The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

PART I.] THE FRENCH WAR. 59
a most flagrant instance of which we experienced in
Croghan, who was under obligation to Major Carlyle
for the delivery of this article in a certain time, and who
was an eyewitness to our wants; yet he had the assurance, during our sufferings, to tantalize us, and boast of
the quantity he could furnish, as he did of the number of
horses he could command. Notwithstanding, we were
equally disappointed of these also; for out of two hundred he had contracted for, we never had above twentyfive employed in bringing the flour engaged for the
camp; and even this, small as the quantity was, did not
arrive within a month of the time it was to have been
delivered.
Another thing worthy of consideration, is, that if we
depend on Indian assistance, we must have a large
quantity of proper Indian goods to reward their services,
and make them presents. It is owing to this alone, that
the French command such an influence among them, and
that we have conciliated so few. This, with the scarcity
quantity of land patented was more than one hundred acres.- Journal of
the House of Burgesses for November, 1753.
The agent's expenses were two thousand five hundred pounds. The
governor refused to sanction any bill for their payment. Piqued by this
obstinacy, the House of Burgesses affixed the amount to a bill for raising
twenty thousand pounds for his Majesty's service. Equally indignant at
this presumption, the governor sent back the bill without his signature,
and prorogued the Assembly for six weeks. Thus no supplies were
granted, and the governor was induced to write, that "there appeared to
him an infatuation in all the Assemblies in this part of the world." The
treasurer of the colony had already paid the agent by order of the Assembly, without any special grant, which was no doubt a high disrespect to
the Governor and Council. In giving an account of this affair to Governor
Sharpe of Maryland, Governor Dinwiddie says, " I am now persuaded, that
no expedition can be conducted here with dependence on American Assemblies; and I have written to that purpose home, and proposed a British
act of Parliament to compel the subjects here to obedience to his Majesty's
commands, and to protect their property from the insults of the French."
The governor seemed not aware, that the people who owned the property,
and lived on the spot, were well qualified to judge for themselves how far
it needed protection.