Robert Morris
He was a prominent governmental figure during the French and Indian War, serving as the deputy governor of Pennsylvania from 1754 to 1756. While frontier homes burned and the settlers abandoned their property and fled for their lives after being attacked by Indians, the proprietors of the colony (the Penn family) and the Pennsylvania Assembly were in legislative disagreement for funds for provincial defense. Morris sided with the proprietors, possibly because of his title and position, and Benjamin Franklin spoke for the common inhabitants of the state.
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By the late summer, the Assembly was able to authorize 50,000 pounds for defense following the defeat of General Edward Braddock. The Assembly approved of a property tax and Morris vetoed this bill. During this time period, he also placed Benjamin Franklin in charge of constructing frontier forts throughout the colony, made decisions on appointments for militia commanders. and issued orders for protection of the settlers as well. In the spring of 1756, he announced that there would be an organization of volunteer scalping parties. He stated that this would be "the only way to clear our Frontier of Savages." Although he was no longer Governor, and replaced by William Denny, he remained watchful and concerned about the frontier forts and the well-being of Pennsylvania's settlers.
February 2, 1756
To Colonel Washington,
"On the East side of the Susquehanna the Forts are about ten to twelve miles asunder among which the most Considerable are Fort Henry, at a pass through the mountains, called Tolihaio, Fort Lebanon, on the Forks of Schulkill, and Fort Allen, upon the West Branch of Delaware, where the Moravians had a town called Gnaden Hutten."