Sheweth, -- That the Indians who were formerly possessed of the Lands, which form the extensive Countries, now enjoyed by Your Majesty's Subjects in North America, having been found willing for small Considerations to cede amicably large Tracts of those Lands to Your Majesty, Your Royal Predecessors and the Proprietary Grants under the Crown, it has always been thought good Policy to make Purchases thereof, from time to time, as the British Settlements have been extended, and the Indians at the same time, retirmg further back into the Country, have formed a kind of Frontier, where, while they continue upon Terms of Friendship, Trade, profitable to this Nation, is carried on with them by exchanging British Manufactures for their Peltry, they contribute to the Prosperity of the British Settlements in time of Peace, and are the Chief and best protection of them from the Inroads of Enemies in time of Warr.

But if they entertain any Suspicion, that they have been deprived of their Lands without their Consent, and that no Consideration has been paid for thern, or that any Fraude or Deceit hath been practiced towards them therein, they usually conceal their Discontent until an Opportunity Offers of revenging themselves, and then, especially if excited by an Enemy, commit the most outraglous Acts of Violence, by Small Parties, who Plunder and Murder without regard to Condition, Age or Sex, and always fly before a Superior Force, to Places where their Knowledge of the Country renders it almost impossible to discover and reduce them,