We have considered your Honour’s Message of this Day, with Lord Loudoun’s Letter, laid before us at the Beginning of the Session. And since you are pleased to ask our Opinion and Advice on this important Occasion, we shall give it with all dutiful Freedom and Sincerity.

We are truly thankful to our gracious Sovereign for the late wise Regulation of putting Indian Affairs, especially those that relate to War or Peace with them, under a more general Direction than they have heretofore been, as we think the British Interest will now have more Weight with the Indians, than if separate Treaties of Peace might be made by separate Colonies for themselves, without consulting the Interest or Safety of their Neighbours. We cannot therefore desire, however burdensome the present War with the Indians may be to this Province, that such a separate Treaty should be concluded on our Behalf. We are, however, of Opinion, that the Treaty begun by the late Governor (before Sir William Johnson’s Powers were made known) in Pursuance of which the Indians are now come down, should not be wholly discontinued on our Part, lest the Indians be disgusted, and the Opportunity of bringing them to a general Peace with all the British Colonies be lost. We rather think it adviseable, that your Honour would give them an Interview, make them the customary Presents, in Behalf of this Government, to relieve their Necessities, and assure them of our sincere Inclination to take them again into Friendship, forgive their Offences, and make a firm Peace with them; but at the same time to let them know, that the Government of this Province cannot agree to make a Peace with them for itself, and leave them at Liberty to continue the War with our Brethren of the neighbouring Colonies: That we are all Subjects of one great King, and must, for the future, be all at Peace or all at War with other Nations at the same Time: That our King has appointed Sir William Johnson to manage these general Treaties for all the Governments in this Part of America, and to him we must therefore refer the Indians for a final Conclusion and Ratification of this Treaty; promising also to write to him, acquaint him with the good Dispositions the Indians have shown at these Conferences, and recommend it to him to make the Agreement firm and lasting for all Parties. An Interview of this Kind with the Indians, we apprehend, may at this Time be greatly for His Majesty’s Service, and for the Advantage not only of this, but of all the neighbouring Colonies, and not inconsistent with the Intention of Lord Loudoun’s Letter: Which we nevertheless submit to your Honour’s prudent Consideration.