merely in their capacity of guardians, by which the right or estate of their ward may be affected, I presume no person in Maryland can think it proper for him to do such an act.

Whether it may not be expedient to suspend the execution of any measure which may be the occasion of disturbing the peace, I must refer to your prudent consideration. Conceiving it to be my dufy, I shall, by the first opportunity, transmit to the guardians an account of what has happened, and of the occasion of it. And have the honour to be, with great regard, sir, your most obedient servant,

RICHARD LEE.

The Honourable John Penn, Esq.

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR TO GOVERNOUR PENN.

Ligonior, July 4, 1774.

SIR: I have the honour to enclose you the last piece of Indian intelligence, which came by Captain White Eyes, a few days ago, and am very happy that affairs have so peaceable an aspect; yet I cannot but express my fears that it will soon be interrupted, as a large body of Virginians are certainly in motion. Colonel Henry Lewis is ordered to the mouth of Kenhawa to build a fort there, and Major McDonald, with about five hundred men, is to march up Braddock's Road, and down to Wheeling, to build another there, and Cresap, with three others, are appointed to raise ranging companies. With such officers as Cresap no good can be expected; so that it is very doubtful but all attempts to preserve the tranquillity of the country will be fruitless.

The men that have been raised here we have thought proper to continue another month, as the harvest will by that time be over. They have orders to assist and protect the people in the different quarters where they are posted, and I hope by that means it will be secured. The arms and ammunition are not yet arrived, but I hear they will reach this place to-morrow or next day.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

AR. ST. CLAIR.

P. S. Last week Mr. Conolly issued an order to prevent any skins being removed from Pittsburgh till they paid a duty, as In Virginia. There has been some appearance of the old seed of the Black Boys. A number of people had assembled to stop Mr. Simons's goods, but I had got notice of it, and sent a party to protect them, and have issued warrants against them; their ringleader will certainly be taken this day.

ÆNEAS MACKAY, JOSEPH SPEAR, AND DEVEREUX SMITH, TO JOSEPH SHIPPEN, JUN.

Pittsburgh, July 8th, 1774.

SIR; Since our memorial to his Honour, the Governour, of the 25th of June, accompanied by some notes, there has several occurrences of so extraordinary a nature happened, that we hope no apology is necessary for giving you this trouble. The traders who were coming by land are all come in safe. Captain White Eyes is returned, with the strongest assurances of friendship from the Shawanese, Delawares, Wyandots and Cherokees, with whom he had been treating on our behalf. Upon his return he found his house broken open by the Virginians, and about thirty pounds worth of his property taken, which was divided and sold by the robbers at one Froman's Fort, on Chartin's Creek.

Doctor Conolly continues to exercise his authority as usual. Our persons are daily insulted, our property forcibly taken, and even our lives threatened. We had a remarkable instance of this on the first instant. A horse, the property of Messrs. Richard and William Butler, having been taken by a vagrant fellow at this place, was secreted by him in the town, which, when Messrs. Butlers were informed of, they went and took their horse, but not without obstinate resistance on the side of the thief, who, in their own defence, they were obliged to strike; upon which the fellow applied to Doctor Conolly, who sent a sergeant to Richard Butler, commanding him to appear immediately in the garrison; but Mr. Butler refused to go, and denied Doctor Conolly's authority; whereupon a certain Captain Aston was sent for them, with a party from the fort, and orders to break their house and take them at all events. Messrs. Butlers, after much debate, and repeated threats from Captain Aston, at the entreaty of their friends, consented to go down to the garrison; and when they demanded the cause of such treatment were answered that they must go immediately to jail, but they were afterwards allowed to give bail for their appearance at August Court. The same day Mr. Conolly informed them, and the other traders, they must pay him a duty of four pence per skin before they could remove one from this place, and immediately ordered the roads to be stopped, which was accordingly done, and a number of horses belonging to Mr. Blaine and others, were seized and brought back. A few days ago, one of the traders who went to meet his people, and some Indians that were bringing his peltry from Newcomer's Town, was, upon his return, waylaid by about forty Virginians, who took him, three of his men, and five Delaware men, prisoners, telling him they would for the future treat as savages and enemies every trader that they should find in the woods. About this time two Delaware men, who had come from the towns up to assist some of the traders with their horses, were pursued by a party of Virginians to Mr. Smith's house, where they flew for protection. The party followed them to the door, demanded entrance, and swore they would burn the house if they were refused. The Indians, notwithstanding, were kept in the house till night, and then dismissed in safety.

Mr. Wm. Butler, being insulted by a worthless drunken fellow, was under the necessity of chastising his insolence. Whereupon Mr. Conolly issued a King's warrant for him, and his Sheriff came to Mr. Smith's, where Mr. Butler then was, between eight and nine o'clock at night, and after an unsuccessful attempt to take Mr. Butler, ran out and called a guard that was waiting for that purpose, who immediately surrounded the house, remained there till after nine o'clock, and then dispersed. The Virginians, from their conduct, appear determined on a war. Colonel Lewis is supposed to be at the Kenhawas with fifteen hundred men, and several parties have gone from this place to join him. Major McDonald, Mr. Cresap and others, are expected here shortly, who, it is said, are going down the river to build forts and station men at different places.

We have no room to doubt that Doctor Conolly has, by order of Lord Dunmore, sent a Speech to the Shawanese, importing that Logan and his party be immediately delivered up, with the three prisoners that he has taken, and some other Shawanese that are supposed to have committed a murder last winter. That on a refusal, they (the Virginians) are determined to proceed against them with vigour, and will show them no mercy. Doctor Conolly has expresses constantly on the road between this and Williamsburg, whereby he has been able to impose on his Lordship the flagrant misrepresentations of Indian affairs that appear in the Williamsburg paper of the 9th of June, which has been publickly confuted at this place by several persons well acquainted with the present state and sentiments of the different Nations.

We hope that it is not necessary to say any more to convince you how unhappily we are at present circumstanced, not only from the prospect of an Indian war, which the Virginians appear determined to bring upon us, but from the apprehension of further insults from Doctor Conolly's extraordinary conduct, of which we have given several specimens, and which, without the interposition of Government, we shall not be long able to support.

We are, sir, with profound respect, your humble servants,

ÆNEAS MACKAY,
JOSEPH SPEAR,
DEVEREUX SMITH.

To Joseph Shippen, Jun., Esq., Secretary to his Honour the Governour.

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR TO GOVERNOUR PENN.

Hanna's Town, July 12, 1774.

SIR: On Friday last I was honoured with your letter of the 28th ult., and I have now the satisfaction to acquaint you that the panick seems entirely over, and that numbers of people are returning daily.

It must be very grateful to every person concerned, as it is in a very particular manner to me, that their endeavours