364 HISTORY OP 



the spirited measures of the inhabitants of the city, saved 

 it from the fury of an exasperated multitude, who would 

 not have hesitated to extend vengeance from the Indians 

 to their protectors." 



After some consuUation among themselves, on salu- 

 tary advice given, they concluded to peaceably return to 

 their homes, leaving Matthew Smith and James Gibson, 

 two of their number, to represent their views to govern- 

 ment.'-* They laid their grievances before the Governor 

 and the Assembly, by a memorial in behalf of Lancaster, 

 York, Cumberland, Berks, and Northampton, complain- 

 ing that these counties were irregularly represented in the 

 Assembly, sending collectively ten members only, whilst 

 tlie three counties of Philadelphia, Chester, and Bucks, 

 sent twenty-six ; that a bill had passed the Assembly, 

 directing the trial of persons charged with the murder of 

 an Indian in Lancaster county, to be had in some of the 

 latter counties ; that whilst more than a thousand 

 families, reduced to extreme distress, during the past and 

 present war, by the attacks of skulking parties of 

 Indians upon the frontiers, were destitute, and were suf- 

 fered by the public to depend on private charity, one 

 hundred and twenty of the j)erpetrators of the most 

 horrid barbarities were supported by the province, 

 and protected from the fury of the brave relatives of the 

 murdered ; that the cruelties of the Indians were exten- 

 uated, and efforts improperly made to excite commis- 

 eration for them, on the plea that they were not parties 

 to the war ; " But, in what nation,'^ said the memorial- 

 ists, "was it ever the custom that, when a neighboring 

 nation took up arms, not an individual of that nation 

 should be touched, but only the persons that oflered 

 hostilities ? Wlioever proclaimed war with part of a 

 nation, and not with the wliole ? Had these Indians 



