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Manuscript Copy of Remonstrance - 2

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Liberty & Security essentially depend; namely that of being tried by their equalls in the Neighborhood, where their own, their Accusers, & their Witnesses Character & Creditt with the Circumstances of the Fact are best known, & instead thereof putting their Lives, in the Hands of Strangers who may as justly be suspected of partiality to, as the Frontier Counties can be of Prejudices against Indians, and this too in favour of Indians only, against his Majesties faithfull & loyal subjects Besides it is well known that the design of it is to comprehend a Fact committed before such a Law was thought of. And if such Practices were tolerated, no man could be secure in his most invaluable Interests, We are also informed to our great surprize, that this Bill has actually received the Assent of a Majority of the House, which we are persuaded could not have been the Case had our Frontier Counties been equally represented in Assembly, however we hope that the Legislature of this Province will never enact a Law of so dangerous a Tendency, or take away from his Majesties good Subjects a Privilege so long esteemed Sacred by English Men.

3dly During the late & present Indian Wars the Frontiers of this Province have been repeatedly attacked & ravaged by skulking parties of the Indians who have with the most savage Cruelty murdered Men Women & Children, without distinction & have reduced near a Thousand Families to the most extreame distress. It grieves us to the very heart to [see such] of our Frontier Inhabitants, as have escaped from savage Fury with the Loss of their Parents their children their Husbands, Wives or Relatives, left destitute by the publick, & exposed to the most cruel poverty, & whretchedness, while upwards of 120 of those Savages, who are with great reason suspected of being guilty of these horrid barbarities, under the mask of friendship, have procured themselves to be taken under the Protection of the Government, with a view to elude the Fury of the brave Relativesof the murdered, & are now maintained at the publick Expence. Some of these Indians now in the Barracks of Philadelphia are confessedly a part of the Wyalusing Indians which Tribe is now at War with us, & the others are the Moravian Indians, who living amongst us under the cloak of friendship, carried on a Correspondence with our known Enemies on the great Island. We cannott but observe with sorrow & Indignation

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  1. Manuscript Copy of Remonstrance - 2