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Philadelphia, June 28, 1774.
MY LORD: I am very unhappy to find myself under the necessity of writing to your Lordship on so disagreeable a
I have so many complaints of the behaviour of Doctor Conolly, that I am obliged to wish your Lordship to make some inquiry into his conduct, which, if my information be true, is extremely oppressive and tyrannical, with respect to our people; and what is still worse, there is great reason to fear his military operations may have a dangerous tendency to involve the Colonies In general in an Indian war. He seizes upon the property of the people, without reserve, and treats the persons of our Magistrates with the utmost insolence and disrespect, and with menaces not only of imprisoning them, but even of pulling down their houses, and it is said, he has sent out, or is to send out, parties against the Indians, with orders to destroy all they meet with, whether friend or foe. These matters may be exaggerated, but I cannot doubt but that Mr˙ Conolly has afforded some grounds for these complaints; and although your Lordship has been pleased to claim the jurisdiction of Pittsburgh, and the country thereabouts, I would fain hope that you would not encourage Mr˙ Conolly in such exorbitances and outrages as are laid to his charge.
I have the honour to be your Lordship' s most obedient humble servant,
JOHN PENN.
To the Right Honourable the Earl of Dunmore, Governour and Commander-in-chief of his Majesty' s Province of Virginia.
Letter from Governour Penn to Lord Dunmore
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subject as an Indian war, which is now like to become general, unless the Governments of Virginia and Pennsylvania, by some prudent and timely interposition, may happily prevent the further progress of hostilities, which have unhappily taken place. I have taken the best measures in my power to keep the settlements from breaking up, and have called the Assembly upon the occasion, in order that every proper step may be taken, either to compose the differences between his Majesty' s subjects and the Indians, or to defend the frontiers, if pacific measures should fail.