that he will support 'em in Acts of Hostility against us, and whether Mr la Galissonière would now venture to do it without Particular Instructions from his master to keep the Indians at War with us, I will not take upon me to say; and it is proper farther to observe that upon the conclusion of a French Warr, we have never look'd upon the Indians engaged in it against us to be included in the general Treaty made in Europe between the two Crowns; But the King's Governours have ever made particular Treaties with 'em. As to Mr la Gallissonière's letter, I think I need not trouble Your Grace with any comment upon it here, farther than to observe that it seems to shew the necessity of having the boundaries between the limits of Canada and those of His Majesty's territories in North America bordering upon it, settled; that it plainly appears the French are determined to obstruct His Majesty's settlement of Nova Scotia as much as possible, especially in Minas and Schiegnecto, which are districts absolutely necessary to be secur'd, and that the making English Settlements there, will be no slight work nor be held when effected, without a regular Fort strongly garrisson'd upon the Isthmus between Bay Verte and Beaubassin; and that I can't but look upon the point now coming on in Dispute, as what must finally determine the Mastery of this Continent between His Majesty and the French King. If I had receiv'd His Majesty's leave of Absence from my government, I should have taken the first Opportunity of coming to England, as I apprehend my being there for a short time might be of some Service upon this Occasion. I have the honour to be, with the most Dutiful Regard My Lord Duke Your Grace's most Devoted and most Obedient Servant P.S. Not knowing whether Mr Mascarene has transmitted Duplicates of Mr la Galissoniere's letter and his answer, to Your Grace, I thought it proper to inclose 'em. Your Grace's most Devoted Servant His Grace the Duke of Bedford. W. SHIRLEY.1 GEORGE CLINTON TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY 2 Fort George in New York, 19th May, 1749. SIR, Your Excellency will perceive from the enclosed Extracts of Colo. Johnson's Letter to me, and of a Paper which the Governor of Canada had sent among the Indians what Artifices he is using now at the Commencement of the Peace to infuse Jealousies among them of the English, and to withdraw their Affections from us. I have ordered Our Interpreter to go to Oswego with Presents and Instructions not only to guard against the Artifices of the French, and to confirm the five Nations in their Fidelity to the Crown of Great Britain, but likewise to fix the Misissaques and other Nations to the Westward in their late Alliance with us, which may be of the greatest Service to the British Colonies. in case of any future War with France, and also in the British Commerce with all the Indian Nations to the Westward and who before this knew little of the English, while the French have at the same time lost theirs. We ought not I think to be negligent in using all the Means in our power to preserve these Advantages which We have got. I shall be well pleased with every Information or Advice which your Excellency shall think proper to give me for this purpose. I am with the greatest Regard Your Excellencys G. CLINTON. 1 See Shirley to La Galissonière, May 9. The correspondence between La Galissonière and Mascarene is printed, Docts. rel. to Col. Hist. of N. Y. 6, 478, 479. B. M., Additional Manuscript 32818, 82. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. To His Excelly: Govr: Shirley. Endorsed: Copy of a Letter from the Massachusetts Bay No. 17 in the Lords of Trade of the 26th July, 1749. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD 1 MY LORD Duke, Boston, June 18th, 1749. Having receiv'd no Advice yet of Govr: Cornwallis being arriv'd at Annapolis Royal or upon any part of the Coast of Nova Scotia, and thinking no opportunity should be lost of my apprizing your Grace of the motions of the French in that Government I inclose your Grace a Copy of Mr. Mascarene's Letter to me which I receiv'd late last night. As to my sending a Man of Warr as Mr. Mascarene seems to desire to visit the Fort now erecting at the mouth of St. John's River by the French; it is not in my Power, His Majesty's Ship Boston at present station'd here being under strict Orders from the Lords of the Admiralty to proceed to England as soon as she can be fitted for the Sea; the Sloop Viper now cleaning here, being under like Orders to proceed as soon as may be to Jamaica; And the America now at Portsmouth in New Hampshire being neither finish'd nor mann'd. But as Govr. Cornwallis will I presume bring one or more Ships of Warr with him, and may be daily expected to arrive in his Government, I hope his Arrival there will soon put a stop to the motions of the French. 1 B. M., Additional Manuscript 32818, 15. A transcript is in the Library of Congress. The two Row Galleys mention'd in Mr. Mascarene's letter are the two Schooners which I recd: His Majesty's orders about two Years ago to hire to attend the Man of War design'd to be station'd there; And which as I judged the continuance of 'em in His Majesty's Service particularly necessary at this Juncture I did not discharge with the Troops. I have the Honour to be with the most Dutifull regard, Your Grace's most Devoted and His Grace the Duke of Bedford. Endorsed: W. SHIRLEY. Copy of a Letter from Govr. Shirley to His Grace the Duke of Bedford, SIR, dated Boston, June 18th: 1749. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO SPENCER PHIPS1 Boston, September [11,] 1749. As the Governmt of this Province will, upon my Embarkation for Great Britain, devolve upon your Honour, I wish you all the Success therein, and Ease and Comfort to yourself which you can desire. And as it is my Intention by the Will of God to return back as soon as my Business in England is finished; I cannot but be solicitous that nothing should be done here in my absence that may render my Governmt uneasy to me upon my Return. I know it is reasonable to expect that some Offices both Civil and Military will become vacant by the death, and possibly 1 Mass. Arch., Col. Ser. 53, 423. Spencer Phips was born June 6, 1685, graduated at Harvard College in 1703, served for eleven years in the Council of Massachusetts and was Lieutenant Governor of the colony from 1732 until his death, April 4, 1757. by the Resignation, of the Persons that now hold them; And in such Cases it may be absolutely necessary to fill them, and I doubt not but you will among other Qualifications think it necessary that the Persons nominated to them should be well affected to his Majesty's Governmt, and that none of the contrary Spirit should be preferr'd; And as to any vacancies in the Courts of Common Law, in Case there remain of the Judges a Quorum, and none of them disabled from attending their Duty, there will be no Necessity of having the Vacancy supplied; And when there may not remain a quorum, I think it most reasonable that the Persons intended to succeed should be nominated to stand during your Honour's Continuance in the Administration, and no longer : which rule I think proper to be observed in any Vacancies in the office of Judge for the Probate of Wills, and Register of Wills; And I am so well satisfied of your Justice and Prudence, that I need not use any Argument with you not to have any of the present Officers removed but upon evident Misdemeanour; and in Case any Military Officer should be accused thereof, that you will have the matter heard before his Majesty's Council, and have their Opinion therein. I must further desire that you would not go into any measures during my Absence for appointing an Agent for the Province in Great Britain, unless the publick Affairs of the Province should absolutely require it; And in such Case you will not give your Consent to the Appointmt of one for a longer time than 'till my Return, and that no Person that has been under Censure for Neglect of Duty, or may have shewn a remarkable Disaffection to me, should be put into the trust: For you must needs apprehend what extreme Difficulties this may bring on my Administration at my Return. In this and the other foregoing Articles, I have suggested nothing but what I should think reasonable for me to comply with was I in your Circumstances. Another thing which I would mention to your Honour is, that I apprehend it will be very disagreeable to his Majesty and his Ministers for you to consent to any Act that may repeal or suspend the Execution of the Standing Act for |