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A Narrative of the Late Massacres – 12

and Influence of the Government, for obtaining His Majesty’s Pardon for his Offence.
 
GIVEN under my Hand, and the Great Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the Second Day January, in the Fourth Year of His Majesty’s Reign, and in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-four.
 
JOHN PENN.”
 
By His Honour’s Command,
JOSEPH SHIPPEN, jun. Secretary.
 
GOD Save the KING.
 
These Proclamations have as yet produced no Discovery; the Murderers having given out such Threatenings against those that disapprove their Proceedings, that the whole County seems to be in Terror, and no one durst speak what he knows; even the Letters from thence are unsigned, in which any Dislike is expressed of the Rioters.
 
There are some (I am ashamed to hear it) who would extenuate the enormous Wickedness of these Actions, by saying, “The Inhabitants of the Frontiers are exasperated with the Murder of their Relations, by the Enemy Indians, in the present War.” It is possible;-but though this might justify their going out into the Woods, to seek for those Enemies, and avenge upon them those Murders; it can never justify their turning in to the Heart of the Country, to murder their Friends.

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