The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-03-28
could afford to wait orders what 70
do next.
The Governor Had Been Busy.

The Governor Had Been Busy.
Dinwiddie had not been idle while
! Washington went his perilous errand.
He had gotten the burgesses together
by the first Of November, before
Washington had left the back settle
ments to cross the wilderness. and
would have gotten a liberal grant 81
money from them had they not fallen
in their debates upon the question ot
the new fee charged. since his COMING.
I for every grant out Of the public land
of the colony. and insisted that
should be done away with "Slb-
jects," they said. very stubborn
cannot be deprived Of the least nar-
of their property without their con-
sent" and such Zee, they fhol.hr
was too like a tax TO b. endured
They would withhold me grant they
declared, unless the fee was abo. het.
notwithstanding they saw plainly
enough in how critical a case thnes
stood in the west; and the testy eog-
ernor very indignantly sent them
home again. He ordered a draft Of
200 men from the militia. nos -'he
less, with the purpose Of as ign.ng
the command to Washington and see-
ing what might be done upon the Ohio
without vote of the assembly.
Defies the Bursesses.
A hard-headed Scotchman past sixty
could not be expected 10 wait upon
body of wrangllng and facU0us pro-
vincials for leave TO perform his duty
in a crisis, and, inasmuch as the OBJ
ject was to save their own lands. and
perhaps their own persons, from the
French, could hardly be blamed for
proposing in his anger that they De-
taxed for the purpose by act Of par
lament. "A governor" he exclaimed.
lis really to be pitied in the dis
charge of of his duty TO his king ana
country in having to do with such
Obstinate self-conceited people,
Some money he advanced out OF his
own pocket.
When Washington came back from
his fruitless mission, Dinwiddie or
dered his journal printed and copies
sent to ali the colonial governors. AS
it was thought advisable by his honor
the governor to have the following ac-
count of my proceedings 10 and from
the French on Ohio committed %
print" said the modest young major
II think l can do no less than apollo
gize, in some measure, for the number
less imperfections in it." But it was
D very manly recital of noteworthy
things, and touched the Imagination
and fears of every thoughtful man
who read it quite as near the quict as
the urgent and repeated letters 81 The
troubled Dinwiddie.
Virginia, it turned out. was after
all more forward than all her ue' p
bcrs when it came to action. Thn
Pennsylvania assembly very caeHr
declared they doubted his l
jesty's claim to the lands Oh
Ohio, and the assembly in New YORK;
followed suit. 1T appears" thy sid.
in high judicial tone, That the French
have built a fort at the place called
French Greek, at a considerable dis
lance from the river Ohio. which may
LIZ uOe5 AOC py any evidence or lac
formation appear to US to be. an iu-
yasion of any OF his majesty's colo
Mes
The governors of the other colonies
whose safety was most directly mon
aced by the movements of the French
in the west were thus even less able
to act than Dinwiddie For the Vir-
ginia burgesses. though they would
not yield the point OF the fee upon