Petition by the Inhabitants of Lancaster County - 1
The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Township of __________ in the County of Lancaster and Province of Pensylvannia Sheweth,
That Your Petitioners have form some time past, looked upon ourselves as Grieved and Oppressed in Sundry Instances, and have hitherto endeavoured to bear our Misfortunes with the Patience of Christians and the Submission of good Subjects. But our Grievances growing so many and so heavy as to be insupportable, we are Constrained to fly to you for that Redress which we intreat and hope you will grant us.
1st. We are grieved that thousands of his Majesties unhappy Subjects, Men, Women, and Children; who are Banished from their Habitations by Savages, that they are allowed to perish thro want of provisions and Cloths, and hardly any Notice is taken of them be the Government. We therefore beg that Some Provision be made by the Government for the Poor and Distressed Frontier Inhabitants.
2nd. Several of the Frontier Inhabitants have been wounded in voluntary Expeditions against the Indians, by which Expeditions they have been the Means of Saving the Lives of Many of his Majesties Subjects. We therefore beg that Care be taken of the wounded Men and that they are cured at the publick Expence.
3rd. We beg that a Reward be Proclaimed for the Scalps of Indians, who are his Majesties Enemies, in Order to encourage volunteer Parties to go out and reduce those Savages to Peace.
4th. As many of our fellow Subjects and Kindred are in Captivity among the Indians, and they have hitherto delayed to restore them, we beg no Peace or Commerce be again held with those Indians untill those Prisoners be restored.
5th. As we have great Reason to Suspect that much of the present publick Calamity arises from the manner in which Private Persons have treated and tampered with the Indians, we beg that for the future no privaate Person be allowed to Treat with the Indians.
6th. We understand there are a Considerable Number of Indians now at Philadelphia, maintained at the Publick Expence, we have abundant Reason to be assured that Many of them are Enemies, and have actually committed Several Murders on our Frontier People, we think that the Interest of the Government or at least the common Feelings of humanity and Proper Tenderness and Regard for his Majesties Natural Subjects, whose Wives and
