USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 11
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The Secretary hereupon admonished him and the rest to take a further Care, that what had been said should be pressed upon the young People and duly observed, And then calling for Liquor and drinking with them dismissed them.
But the Indians, before they would depart earnestly pressed, that an account of this Treaty should with all possible Speed be dis- patched to the Governours to the Southward, and to their Indians, that further mischief might be prevented, For they were apprehen- sive the Southern Indians might come out to meet the five Nations, and then they, as had been said to them lying in the Road might be the Sufferers, but they truly desired Peace, and were always against molesting any Indians that were under the Protection or lived in Friendship with the English.
The Secretary then proposed to them that they should send some of their People with Belts of Wampum to the Governour of Virginia, to assure him of their Resolution to live in Peace, and to desire him to acquaint all his Indians with the same. They readily agreed to send the Belts without delay, and promised the following week to bring them to Philadelphia, but they seemed apprehensive of Danger to their People in going to Virginia, where they were all Strangers, unless the Governour would send some English in Company with them to protect them.
After this Conference was ended, Civilty desired to speak with the Secretary in private, and an opportunity being given, He acquainted the Secretary that some of the ffive Nations, especially the Cayoo- goes, had at divers time expressed a Dissatisfaction at the large Settlements made by the English on Sasquehannah, and that they seemed to claim a Property or Right to those Lands. The Secre- tary answered, that He (viz. Civility) and all the Indians were sensible of the Contrary, and that the ffive Nations had long since made over all their Right to Sasquehannah to the Govmt. of New York, and that Govr. Penn had purchased that Right with which they had been fully acquainted. Civility acknowledged the Truth
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of this, but proceeded to say he thought it his Duty to inform us of it, that we might the better prevent all misunderstanding.
The Secretary having made an End of his Report, the Govr. observed, that from the last particular yr of there was Ground to apprehend that the ffive Nations, especially the Cayoogoes, did enter- tain some secret Grudges against the advancing of our Settlements upon Sasquehanna River, and that it was very much to be suspected that the ffive Nations were spirited up by the French agents from Canada or Misisippi, to make these new and groundless Claims upon us whom they believed to be a mild defenceless People, and there- fore liable to be with less Hazard and more easily insulted than any of the neighbouring Colonies ; That though the Govr. was not under any immediate apprehension of Danger from the Indians of the ffive Nations, yet our present Security seemed wholly to depend upon the Strength and Authority of New York, and not upon the Peaceable Disposition or Faith of these Barbarians; That if the French (as it was but too probable at this Juncture,) should pursue their usual Policy in not only debauching the Indians every where from the English Interest, but also to provoke and encourage them to make War upon one another, and thereby to embroil all the English Set- tlements upon this Continent, every Colony would in that Case find themselves sufficiently Employed in their own proper Defence. And these things had made such a deep Impression upon the Governours mind, that he could not but think the Public Safety, as well as his Honour and Character, to be particularly concerned in making such timely Provision for the Defence of this Colony, as the Nature of the Constitution and the good Inclinations of the People would pmit, unto which End the Govr. believed that a voluntary Militia might be raised, and put under such good Regulations by an Ordinance as could give no offence to any, but be of a general advantage and Security to the Trade and People of this province.
The members present being all Quakers, some of them desired to be excused from giving their Sentiments upon a Subject of that Nature, but all seemed to acquiesce in leaving that matter wholly to the Governours Prudence and good Conduct. The Secretary was in the mean time directed to examine whether there was any Ground for the ffive Nations to claim a Right to any Lands upon the Sasque- hannah ; And also it was mov'd and agreed upon, that the Govr. should write to the President of New York, representing the ill Treatment our People lately Received from those of the ffive Nations in their last Return from the Southward, and the ill Consequences which may possibly ensue from their opening a path to War through our Settlement upon Sasquehannah.
Then the Council was adjourned to Tuesday next, the 19th in- stant, at three in the afternoon.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, July the 19th, 1720. PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM KEITH, Esgr., Governour. Richard Hill,
Isaac Norris,
Samuel Preston, James Logan, Secretary.
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. The Governour presented the Draught of a Letter to the President of New York, mentioned in the last Minutes of Council, which with very little alteration was agreed to, and is as follows :
PHILADELPHIA, July 19th, 1720.
SIR,
Mr. Logan, Secretary of this Province, having about three weeks agoe held a Conference with our Indians, at Conestogoe, upon his Report thereof to the Council, It was thought proper that I should acquaint you, by Letter, of some things which seems to be of a general Concern, but more immediately affect the Tranquility of this as well as the Government under your Direction.
The obliging free manner with which you have been pleased to honour me in our former Correspondence upon the same subject, encourages me now to chuse this familiar way of representing our Thoughts, rather than to trouble you with irksome Complaints and formal Memorial.
The prudent apprehensions which we ought to have of the extra- vagant Growth of the ffrench Settlements upon the Back of these Colonies, and the Inconveniences which must follow from the Success of their Jesuits in debauching many of your five Indian Nations from the English to a ffrench Interest, are very fully and clearly set forth in your Letter to me of the 20th of December last, and I am of opinion, that the Presents allowed by the Crown, and your diligent application in your frequent Treaties with the ffive Nations, have been. of great Use to prevent the Consequences which otherways might have been expected from the Artifices of such powerful Enemies and most indefatigable Rivals.
Nevertheless, we must not think ourselves absolutely secure by a constant Repetition of the same means, but rather keep a watchful Eye upon every new motion of so subtile an Adversary, And there- fore I would humbly entreat you to recollect how that upon the former Peace with the ffrench, the five Nations immediately desisted from going out to War against the Illenese, the Hurons, and other Indians in League with the French. So that their young men or Warriours were obliged to go a great way off towards the South West against Indians settled upon or near to the lower Branches of Misisippi, but of late They seem to have relinquished that Path, and notwithstand- ing of their many Engagements to the Contrary, to be found upon the minutes of your Treaties at Albany, yet their Course and Pro- jects of War is now generally bent against the Indians who are in Amity with Virginia and Carolina.
If then, neither the authority of your Government, the Countenance of his Majestys regular fforces, nor the Weight of his royal Bounty and large presents can divert these unruly heathens (viz. the five Nations) from insulting the English Colonies and destroying their Allies. Can we suppose that any thing else but ffrench Councils could have formed an artifice like this, to set all the Indians in ffriendship with the English at War with one another, in such a manner as cannot fail even to imbroil the English Colonies them- selves ? For the Southern Indians being at last provoked beyond
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measure, came out this Spring to meet the mighty Warriors of your five Nations, and pursued them with Slaughter almost as far as Patowmeck River, from whence they returned from the path they have practised for some years past to Sasquehannah and our Settle- ments there. So that it seems as if they intended to make us a Barrier by drawing their provok'd Enemies first upon us before they can come at them, which is the more likely to prove the Consequences of these proceedings, because tho' our Indians have repeatedly en- gaged to me that they would go no more out to War, yet as often as those of the five Nations come that way, they Constantly press some of our Indian young men to accompany in their Expedition, and when the others shew'd a Reluctancy from the obligations they lie under to the contrary, they haughtily ask them to whom they belong, whether to them or to us ? to which our People being awed by them, dare make no other Answer than that they belong to them, and thus they are forced away. Thus four of ours accompanied their last party, and two of the four were Killed, the Consequence of which I say must be, that whenever those Southern Indians think fit to pro- ceed so far by following the path their Enemies have trode out to them, they will be first led to our Settlements and there probably the Mischief must begin. Our Indians dread to offend them, and are cautious of even mentioning them but with Respect, unless it be at times of their almost ffreedom with us as their Friends. .
As often as they come they are treated with the greatest Humanity, both by our Indians and Christians, and we rarely have had occasion to complain of their Depurtment untill of late, and especially this last time, when without any provocation they shot divers of our People's Creatures for their Diverson only without touching them for ffood, and robbed one Paterson, a Trader's Store, before his Face, (as he complains) of some pounds value, without pretending to make any manner of Satisfaction ; And last of all, as if they had firmly purposed openly to insult and affront this Government by any means whatsoever. Some of the Nation called Cayoogoes had the Boldness to assert, that all the Lands upon Sasquehannah River belonged to them, and that the English had no Right to settle there, intimating as if they (the Cayoogoes) speedlly intended to come down with their People to Philadelphia, in order to demand Possession of those Lands : An insolent way of speaking, which I am told they have but lately assumed, since the Death of two of their ancient men who kept them in some awe, and ever shewed a faithful Regard to the English Interest.
Now Sir, Though we are under no apprehensions of their Commit- ting an act which might terminate in their own Destruction, yet we thought it proper to advise you of their impertinent and foolish Con- duct, that they may be reprimanded by your authority in such a manner as you shall see fit.
And that you may plainly see upon how groundless a Pretence it is that they want to quarrel with us, I beg leave to give you a short Informacon how matters stand between the five Nations and the Pro- prictor of this Colony.
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When Governour Penn first settled this Country, he made it his Chief Care to cultivate a strict Alliance and Friendship with all the Indians, and condescended so far as to purchase his Lands from them, but when he came to treat with the Indians settled upon the River Sasquehannah, finding that they accounted themselves a Branch of the Mingoes or ffive Nations, he prevailed with Colonel Dongan, then Governour of New York, to treat with those Nations in his behalf, and to purchase from them all their Claim of Right to the Lands on both sides of Sasquehannah, which Colonel Dongan did accordingly, and for a valuable consideration paid in Sterling money, Colonel Dongan, by good Deeds transferr'd or convey'd his said Right pur- chased from the five Nations to Governour Penn & his Heirs, in due Form of Law.
Upon Governour Penn's last arrival here, about twenty years agoe, he held a Treaty with the Mingoes or Conestegoe Indians settled on Sasquehannah, and their Chiefs, did then not only acknowledge the Sale of those Lands made to Colonel Dongan as above, but as much as in them lay did also renew and confirm the same to Governour? Penn. Lastly, About nine or ten years agoe, a considerable Num. ber of the five Nations, not less than fifty, (as it was judged by those present) came to Conestogoe, and meeting there with Colonel Gookin, late Governour of this Province, attended by several members of his Council, Colonel Dongan's Purchase was mentioned to them, and they not only appeared to be fully satisfied therewith, but proceeded in a formal manner, without any Hesitation, to confirm all our for- mer Treaties of ffriendship with them.
From all which it is evident that neither the whole five Nations together, nor any one of them separately, have the least appearance of a just Right to any of these Lands they would now claim; So that if they do not think fit, either in their Answer to you from Albany, or by messenger of their own to Philadelphia, (not exceeding the usual Number of a peaceable Embassie,) to make some suitable Acknowledgments to this Government for the above mentioned inso- lent Expressions & Behaviour of the Cayoogoes We shall conclude that they have been strongly instigated thereto, and that it must proceed from Causes which tend to the prejudice of the British Interest in general, and therefore equally concern all his Majestys Subjects upon this Main.
But from the Influence which the Government of New York cer- tainly has, or at least ought to have upon these five Nations, their good Allies, it is to be hoped they will listen to your friendly Advice before it be too late ; And if their young men must go to War, let them only be perswaded to change the path and present Course of their Warlike Enterprizes, so as not to molest the English Settle- ments on this Continent or any of their Indian Friends. I am for my own part extremely anxious to preserve and continue the good understanding that has hitherto subsisted between this Colony and the five Nations, but as we never had nor desire to have any Inter- course with them by Trade, I am at a Loss how to represent my Thoughts to them any otherways than by the Favour and neigh-
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bourly assistance of your Government, which I earnestly beg leave you would please to interpose so far in our behalf upon this Occa- sion, as to procure some distinct Answer from their Sachims, relating to the above mentioned particulars of their People's Conduct amongst our Settlemts.
Now Sir, I can make no other Apology for all this Trouble given to yourself, but that you shall ever find me ready on all Occasions to execute any Comands relating to your Service, being with a most faithful and sincere Respect.
Sir, Your most humble & most obedt. Servt,
W. KEITH.
Then an engrossed Charter for erecting the Town of Bristol into a Burrough, was read, and with some Amendmts. agreed to by the Board.
The Petion of the Shopkeepers of Philadelphia concerning the Vendue, which at a Council held the 8th Day of June last, was re- ferred to another meeting, was again read, And it appearing that the Practice of other Colonies was the only thing asserted, upon which the Prayer of the sd. Petition did wholly depend, the Petitioners are therefore ordered to make a more particular Inquiry, so as that they may be able to inform this Board what the said Practice is, And then the Board will proceed to a further Consideration of the matter, And the Clerk is ordered to give the Petitioners a Copy of this Minute for their Direction herein.
The Secretary acquainted the Board, that some Indians were arrived in Town from Conestogoe, to wait upon the Governour Council; Whereupon, the Council was adjourned until to-morrow morning at nine o'clock, in order to receive the Indians.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, July the 20th, 1720.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Governour. Richard Hill, Isaac Norris,
Jonathan Dickinson, James Logan, Secretary.
PRESENT ALSO :
Conestogoe Indians Tagoleless or Civility, Oyanowhachso, Sohais Connedechto's Son, Tayucheinjch.
Ganawese : Ousewayteichks or Capt. Smith, Sahpechtah, Mee- meeivoonnook, Winjock's Son, George Waapessum, & John Prince. Shawanese: Kenneope.
Edward Farmer, Sworn Interpreter.
The Secretary acquainted the Board, that the Indians present were sent by their Chiefs from Conestogoe, in pursuance of the Re- solution they had taken at the Conference he had lately held with them there, of sending a message to the Governour of Virginia.
The Interpreter, by the Governour's order, told the Indians that their Governour was glad to see them and to hear of the Welfare of their People.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
The Indians delivered two Belts of Wampum with a written Pa- per, which they say contains the whole of what they are ordered to deliver to the Governour and Council at this time.
The said Paper was read, and is as follows.
July the 16th, 1720.
To our Friends & Brothers, the Governour & James Logan, at Philada. These as to what hath been proposed by our Friend & Brother James Logan when here, of our sending to the Southward Governments to confirm a Peace ; We are very willing to have and keep Peace, and therefore send a Belt of Wampum to confirm it, but we must leave it wholly to you to perfect the same. As to any of our People on this River going to the Southern parts about the same, it will doubtless occasion the Death of us, while the five Na- tions still follow the Practice of going thither to War, of whom at this time there is great numbers going that way ; therefore, we plainly tell you, We know not what measures to take, but leave all to you, resolving to follow your Council, but sure we are to suffer for what we have already yielded to do in the affair aforesaid as soon as the Sinnekaes come to know thereof, if not protected by you, for They will be enraged against us when they know that we are willing to be at Peace with those Nations, that they resolve to maintain War against, and will certainly cut us off as well as the back Christian Inhabitants ; for they, we are sure, do not bear true affection to your Government, and Some of them are already very bold and impudent to the Christian Inhabitants and us also for their sakes, whom we are unwilling should have any Damage done by them if we can prevent it, and in real good will do certify the Government that we believe they will shortly have some Trouble with them if not timely pre- vented. Our Captain Tagoteless, and some others of our People comes with our Words to you, and this present Letter taken by his Interpretation, by our good Friend John Cartlidge, whom we could have been glad if he would have come himself and given you an account of matters, We are your true Friend & Brothers at Cones- togoe.
Then the Council was adjourned, and the Indians ordered to attend at four o'clock in the afternoon.
-
EODEM DIE POST MERIDIEM.
Present, the same as before.
The Council being met, the Indians were called in, to whom the Governour spoke as follows to viz :
That nothing can be more acceptable to this Government than that the Indians should live in Peace with all the Nations around them, but above all with those who are in ffriendship with the English Governmts. The Govr. had often seriously exhorted them to it, and they had engaged to go out no more to War, with which Engage- ments he had acquainted the Governours to the Southward, and more especially the Governour of Virginia, by Capt. Smith, who came from that Governour to the Northward, on purpose to engage the northern
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Indians to live in Peace with all his People and Friends. And the said Gentleman, Capt. Smith, they may well remember, was present with the Govr. at his first Conference with them at Conestogoe soon after his arrival, when they promised in that Treaty to go out to War no more.
That it was a very great Satisfaction to all Parties to find them thus engage themselves, tho' what was proposed to them was wholly for their own Benefit and Advantage. Captn. Smith carried this News with Gladness, and the Governour of Virginia and his People received it with Joy, every body believing they might surely depend on these assurances.
Yet notwithstanding all these, Some of their Young men had been unhappily prevailed on to go out against the same People. The Governour is very well pleased to hear by the Secretarys Report of what they lately said on that head at Conestogoe, that they condemn these proceedings, and excused themselves by the Influence the five Nations have over their People, and that the young men carried on by the Heat of Blood to martial Exploits, and to shew their manhood are difficulty restrained by the more sage advice of their Elders. But 'tis now hoped these young men, some of them having forfeited their lives by their Disobedience to their Elders, are also as fully resolved most strictly to observe these present Engagements ; And tho' the Governour really lies under some Disadvantages in the Rep- resentation he is now to make to the Governours of Virginia and Carolina, by reason of their having failed in their former, yet he will without delay acquaint these Governours with their renewed Reso- lutions, and give them all possible assurances from our Indians, that nothing in their power shall divert them from a strict Observance of what they have promised for the future, and as a binding proof of it according to the Custom of their Nations, shall convey these two Belts of Wampum as firm and inviolable Seals to all that they have said. These the Governour will convey to the Governour of Virginia with Letters in their Favour who sent them, and a particular account of their Country & Habitations, with all which the Governour of Vir- ginia will undoubtedly take Care to acquaint all his Indians and Peo- ple, and engage them for the future to consider our Friends as their Friends, and the Governour will endeavour to make them all as one People.
But as this will require some time, and all the Indians in those Southern Parts cannot be immediately acquainted with these messages, tho' the Governour intends to use all possible Dispatch. They must in the mean time take Care of themselves and keep out of the way of the Warriours paths, till a full and perfect Peace and good Under- standing can be settled.
But after the Governour has thus proceeded in their Behalves, and in some measure pledges his Honour for them, They must not fail on any terms whatsoever, must strictly to make good their pre- sent Engagements against the Perswasions of all People whatsoever.
We are all Friends to the Five Nations and have a great Respect for them, and these cannot but be pleased to find that our Indians
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live in such Friendship with their English Neighbours, as to resolve also to live in Peace with all their Friends. Whenever any of these Minguays come amongst them, they must not fail to inform them that They and We are one People and not to be separated in Interest, and we desire that the Minguays also may be the same, and live with us as Brothers.
This being interpreted, it was ordered that They should be sup- plied with a Quarter Cask of powder, fifty pounds of Lead, five Gallons of Rum, with Bisket, Pipes, Tobacco, &c., for their Journey ; In the mean time, that the Treasurer or Secretary should see them duly accommodated.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, August the 6th, 1720.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM KEITH Esqr., Governour. Richard Hill, Jonathan Dickinson, William Trent, Isaac Norris,
James Logan, Secretary.
Whereas, upon the Repeal of a late act of Assembly of this pro- vince, for establishing the several Courts of Judicature within the same, the Governour to prevent the failure of the Administration of Justice which might otherwise ensue thereon, found it necessary, by the Advice of this Board and Approbation of the Assembly, pursuant to the Powers granted by the Royal Charter to the Honourable Wm. Penn, Esqr., late Proprietor and Governour in Chief of this Province, his Heirs and Assigns, and to his and their Lieutenants or Deputies, to erect by virtue of his Commissions the several Courts of Law within this Province, which have been regularly held and Justice duly adminstered thereby; but there being a Necessity also, that a Court of Equity or Chancery should be held for the Relief of those who suffer under the Rigour of or cannot obtain their Right by the common Course of the Law, the Establishment of which Court of Equity does not appear practicable by the same methods with those of the Law, as being inconsistent with the Nature of a Chancery, as it is practised in all his Majestys Dominions as well in Europe as America.
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