It appears to have been concerted to favor his Claim in the disputed Lands there, at Least so it is conceived by the Inhabitants, and the manner in which it has been conducted Justifies that Apprehension, as first the Commissions by Ante dating them are Countersigned by M*' Livingston several Months before he was Secretary, The Commissions of the Inferior Officers are dated before the Colonels and Consequently they are made Officers in a Regiment that did not then- Exist, but I conclude it was necessary to get off the Commiss^^ as quick as possible for private reasons, for it should be observed that the dates of all the Comns given to the inferior Officers living on the Contested Lands were previous to the Trial of the Crown's Cause against M^". Ranslaer, another Circumstance is, that they have left out Kenderhook intirely, and that they have taken the Officers from such places and in such manner as Joyned to what I have already Mentioned manifests a Notorious partiality arising in all probability from very Interested motives, and I have y<^ greatest reason to think that Col Schuyler made himself very busy on that occasion as he does

SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON. 963

on many other!?, and that to his eagerness & ignorance in these matters some of the egregious blunders may be attributed. -- he found means to attach himself very Closely to Sir H Moore, who I presume thought he might be of use & therefore I am informed suffered himself to be influenced and directed by him in many matters, with which he had no pretensions to Concern himself.