Second, That my orders on that head seemed to be founded on a belief that the Cherokees Claimed a right to that Country, If this could be made to appear otherwise, of which I was certain, it removed that objection. -- Third, That the Inhabitants of Virginia laid Claims thereto in virtue of old purchases some of which had been formerly countenanced by the Crown, & that the back Inhabitants of that colony, who are a very encreasing & enterprising people, had a strong desire to establish themselves in that country, had already made many advances thereto, & in case the Indians had not ceded it would soon begin Settlements thereon, which would certainly be productive of a War. -- At the same time I was but

SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON. 940

too sensible of the inefficacy of any measures of the Colony to prevent such Settlements, and of the Interest that many persons of consequence had in wishing them to be extended. Fourth, That the removing the claim of the Northern Confederacy by a Cession to his Majesty at a time when they were so much disposed for it, would be gaining a great point, the only means of carrying on the Treaty, and the least productive of any ill consequences. When I considered all these points, & that whatever might have of late been said of the pretensions of the Cherokees, the North" Confederacy were more powerful & more inclined to dispute, and their dispute of more dangerous consequence, I couUl no longer hesitate as to the part I had to act, and I fully persuade myself that on due consideration of the premises, the motives from which I acted will appear strongly in Justification of my measures.