TO COLONEL BOUQUET

PHILADELPHIA, 16 August, 1764. DEAR SIR:-Returning just now from the Board of Commissioners, I found your agreeable favor of the 10th instant. We had a meeting on Tuesday, when your letter to the governor was laid before us, his Honor not present and the Board thin. I think none but myself spoke then for the measure recommended; so to prevent its being too hastily refused, I moved to refer it to this day, when we might have a fuller Board. The principal objection was, that the act did not empower us to go farther. To-day we got over that objection and all others, and came to a resolution which will be communicated to you by the governor, I suppose, and the money sent by Captain Young. We have fully, as we understand it, complied with your requisition; and 't is a pleasure to me to have done every thing you wished me to do in the affair before the receipt of your letter.

I recollect that I once in conversation promised you some papers I had by me, containing hints for conducting an Indian war. I have since found them, and on looking them over am of opinion you will meet with nothing new in them that is of any importance; however, to keep my promise, I now send them enclosed.

The June packet is arrived from England, as is also our friend Mr. Allen, but we have no news by them that is material. France and England are both diligently repairing their marine; but I suppose 't is a matter of course, and not with intention of any new repulse. The ministerial party is said to be continu

ally gaining strength and the opposition diminishing. Abroad the Poles are cutting one another's throats a little about their election. But 't is their constitution, and I suppose reckoned among their privileges to sacrifice a few thousands of the subjects every interregnum either to the manes of the deceased king, or to the honor of his successor. And if they are fond of this privilege, I don't know that their neighbors have any right to disturb them in the enjoyment of it. And yet the Russians have entered their country with an army to preserve peace! and secure the FREEDOM of the election!

It comes into my mind that you can easily do me a kindness, and I ought not, by omitting to acquaint you with the occasion, deprive you of the pleasure you take in serving your friends. By this ship I hear that my enemies (for God has blessed me with two or three, to keep me in order) are now representing me at home as an opposer and obstructor of his Majesty's service here. If I know any thing of my own heart, or can remember any thing of my own actions, I think they might have as justly accused me of being a blackamoor. You cannot but have heard of the zeal and industry with which I promoted the service in the time of General Braddock, and the douceurs I procured for the officers that served under him. I spent a summer in that service without a shilling advantage to myself in the shape of profit, commission, or any other way whatsoever. I projected a method of supplying General Shirley with £10,000 worth of provisions, to be given at his request by this province, and carried the same through

the House, so as to render it effectual; together with a gift of some hundreds of warm waistcoats, stockings, mittens, etc., for the troops, in their first winter service at Albany. And at Lord Loudon's request I so managed between the governor and Assembly as to procure the passage of the £60,000 act then greatly wanted, and met with great difficulty. On your arrival here you know the readiness with which I endeavored to serve the officers in the affair of their quarters; and you have been a witness of my behavior as a Commissioner, in the execution of the present act, and of my forwardness to carry at the Board every measure you proposed to promote the service. What I would request is, that you would take occasion in some letter to me to express your sentiments of my conduct in these respects so far as has come to your knowledge or fallen under your observation. My having such a letter to produce on occasion may possibly be of considerable service to With the most perfect esteem, I am, dear sir,

me. etc.,

B. FRANKLIN. Mrs. Franklin and Sally join me in prayers for your success and happy return.

I send you enclosed our last political pamphlet, to amuse you on some rainy day.

TO WILLIAM Strahan (?)

1 September, 1764.

I thought I had sent you one of my narratives. You cannot conceive the number of bitter enemies

that little piece has raised me among the Irish Presbyterians. I now need send you a pamphlet that I have written since in favor of our projected change of government; and Mr. Galloway's speech with a preface of mine against the proprietary party with whom I am still at war, and who will erelong either demolish me or I them. If the former happens, as possibly it may, behold me in London for the rest of my days. At present I am here as much the butt of party rage and malice, expressed in pamphlets and prints, and have as many pelted at my head in proportion, as if I had the misfortune of being your prime minister. You can scarcely conceive how acceptable and satisfactory your letters always are on public affairs to me and my friends. For my part I rely entirely on your accounts and sentiments

-only making a small abatement when you forebode any misfortune. But that is mere temper in me, who always love to view the bright sides of things. News is just arrived of a peace concluded at Presquisle with the Delawares and Shawanese by Col. Bradstreet.

B. FRANKLIN.

TO ANTHONY TODD, ESQ.

PHILADELPHIA, 2 September, 1764.

SIR: We have just received some important news from Presquisle, on Lake Erie, which it is my duty to take this first opportunity of communicating through you to his Majesty's Postmaster-General.

The public papers, before this can come to hand,

will have informed you that Sir William Johnson had held a treaty at Niagara, and concluded a peace with all the Indian nations or tribes that were at war with us, the Delawares, Shawanese, and other Ohio Indians excepted, who had haughtily refused to send deputies to the Congress. We were much concerned to hear of their standing out, as by their situation they were most capable of injuring this and the neighboring provinces, and had actually committed all the late ravages on the frontiers of Pennsylvania and Virginia. But these people being informed that Col. Bouquet, from this province, with one thousand of our provincials, besides regulars, was on his march towards their country; and that Col. Bradstreet, with a considerable force of regulars, and New York and New Jersey provincials, was advancing along the back of their territories by Lake Erie, they suddenly changed their resolution of continuing the war, and sent ten of their principal men as deputies, who met Col. Bradstreet at Presquisle, and in the most submissive manner acknowledged their fault in commencing this war on the English without the least cause or provocation, and humbly begged for mercy and forgiveness, and that a peace might be granted them. The colonel, after severely reproving them, granted them peace on the following terms:

1. That all the prisoners now in their country should be immediately collected and delivered up to him at Sandusky within twenty-five days, none to remain among them under any pretence of marriage, adoption, or otherwise, and the unwilling to be forced away.