. 



Joseph Shippen, Jr., Sec'y. 



" God save the King.^' 



Notvv^ithstanding the governor's interposition, the 

 people were too much exasperated to have their fury 

 allayed by a proclamation from a supine governor. 

 " They assembled,^ says Gordon, in great numbers, forced 

 the prison, and butchered all the Txiiscrable wretches they 

 found within the walls. Unarmed and unprotected, the 

 Indians prostrated themselves with their children before 

 their murderers, protesting their innocence and their love 

 to the English, and in this posture they all received the 

 hatchet." 



The following letter by William Henry, Esq. of Lan- 

 caster, to a gentleman of Philadelphia, may enable the 

 reader to form some idea of the treatment the Indians 

 received at the hands of the " Pcfxton Boys.^^ 



"There are few, if any murders to be compared with 

 the cruel murder committed on the Conestogo Indians in 

 the jail of Lancaster, in 1763, by tlic Paxton boys, as 

 they were then called. From fifteen to twenty Indians, 

 as report stated, were placed there for protection. A 



♦Tuesday, the 27th Dec 17G3, 



