should not, more especially after the conviction of Anderson, have at once set off for the place after witnesses, for there must have been many there who had heard Rowland and Tennent preach. On the whole, I am strongly inclined to believe, notwithstanding the affair from beginning to end was not a little singular and extraor⚫ dinary, yet that there was nothing in it which may not be readily accounted for upon natural principles. We believe that the age of miracles has long since passed, but a century ago this was not so generally admitted. Mr. Tennent, we are informed, was firmly per suaded both of the malice and the power of the Prince of Darkness, and was wont to ascribe to his infernal agency all the evils which befel him. And certainly it must be conceded that if upon this occasion, as of old, the evil one had been permitted to vex their faithful servants of the Lord, he could not have selected a fitter instrument for his purpose than Tom Bell. I have just now received the enclosed letter from Robert Liv. ingston, and think the contents of it of so great importance that I send this express to your Excellency with it; for I don't know of any furnace in America at present in blast, where we can or could have the ball cast so as to be at Albany in time; and I shall immediately write to Mr. Livingston to use all the means in his power to finish them. I have just now seen Captains Broadley and Luferey under sail with a fair wind to Albany, in two sloops, with everything belonging to the vessels, and twenty-three seamen, two riggers and two carpenters men, and am in hopes the two hundred men of Sir William Pepperell's regiment will be ready to embark to-morrow; they are fur. nished with everything necessary. Three hundred Jersey troops are just arrived here, the rest are to be here this evening with Col. Schuy. ler, who intends to proceed immediately to Schenectady. I am, &c. PETER SCHUYLER, of Belleville, who gained great celebrity for his bravery and good conduct in this war. DEAR SIR: THE SAME TO JOHN SHIRLEY. NEW YORK, June 12th, 1755. I have yours by Bourbin, with the extracts from Governors Wentworth and Hopkins, containing their approbation of your father's taking the five hundred Jerseymen with him, which I shall forward to Philadelphia with the packet for Governor Morris. I am in hopes this, and the letters your father has lately wrote to Governor De Lancey, will prevent any more stumbling blocks being thrown in the way. Most people do their duty better when they see triding won't do. Sir William Pepperell and Colonel Mercer tell me they have no or ders to send any Guard with Captain Broadley and the Naval stores, from the carrying place to Oswego; and as I supposed that was intended by your father, I ventured to ask for them a guard, if it was only a Serjeant's, down Wood Creek to Lake Oneida. I am not assured yet that they will do that, and and am much afraid that Captain Broadley will not move on without one; and I really think his being speedily at Oswego a matter of importance. I shall press this to Col. Mercer again, and if possible shall let you know the result by this conveyance. Be pleased to make my compliments to your father, and acquaint him with the above. I am, &c. SIR: WILLIAM ALEXANDER TO PETER V. B. LIVINGSTON. FROM ON BOARD MASSACHUSETTS SLOOP, I wrote you yesterday afternoon, but as we have not yet had an opportunity of sending it, it goes herewith. I have mentioned to the General the two brass padderoons belonging to Mr. Lewis, and he is by all means for having them; but as Mr. Lewis is some miles astern, I can't now get his order for them; yet if you can get them from his wife, be pleased to send them after us by the first opportunity, and when I see them again I will get his account of them, that you may charge them. I have also mentioned to him the wampum I took along from Mr. Hansen, which he approves of; you will, therefore, charge them to him in his private account, or account current. We were roused out of bed about half an hour ago by our cabin roof leaking, which is the cause of my writing at this early hour. Remember me to all friends, and believe me, &c. P. S.-Beware of O. Delancey; I suspect he has some design of quarelling with you. The sum the General is to pay to General Johnson, mentioned in my last, is £1654 13s. 7d. New York money. Send it to Mr. Stevenson to be paid to me or my order, and charge it also to General Shirley's own account. I shall have his bill for it, which I will send you. DEAR SIR: THE SAME TO THE SAME. (Mentioned and enclosed in the above.) MASSACHUSETT'S SLOOP, Hudson's River. General Shirley has engaged to pay for the Province of the Massachusetts £1600, New York money, in part of the sum which is still wanting to complete the train for Crown-point expedition, and now writes to Governor Delancey that he will on his arrival at Albany pay that sum to General Johnson, and has desired me to supply him with money for that purpose; wherefore you must by the first opportunity send me that sum in paper or silver, and charge the General's account with us for it. I desired the favor of William Smith to endeavor to persuade his father in law, James Livingston, to let me have his quadrant. I proposed that when I returned, he might choose either to take it back or the money it cost him, yet I could not get it before I came away. I must beg the favor of you to get it of him at any rate. If he insists upon being paid for it now, you must do it, for I cannot do without it. I beg Mr. Smith will use all his influence to get it. The opportunity of its going and being used on the Lakes, may not offer again, perhaps, for fifty years, and surely Mr. Livingston would not willingly deprive the world so long of the knowledge of the true situation of that country. In short, you must send it to me by the first opportunity, well packed in a box. I am, &c. DEAR SIR: THE SAME TO ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS. FROM ON BOARD MASSACHUSETTS, My last letter to you was of the 22d of June. Nothing should have prevented my writing to you since, but want of time. General Shirley arrived at New York last Wednesday evening, and embarked again for Albany on Friday in the evening. Yesterday was a week since he left Boston; his stay at that place so long was absolutely necessary; indeed, if he had not stayed, the Crown point expedition must have been given up; for it has been with the utmost difficulty that he has got a train of artillery for that service. That matter he has at last got settled, and it is in such forwardness that the whole of it will be in Albany in a few days. New York provides £4000 of it, and the Massachusetts £6000, and they trust to the other Colonies reimbursing them in their quotas. Of the last sum General Shirley has now, at New York, been obliged to engage £1650 at his own risk, or the matter would not have been settled. I am in hopes our stay in Albany and Schenectady together will not be above six days. The stores of all kind for our expedition have gone forward. Colonel Schuyler, with his regiment, is by this time, I suppose, gone from Schenectady, and Colonel Ellison about setting out from thence; for he arrived there with the whole of the regiment last Monday. Colonel Mercer with the remaining six com. panies, (which are about fifty each,) of Sir William Pepperell's regi ment, is about three miles ahead of us on his way to Albany. Sir William we left in New York; he intends to return home as soon as his health will admit of his travelling. I mention this for fear of mistakes, but say nothing of it. We left New York in high spirits, as we had just received confirma. tion of the news of Admiral Boscawen. A war now seems really unavoidable; and it is like to be new fashioned one-an army and a prodigious fleet in North America, and the English nation behaving with spirit enough to terrify all Europe. I am, &c. DEAR SIR: PETER V. B. LIVINGSTON TO WM. ALEXANDER. NEW YORK, July 17th, 1755. Since my last to you of the 12th, I received your packet by Captain William Richards. The letters for Governor Morris and Mr. |