That therefore I defered transmitting lo your Lordships what passed at the said Meeting at my House till I had the result of the Meeting at Onondaga, when I would send you both together. Accordingly My Lords I herewith transmit the same to you. I Avas in Expectation to have been able to have done this much sooner, but the unsettled state of the Six Nations amongst themselves, and the Confusions W^^ the too successful Arts of the French Emissaries have thrown them into, have delayed this Meeting at Onondaga much beyond the time they gave me reason to expect it would take place and break ::j^.
746 MANUSCKIPTS OF
Your Lordships wiU see by the Papers herewith, that vivfe "Three upper Nations, to wit, the Senecas, Cayouges & Onondagas, have ileclared themselves in favour of a Neturahty. As no Deputies from tlie Tuscarores or Oniedas came down to this Meeting, I cannot say what their Resolutions \vill be, it appears probable to me that from their not coming down with those Upper Nations, they do not wholly agree in Sentiments with them. I expect they \vill come by themselves when these return, & let me know their Resolutions, but whether those will be more favourable to our Interest than what these Three Upper Nations have declared, I will not take upon me to assertain. When I receive their Resolves I shall transmit them to youn Lordships.
I beg leave on this occasion to put your Lordships in Mind & refer you to those Papers I sent to the Board in Jan"^/. 1756, by Gov'^. Pownal when he went to England, wherein was laid before your Lordships the declining state of our Indian Interest at the time Gen^. Braddocks Commission put the Management of Indian Affairs into my hands, and I told that Gentleman at Alexandria, I would exert my utmost Influence & ability, but that I doubted whether I should be able to prevail on the Six Nations in general to act with that Ardor in favour of His Majestys Arms w^^ might probably be expected from them.