A BRIEF VIEW OF THE CONDUCT OF PENNSYLVANIA, FOR THE YEAR 1755 SO FAR AS IT AFFECTED THE GENERAL SERVICE OF THE BRITISH COLONIES, PARTICULARLY THE EXPEDITION UNDER THE LATE GENERAL BRADDOCK. WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE SHOCKING INHUMANITIES, COMMITTED BY INCURSIONS OF THE INDIANS UPON THE PROVINCE IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER..

London: Printed for R. Griffiths in Pater-noster Row; and Sold by Mr. Bradford in Philadelphia, 1756. First Edition. Hardcover. Good. Octavo, 8" x 5 1/4." pp. 88. Rebound in modern black cloth boards. Edges neatly cut. First four leaves damaged in margin and 1/4 of text, professionally repaired with minimal loss of text. Loss of text to title page, approximately last 3-4 words of 6 lines. Small chips to top of title page. Loss of text to pp. 4, first 2-3 words of 5 lines.Tiny holes, 1/8" in middle of pp. 33 and 37-40, affecting 1-2 words. Light foxing throughoutm, but none obscures readability of text. All pages present. (Sabin 84594) (Howes S-687). A vitriolic sequel to Smith's earlier pamphlet, "A Brief State of Pennsylvania" (1755). In the present pamphlet, Smith continues his verbal attack against the Quakers in the Assembly for refusing to fund the defense of the province against the French and their native allies. He includes a description of the spectacular defeat of the Braddock Expedition to capture the French Fort Dusquesne in present-day Pittsburgh. This failed expedition and Smith's examples of violent native attacks throughout the province underscores the consequences of the Assembly's inaction. Smith declares of these men, "I am at mortal Enmity with them, and look upon them as Enemies to their Country" (86).

The French and Indian War (1754-1763), also known as the Seven Years War, inflamed tensions between the Crown and colonists. In Pennsylvania, the colonial Assembly clashed with its Crown-appointed governors over how to fund the defense of the province. They generally agreed that Pennsylvania needed defense, but were outraged by the prospect of paying for the war. The cash-strapped British Empire disagreed. These tensions would eventually boil over, resulting in the American Revolution. (Wikipedia) (Stille, "The Attitude of the Quakers in the Provincial Wars").