ttee of Safety, in which they affirm:

"This County has, for a series of years, been ruled by one family,
the different branches of which are still strenuous in dissuading
people from coming into Congressional measures, and even have, last
week, at a numerous meeting of the Mohawk District, appeared with all
their dependants armed to oppose the people considering of their
grievances; their number being so large, and the people unarmed,
struck terror into most of them, and they dispersed. We are informed
that Johnson-Hall is fortifying by placing a parcel of swivel-guns
round the same, and that Colonel Johnson has had parts of his
regiment of Militia under arms yesterday, no doubt with a design to
prevent the friends of liberty from publishing their attachment to
the cause to the world. Besides which we are told that about one
hundred and fifty Highlanders, (Roman Catholicks) in and about
Johnstown, are armed and ready to march upon the like occasion."[103]

In order to allay the feelings engendered against them Guy Johnson, on
May 18th, wrote to the Committee of Schenectady declaring "my duty is to
promote peace,"[104] and on the 20th to the Magistrates of Palatine,
making the covert threat "that if the Indians find their council fire
disturbed, and their superintendent insulted, they will take a dreadful
revenge."[105] The last letter thoroughly aroused the Committee of Tryon
county, and on the 21st stated, among other things:

"That Colonel Johnson's conduct in raising fortifications round his
house, keeping a number of Indians and armed men constantly about
him, and stopping and searching travellers upon the King's highway,
and stopping our communication with Albany, is very alarming to this
County, and is highly arbitrary, illegal, oppressive, and
unwarrantable; and confirms us in our fears, that his design is to
keep us in awe, and oblige us to submit to a state of Slavery."[106]

On the 23rd the Albany Committee warned Guy Johnson that his
interference with the rights of travellers would no longer be
tolerated.[107] So flagrant had been the conduct of the Johnsons that a
sub-committee of the city and county of Albany addressed a communication
on the subject to the Provincial Congress of New York.[108] On June 2nd
the Tryon County Committee addressed Guy Johnson, in which they affirm
"it is no more our duty than inclination to protect you in the disch