ALBANY PAPERS.

Containing, I. Reafons and Motives on which the PLAN of UNION for the COLONIES was formed;-II. Reafons against partial Unions ;—III. And the Plan of Union drawn by B. F. and unanimously agreed to by the Commiffioners from New Hampshire, Maffachusett's Bay, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, and Penfylvania*, met in Congress at Albany, in July 1754, to confider

* [The reader must be informed here, that this plan was intended for all the colonies; but, commiffioners from fome of them not attending, (from caufes which I cannot fpecify) their confent to it was not, in this refpect, univerfally expreffed. Governor Pownall, however, fays, That he had an opportunity of ⚫ converfing with, and knowing the fentiments of the commiffion⚫ers' appointed by their refpective provinces, to attend this congrefs, to which they were called by the crown;' of learning from their experience and judgment, the actual state of the • American bufinefs and intereft; and of hearing amongst them, the grounds and reafons of that American Union, which they then had under deliberation, and tranfmitted the plan of to Eng land:' and, he adds, in another place, that the fentiments ⚫ of our colonies were collected in an authentic manner on this fubject in the plan propofed by Dr. Franklin, and unanimously agreed to in congrefs.' [See Governor Pownall's Adminiftration of the British Colonies, Vol. I. p. 13. Edit. 4, 1774, and Vol. II. p. 86. E.]

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of the best Means of defending the King's Dominions in America, &c. a War being then apprehended; with the Reafons or Motives for each Article of the Plan.

B. F. was one of the four Commiffioners from Penfylvania*.

1. Reafons and Motives on which the Plan of Union was formed.

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HE Commiffioners from a number of the northern colonies being met at Albany, and confidering the difficulties that have always attended the most neceffary general measures for the common defence, or for the annoyance of the enemy, when they were to be carried through the feveral particular affemblies of all the colonies; fome affemblies being before at variance with their governors or councils, and the feveral branches of the government not on terms of doing business with each other; others taking the opportunity, when their concurrence is wanted, to push for favourite laws, powers, or points that they think

*[Mr. [fince Governor] Hutchinfon was one of the commiffioners for Maffachusetts Bay.' (Governor Pownall as above, Vol. II. p. 144.) Thomas Pownall, Efq; brother to John Pownall, Efq; one of the Secretaries to the Board of Trade, and ⚫ afterwards Governor of the Massachusetts, was upon the spot. (Hiftory of the British Empire in North America, p. 25.) E.]

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could not at other times be obtained, and so creating difputes and quarrels ; one affembly waiting to see what another will do, being afraid of doing more than its fhare, or defirous of doing lefs; or refusing to do any thing, because its country is not at present fo much expofed as others, or because another will reap more immediate advantage; from one or other of which caufes, the affemblies of fix (out of feven) colonies applied to, had granted no affiftance to Virginia, when lately invaded by the French, though purposely convened, and the importance of the occafion earneftly urged upon them: Confidering moreover, that one principal encouragement to the French, in invading and infulting the British American dominions, was their knowledge of our difunited state, and of our weakness arifing from fuch want of union; and that from hence different colonies were, at different times, extremely haraffed, and put to great expence both of blood and treasure, who would have remained in peace, if the if the enemy had had cause to fear the drawing on themselves the refentment and power of the whole; the faid Commiffioners, confidering alfo the present incroachments of the French, and the mischievous confequences that may be expected from them, if not oppofed with our force, came to an unanimous refolution,-That an union of the colonies is abfolutely neceflary for their prefervation.

The manner of forming and establishing this union was the next point. When it was confidered that the colonies were feldom all in equal

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danger at the fame time, or equally near the danger, or equally fenfible of it; that fome of them had particular interefts to manage, with which an union might interfere; and that they were extremely jealous of each other;-it was thought impracticable to obtain a joint agreement of all the colonies to an union, in which the expence and burthen of defending any of them fhould be divided among them all; and if ever acts of affembly in all the colonies could be obtained for that purpose, yet as any colony, on the leaft diffatisfaction, might repeal its own act and thereby withdraw itself from the union, it would not be a ftable one, or fuch as could be depended on: for if only one colony fhould, on any difguft withdraw itself, others might think it unjust and unequal that they, by continuing in the union, fhould be at the expence of defending a colony which refufed to bear its proportionable part, and would therefore one after another, withdraw, till the whole crumbled into its original parts.-Therefore the commiffioners came to another previous refolution, viz. That it was necessary the union should be establifhed by act of parliament.

They then proceeded to fketch out a plan of union, which they did in a plain and concife manner, juft fufficient to fhew their sentiments of the kind of union that would beft fuit the circumstances of the colonies, be moft agreeable to the people, and most effectually promote his Majesty's fervice and the general interest

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of the British empire. This was refpectfully fent to the affemblies of the feveral colonies for their confideration, and to receive fuch alterations and improvements as they should think fit and neceffary; after which it was proposed to be transmitted to England to be perfected, and the establishment of it there humbly folicited. This was as much as the commiffioners could ****

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II. Reafons against partial Unions.

It was proposed by fome of the Commiffioners to form the colonies into two or three diftinct unions; but for these reasons that proposal was dropped even by thofe that made it; [viz.]

1. In all cafes where the strength of the whole was neceffary to be used against the enemy, there would be the fame difficulty in degree, to bring the several unions to unite together, as now the several colonies; and confequently the fame delays on our part and advantage to the enemy.

2. Each union would feparately be weaker than when joined by the whole, obliged to exert more force, be more oppreffed by the expence, and the enemy lefs deterred from attacking it.

3. Where particular colonies have selfish views, as New York with regard to Indian trade and

+ [Dr. Davenant was fo well convinced of the expediency of an union of the colonies, that he recites, at full length, a plan contrived, as he fays, with good judgment for the purpose. Davenant, Vol. I. p. 40, 41, of Sir C. Whitworth's Edition. E.]

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