USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 35
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The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut Governr.
And the same as before.
TAWENNA in the Name, & on the Behalf of all the Indians pre- sent spoke to the Governour, which was rendered into English by John Scull, Interpreter, & is as follows :
Give Ear my Brethren of Philadelphia, the Conestogoe Indians, the Shawanese, the Ganawese & Delawares have somewhat to say, which they will speak presently.
They say they look upon the Governour as if William Penn him- self were present. They are four Nations & among them there are several foolish People, as if they were just sprung from the Earth ; But that since their first friendship with William Penn, they never have received any Wrong or Injury from him or any of his People.
That several foolish People among them committed Follies and
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Indiscretions, but they hope these will never interrupt the Friend- ship which is between their People & us, for that they & all William Penns People are as one People, that Eat, as it were, with one Mouth, & are one Body & one Heart.
Then presenting a Belt of Wampum of Eight Rows, they say : They would not have the Governour grieve too much for the rash inconsiderate Actions that of late have been committed; they must be buried & forgot, for that what has happen'd was done by their Friends, if it had been done by their Enemies they would have re- sented it, but that we & they are One; That they have always mett with Justice and Kindness from William Penn, and from all the Governours whom he has sent here, & thus do all the Indians of Co- nestogoe, Delaware, the Shawanese & Ganawesc say.
That they are extreamly glad & satisfied with what the Governour said to them yesterday, it greatly rejoyced their Hearts that they have had no such Speech made to them since the time that the Great William Penn was amongst them, all was good and nothing was amiss.
Then presenting four Strings of Wampum, they say : They will visit the Governour at Philadelphia after the Harvest is over, & then they will speak fully to him as their Brother & Friend, for the Co- nestogoes, Delawares, Shawanese & Ganawese will then come to him, & he may look up the Conestogoe Road & expect them ; That what happen'd at John Burt's house was not done by them, it was done by one of the Menysincks, who are of another Nation, & therefore they can say nothing to it.
After this Answer of the Indians some of the Gentlemen present moved the Governour, that sceing now there was now a numerous Company of our Inhabitants mett together, he would be pleased to press the Indians to declare to him if they suffered any Grievance or Hardship from this Government, because several Reports had been industriously spread abroad as if they had some just Cause of Com- plaint. And the Governour having ordered the Interpreters to ac- quaint them herewith ; They all answered that; they had no Cause of Complaint, that William Penn & his People had still treated them well, & they had no Uneasiness.
The Governour then told them that he was well pleased with what they had said unto him, and that since the Indian, who Killed the Englishman at Burt's house is not of their Nation, he would demand Justice from that Nation to which he belonged.
The Proclamation was then interpreted unto them, which seemed to please them very much.
Then the Governour having ordered some Rum, Bread, Tobacco & Pipes to be delivered to them, & likewise one Strowd Matchcoat & one Shirt to Civility, one Strowd Matchcoat & Shirt to Shaka- tawlin or Sam, & one Shirt to Pomapechtya, the three Indian Inter- peters ; he took all the Indian Chiefs by the Hand, & desired them that when they returned home they should acquaint all their people with what had now pass'd between them & us, that the Remem- brance thereof might endure for ever.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, June 3d, 1728.
PRESENT :
The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governour.
Richard Hill,
Isaac Norris,
Samuel Preston,
William Fishbourn, Clement Plumsted, Thomas Laurence.
Esq'rs.
The Governour informed the Board, that while he was at Cones- togoe he received an Answer to the Messages sent by order of this Board of the 15th ulto. to Allummapees, Opekasset & Manawky- hickon, which were now read, & are in Substance : That Allumma- pees and Opekasset had received the Governours Letter and Present, that they had nothing in their Hearts but Love & Goodwill towards the Governour & all his People, that they would have appre- hended some Danger if the Governour had not sent to them, but that now their Doubts are over & offer to meet the Governour at Molatton, because they cannot reach Conestogoe by the time ap- pointed.
The Message from Manawkyhickon is to this Effect : That he be- lieved the Governour Knew nothing of the Fight between the Sha- wanese & white People, & desires that the back Inhabitants may be cautioned not to be so ready to attack the Indians as they were at that time ; That he very well remembers the League between Wil- liam Penn & the Indians, & hopes the Govr. will be carefull therof, and that He will come to Philadelphia with the Chiefs of the Five Nations.
The Governor then said, that understanding Allummapees & Opekasset with some of their People were come to Molatton, he dis- patched Messengers to them, with an Invitation to come down to Philadelphia, & that accordingly they were now come, & had brought with them some of the Relations of those Indians that were lately Killed by the Winters, and therefore he was now to advise with the Board upon what might be proper to be said to them, & the Presents necessary on this Occasion.
And the same being had under Consideration, the Board are of opinion, that the Substance of what pass'd at Conestogoe may be proper to be repeated, with a particular Account of our Care in ap- prehending the Criminals, and a firm Assurance that they shall be punished according to our Laws ; and 'TIS ORDERED, that the following Goods be provided, vizt: ten Strowd Matchcoats, five Blanketts, five Duffels, ten Shirts, twenty five pounds Powder, Sixty pounds Lead, one hundred Flints, two dozen Knives, two dozen Scissors, two dozen Tobacco Boxes, two dozen Tobacco tongs, one dozen looking Glasses, & one pound Vermillion for the general Pre- sent, And three Strowds, three Blankets, three Duffells, three Shirts, and Six Handkerchiefs for the Relations of the Dead, and that Care be taken to Entertain those Indians hospitably during their Stay amongst us.
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, June 4th, 1728.
PRESENT :
The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governr.
James Logan, William Fishbourn,
Richard Hill,
Clement Plumsted,
Esquires.
Isaac Norris,
Thomas Lawrence.
Samuel Preston,
With many other Gentlemen & Inhabitants of Philadelphia. Present also of the Indians.
Sassoonan or Allummapees, King of the Delawares, with Opekas- set, Shakatawlin, Gulyppenaa, Hoarsnet, Metcyikon, Nichshompe- yat, Tossweychimon, Aketawnikily, Ketamakelomen & Wetchywa- likon, with others of the Delawares.
Shikillima from the Five Nations, & Squicksey a Shawanese. Edward Farmer, Esqr., Shakatawlin or Sam. Interpreters.
The Governour spoke as follows :
" My Friend & Brother Sassoonan or Allummapees :
" I was glad to see you at my house last year, & am now glad to " meet you with your Relations, being always pleased to see the " sober & good People amongst the Indians, as my Friends & Breth- " ren.
" When your Great Father William Penn's Children sent me "hither, they commanded me to love & be kind to the Indians as " their Brethren, & therefore I intended soon after I crossed the " great Sea, & came hither to have seen the Chiefs of all our In- "dians, but was prevented by Sickness & Business. This Spring " I proposed to meet them all at Conestogoe, & when I heard that " Civility & the People of that Place were returned home, I ap- " pointed a Meeting, at which I desired the other Chiefs might be " present, that we might all together, as Friends & Brethren, renew " & strengthen the Chain of Friendship which your Father William " Penn made with all the Indians of this Province, that it may be " Kept bright forever.
" About ten days since I mett the Indians of Conestogoe, the Sha- " wanese, Ganawese, & divers of the Delawares at Conestogoe town, " we then opened our Hearts, we spoke as Brethren & Friends, we " brightned the Chain & made it strong, that it might last & continue " firm, while the Sun & Moon endure.
"I am sorry that my Brother Sassoonan had not notice carly enough " to be there with his People, but I say again, I am glad to see you " now here.
"We then went over all the Heads, the strong links of the Chain " made between your Father William Penn & the Indians, we keep " them in writing, that they may be had in everlasting Remembrance, " the Indians also keep them in their Memory & in their Hearts, they "tell them to their Children, & these tell them again to their Child- "ren, that from Generation to Generation they may be remembered " forever. These are the Chief Points of those Treaties that were " first made by William Penn with your Fathers, & have since from " time to time been confirmed.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Here the nine Heads or Links mentioned in the Treaty of Cones- togoe were repeated.
And after a Confirmation on our Parts of all those Articles, we bind them with the following Goods.
10 Strowd Matchcoats, 2 dozen Knives,
5 Blankets,
2 dozen Scissors,
5 Duffells,
2 dozen Tobacco Boxes,
10 Shirts,
2 dozen Tobacco Tongs,
25 pounds Powder,
1 dozen Looking Glasses,
60 pounds Lead,
1 Pound Vermillion.
100 Flints,
After which the Governour proceeded & said.
" My Friends & Brethren :
" I have now spoke to the League & Chain of Friendship first " made by your Father William Penn with your Fathers. You " have kept it well, your hearts have been clean & clear from Spott, "or if there was any you have wiped it soon away. William Penns " Children & People have also kept the League. Every Governour " who was here in William Penns Place has been kind to them, & " all good Christians have loved them. But great Numbers now " come in amongst us; there are some bad People amongst all " Nations, & there are some amongst us who love Lying & to Com- " mitt Wickedness. These are not such good People as William " Penn brought over with him, they are loose & idle. The Children " of your Father William Penn, the Governour, & all in the Govern- " ment, will always love every good and sober Indian as their Breth- " ren & Friends.
"You have heard, my Brethren, that some Shawanese about " twenty days agoe came from about Pechoquealin, armed with " Guns, Pistols & Swords, & painted for War, they fell in amongst " some of our Inhabitants and behaved themselves foolishly ; Our " People thought them strange Indians & Enemies, and believed " there were much greater Numbers behind in the Woods, they mett " together with Arms to defend themselves. But I now mourn with " you the unhappy Accident that followed by the Madness of these " furious wicked men, who could so inhumanly destroy our good "Friends & their quiet peaceable Neighbours. The first News of it " wounded me deeply. I was then returning to Philadelphia, but I " went back again, I ordered the Murtherers to be apprehended & " the Bodies of our two dead Friends sought for. My officers with " many People found two & buried them, covering their Bodies with "Shirts & Strowds, which I sent for that purpose. The Criminals "are now in Dungeons with Iron Chains on them, & they are to be " tried in about fourteen days at Chester, by the Laws of our Great " King, in the same manner as if they had Killed any of his Subjects " & our own People, for by our Leagues of Friendship we & the In- "dians are as one, and we make no Difference. He that kills or " hurts an Indian, kills or hurts our Brother, we feel it as done to " one of ourselves & must punish it accordingly. We mourn with " the Relations, all good People mourn with them, and we now give VOL. III .- 14
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"these few things, vizt: three Strowds, three Blankets, three Duf- "fells & three Shirts, to cover the dead Bodies again, & these six " Handkerchiefs to wipe away their Tears. We give them not as " the Price of Blood, or to make Satisfaction for the Death of our "Friends. Justice must be done according to our Law, & we give " these only as a Mark of our Grief, that the Relations may be the " more easy in their Minds, that they may Know we grieve with " them, & that they may be comforted.
" My Friends & Brethren :
"You now see we carefully observe our Treaties on our Parts, " but you are to consider this Country is full of People, we have " many weak & some wicked People amongst us, these last must be " punished by the Law. The Indians have sometimes wicked People "amongst them & they putt them to Death ; this is the utmost that " can be done, but the Hearts of all good People amongst the " Christians, & amongst you the Indians, will always be true, we " shall always love one another, our leagues are to continue to all " Generations.
The Governour then taking the Indians by the Hand dismissed them for this time, & they appointed to meet the Governour again in the Morning to return their Answer.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, in the Great Meeting house, June 5th, 1728.
PRESENT :
The Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governr., with the Members of Council before mentioned.
And Andrew Hamilton, Esquire, And a vast Audience that filled the House & all its Galleries.
Also, Sassoonan or Allummapees, with the Indians.
Edward Former, Esquire, } & Mr. John Scull,
Interpreters.
ALLUMMAPEES or Sassoonan, in the Name of all the Indians present, desired that his Brethern would hear him, for he is now to Speak to them, & said.
That he was glad to hear his Brother the Governours Words yes- terday, they gladden'd his Heart; he now returns thanks for them, & for the Presents which his Brethern has given them. He rejoyces that his Brethern & the Indians are now mett together in this House, & that this great Company is to hear him.
HIe was glad to hear his Great Friend & Father William Penn so much spoke of yesterday ; we had always lived in Love, & hopes all things will be made up in Love ; his heart is for Love & Peace, and he desires there may never be any Misunderstanding between us.
He is pleased to see such Care taken, that they may come and dis- course freely with their Brethern ; they have young Children, and the Christians have many ; there are many who now hear what passes, and he desired it may be remembred for ever.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
As there are now great numbers present, he desired that they may all know that the Christians & Indians ought to have but one Head, one Heart & one Body ; that he looks on them all as one People, & desires they may always so continue.
That they have many among them who are as little Children, weak and helpless, & we should not, because of Weakness, have any Misunderstanding.
When any misurderstanding arises, or when any Injury is done by the Indians to Christians, or by Christians to Indians, each should be heard without any Disturbance, for they & we are one People.
That there are ill People both among the Christians & Indians ; he is well pleased with what the Governour said yesterday in Rela- tion to the Accident that has happn'd to the Indians, but 'tis his Desire that no Misunderstanding may arise on that Account. We must unite in Love, all ill things must be done away & forgotten, for we are one People.
That he has now said what he purposes to speak at this time, but in two months he designs to return & speak more fully.
Sassoonan was then told, that if they had any thing at all on their Minds it was now a proper time to speak it, that it might be heard by all this Company.
He thereupon called on Thomas Rutter, Sen., to come & sitt near him, & proceeded to say.
That he is glad of the Friendship & Agreement that subsists be- tween the Indians & Christians ; he will always endeavour to streng- then & increase it, he will make this Path between this Town & the Place where he lives, & as far as the Mingoes, open & plain, he will always keep it wide, & root & cutt up every Bush & Grub that may stand in the Way, (to hinder the Intercourse of Love & Friendship between us; this is the meaning of these Indian Ex- pressions.)
He adds, that he is now come to the Governours Desire, on Ac- count of the late unhappy Accident, that he is pleased to hear what has been said of it, & that Justice is to be done when he comes again after Harvest, it shall then all be buried, he himself will then Cover it deep over with Earth.
He then said he had spoke what he had to say to the Governour, & would speak to James Logan.
He said, he was grown old & was troubled to see the Christians settle on Lands that the Indians had never been paid for, they had settled on his Lands, for which he had never received any thing.
That he is now an old man & must soon die, that his Children may wonder to see all their Fathers Lands gone from them, without his receiving any thing for them, that the Christians now make their Settlements very near them, & they shall have no place of their own left to live on.
That this may occasion a Difference between their Children & us hereafter, & he would willingly prevent any Misunderstanding that may happen.
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MR. LOGAN applying to the Governour, craved Leave to answer the Indians, & he spoke to this Effect.
That he had no otherwise been concerned to the Lands of this Province, than as he was intrusted with other Commissioners by the Proprietor to manage his affairs of Property in his Absence. That their Great Friend, William Penn, had made it his constant Rule never to suffer any Lands to be settled by any of his People, until they were first duly purchased by the Indians, & his Commissioners, who acted for him in his Absence, has as carefully used the same Method, they never agreed to the Settlement of any Lands till the Indians were duly satisfied for them. But he said, he judged it pro- per in his Audience to take Notice of our great unhappiness, in having too many amongst us who take a Delight in disturbing the Peace of the Publick by any means in their Power, & amongst other Methods they had endeavoured even to beget an Uneasiness in the Indians, but how little Reason there was for any Complaint against him, or the Commissioners, he should make appear.
He said, that Sassoonan now present, with divers others of the Indian Chiefs, about ten years since, having a Notion that they had not been fully paid for their Lands, came to Philadelphia to demand what was due to them, that the business was heard in Council, & he then produced to those Indians a great number of Deeds, by which their Ancestors had fully conveyed, & were as fully paid for all their Lands from Duck Creek to near the Forks of Delaware, & that the Indians were then entirely satisfied with what had been shewn to them, & the Commissioners to putt an End to all further Claims or Demands of that Kind, in Consideration of their Journey & Trouble, made them a Present in the Proprietors Name & Behalf, upon which they agreed to sign an absolute Release for all those Lands, & of all Demands whatsoever upon account of the said Purchase, And exhi- biting the said Instrument of Release, desired it might be read, which was done in these words.
WE, Sassoonan, King of the Delaware Indians, & Pokehais, Me- tashichay, Aiyamikan, Pepawmamen, Gheltypeneeman & Opekas- set, Chiefs of the said Indians, do acknowledge, that we have seen & heard divers Deeds of Sale read unto us, under the hands & seals of the former Kings, & Chiefs of the Delaware Indians, our Ances- tors & Predecessors, who were owners of Lands between Delaware & Sasquehannah Rivers, by which Deeds they have granted & convey'd unto William Penn, Proprietor & Governour in chief of the Province of Pennsilvania, & to his Heirs & Assigns, all & singular their Lands, Islands, Woods & Waters, situate between the said two Rivers of Delaware & Sasquehannah, & had received full Satisfaction for the
same. And We do further acknowledge that we are fully content & satisfied with the said Grant. And Whereas, the Commissioners or Agents of the said William Penn have been pleased, upon our Visit to this Government to bestow on us, as a free Gift, in the name of the said William Penn, these following Goods, vizt : Two Guns, six Strowed water Coats, six Blankets, six Duffell match-coats & four Kettles. We therefore, in Gratitude for the said Presents,
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
as well in Consideration of the several Grants made by our Ancestors & Predecessors, as of the said several Goods herein before mentioned, the Receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, Do by these Pre- sents, for us, Our Heirs & Successors, Grant, Remise, Release & for- ever Quitt claim unto the said William Penn, his Heirs & Assigns, all the said Lands situate between the said two Rivers of Delaware & Sasquehannah, from Duck Creek to the Mountains on this side Le- chay, and all our Estate, Right, Title, Interest, Property, Claim & Demand whatsoever in & to the same, or any part thereof, so that neither We, nor any of us, nor any Person or Persons in the Behalf of any of us, shall or may hereafter lay any Claim to any of the said Lands, or in any wise molest the said William Penn, his Heirs or Assigns, or any Person claiming by, from or under them, them or any of them, in the peaceable and quiet Enjoyment of the same. IN WITNESS whereof We have hereunto sett our Hands & Seals at Philadelphia, the Seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & eighteen.
Sassoonan M his mark. (S)
Pokehais M his mark. (S)
Metashichay M his mark. (S)
Aiyamackan M his mark. (S)
Gheltypeneeman M his mark. (S)
Opekasset M his mark. (S)
Pepawmamen M his mark. 'S)
-
Sealed & Delivered (by all but Pokehais & Pepawmamen who were absent) in the Presence of
W. KEITH.
Jonathan Dickinson, Robert Assheton,
Samuel Preston, Anthony Palmer,
Indian M Sam, son of Essepenaike,
Indian M Peter, Pokehais's Nephew or Aweaykoman,
Kachguesconk M or Toby, his
Tussoigh M eenan, mark
his
Neesha M llapy or Andrew, mark
Sealed and Delivered by Pokehais & Pepawmamen, in the Pre- sence of
James Logan, Robert Assheton,
Neesha M llapy or Andrew, Clement Plumsted,
Nedawaway M or Oliver, David Evans.
This Deed being fully explained to the Indians in their own Lan- guage, Sassoonan & Opekasset, two of those who had executed it be- ing present, viewed their Marks & acknowledged that it was all true, and that they had been paid for all the Lands therein mentioned ; but Sassoonan said the Lands beyond these Bounds had never been
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paid for, that these reached no further than a few miles beyond Oley, but that their Lands on Tulpyhocken were seated by the Chris- tians.
Mr. Logan answered, that he understood at the Time that Deed was drawn, & ever since, that Lechay Hills or Mountains stretched away from a little below Lechay or the Forks of Delaware to those Hills on Sasquehannah that lie about ten Miles above Pextan. Mr. Farmer said, those Hills passed from Lechay a few Miles above Oley, & reached no further, & that Tulpyhocken Lands lay beyond them.
Mr. Logan proceeded to say, that whether those Lands of Tulpy- hocken were within or without the Bounds mentioned in the Deed, he well knew that the Indians some few years since were seated on them & that he with the other Commissioners, of whom Richard Hill & Isaac Norris now present at the Board were two, would never con- sent that any settlement should be made on Lands where the Indians are seated, that these Lands were settled wholly against their minds & even without their Knowledge.
Sassoonan said, he could not himself believe the Christians had settled on them, till he came & with his own Eyes saw the Houses and Fields they had made there.
Mr. Logan proceeded & said, that he was sensible the Palatines were settled there, but as he had observed before, it was without the Consent or Knowledge of any of the Commissioners, And how they came hither he should now make this Audience sensible. He said, that when he left his house this morning he did not expect this Affair would be now mentioned, but hearing after he came abroad that it was intended, being unable himself to walk, he had sent for one Pa- per, which he could easily direct to, that if he could have gone himself amongst his Papers, he could have produced some Letters & Affidavits that would more fully explain the matter, but he hoped that what he had there would be sufficient to make it clearly under- stood. It was a Petition from those Palatines themselves, directed to the late Governour Sir William Keith & the Council, all wrote in the hand of Patrick Baird, who was then Secretary to the Governour & Clerk of the Council, & who it was that drew it would appear by its Stile. The Petition was read in these Words.
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