Governor De Lancy, who, acting most impartially, appointed his political opponent; William Smith, Esq'., the elder.' This movement, which was not within the objects of the Congress as defined in the letter of the Board of Trade above mentioned, resulted in the adopting of a plan of a union to be made by aet of Parliament, which, after its provisions were resolved on, was put into form by Benjamin Franklin, who was a delegate from Pennsylvania, and which was not decided upon, but merely sent to the different provinces for consideration. .

1 Assembly Journals; IT., 500.

2 Smith's Hist. N. Y.; II., 232. /

3 Virginia and Carolina did not send delegates, but desired to be Gouaidaree as present. Doc. Hist. N. Y.; II., 567.

4 See Letter of Lords of Trade, directing the holding of the Congress, and the aes of its proceedings in full, in Doc. Hist. N.Y.; ; II., 555.

5 Doc. Hist. N. Y¥.; IJ., 565.

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~1052 MEMOIR OF THE

Before the motion for the appointment of this committee was made, Lt. Gov. De Lancey, being in favor of the colonies uniting for their own defence, proposed the building and maintaining, at the joint expense of the colonies, of a chain of forts covering their whole exposed frontier, and some in the Indian country itself. But his plan was without effect upon the Congress; for as he tells us himself, "they seemed so fully persuaded of the backwardness of the several assemblies to come into joint and vigorous measures that they were unwilling to enter upon the consideration of these matters."' His idea seems to have been for a practical union of the colonies for their own defence to be made by themselves ; while that of the committees, who despaired of a voluntary union, was for a consolidation of the colonies to be enforced 'by act of Parliament.