TO THE

KING'S Most Excellent Majesty in Council,

The Humble Petition and Representation of Samuel Baker, Samuel Storke, John Bayeux, Richard Jeneway, Robert Hackshaw, Joseph Low, Joseph Paice, George Streatfield, William Parkin, and John Evered, Merchants of London, trading to New-York, in behalf of themselves, and the rest of the Persons concern'd in the NewYork Trade.

SHEWETH,

THAT

HAT by an Act passed in New-York the 19th of November, 1720, entitled, An Act for Encouragement of the Indian Trade, and rendering it more beneficial to the Inhabitants of this Province, and for prohibiting the selling of Indian Goods to the French, all Trade whatsoever is prohibited in the strictest Manner, and under the severest Penalties, between the Inhabitants of New-York Government, and the French of Canada, or any Subjects of the French King, or any PerVOL. II.-1

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son whatsoever, for or on the behalf of any such Subjects; and which Act was to continue in force for three Years.

That the Reasons assigned in the Preamble of this Act, for the passing thereof, are, For that the French at Canada, by means of Indian Goods, purchased from the Inhabitants of New-York, had not only almost wholly engrossed the Indian Trade to themselves, but had, in great measure, withdrawn the Affections of the Five Nations of Indians from the Inhabitants of New-York, and render'd them wavering in their Faith and Allegiance to your Majesty; and would, if such Trade was not prevented, wholly alienate the Minds of the said Indians, which might prove of dangerous Consequence to the English Interest in America.

That this Act was sent home for your Majesty's royal Consideration, but your Petitioners do not find that your Majesty ever signified your Allowance or Disallowance thereof; from whence, and from the Act's being to continue but three Years, your Petitioners humbly conceive the same was suffered to lie by probationary, to see whether the said Act, in its Effects, was really advantageous or prejudicial to the British Trade and Interest in America.

That your Petitioners have received Advice, That the Government of New-York

either have, or are about passing an Act, to revive and continue the said Act for Prohibiting all Trade between New-York and Canada.

Upon which Occasion, your Petitioners humbly beg leave to represent to your Majesty, That the said Act, tho' in the first Intention of it, it might be well designed, yet in its Effects, it has proved very pernicious to the British Trade in general, and to the Interest of New York in particular: For, besides the Nations of Indians that are in the English Interest, there are very many Nations of Indians, who are, at present, in the Interest of the French, and who lie between New-York, and the Nations of Indians in the English Interest; and this Act prohibiting all Trade between New-York and the French of Canada, or any of the Subjects of France, the French, and their Indians, would not permit the English Indians to pass over by their Forts, so as to carry on a free Trade with New-York, but prevented their Passages, as much as possible, whereby that most considerable and only valuable Branch of Trade from New-York, hath, ever since the passing the said Act, very much lessened, from the great Difficulties of carrying on any Trade with the English Indians, and the Prohibition of all Trade with the French; and all the Indian Goods have, by this Act,

been raised in their Price 251. to 30l. per Cent.

Whereas, on the other hand, this Branch of the New-York Trade, by the Discouragements brought upon it by this Act, is almost wholly engrossed by the French, who have already, by this Act, been encouraged to send proper European Goods to Canada, to carry on this Trade; so that should this Act be continued, the New-York Trade, which is very considerable, must be wholly lost to us, and center in the French.

And your Petitioners further beg leave humbly to represent, That as they conceive nothing can tend more to the with-drawing the Affections of the Five Nations of Indians from the English Interest, than the Continuance of the said Act, which, in its Effects, restrains them from a free Commerce with the Inhabitants of New-York, and may, too probably, estrange them from the English Interest: Whereas by a Freedom of Commerce, and an encourag'd Intercourse of Trade with the French, and their Indians, the English Interest might, in time, be greatly improved and strengthened among the Indians in general, who, by such Latitude of Trade, might be link'd to our Friendship in the strongest Ties of their own Interest, as well as Inclinations.

That therefore, and as the said Act was,