Part 3 (1/2)

_Cadwallader Colden_.

To this it may not be improper to add the following Original Letter.

_From_ J. A. _Esq; to Mr_. P. C. _of_ London, _shewing the Success of the Measures taken at that Time_.

_New-York_, 1740.

_S I R_,

If you should be at the Pains to read these printed Papers, it will be a Pleasure to you to hear of the Success of the Measures taken by Governor _Burnet_ for redeeming the _Indian_ Trade out of the Hands of the _French_. He has succeeded far above our Expectations.

Governor _Burnet_, through his earnest Application, and at first chiefly with his Money, Credit, and Risque, erected a Trading-House and Fortification at the Mouth of the _Onondagues_ River, called _Osneigo_, where the Province of _New-York_ supports a Garrison of Soldiers, consisting of a Lieutenant and twenty Men, which are yearly relieved.

At this Place a very great Trade is carried on with the remote _Indians_, who formerly used to go down to the _French_ at _Monreal_, and there buy our _English_ Goods, at second Hand, at above twice the Price they now pay for them at _Osneigo_; whilst, at the same time, the _French_ were chiefly supplied by one Gentleman at _New-York_, who almost entirely engrossed the _Indian_ Trade of this Province, and thereby acquired a very great Estate and Influence. But the prudent Steps taken by our late worthy Governor, to open a free Trade, was the Cause of the Engrosser's losing his.--The Probability of doing this, was the princ.i.p.al Motive of our applying to the King, which is shown by these printed Papers.

The _Indian_ Trade, to the great Advantage of this Province, is now divided into several hundred Hands, and there have been for many Years past upwards of one hundred young Men of this Province, who have gone yearly among the _Indians_, to supply them with our Goods.

By this means, at a modest Estimate, I am a.s.sured, that the _Indian_ Trade of this Province is now far above five times as much as when Governor _Burnet_ began to put his Scheme in execution.

And this is not all the Advantages reaped thereby, but a much more considerable one to this, and all the other _English_ Colonies is, that not only our own six Nations, but also many far and remote _Indian_ Nations are drawn off from their Dependance on the _French_, and made, by Trade and Intercourse, dependant on the _English_; by this means a great Security and Protection is acquired by the _English_, in case of a War with _France_; and by this Trade our Settlements in this Province are extended up to the _Onondagues_ Carrying-place, which is now well attended with Waggons, for the more commodious transporting of Goods to trade in the Lakes.

And they are now settling on the Branches of _Sasquehanah_ River; and from the western Branches of this River, there is but a small Land-Carriage to _Allegheny_, a Branch of that great River _Misissippi_; which Branch extending a thousand Miles from its Mouth, where it enters the said River; and which joins so near to our Settlements, as is above taken notice of, opens us a Trade to that vast Country, called by the _French Louisiana_, which they possess on the _Misissippi_.

I am,

S I R,

_Your humble Servant_,

J. A.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

T H E

=T R E A T Y=

H E L D W I T H T H E

_I N D I A N S_

O F T H E

S I X N A T I O N S,

A T

_P H I L A D E L P H I A_,