Virginia Sepr. 10th. 1761.
GENTM, As we have reason to expect a peace soon, and think it will be then practicable to prosecute our intended Settlements upon the Ohio, we have thought it absolutely necessary to employ some Person in England to make application at the proper Boards on our behalf, as well as to present a Petition to his Majesty shewing the Reasons why we have hitherto been disabled to comply with the Terms mentioned in the royal Instructions and praying some further Indulgency's and for this purpose we have transmitted to Mr. Charlton Palmer a full State of the Companys Case and have directed him to confer with you upon the Subject We have met with so many Discouragements from the Government in Virginia (many of the Council being concerned in large Entries of Land themselves) that rather than have any further Altercation here we would willingly pay any reasonable Consideration for a Patent in England by natural bounds which we hope will not be thought unreasonable when the expense we have been at is considered, and the great benefit that will result to the public from our Discovery's, and there cannot be a stronger proof of the public principles upon which the Company have acted than that they have expended a much larger Sum in searching and discovering the inland parts of this Continent to the Westward that the Composition of all our Lands would have amounted to according to the common Rules of granting Lands the inhabited parts of the Colony and it is notorious that till our Discovery the Countrey upon the Ohio, and the fatal Consequences of the French Incroachments then were altogether unknown or unattended to. The Inhabitants even of this Colony being utterly unacquainted with the Geography of that Countrey, as is plain from all the late Maps published either here or in England—which are actually laid down from the Journals and Discovery's of our Agents, but if a Patent cannot be obtained in England, we then hope that by a fresh Instruction to the Governor of Virga. we may have our time for Settling the Lands prolonged.
The Article of the Fort altered, or at least mitigated that we may be allowed to contract with a Surveyor of our own without being liable to the high fees settled by Law, and that we maybe permitted to Survey our Lands in small Tracts. We think there cannot be any just Objection to prolong out time for making Settlements, as the Incroachment to proceed in them. And we are at this time told that the Governor has Instructions to grant no Lands upon the Ohio for fears of giving Offense to the Indians. Upon the whole we make no doubt of your Assisting and supporting us in every thing that you judge conducive to our common Interest and are, Gentlemen, Yr. most Hble Servts.
Committee
James Scott
J Mercer
G Mason
Thos. Lud Lee
Richard Lee