The Assembly will not yield.
They hate the thought of war, and seem glad to shelter themselves behind this quibble.

For a while many of us, their friends, although not exactly at one with them in all things, stood by them and upheld them; but we are fast losing patience now.

When it comes to having our peaceful settlers barbarously murdered, and our western border desolated and encroached upon; when it becomes known that this is the doing of jealous France, not of the Indians themselves, then it is time to take a wider outlook.

Let the question of the proprietary lands stand over till another time; the question may then be settled at a less price than is being paid for it now, when every month's delay costs us the lives of helpless women and children, and when humanity herself is crying aloud in our streets." Ashley, although he had long been on most friendly terms with the Quaker population of the town, was not by faith a Quaker, and was growing impatient with the Assembly and its stubborn policy of resistance.

He felt that his old friend Franklin should know better, and show a wider spirit.