APPENDIX.
The following correspondence, in 1774, between Samuel Holden Parsons andSilas Dean , of this State, and Pelatiah Webster , of Philadelphia , was handed theauthor of this work by S. H. Parsons, Esq., of Hartford, (a grandson of Gen.Parsons,) which letters contain some important facts never before published;particularly the plan adopted to procure a country at the west, to which the whigs,in case of a war with Great Britain , and a defeat should ensue, might retreatfrom New England , for their (then) future safety.
A LETTER FROM PELATIAH WEBSTER .
Philadelphia , 2d April, 1774.
Sir , —I received your favor of 21st ult., per post, and note its contents. Myknowledge of the Virginia settlements on the Ohio is not perfect, but on the bestinformation I can get, and which I think I have no reason to doubt the truth ofthe facts, are as follows, viz.: 1st. The several charters formerly made to theVirginia company, have been all at sundry times, surrendered to the crown.They now are a royal government, the limits of which are ascertained by thecommission of their Governor, or instructions he receives from the crown ; andall lands within those limits, not private property, belong to the crown, and aregranted by the Governor pursuant to such instructions, general or special, as hereceives from the crown. 2d. The government of Virginia have lately erectedtwo new countries extending beyond the Alleghany mountains ; the one (calledFin Castle.) covering the great tract of land through which the grand Conawayruns ; the other covers the several rivers which have their conflux at or near fortPitt to a vast extent. 3d. The lands within these two countries are granted by theGovernor of Virginia to the officers, &c., who served in the late American expe-ditions, and to none others. 4th. The government of Virginia have granted allnecessary commissions of peace and militia, within both said countries, some ofwhich are given to persons residing at fort Pitt and its neighborhood. 5th. TheVirginians consider all the crown lands, (i. e.) lands not granted to any othercolony, as belonging to their jurisdiction; and that Maryland and Pennsylvania on one side, and both the Carolinas and Georgia on the other, are carved out oftheir province; but all the lands contiguous, which have not been granted, dostill belong to them in right of their being the oldest colony, Sic. I shall soon bemore perfectly informed of these matters. I lately suggested the importance ofsuch information to Dr. Johnson, but he did not seem immediately to apprehendit, so it was neglected.