General and Grand Council, except where sums have been appropriated to particular purposes, and the President-General previously empowered by an order to draw for such sums.

That the general accounts shall be yearly settled and reported to the several Assemblies.

That the particular military, as well as civil, establishments and constitutions of each colony, remain firm and entire, without any other change or alteration than is herein before mentioned, this general union notwithstanding.

And further, it is proposed, that there be a union made by an act of the parliament of Great-Britain: by virtue whereof, one general union may be formed, including the several colonies of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, and South-Carolina; the affairs whereof, in relation to matters and things of the like nature to what is herein before comprised, to be ordered, directed, and administered, in the like manner and form as is herein before mentioned.

And further, it is proposed, that on any special emergency, and extraordinary occasion, wherein it may be thought needful, there may be just rules and directions made and given, wherein all the said colonies, herein before proposed to be united, in the more northern part of America, and those proposed to be united in the more southern part of North-America, may act in concert against the common enemy, in the best and most advantageous manner.

REPORT OF A COMMITTEE, CHOSEN BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF CONNECTICUT, RESPECTING THE FOREGOING PLAN OF UNION.

To the Honourable General Assembly, sitting at NewHaven, October, 1754.

WE, your Honours' committee, appointed to take into consideration the proposed plan for an union of his Majesty's governments in North-America, to give our opinion thereon, and the reasons of such our opinion, &c. humbly report on the premises, viz.

Having duly and maturely considered said plan, we

are of opinion, that the same has a tendency greatly to weaken and injure his majesty's interest, and that it is subversive of the just rights and privileges of his good and faithful subjects inhabiting his dominions on this continent; and for such our opinion, we with much submission, offer the following reasons.

1. We find his Majesty's territories, from the southwest part of Georgia to Menis, is more than seventeen hundred miles; of which, from the head of St. John's (which we suppose to be the north-east extent of the Massachusetts province) to the Apilachi mountains, (which we suppose to be the south-west extent of the colony of South-Carolina,) is, on the frontiers by land, about fifteen hundred miles; which last extent is all within the limits of the proposed plan of union, so that the president-general and council have to provide for this large extent of frontiers; and should Georgia and Nova-Scotia, when able to assist, be added, it makes the same yet greater. The sea-coast, we find, varies very little from the extent by land; and we think it impracticable that his Majesty's interest, and the good of his people, inhabiting so great a country, can, in any advantageous or tolerable manner, be considered and conducted by the proposed president-general and council.

2. The president-general and council having authority to nominate and commissionate all military commission officers, we apprehend, will be highly disadvantageous to his Majesty's interest. Under this head we consider that our officers generally are chosen out of the best yeomen of this colony, who live on their own lands, in peace and plenty; but have ever been ready to serve their country in the field, when called: their commissions have always been prepared and delivered into their hands gratis. Under these officers, thus chosen and commisionated, freeholders' sons, the youth of this colony, have on all occasions, with great cheerfulness and alacrity, generally enlisted; and their country's good (not necessity) has led them to arms. Now, should officers be sent from abroad, we are fully satisfied, such youth would not enlist; and to press these generous young men into service will be not only hard and grievous, but in all probability will greatly dishearten and dispirit them, and

this, we conclude, is very much the case in other his Majesty's provinces and colonies on the continent.

3. His Majesty's subjects, now inhabiting this country, are a very great body; and in every twenty-five years the increase of inhabitants is so great, they are supposed to become double. This power and strength being brought into one point, all to move under the direction of said president-general and council, we fear, may in time be of dangerous consequence to his Majesty's interest, and the good of his loyal subjects here.

4. Further, we apprehend his Majesty's interest is in great danger from the president-general's having a negative voice; for if it ever be, that that officer should not well understand or pursue proper methods for the country's good, all may be ruined before relief can be had from the throne; and it seems to us, that the Grand Council are most likely to understand the true interest and weal of this people.

5. We think the proposal, in said plan contained, for the President-General and Council to lay and levy taxes, &c. as they please, throughout this territory, is a very extraordinary thing, and against the rights and privileges of Englishmen in general; and such an innovation or breach on charter privileges, we fear, will greatly discourage and dishearten his Majesty's good subjects. All which, with a draught for a union, delivered in herewith, is humbly submitted, by

Your Honours' committee,

VOL. VII. FIRST SERIES.

Wm. Pitkin.
Jonath. Trumble.
Joseph Fowle.

Joseph Pitkin.
Jabez Hamlin.
John Hubbard.
Theoph. Nichols.
John Ledyard.

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THE REASONS CONSIDERED AND OFFERED, BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE COLONY OF CONNECTICUT, CONCERNING THE PLAN OF UNION THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE SEVERAL COLONIES IN NORTH-AMERICA, WHO AT ALBANY ON THE 14TH JUNE, 1754, HAVE PROPOSED FOR UNITING THE SAID COLONIES INTO ONE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, FOR THE PURPOSES THEREIN EXPRESSED, ARE AS FOLLOWS.

MET

1. THE limits of the proposed plan of union are of too large extent; from Nova-Scotia on the north, to Georgia on the south, is fifteen hundred miles; so that the President-General and Grand Council must have to provide for this large extent of frontiers; and this plan seems calculated only to render this general government, therein proposed, capable to defend against the French, and to proclaim war, and make peace with the Indians. Now it seems plain, that it is impracticable that his Majesty's interest, and the good of his people inhabiting so great a country, with frontiers of so great length, can be advantageously defended, or in any good manner considered and conducted, by the proposed President-General and council: and it may be justly observed here, that a defensive war, on the part of this government, with so large a frontier, will prove detrimental and ruinous to it; while the French have it in their power, at any time, as well in a time of peace, as of a war, to send out small parties of their Indians, to skulk about in the woods, and fall upon, and surprise any part of the frontiers; and with but little hazard to themselves, and small expense, keep this proposed government in a continued alarm, in one or other part thereof, and put them to vast expense to defend themselves, and thereby weaken, impoverish, and greatly dishearten the King's subjects in every part of this large extent of frontiers; while the enemy will be encouraged, and grow strong and wealthy. This, indeed, cannot be remedied, but by carrying the war into the enemy's country, for which this plan makes no provision.

2. The President-General and Council to have authority to nominate and commission all military officers, will be highly detrimental to his Majesty's interest; as it can

not be apprehended that they can be well acquainted, in the various parts of so large a government, with the persons who will best serve to encourage soldiers to enlist, and who may conduct them with prudence, and encourage their hearts. It hath hitherto been practised in the New-England governments to appoint officers out of their best yeomen, who live in good circumstances on their own property in lands; and when chosen freely, and without any application of their own for such offices, and receive their commissions gratis, they look on themselves obliged, and are always ready, to serve their country in the field, when thus called thereto; and under such officers, well known and esteemed among the people, freeholders' sons, not moved by necessity, but their country's good, generally have enlisted with cheerfulness and alacrity. Now, should officers be sent among them from abroad, and to whom they are strangers, it is plain such youth will not enlist; and to press such generous young men into service, must be not only hard and grievous, but very much dishearten and dispirit them: and this, no doubt, will prove the case in other of the American colonies, as well as of those in New-England.

3. His Majesty's subjects, now inhabiting this large and extensive country, take them collectively, are become a very great number; and, through the smiles of divine Providence hitherto, are greatly increased, and it is supposed to become double in every twenty-five years: now this growing power and strength to be brought into one point, all to move under the direction of such PresidentGeneral and Council, may in time be of dangerous consequence to his Majesty's interest, and the good of his loyal subjects here.

4. The President-General to have a negative voice on the Council, may bring his Majesty's interest into danger: That officer, in so extensive a territory, not well understanding, or carefully pursuing proper methods for the country's good, all may be ruined before relief can be had from the throne; and in a country, where the greatest encouragement to go through the hardship and fatigue of a new settlement is the hope of enjoying liberty, and securing a small property in land to themselves, every thing that doth make any encroachment thereon will discourage the people, and thereby injure his Majesty's