The humble Petition of Benjamin Franklin Esquire Agent appointed by the Assembly of Pennsylvania. Sheweth,

That the Indians who were formerly possessed of the Lands, which form the extensive Countries, now enjoyed by your Majesty’s Subjects in North America, having been found willing, for small Considerations, to cede Amicably large Tracts of those Lands, to Your Majesty, Your Royal Predecessors, and the Proprietary Grantees under the Crown, it has always been thought good Policy to make Purchases thereof from time to time, as the British Settlements have been extended; and the Indians at the same time retiring further back into the Country, have formed a kind of Frontier, where, while they continue upon Terms of Friendship, Trade, profitable to this Nation, is carried on with them, by exchanging British Manufacturers for their Peltry, they contribute to the Prosperity of the British Settlements in Time of Peace, and are the Chief and best protection of them from the inroads of Enemies in time of War.

But if they entertain any Suspicion that they have been deprived of their Lands without their consent, and that no Consideration has been paid for them, or that any Fraud or Deceipt hath been practiced towards them therein, they usually conceal their Discontent until an opportunity offers of revenging themselves; and then, especially if excited by an Enemy, commit the most outrageous Acts of violence, by small Parties who plunder and Murder, without regard to Condition, Age, or Sex, and always fly before a Superior force to Places where their knowledge of the Country renders it almost impossible to discover and reduce them.

That as the Calamities of a War thus carried on, are not easily prevented, it is almost equally difficult to put a stop to them by Treaty, these Natives being unwilling to disclose the Cause of their Resentment, ’til they have attained what they deem sufficient Vengeance for the supposed Injury; And when the Secret is drawn from them, and Peace is made by a Satisfaction promised, the delay of that satisfaction is frequently the Cause of their renewing, without warning, the same Ravages.

That the Delaware Indians, and other Neighbouring Nations having for some time carried on a cruel War against Your Majesty’s Subjects in North America, and having spread Desolation and Terror through Your Majesty’s Provinces of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and thereby unpeopled a great part of those Countries, a Treaty was at length set on foot for the putting an end to these Devestations, during the Course of which Treaty several Conferences were held between George Croghan Esquire the Deputy Agent of Sir William Johnson Bart. (whom Your Majesty had been pleased to appoint Sole Agent for Indian Affairs within the District of these Provinces) and William Denny Esquire Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, on the behalf of Thomas and Richard Penn the Proprietaries, and also on behalf of the said Province, and Teedyuscung, Chief of all the Delaware and many other Confederated Indian Nations, who had been properly empowered by them to make their Demands and conclude a Peace.

That at some of their Conferences, particularly at one holden at Easton in Pennsylvania, the 13th of November 1756, Teedyuscung complained that the Indians had been unjustly dispossessed and defrauded of large Quantitys of Land by your Majesty’s Subjects, particularly of the Lands which are included within the Forks of the River Delaware, and also of other Lands on both sides the said River.

That at another Conference holden at Easton in July 1757 Teedyuscung having earnestly desired that all Differences between the Indians and Your Majesty’s Subjects might be referred to Your Majesty’s Royal Determination; and that the same might be published throughout all Your Majesty’s Provinces, It was finally agreed (amongst other things) by the said George Croghan, the said Lieutenant Governor and Teedyuscung, That all the Purchase Deeds and Writings, by which the said Thomas and Richard Penn, or their Ancestors, or the Grantees of their Ancestors, now hold any Lands within the back parts of the Province of Pennsylvania, should be examined and Copies thereof laid before your Majesty for Your Royal Decision of the Bounds and Limits between the Lands heretofore bought of the Indians and those yet unpurchased.

That Your Petitioner, as Agent appointed by the Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania (in which as well as in Your Majesty’s adjacent Provinces the Lives and Properties of many Thousands of Your Majesty’s Subjects will be in the utmost Danger, should the Hostilitys of the Indians be renewed) begs leave humbly to represent the Premises to Your Majesty, And Prays That Your Majesty would be pleased to take the Premises into Your Royal Consideration, and to do therein as to Your Majesty in Your great Wisdom shall seem meet   And Your Petitioner shall ever Pray &ca.