e held
with them, at Johnson Hall, May the 2d, 1765.

BRETHREN,

"The last but the most important affair I have at this time to
mention, is with regard to the _settling a boundary between you and
the English_. I sent a message to some of your nations some time
ago, to acquaint you, that I should confer with you at this meeting
upon it. The King, whose generosity and forgiveness you have
already experienced, _being very desirous to put a final end to
disputes between his people and_ YOU CONCERNING LANDS, and to do
you strict justice, has fallen upon the plan of a boundary between
our provinces and the Indians (which no white man shall dare to
invade) as the best and surest method of ending such like disputes,
and _securing your property_ to you, beyond a possibility of
disturbance. This will, I hope, appear to you so reasonable, so
just on the part of the King, and so advantageous to you and your
posterity, that I can have no doubt of your chearfully joining with
me in settling such a division-line, as will be best for the
advantage of both white men and Indians, _and as shall best agree
with the extent and increase of each province_, and the governors,
whom I shall consult upon that occasion, so soon as I am fully
empowered; but in the mean time I am desirous to know in what
manner you would choose to extend it, and what you will heartily
agree to, and abide by, in general terms. At the same time I am to
acquaint you, that whenever the whole is settled, and that it shall
appear you have _so far consulted the increasing state of our
people, as to make any convenient cessions of ground_ where it is
most wanted, that then you will receive a considerable present in
return for your friendship."

To this speech the Sachems and Warriors of the Six Nations, after
conferring some time among themselves, gave an answer to Sir William
Johnson, and agreed to the proposition of the boundary line;--which
answer, and the other transactions of this conference, Sir William
transmitted to the office of the Lords Commissioners for Trade and
Plantations.--

From a change of the administration, which formed the above system of
obtaining an act of parliament for regulating the Indian trade, and
establishing the _boundary line_, or from some other public cause,
unknown to us,--no measures were adopted, until the latter end of the
y