By the success of His Majesty's Arms in the late expedition agamst Fort du quesne, a great and valuable part of the Country included in the Deeds of 1701, and 1726, havg been recovered to the Dominion of the Crown of Great Britain, As no circumstances relative to this event, and the negotiations wuth the Indians in consequence of it, have been communicated to Us; We cannot take upon Us to say what measures it may be proper to pursue to secure the Dominion of this part of His Majesty's territories and fix the Indians in Our Interest ; but We have thought it proper to trouble your Lordships with this narrative of Facts, in Order to shew, how dangerous it may be to make Grants and Settlements of Indian Lands w^h have been ceded for Protection and not Settlement, especially when all the Political advantages of such Cession may be Obtained without such Settlement.

We are My Lords Your Lordships Whitehall > Most Obed. and most humble Servts

June 1 1759 J Sjgn'd,

Dunk Halifax.

James Oswald. SoAME Jenyns. W». Slcpee.

SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON. 781

SIR W^i. JOHNSON TO THE BOARD OF TRADE.

Fort Johnson, May 17th 1759. .

My Lords

Herewith I transmit your Lordships a Copy of the Proceedings of a Congress I lately held with the Six Nations & four other Nations of Indians.

From the Declarations & Engagements of the Indians which your Lordships may observe in the Said Proceedings -- from private conferences I had with their leading men, and from a variety of other concurring circumstances, I think I may with great truth give it to your Lordships as my opinion, that not only from the commencement of the present War, but for many years past, His Majestys Indian Interests in this Quarter, hath not wore so favourable a Face nor given such encouraging Prospects.