USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 54
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" Now my Lord, tho' I am far from countenancing boxing Matches, " even upon the greatest Provocations, and your Lordship is sensible " from the Copy of my Letter to our Justices, now in your Lord- " ship's hands, how absolutely we disapprove of all such Proceedings ; "yet I hope it will not be expected, because your Lordship has " thought fitt to call this scuffle by the name of a Riot, or a Levying " of War upon His Majesty's Subjects, (which, if it can mean any " thing must be High Treason,) that therefore I must allow it to be " so, and in Consequence of that deliver up those heedless fellows, " who had neither Riots or Treason in their heads, to be tryed for " their Lives in Maryland. No, my Lord, I rather believe your " Lordship will approve of my following your own Example as far " as I am capable, of being as critically nice in point of Justice to " His Majesty's Subjects under my Care as your Lordship is of the " Protection of those under yours. And tho' I cannot help being " of Opinion that this Affair, at another time, would not have been " much regarded by the Government of Maryland, yet as things " seem to be circumstanced at present, it is not very likely that your " Lordship will allow this Government to be Impartial Judges in the " matter, nor that we should believe, after such Resentments shewn " by your Lordship, that Maryland will be so. Now, as pursuant to "my Order to the Justices, these Men are taken up and bound over " to appear, if your Lordship will think fitt to joyn with me in a " fair and candid Representation of the Case to our Supervisors at " Home, where it will be more indifferently judged of, I am per- " suaded nothing can prove more acceptable to His Sacred Majesty, " or be found more consistent with strict and Equal Justice; there- " fore this Proposal, as it is both reasonable and honourable, cannot " fail of giving your Lordship Entire Satisfaction.
" But pardon me, my Lord, if I cannot here avoid mentioning a " very unpleasant Circumstance attending this Affair, which is, that " it must appear exceeding strange to all indifferent Persons to find " that after Newton having been suffered by the Magistrates of "Dorset to pay his Levies to this Government for several years, if I " mistake not, the time chosen for seizing and making him a Prisoner " should be just upon or very soon after your Lordship's Arrival, " when all Men might most reasonably expect from the solemn and
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" pacific Agreement between your Lordship and our Proprietors, " then with all speed to be executed, a final Period was to be putt to " all such unnatural Differences. The like observation also holds on " the Countenance given to those heinous and insufferable Insults " and Abuses committed above Conestogoe, on the west side of " Sasquehannah, in a place that neither is, was, or ever can be " within Maryland. These, my Lord, are Points that must either " have been managed without your Lordship's Knowledge, or other- " wise must have a tendency to something time only can explain. " This Government and yours, my Lord, have been Neighbors these "fifty years past, they are the two most considerable Proprietary " Governments in the British Dominions, and they ought, undoubt- " edly, for many Reasons, to maintain a friendly and mutual good " Understanding with each other. We have labored for this on our " Side by all the just and reasonable Measures in our Power, why " the contrary should now break out on your part, just on your " Lordship's Arrival, is what will, I believe, appear astonishing to " all lovers of Peace and of impartial Justice.
" But to proceed to the other part of your Lordships Letter, re- "lating to the Conduct of our Commissioners when last at New- " castle, especially where you are pleased to say that they have, in " divers Circumstances, too plainly shewn a design to Violate the " Measures entred into in that particular, and taxing them with a " misbehaviour to your Lordship's Commissioners at Newcastle.
" This indeed, my Lord, is a very strange Charge on Men who " have at other times been represented as exceeding fond of the " late Agreement between your Lordship and our Proprietors, and " abundantly proves what we could formerly very easily guess at " from our first meeting your Commissioners, who then, as at other " times since, would never allow any besides the Commissioners . " themselves to be present, and obstinately refused the admission of " Clerks to take Minutes of our joint Proceedings, which if taken " would effectually have prevented such Misrepresentations as must "have produced that Letter; wherein you are likewise pleased to " say that our Commissioners wilfully and obstinately neglected to " meet yours on the third of February, pursuant to the Adjournment " on the Second. But to this, as well as the other Charges against " our Commissioners, I think it will be most proper to give your " Lordship for Answer a brief Extract of the principal facts con- " tained in their Report to our Proprietor, after their return from " Newcastle, which are these :-
"That on the first day of February the Commissioners on both " sides mett at Newcastle, and agreed to meet again next Morning " at ten o'clock, in a Chamber of the Court House ; that our Com- " missioners waited for yours above an hour after that time without " any Complaint or Signs of Uneasiness, that your Lordship's Com- " missioners renewed their former Objection about the Center of the " Circle mentioned in the Articles, and tho' they had obtain'd of "ours an Adjourment of three Months, on purpose to Consult your " Lordship (your Arrival being then daily expected) about fixing the
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" Center, as they pretended, yet after all this delay, when ours ex- " pected that yours had been fully directed in that point, they de- " clared that your Lordship having delegated your Power to them " by your Commission, would not interfere in their proceedings ; " That both in the forenoon and afternoon of the same day, a very " extraordinary matter was offered by those of Maryland, that re- ""' required, as'twas said, some Consultation with Artists, upon which " an Adjournment being proposed, the hours of ten and Eleven next " morning were named : our Commissioners understood Eleven was " the hour concluded on, and had the good fortune to be confirmed " in it by some of yours, but as they must have No Minutes, Each "it seems was left to his Liberty to hear or understand as he " pleased. That our Commissioners hearing about Eleven on Sat- " urday morning, that yours were gone to the Court House, three " of our hastned thither, while the other two, of whom one was " then much indisposed by the Gout, were detained in finishing and " geting Copies transcribed of a Paper to be delivered to your Com- "missioners, in answer to the objection started; that one of our three " being called out to deliver a Paper, was desired to go and press " the other two to dispatch, the better to do which he staid with " them. During this stay, which they all agree was less than an " hour, those repeated declarations made by your Commissioners " of breaking up the Meeting for the Non-attendance of ours, as " your Letter says, must have been intended, which if so made, " were certainly unkind and ungenerous, Since it was neither " through slight to your Lordship's Commissioners or Disregard to " the Business, but pure respect to both, with an ardent desire to " do Justice to Reason and truth, that prevented them of the Plea- " sure of waiting on yours Earlier. But my Lord, whatever Decla- " rations of this Nature might pass between your Lordship's Com- " missioners themselves, I cannot find by the Gentlemen who were " left at the Court House, vizt : Messrs. Norris and Preston, whose " Characters are well known in Maryland, that any such Declara- " tions were made to them, further than that Mr. Ogle appeared im- " patient, and said he would not stay, which your Lordship, in your " Candour will doubtless own, differs vastly from breaking up the " meeting in the acceptation such words are always used.
" But, my Lord, in the Representations made to you before writing " that Letter, we must conclude that you could not have then learn't " that immediately on your Commissioners leaving the Court House " ours applyed to them to return, urging that a good deal of Busi- " ness might still be done before dinner ; that tho' your Commission- " ers absolutely refused to meet on business, yet those on both sides, " except the Gentleman that was indispo: ed, dined sociably together ; " that ours were exceeding nice in their Behaviour to yours, then " their Guests, that they did not mention one Word of what had " passed, nor so much as touched upon their Business ; Yet that " after parting they were so mindful of it as to apply again to yours " for a meeting, but your Lordship's Commissioners insisting that "they could not answer it to your Lordship to give up any advan-
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" tage gained by the pretended failure ; and then dispersing them- " selves about the Town, as it were by design, Ours were obliged " to give them Notice, both by word and writing, to meet at the "Courthouse at six o'clock in the Evening, which being wholly " diregarded, our Commissioners again agreed to give new Notices " to meet on Monday following, and tho' access was denied to some " of your Lordship's Commissioners, Yet means were found to " serve three of them therewith, which they still continued so far " to Disregard that they all left Newcastle on Sunday & returned to " Maryland. Now as all these, My Lord, are real Facts, and Facts " your Lordship knows are obstinate things, My Respect for your " Lordship will not allow me to give you the uneasiness that would " arise on collating these with the several Expressions in your Lord- " ship's Letter, for you must then be sensible of the Inconsistency " there is between a zeal in your Commissioners hastning to New- " castle some days before they could, by the last Adjournment, " have any Business there, and their precipitant haste in leaving it " when the Business of their Commissioners was actually treating " and our Commissioners very diligently applying to it. You " would further, also see what foundation your Lordship has to " intitle yourself to the forfeiture incurred, as your Letter says, " by the Commissioners of Pennsylvania, for we Conceive it is not " possible that your Lordship should not well know, or that you " will imagine we do not know, that no failure of an hour or two or " three in meeting the same day, can possibly incur the Forfeiture " of a Penalty laid in any such terms as that mentioned in the Arti- " cles is expressed in, so that it may be easily discerned whose Com- " missioners they are who, in divers Circumstances, have so plainly " Shewn a design to Violate the Measures entred into in that par- " ticular.
" As to the meeting proposed by your Lordship at Joppa, which " after a good deal of Enquiry, we are informed is a village of two " or three houses, Scituate on the West Side of Chesapeak Bay, and " about Sixty or Seventy Miles distant from Newcastle, which last " place, both by the Articles of Agreement and the Consent of your "own Commissioners, is allowed to be the only proper one for be- " ginning the Work, Our Commissioners would have been glad to " have been told Seriously by your Lordship what Business they can " possibly have to do at Joppa; they conceive they can have none " that will call them within many Miles of it; and further add, that " having always behaved themselves towards your Lordship's Com- " missioners with the greatest civility, even from a Personal Regard " for several of these worthy Gentlemen, they must consider your " Lordship's Insinuation of some things being attempted by them " upon your Commissioners, as a piece of Ridicule only .- Upon the " whole my Lord, Our Commissioners being of Opinion that your " Lordship has no Power to appoint a meeting, but that this is " wholly lodged in the Commissioners ; and being conscious to them- " selves that they accepted their Commission with a firm Resolution, " on their parts to execute it with all the fairness, Candour and Dis-
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" patch enjoyned by the Articles, and with all decent Respect towards " your Commissioners, have as a further Proof of the Sincerity of " their Intentions, (tho' by the great delays given by your Commis- " sioners the proper Season of the year for running Lines, &c. in " the woods is far advanced,) sent your Lordship's Commissioners " Notice to meet on the 16th of April ensuing, at the Town of New- " castle, the place appointed, and where alone we can begin to run " the Circle mentioned in the Articles of Agreement.
"I am, My Lord, " Your Lordship's most " Obedient humble Servant, " P. GORDON. " Philadelphia, March 28th, 1734."
Addressed thus : " To the Right Honourable " The Lord Baltimore." E.
SHEKALLAMY, with Chowngharisa, Tachnichtorous end Toutas- ariaga, coming to town on Sunday last, applied to the Governor (the Proprietor being then absent,) and acquainted him that he was charged with a Message to be delivered to the Proprietor, Governor and Council, and desired they might be dispatched as soon as possible.
The Proprietor returning to Town next day,
A Council was held at Philadelphia, June 18th, 1733.
PRESENT :
The Honourable THOMAS PENN, Esqr., Proprietary.
The Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lt. Governor.
Isaac Norris, Ralph Assheton,
Samuel Preston, Samuel Hassel, Esquires.
Clement Plumsted,
Shekellamy, with his Companions, being come, the Proprietor told him he was now ready to receive his Message; which by Con- rad Weyser, the Interpreter, was delivered thus :
That the Reason of his coming at this time proceeds from this, that in the late Treaties of Friendship that have been held with the Indians, one chief Article is, that if either they or we heard any ill News, Care should be taken to make it known to each other.
That two days before he left home, which is now seven days since, a Messenger came to him from the Ganawese Indians, who live between Pextan and Conestogoe, with an Account that they understood the Governor of Virginia was about to send a party of Armed Men amongst them to cutt them off, for a Murder committed in Viginia ; and therefore, requesting the Assistance of all the other Indians to defend them against their enemies. But as he cannot believe that the Governor of Virginia would make War on these Indians without acquainting this Government with it, he is now come here to inform his Brethren of this matter, and to know of them what they have heard of it.
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That last Winter, an Indian who lives in his Neighbourhood, named Katarioniecha, who is married to one Margaret, a Daughter of Mrs. Montour, came to him and asked whether he had not heard that the white Men designed to cutt off the Indians, he answered he had not ; that on the contrary they had lately held Treaties, by which the Friendship and good Understanding between the white People and them was more firmly Established. The Indian replyed that the friendship of the white People was from the Mouth only and not from the Herrt. That Shekellamy then asked him how he came to know this. He said it came to him under the Ground, (meaning privately) and added, that the Proprietor of Pennsylvania, Onas, whom they accounted their good friend, would have a chief hand in their Destruction.
Shekellamy being asked what he thought of this last piece of News, said that he thought the Story came from under the Ground of their own houses; that is, that it arose entirely amongst them- selves.
Being asked if he had any thing further to add on the Murder said to be committed in Virginia, he said he had not.
He then proceeded to say :
That this Spring a white man came to Pextan from the South, and said that War was proclaimed by the white People living there against the Indians, and asked whether there was not yet any Ap- pearances of War here ?
Being asked if he himself saw this white Man or had the Account only from the Ganawese, he said he believed it came from these People.
He said he must now complain of Peter Cheaver, an Indian Trader.
That some of the Six nations, who were lately here, having taken away an old Canoe belonging to that Trader, he came to him and asked if these Indians had taken away that Canoe by his (Shekel- lamy's) Order ; he said he knew nothing of it. That Cheaver then told him that those Indians are a parcel of idle, cheating fellows, that came without any Authority from their People; that they were not Chiefs, but loose fellows picked up from all parts ; that the pre- sent given them was in Effect no other than robbing the Government of so much money, and that if they had been sent down with a proper Authority they would have brought a larger Present than two or three Skins. This Shekellamy said he must resent, as know- ing that they were true and good men, whom by order of this Go- vernment he was sent to invite thither.
That since the Indian Traders were prohibited to bring Rum amongst the Indians, Peter Cheaver, beyond all others, has brought it in very large Quantities, and gives out that he will not regard the Orders of the Government on this head. That his Behaviour is such as gives just Apprehensions, some Mischiefs may happen if he is not called away from these parts. That formerly an Order was given to the Indians to stave Rum brought amongst them, but Cheaver threatens any Indian that shall offer to touch his; that
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it is to be feared he may either kill an Indian or some Indian him. That Cheaver intends this Summer to go to Allegheny, contrary to what was agreed upon between this Government and the Six Na- tions last Fall, and by this means it will prove more difficult to bring the Indians from that part of the Country.
Shekellamy was desired to open himself freely about the Murder said to be committed in Virginia, and to tell his whole knowledge of that matter and his thoughts on it, that thereby the Affair may be the more truly judged of.
He said, in answer, that he can scarcely tell what to think of it; he was first told that the Ganawese had killed two white Men, he has since heard that Report contradicted; that one of the young men now with him, having been lately to the Southward, informs that there appeared some Traces of the Ganawese Indians on the Borders of Virginia. That these Indians have brought home some Scalps with them, which they say are of Indians, but he has not seen them ; if he had, he could tell whether they were of Indians or white People ; that he could say no more on this head, and had now nothing further to add.
He was told that what he had said should be considered, and they should be sent for to-morrow to receive an Answer.
June 19th.
A Council having been Summoned to meet this forenoon, the Messenger reported that several of the Members had desired to be excused because of unavoidable Business; so that James Logan & Clement Plumsted, Esquires, only, attended the Honourable the Proprietor & His Honour the Governor; who having consulted together on what had been delivered yesterday by Shekellamy, the Indians were sent for, and by the Interpreter told as follows :
That this Government is very sorry that the Treatment which it has always used, and the Regard it has always shown towards the Indians, have not been sufficient to prevent them from giving out such false Reports as those which have now been brought of ill Designs of of the whole People against the Indians ; that surely they cannot be credited, that no good Man can believe them.
They must be evil. People who have spread such Reports, and we are afraid these People who have raised them have some parti- cular Design in so doing ; and therefore, as they have Endeavoured to impose them on others, It will become the Indians themselves to make Enquiry into them and discover the Authors of these False- hoods.
That we have cleared the Road between this place and the Six Nations, and have removed Every thing that may Encumber it .- That those must be accounted wicked People who would now attempt to stop it up.
That as these Reports appear to have come from the Ganawese, it is to be feared they have not behaved themselves well; that it will be necessary that Shekellany, and the others with him, should go
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amongst these People and Enquire into these matters, and what they have been doing on the borders of Virginia. That if one English man kills another he is punished for it, if he kills an Indian he is also punished ; and therefore, if the Indians offend against the white Men they must likewise suffer for it.
That the doing of exact Justice is the foundation upon which all Governments Subsist; by it our treaties and Chains of Friendship have been kept bright and strong, and that these may not be weak- ened, it will be incumbent in the present Case, that some Persons should forthwith go among the Ganawese and make the strictest Enquiry possible into what has happened, and send a true and faith- full Report of the whole ..
Shekallamy said that our Words were good and reasonable, that Justice ought to be impartially done, and he would undertake to go amongst the Ganawese and make the Enquiry, as had been desired.
They were then told that in the afternoon they should be spoke to on the other Points of what they had delivered.
At which time the Proprietor, with the Governor & James Logan, Esqr., being mett, & Shekallamy with the Indians being come,
The Proprietor asked Shekallamy what he had resolved on touching the Journey to the Ganawese, which he had this morning undertaken to perform.
He answered, that he believed it would be most proper for him first to go to his own home and taken some people from thence with him; that if he should go from Philadelphia directly amongst these Indians, he might probably find them more reserved ; that having finished his Enquiry, he will go to Conrad Weyser, at Tulpahockin, and either relate it to him to be sent down hither in writing, or if it should be found to be of Consequence he will come hither and deliver it himself.
As to Shekallamy's Complaint against Cheaver, they were told :
That we understand he is gone to Allegheny, from whence he may be expected to return in two months ; we shall then take Care to deal with him for the Offence he has given.
Shekallamy is our good friend, and we expect he will endeavour to live in good Understanding with all our People, and Care shall be taken on our parts that no Person shall offend him wiihout feeling our Displeasure.
Shekallamy then asked whether the Proprietor had heard of a Letter which he and Sassoonan sent to John Harris, to desire him to desist from making a Plantation at the Mouth of Choniata, where Harris has built a House and is clearing fields.
They were told that Harris had only built that house for carrying on his trade ; that his Plantation, on which he has houses, Barns, &c. at Pextan, is his place of dwelling, and it is not to be supposed he will remove from thence; that he has no Warrant or Order for making a Settlement at Choniata.
Shekellamy said that tho' Harris may have built a House for the conveniency of his trade, yet he ought not to clear fields.
To this it was answered, that Harris had probably cleared as much
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Land only as would be sufficient to raise Corn for his horses. Shekel- lamy said he had no Ill will to John Harris, it is not his Custom to bear any Man Ill will, but he is afraid that the Warriours of the Six Nations, when they pass that way, may take it ill to see a Settlement made on Lands which they have always desired to be kept free from any Persons settling on. He was told in answer that Care should be taken to give the necessary Orders in it.
Upon Shekallamy's Application, an Order was given him for 8 bushells of Wheat ground; there was likewise Ordered to be given to him and his Companions for their Journey home, 4 pounds pow- der, 8 pounds Lead, 2 Gallons Rum, 14 pounds Bread, 6 pounds tobacco and a dozen of Pipes. E.
A Chief of the Ganawese Indians with some others of that Nation, coming to town and applying to the Honourable the Proprietary to be heard.
A Council was held at Philadelphia, Augt. 6th, 1733.
PRESENT :
The Honourable THOMAS PENN, Esqr., Proprietary. The Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governor.
Clement Plumsted & Ralph Assheton, Esquires.
PRESENT ALSO :
ULLALOES, a Chief of the Ganawese Indians, with four others of that Nation, vizt : MENAHACHTAY, PEYOHINAS, WAAPEN & NAIE- MOT.
Ullaloes produced a Letter wrote at the desire of all of their Na- tion, by James Mitchell of Donnegal, signifying the Concern they are under that any of their Nation should be charged with killing any white people, and declaring their Innocence of the matter.
And then by the Interpreter said :
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