and discharged, provided they would give their women some flour and salt. Being dismissed, they set out on their journey to the camp, but met on their way about twenty-five warriors and some boys. A second council was held over them, and it was decreed that they should not be killed, but robbed, which was accordingly done; and all their flour, salt, powder and lead, and all their rifles that were good, were taken from them; and being further threatened, the Indians left them, as already noticed. This party consisted of seven men, viz. 'squire M'Connel, Andrew M'Connel, Lawrence Darnel, William Ganet, Matthew Riddle, John Laferty, and Thos. Canady.

We have also in reserve some more material facts, that go to show the aspect of affairs at this period, and that may be considered as evident precursors to an impending war. And it is certainly not a trifling item in the catalogue of these events, that early in the spring of 1774, whether precedent or subsequent to Connoly's famous circular letter I am not prepared to say, having no positive data; but it was, however, about this time that the Indians killed two men in a canoe belonging to a Mr. Butler, of Pittsburg, and robbed the canoe of the property therein. This was about the first of May, 1774, and took place near the mouth of Little Beaver, a small creek that empties into the Ohio between Pittsburg and Wheeling; and this fact is so certain and well established, that Benj. Tomlinson, Esq. who is now living (1826), and who assisted in burying the dead, can and will bear testimony to its truth. And it is presumed it was this circumstance which produced that prompt and terrible vengeance taken on the Indians at Yellow creek immediately afterwards, to wit, on the 3d day of May, which gave rise to, and furnished matter for, the pretended lying speech of Logan, which I shall hereafter prove a counterfeit, and if it was genuine, yet a genuine fabrication of lies.

Thus we find, from an examination into the state of affairs in the west, that there was a predisposition to war

at least on the part of the Indians. But may we not suspect that other latent causes, working behind the scenes and in the dark, were silently marching to the same result?

Be it remembered, then, that this Indian war was but as the portico to our revolutionary war, the fuel for which was then preparing, and which burst into a flame the ensuing year.

Neither let us forget that the earl of Dunmore was at this time governor of Virginia; and that he was acquainted with the views and designs of the British cabinet, can scarcely be doubted. What then, suppose ye, would be the conduct of a man, possessing his means, filling a high official station, attached to the British government, and master of consummate diplomatic skill?

Dunmore's penetrating eye could not but see, and he no doubt did see, two all-important objects, that, if accomplished,would go to subserve and promote the grand object of the British cabinet, namely, the establishment of an unbounded and unrestrained authority over our North American continent.

These two objects were, first, setting the new settlers on the west side of the Allegany by the ears; and secondly, embroiling the western people in a war with the Indians. These two objects accomplished, would put it in his power to direct the storm to any and every point conducive to the grand object he had in view. But as in the nature of the thing he could not, and policy forbidding that he should, always appear personally in promoting and effectuating these objects, it was necessary he should obtain a confidential agent attached to his person and to the British government, and one that would promote his views either publicly or covertly, as circumstances required,

The materials for his first object were abundant, and already prepared. The emigrants to the western country were almost all from the three states of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The line between the

two states of Virginia and Pennsylvania was unsettled, and both these states claimed the whole of the western country. This motley mixture of men from different states did not harmonize. The Virginians and Marylanders disliked the Pennsylvania laws, nor did the Pennsylvanians relish those of Virginia. Thus many disputes, much warm blood, broils, and sometimes battles, called fisticuffs, followed.

The earl of Dunmore, with becoming zeal for the honor of the "ancient dominion," seized upon this state of things so propitious to his views; and having found Dr. John Connoly, a Pennsylvanian, with whom I think he could not have had much previous acquaintance, by the art of hocus-pocus or some other art, converted him into a stanch Virginian, and appointed him vice-governor and commandant of Pittsburg and its dependencies, that is to say, of all the western country. Affairs on that side of the mountain now began to wear a serious aspect; attempts were made by both states to enforce their laws; and the strong arm of power and coercion was let loose by Virginia. Some magistrates acting under the authority of Pennsylvania were arrested, sent to Virginia, and imprisoned.

But that the reader may be well assured that the hand of Dunmore was in all this, I present him with a copy of his proclamation. It is however deficient as to date:

"Whereas I have reason to apprehend that the government of Pennsylvania, in prosecution of their claims to Pittsburg and its dependencies, will endeavor to obstruct his majesty's government thereof, under my administration, by illegal and unwarrantable commitment of the officers I have appointed for that purpose, and that settlement is in some danger of annoyance from the Indians also; and it being necessary to support the dignity of his majesty's government and protect his subjects in the quiet and peaceable enjoyment of their rights; I have therefore thought proper, by and with the consent and advice of his majesty's council, by this proclamation in his majesty's name, to order and require the offi

cers of the militia in that district to embody a sufficient number of men to repel any insult whatsoever; and all his majesty's liege subjects within this colony are hereby strictly required to be aiding and assisting therein, or they shall answer the contrary at their peril; and I further enjoin and require the several inhabitants of the territories aforesaid to pay his majesty's quitrents and public dues to such officers as are or shall be appointed to collect the same within this dominion, until his majesty's pleasure therein shall be known."

It is much to be regretted that my copy of this proclamation is without date. There can, however, be no doubt it was issued either in 1774 or early in 1775, and I am inclined to think it was issued in 1774; but it would be satisfactory to know precisely the day, because chronology is the soul of history.

But this state of things in the west, it seems from subsequent events, was not the mere effervescence of a transient or momentary excitement, but continued a long scason. The seeds of discord had fallen unhappily on ground too naturally productive, and were also too well cultivated by the earl of Dunmore, Connoly, and the Pennsylvania officers, to evaporate in an instant.

We find by recurring to the history of cur revolutionary war, that that awful tornado, if it had not the effect to sweep away all disputes about state rights and local interests, yet it had the effect to silence and suspend every thing of that nature pending our dubious and arduous struggle for national existence: but yet we find, in fact, that whatever conciliatory effect this state of things had upon other sections of the country, and upon the nation at large, it was not sufficient to extinguish this fire in the west. For in the latter end of the year 1776, or in the year 1777, we find these people petitioning congress to interpose their authority, and redress their grievances. I have this petition before me, but it is too long to copy: I therefore only give a short abstract.

It begins with stating, that whereas Virginia and Pennsylvania both set up claims to the western coun

try, it was productive of the most serious and distressing consequences: that as each state pertinaciously supported their respective pretensions, the result was, as described by themselves, "frauds, impositions, violences, depredations, animosities," &c. &c.

These evils they ascribe (as indeed the fact was) to the conflicting claims of the two states; and so warm were the partisans on each side, as in some cases to produce battles and shedding of blood. But they superadd another reason for this ill humor, namely, the proceedings of Dunmore's warrant officers, in laying land warrants on land claimed by others, and many other claims for land granted by the crown of England to individuals, companies, &c., covering a vast extent of country, and including most of the lands already settled and occupied by the greatest part of the inhabitants of the western country; and they finally pray congress to erect them into a separate state, and admit them into the union as a fourteenth state.

As this petition recites the treaty of Pittsburg, in October 1775, it is probable we may fix its date (for it has none,) to the latter part of 1776 or 1777. I rather think the latter, not only from my own recollection of the circumstances of that period, but especially from the request in the petition to be erected into a new state, which certainly would not have been thought of before the declaration of independence.

But the unhappy state of the western country will appear still more evident, when we advert to another important document which I have also before me. It is a proclamation issued by the delegates in congress from the states of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and bears date Philadelphia, July 25, 1775.

But the heat of fire, and inflexible obstinacy of the parties engaged in this controversy, will appear in colors still stronger, when we see the unavailing efforts made by the delegates in congress from the two states of Virginia and Pennsylvania in the year 1775. These gentlemen, it was obvious, under the influence of the best