Sachems were then entering the Town. We perceive, they replied, that Fear makes the French Thew more Refpect to their Enemies, than Love can make them do to their Friends.

Monfieur de Gallieres affembled all the French Allies (who were then very numerous at Montreal) to make the Exchange of Prisoners, and they delivered the Prifoners they had taken, though the Five Nations had fent none to be exchanged for them. Thus we fee a brave People struggle with every Difficulty, till they can get out of it with Honour; and fuch People always gain Refpect, even from their most inveterate Enemies.

I fhall finish this Part by obferving, that notwithstanding the French Commiffioners took all the Pains poffible to carry Home the French, that were Prifoners with the Five Nations, and they had full Liberty from the Indians, few of them could be perfuaded to return. It may be thought that this was occafioned from the Hardfhips they had endured in their own Country, under a tyrannical Government and a barren Soil: But this certainly was not the only Reafon; for the English had as much Difficulty to perfuade the People, that had been taken Prifoners by the French Indians, to leave the Indian Manner of living, though no People enjoy more Liberty, and live in greater Plenty, than the common Inhabitants of New-York do. No Arguments, no Intreaties, nor Tears of their Friends and Relations, could perfuade many of them to leave their new Indian Friends and Acquaintance; feveral of them that were by the Careffings of their Relations perfuaded to come Home, in a little Time grew tired of our Manner of living, and run away again to the Indians, and ended their Days with them. On the other Hand, Indian Children have been carefully educated among the English, cloathed and taught, yet, I think, there

is

is not one Inftance, that any of thefe, after they had Liberty to go among their own People, and were come to Age, would remain with the English, but returned to their own Nations, and became as fond of the Indian Manner of Life as thofe that knew nothing of a civilized Manner of living. What I now tell of Chriftian Prifoners among Indians, relates not only to what happened at the Conclufion of this War, but has been found true on many other Occafions.

PAPERS

Encouragement of the Indian Trade, &c. and for prohibiting the felling of Indian Goods to the French, viz. of CANADA.

I. A PETITION of the Merchants of London to His Majefty against the said Act.

II. HIS MAJESTY's Order in Council, referring the Petition to the Lords Commiffioners of Trade and Plantation.

III. EXTRACT of the Minutes of the faid Lords, concerning fome Allegations of the Merchants before them.

IV. The REPORT of the faid Lords to his Majefty on the Merchants Petition, and other Allegations.

V. The REPORT of the Committee of Council of the Province of New-York, in Anfwer to the faid Petition.

VI. A MEMORIAL concerning the Furr Trade of New-York, by G. Golden, Efq;.

TO THE

KING'S Moft Excellent Majefty in
Council,

The Humble Petition and Reprefentation of Sa-' muel Baker, Samuel Storke, John Bayeux, Richard Feneway, Robert Hackshaw, Joseph Low, Jofeph Paice, George Streatfield, William Parkin and John Evered, Merchants of London, trading to New York, in behalf of themselves, and the reft of the Perfons concerned in the NewYork Trade.

SHEWETH,

T

HAT by an Act paffed in New-York the 19th of November, 1720, entitled, An Act for Encouragement of the Indian Trade, and rendering it more beneficial to the Inhabitants of this Province, and for prohibiting the selling of Indian Goods to the French, all Trade whatsoever is prohibited in the strictest Manner, and under the severeft Penalties, between the Inhabitants of NewYork Government, and the French of Canada, or any Subjects of the French King, or any Perfon whatsoever, for or on the behalf of any fuch Subjects; and which Act was to continue in Force for three Years.

That the Reasons affigned in the Preamble of this Act, for the paffing thereof, are, For that the French at Canada, by Means of Indian Goods purchafed from the Inhabitants of New-York, had not only almost wholly engroffed the Indian Trade to themselves, but had, in great Measure, withdrawn

the

the Affections of the Five Nations of Indians from the Inhabitants of New-York, and render'd them wavering in their Faith and Allegiance to your Majefty; and would, if fuch Trade was not prevented, wholly alienate the Minds of the said Indians, which might prove of dangerous Consequence to the English Intereft in America.

That this Act was fent home for your Majefty's royal Confideration, but your Petitioners do not find that your Majefty ever fignified your Allowance or Difallowance thereof; from whence, and from the Act's being to continue but three Years, your Petitioners humbly conceive the fame was fuffered to lie by probationary, to see whether the faid Act, in its Effects, was really advantageous or prejudicial to the British Trade and Interest in America.

That your Petitioners have received Advice, That the Government of New-York either have, or are about paffing an Act, to revive and continue the faid Act for prohibiting all Trade between New-York and Canada.

Upon which Occafion, your Petitioners humbly beg Leave to represent to your Majefty, That the faid Act, tho' in the firft Intention of it, it might be well defigned, yet, in its Effects, it has proved very pernicious to the British Trade in general, and to the Intereft of New-York in particular: For, befides the Nations of Indians that are in the English Intereft, there are very many Nations of Indians, who are, at prefent, in the Intereft of the French, and who lie between New-York and the Nations of Indians in the English Intereft; and this Act prohibiting all Trade between New-York and the French of Canada, or any of the Subjects of France, the French, and their Indians, would not permit the English Indians to pafs over by their Forts, fo as to carry on a free Trade with New

3

York,