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Pittsburgh, June 25, 1774.
To the Honourable JOHN PENN, Esq˙, Governour and joint Proprietor of the Province of PENNSYLVANIA, &c.
The memorial of the subscribers, in behalf of themselves and the remaining few inhabitants of Pittsburgh who have adhered to the Government of Pennsylvania, humbly sheweth, That your memorialists have suffered in an unprecedented manner by the arbitrary proceedings of Doctor Conolly, since the commencement of his tyrannical Government at Pittsburgh. The principal facts we shall beg leave to lay before your Honour, as followeth: Soon after the
Mr˙ William Butler, (one of the subscribers,) and an eminent trader at this place, has been cruelly treated by Mr˙ Conolly, nay, was threatened to be shot down, for daring to refuse carrying arms at Mr˙ Conolly' s militia array, &c. That your memorialists are of opinion that Mr˙ Conolly has taken all the pains in his power to foment the disturbance between us and the Indians, for several reasons, particularly when a number of the traders arrived here lately from the Shawanese Towns, escorted by three Shawanese Chiefs, who were sent to the care of Colonel Croghan, till a handsome present was made for them, by the traders for their fidelity, Doctor Conolly ordered out forty-one of his militia to take them at all events, and to send them to his guard house, which hellish plot being discovered, Mr˙ Butler, and some other friends, conveyed the Indians and their presents over the river, just as the guard surrounded Mr˙ Croghan' s house, for which Mr˙ Butler has been severely threatened.
That a number of the subscribers, &c˙, have been very severely treated by Mr˙ Conolly for our adherence to the Pennsylvania Government, which, for brevity sake, must be omitted.
The premises considered, your memorialists most earnestly request your Honour will fall upon some speedy method to relieve our distresses, and to send us directions, as soon as possible, how to act on this very critical occasion.
For a further explanation of our distresses we beg leave to refer your Honour to the enclosed remarks, which are absolute facts.
Aeneas Mackay,Memorial from the Inhabitants of Pittsburgh, to Governour Penn
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return of the Magistrates of this place from Staunton jail in Virginia, Mr˙ Conolly being extremely enraged that Mr˙ Mackay should acquaint Lord Dunmore with his tyrannical behaviour, took all opportunities to affront and use Mr˙ Mackay ill, so that in a few days after he ordered Mr˙ Mackay' s outhouses to be pulled down, and the materials to be carried to his garrison; and when Mr˙ Mackay complained of such oppressive measures, he was threatened by Doctor Conolly to be sent in irons to Williamsburg.
Devereux Smith,
John Ormsby,
Richard Britter,
William Butler,
James O' Hara,
James Fowler,
Joseph Spear,
Andrew Robinson,
Frederick Farry,
Robert McCully,
George McCully,
John Shannon,
Gabriel Walker,
John Walker,
Benjamin Elliott,
Alexander Wayne,
Ralph Nailer,
William Evans,
William Amberson,
William Hamilton,
James Smith,
John Irwin,
Robert Elliott,
Robert Elliott,
Richard Carson,
Joseph Carrel,
Stephen Groves.