[Paxton Boys] A Declaration and Remonstrance

A Declaration and Remonstrance Of the distressed and bleeding Frontier Inhabitants Of the Province of Pennsylvania, Presented by them to the Honourable the Governor and Assembly of the Province, Shewing the Causes Of their late Discontent and Uneasiness and the Grievances Under which they have laboured, and which they humbly pray to have redress'd.

Phila.: [William Bradford}, 1764. 1st ed. 18 pp. Title page supplied in facsimile; disbound, else a very good copy.

A defense of the conduct of frontier Pennsylvanians in the Conestoga massacre. A remnant of the Conestoga Indians were presumed to be involved in Indian raids. Some 20 Conestoga were killed and their murderers was roundly condemned by many including Benjamin Franklin. This is a bitter attack on the pro-Indian forces in the Pennsylvania government.

Rare on the market, the last copy coming to auction in 2011. WorldCat locates 34 copies.

From Catalog III

The Paxton men's own statement of grievances, presented to the Assembly after Franklin turned them back at Germantown. It attacks the Quaker Assembly's protection of Indians and its indifference to the frontier — the argument that would cost Franklin his seat in October.