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Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, February 11, 1764 - 2

kill’d and had long liv’d quietly among us. The Spirit of Killing all Indians, Friends & Foes, spread amazingly thro’ the whole Country: The Action was almost universally approved of by the common People, & the Rioters thence receiv’d such Encouragement, that they project coming down to the City, 1000 in Number, arriv’d, destroy 140 Moravian and Quaker Indians under Protection of the Government. To check this Spirit, and Strengthen the Hands of the Government by changing the Sentiments of the Populace, I wrote the enclosed Pamphlet, which we had only time to circulate in this City & Neighborhood, before we heard that the Insurgents were on their March from all Parts. – It would perhaps be Vanity in me to imagine so slight a thing would have extraordinary Effect. But however that may be, there was a sudden and very remarkable Change; and above 1000 of our Citizens took Arms to support the Government in the Protection of those poor Wretches. – Near 500 of the Rioters had rendezvous’d at Germantown, and many more were expected; – but  the Fighting Face we put on made them more willing to hear Reason, and the Gentlemen sent out by the Governor and Council to discourse with them, found it no very difficult matter to persuade them to disperse and go home quietly. They came from all Parts of our Frontier, and were armed with Rifle and Guns and Tomahawks. – You may judge what Hurry and Confusion we have been in for this Week past. I was

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