Report of the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations on the Petition of the Honourable Thomas Walpole, Benjamin Franklin, John Sargent, and Samuel Wharton, Esquires, and Their Associates1772

''Report of the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations on the Petition of the Honourable Thomas Walpole, Benjamin Franklin, John Sargent, and Samuel Wharton, Esquires, and their Associates'' is a historical account likely written in the late 18th century. This document details the considerations and opinions of the Lords Commissioners regarding a petition for land grants along the Ohio River in North America. The report examines the implications of granting these lands for colonization and explores legal and political frameworks tied to land ownership and the rights of Indigenous peoples. At the start of this report, the Lords Commissioners address the petition put forth by notable figures including Thomas Walpole and Benjamin Franklin, who seek a grant of land for the creation of a new government along the Ohio River. The Commissioners analyze various aspects, including the geographical delineation of the requested tract, alongside concerns about existing treaties with Indigenous tribes and the potential consequences of granting land that lies beyond established boundaries. They weigh the implications of policy and justice while reiterating a longstanding British strategy to limit settlements to areas easily accessible for trade and governance, ultimately expressing their reservations about the expansion into the interior of North America.