La Salle and the discovery of the great West - North Central ...

124 THE GRAND ENTERPRISE. [1678.him to anticipate them by the promptness of hisaction."He declares that it was for thisthat he had askedfor the grant of Fort Frontenac; and he describeswhat he had done at that post, inorder to make it asecure basis for his enterprise. He says that he hasnow overcome the chief difficulties in his way, andthat he is ready to plant a new colony at the outletof Lake Erie,of which the English, if not prevented,might easily take possession. Towards the accomplishmentof his plans, he asks the confirmation ofhis title to Fort Frontenac, and the permission to/establish at his own cost two other posts, with seigniorialrights over all lands which he may discoverand colonize within twenty years, and the governmentof all the country in question. On his part,he proposes to renounce allshare in the trade carriedon between the tribes of the Upper Lakes and thepeople of Canada.La Salleseems to have had an interview with theminister, in which the proposals of his memorial weresomewhat modified. He soon received in reply thefollowing patent from the King :—" Louis, by the grace of God King of France andNavarre, to our dear and well-beloved RobertCavelier, Sieur de la Salle, greeting. We havereceived with favor the very humble petition madeus in your name, to permit you to labor at the discoveryof the western parts of New France ; and wehave the more willingly entertained this proposal,