The Jealousy of the Indians with regard to their Lands, their tenaciousness upon that Article -- their opinion of the present contests between the French and us, our respective Views & Designs -- and the Influence these matters had on the conduct of the Six Nations, was discussed, tho' not in so ample a manner as the subject deserved & would afford, I am every day more and more'convinced of the Truth of the observations contained in those Papers upon this subject, and fully am I assured, the 6 Nations are sensible that the Deprivation of what they deem their property will be the consequence of either we or the French prescribing terms to each other -- and hence the chief cause of their Indifference in our Quarrel. The French have very politically possessed themselves of important Passes, We have openly claimed large Tracts of Country & attempted Settlements thereon. The Indians have not perhaps reach enough to foresee the consequences of the valuable morsels the French have pitched upon, whilst our indiscriminate avidity alarms them with Jealousy, and raises prejudices against us wtOi are improved by the French, & by professions only endeavored to be removed by us. After the French had taken Oswego, they destroyed all our Buildings & sent word to the Onondaga Indians, that they had now drove the English from their Lands & would not like them, keep possession, but leave 'em free to them and their Posterity forever. The French, in fact, did not want that Place, so made their Policy appear Virtue to the Indians, & the plausibility of it will doubtless influence them in their favour.