In my humble Opinion, to grant their request, to prohibit & to prevent by the Strictest Execution of law all trade with the Said Cognawagas or Subjects of the French Kings cither at Albany or Oswego or elswhere by any of his Majesty's Subjects in these parts, but more particularly at Albany, will be a measure of the most useful Kind will highly distress the French, who by the great tiade between Canada & Albany are enabled to Supply the Indians with Goods w^h otherwise they could not but under great Disadvantages, & hereby they make us Tools to the increase & Stability of their Indian Interest. We might then push a stronger & more successful Interest amongst them k have one of the most powerful means in

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our hands to draw off tlie Cognawagas from the French reunite them to their Bretheren of the 6 Nations & prevail on tlu in to return to their antient habitations in tliis Province.

S"" Charles Hardy is come up to Albany in order to push Ibrw.ud the p esent expedition I hope to See and hear when I propose to lay this matter before him, but I foresee that if S"" Charles embraces my Sentiments & tries to push them into effect he will meet with great opposition from the Dutch Traders at Albany who by their cabals & weight in the Assembly may perhaps Distress or at least vex him. Those People are So devoted to their own private Profit that every other public Principle has ever been Sacrificed to it.