Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV, Part 10

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814

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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

that none but your Enemies can be pleased with such a Con- duct.

"The sole End of Government, you are sensible, is the Peace & Security of the People, which all those in whom such important Trusts are reposed lie under the deepest Obligations to promote & maintain, more especially amongst those who are equally Subjects of Our most Gracious Sovereign, whose paternal Cares & constant Endeavours for the Happiness of all His People, make a great part of the shining Glories of His auspicious Reign; & we do assure you that we on our parts, while we have the Honour of the Admin- istration of this Province, will at all times be ready to promote any just & honourable Measures that can be proposed for preserving that Tranquility & good Neighbourhood, which has formerly sub- sisted between Maryland and Pennsylvania, & is so essential to the Welfare of both Provinces : This Behaviour, in which we are deter- mined to persevere, as it cannot but be most acceptable to His most Gracious Majesty, so it will most directly tend to our mutual Honour & Reputation, & that you may joyn with us in an equal zeal for the same, is the hearty Desire of

" Sr., " Your Friends, & humble Servants, "Signed in behalf of the Council,

" JAMES LOGAN.

" Philadelphia, September 18th, 1736."

Addressed :

" To the Honble Samuel Ogle, Esqr.,

Lieut. Governor of Maryland."

September.

The Chiefs of the Six Nations having been expected at Philadia. these four years past, to confirm the Treaty made with some of them who came down in the year 1732, Conrad Weiser, our Interpreter, about the beginning of this Month, advised from Tulpyhockin that he had certain Intelligence from some Indians sent before him, that there was a large number of those People with many of their Chiefs arrived at Shamokin, on Sasquehannah ; upon which he was directed to repair thither to attend them, and supply them with necessaries in their Journey hither.

On the 27th of this Month, about a hundred or more of them came with Conrad to the President's House at Stenton, being near the Road, where suitable Entertainment was provided for them, and the next day the Honble the Proprietor, & some of the Council, with other Gentlemen, coming thither from Philadelphia after Din- ner, --

MINUTES OF THE

A Council was held at Stenton, Septr. 28th, 1736.

PRESENT :

The Honble THOMAS PENN, Esqr., Proprietary.

JAMES LOGAN, Esqr., President.

Samuel Preston,

Ralph Assheton,

Clement Plumsted,

Thomas Griffitts,

and the following Indian Chiefs, to witt:

Of the Tsanandowans or Sinekas.

Onondagoes.

Togachshaholoo,

former great Chief, Conossoo-

rah, at Albany),

Sagoyatundachquai, Askotax, Hetaguantegechty, Speaker,

Taginchuntee,

Kaxhaayu,

Kuchdachary,

Saweegatee-o.

Cayooges.

Oneidas. Tuskarores.

Saguchtanyunt,

Saristagoa, Sawuntaga,

Sunaretchy,

Takashwangaroras or Tyeroi.

Kanawatoc,

Shekallamy.

Teeoouchtseegherochgoo,

Of the Canyingoes or Mohocks none came.

By the Interpreter's advice, they were first spoke to in their own way, with three small strings of Wampum in hand, one of which was delivered on each of the following articles :

" Our Friends and Brethren :

1. " You are come a great way, & have doubtless suffered many hardships in so long a Journey, but now you are with your Breth- ren & true Friends, who have long been in Friendship & Alliance with your Nations. You must, therefore, put away all Grief & Uneasiness, & brighten your Eyes that we may see and be chear- full with each other.

2d. "We desire, that as we are now met as Brethren & Friends, you will open your hearts as we shall our hearts, that we may speak with freedom & openness to each other.

3d. " You are come to us as your true friends, we receive you with gladness; you shall shelter yourselves under our Covering, and be entertained by us as ourselves, for you are our brethren."

The Indians hercupon expressed their Satisfaction with Sounds peculiar to themselves on such Occasions; and then their Speaker, with three like Strings in his hand, repeated all those three several Articles more at large, returning their thanks for each, delivering a String as each Article was spoke to, & giving assurances of their freedom & openness, & desiring we would use the same. But on the third, they said they could not receive & treat us as we did them :

Esqrs. 1

Kanickhungo, Speaker,

Kahiskerowane (Brother to their

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they are now with us, they give themselves up to us & depend on our Protection.

Then with 5 more very short Strings in his hand, the Speaker proceeded to say on the first, that they had received on the Road a Message from us, delivered by Conrad Wyser, welcome them into the Country; on the 2d, that they had at the same time received from us an account of our late Governor's Death, but that this would not occasion any Alteration, because W. Penn's own Son is here, & also Ja. Logan with the Council; on the 3d, they returned their thanks, & with the other two confirmed the whole.

They said they were now come, after a full Consultation with all their Chiefs at their great Fire or place of Council, to return an answer to the Treaty that some of them had held with us four years since at Philadia .; That they intended to stay with their friend James Logan two nights to rest themselves, & then proceed to the Fire kept for them at Philadia., where, after two nights more, they would at that Fire give their full Answer.

They were told we were willing to keep them here in the Country the longer because many People in Philadelphia had been sickly, & now the small pox are there, a Disease that has often proved fatal to the Indians ; That it would be a great trouble to us to see any of them taken with that Distemper after they had travelled so far to visit us, for we are very desirous they should all return safe, & as healthy as they came to us; That it is proper they should give their answer at Philadelphia in the same publick Manner we had last treated with them, but it is advisable they should spend no more of their time in the town than will be absolutely necessary, for many Inconveniences may attend it.

They appeared concerned at this, thanked us, and said they would go together by themselves to advise on it.

September 29th.

The Gentlemen of the Council having gone home last night to Philadelphia, & only the Proprietor staying, Mr. Preston with some others came again to day, and the Indian Chiefs, after they had consulted this morning amongst themselves, meeting the Pro- prietor in Council, said :

That they were much oblidged to us for the care we took of them, we shewed it by our true friendship for them; that as they are now with us they put themselves wholly under our Direction, & tho' Philadelphia is the Place where their Fire is kept for them, yet it may upon Occasion be brought out hither, and they are free either to proceed to Philadelphia to treat at the Fire there or to stay here, as we shall think fitt to order it.

VOL. IV .- 6.

MINUTES OF THE

They were told, as the last treaty with them was held in publick at Philadelphia, it would be necessary they should there give their answer; that we were not wholly against their going to town, but thought ourselves obliged to acquaint them with the danger, yet that this is not at present so great that it should wholly prevent their going, the Distemper is as yet but young, & just begun in the place; that it is only in the heart or near the middle of the town; that they will be accomodated at the edge or out skirts of the Town, where if they take care they may for a few days be in but very little or no danger.

They then resolved to set out for Philadelphia the next day, and accordingly, have been entertained at Stenton three nights, they went to town on the last of September, & having rested the first of October, on the second day they met as follows :

At a Council held in the Great Meeting House at Philadelphia, the 2d day of October, 1736.

PRESENT :

The Honble THOMAS PENN, Esqr., Proprietary.

JAMES LOGAN, Esqr., President.

Samuel Preston,

Anthony Palmer,

Ralph Assheton, Thomas Griffitts, 1 Esqrs.

Clement Plumsted,

Charles Read,

Thomas Laurence,

PRESENT, ALSO,

The Mayor and Recorder of the City,

With divers Gentlemen and a very large Audience, that filled the House and its Galleries.

The Indian Chiefs being come and seated,

The President, before proceeding to hear them, thought proper to inform the audience, that in August, 1732, a great Treaty having been held in this Place with several Chiefs of the Six Nations, they had made Report thereof on their Return to their Great Council, where the several Propositions that had been made to them on the part of this Government had been fully considered; And that these Chiefs now present, of whom there never at any time before had been so great a Number mett in this Province, were now come to return their Answer.

The Indians being made acquainted with what the President had said, were told that we were ready to hear them.

Whereupon, Kanickhungo their Speaker, addressing himself to their Brother Onas (which signifies Penn), to their Brother James Logan, & the Gentlemen of the Council, spoke as follows by Conrad Wyser the Interpreter :

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

"Brethren :

"We are now come down from the Towns of our several Nations to give our Answer to the great Treaty which we & you held toge- ther at this place about four years since. This Answer has been agreed & concluded upon by our Great Council, who have carefully considered all that passed between you & us, & expressed their great satisfaction in the friendly & good Dispositions of you, our Brethren, towards all the Indians of the Six Nations; And as you received us kindly, and at that Treaty undertook to provide & keep for us a Fire in this great City, we are now come to warm our selves thereat, & we desire & hope it will ever continue bright & burning to the End of the World."

Hereupon he laid down a large Belt of white Wampum of Eleven Rows, with four black St. George's Crosses in it, and proceeding said,-

" Brethren :

"Soon after our Brother Onas, who is now here, came into this Country, he & we treated together. He opened & cleared the Road between this Place & our Nations, which was very much to our good Liking, & it gave us great Pleasure. We now desire that this Road, for the mutual Accommodation & Conveniency of you & us, who travel therein to see each other, may be kept clear & open, free from all Stops or Incumbrances; And if, since the time that we last cleared it with you, any Tree has fallen across it, or if it is any way stopt up, of which, however, we know nothing, we are now willing to open & clear the same from every Interruption, And it is our hearty desire that it may so continue while the Earth en- dures."

Hereupon he presented a Bundle of Skins in the Hair, and went on :

"Brethren :

"One of the chief Articles of our late Treaty together, was the brightning of the Chain of Friendship between us, & the preserving it free from all Rust & Spotts, & that this Chain was not only be- tween this Government & us, but between all the English Govern- ments & all the Indians. We now assure you, our Brethren, that it is our earnest Desire this Chain should continue & be strenghtned between all the English & all our Nations, & likewise the Dela- wares, Canayes, & the Indians living on Sasquehanna, & all the other Indians who now are in League & Friendship with the Six Nations, in behalf of all whom, & as a lasting Confirmation of this great article, to endure until this Earth passeth away & is no more seen, we now deliver you this Beaver Coat."

Here he laid down a large Beaver Coat.

The Proprietor gave them Thanks in behalf of this Government,

MINUTES OF THE

for what they had spoke touching these three important Articles of the Fire, Road, & Chain of Friendship, & told them their Dis- course thereon was very satisfactory.

The Speaker proceeded, and said :

"Brethren :

"To conclude all that we have now said, it is our Desire that we and you should be as of one Heart, one Mind, & one Body, thus becoming one People, entertaining a mutual Love & Regard for each other, to be preserved firm & entire, not only between you & us, but between your Children & our Children to all succeeding Generations.

" We who are now here are old Men, who have the Direction of Affairs in our own Nations, & as we are old, it may be thought that the Memory of these things may be lost with us, who have not like you the Art of preserving it, by committing all Transactions to writing; we nevertheless have Methods of transmitting from Father to Son an account of all these things, whereby you will find the Re- membrance of them is faithfully preserved, & our succeeding Gene- rations are made acquainted with what has passed, that it may not be forgot as long as the Earth remains."

They were told that it was very agreeable to us to know that they took such effectual Care in this Point.

Then proceeding, he said :

" Brethren :

"We desire that this brightning of the Chain, & establishing a strong & firm League of Friendship, may be understood by you, as we understand it to be, not only between the Chiefs of our Nations & the Chiefs or principal Men of this Government, but likewise be- tween all our People & all your People, & between you & all our Warriours who goe abroad & sometimes pass near this Government, to all of whom we have given the strictest Charge to behave them- selves agreeable to the Friendship which is established between you & us, that so we all may continue to be one People forever.

" At the last Treaty you advised us to strengthen ourselves by entring into firm Leagues of Friendship & Alliance with several other Nations of Indians around us. This Advice was truly good, & we thank our Brethren for it; we have accordingly treated with these six follow". Nations, to witt: the Onichkaryagoes, Sissaghees, Troumurtihagas, Attawantenies, Twechtwese, & Oachtaumghs, & have engaged them so heartily in our Intrest, that they acknowledge us for their Elder Brethren, & have promised to join with us as one People, & to act altogether in Concert with us.

"You likewise then advised us to call home all those of our Na- tions who are at Canada or live amongst the French, lest if any Oc- casion of Difference should arise, they might then be prevented from

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Returning. We esteem this likewise as sound, good advice, & we thank our Brethren for it. The French were formerly our cruel Enimies, & we are taking such Measures as we hope will be effectual to bring back our People, if any new Breach should happen."

The Speaker said :

"To confirm all that we have now said, we would be glad if we had a large Present of Skins to deliver, in return to the considerable one in Goods which we had of you, but we must own to you that we are at present but very ill provided & poor, & have only a very small Quantity of Skins, which nevertheless we hope our Brethren will accept."

Here he laid down two small Bundles of Skins.

"We have now nothing more to say in Publick, but having other Matters to treat on with the Proprietor, we will enter upon them at another time."

They were told that the Proprietor, President, & Council thank'd them very kindly, in behalf of this Government, for all they had now said; that they had returned full & distinct Answers to all the Chief Articles or Propositions made at the last great Treaty in 1732; they had spoke to each of them like honest Men & true Brethren, and as they had consulted together before they delivered their an- swer, so now the Council would meet & consider together of all that passed at present.

Which being interpreted to them, they expressed their Satisfac- tion by a Sound peculiar to them, in which they all joyned, and then withdrew.

· At a Council held at Philadia., October 4th, 1736.

PRESENT :

The Honble JAMES LOGAN, Esqr., President. Anthony Palmer, Ralph Assheton,

Clement Plumsted,

Thomas Griffitts, Esquires.

Thomas Laurence,

The returns of the Elections of Persons to serve for Sherifs & Coroners in the several Counties of this Province for the ensuing year, being laid before the Board, the following Appointments were made.

For the City & County of Philadia., Joseph Brientuall & Isaac Leech, being returned for Sherifs, and Owen Owen & David Evans, for Coroners, Joseph Brientuall is appointed Sherif, & Owen Owen Coroner.

For the County of Bucks, Timothy Smith & John Hart being returned for Sherifs, and Johnathan Woollaston and James Shaw

MINUTES OF THE

for Coroners, Timothy Smith is appointed Sherif, & Johnathan Woollaston Coroner.

For the County of Chester, John Owen & Benjamin Davis being returned for Sherifs, and John Wharton & Robert Parke for Coro- ner, John Owen is appointed Sherif, and John Wharton Coroner.

For the County of Lancaster, Samuel Smith & James Galbraith be- ing returned for Sherifs, and Joshua Lowe & William Caldwell for Cor- oners, Samuel Smith is appointed Sherif, and Joshua Lowe Coroner.

And Commissions are Ordered to be issued accordingly, the Sherifs giving Security as the Law directs.

Came in, Charles Read, Esquire.

The President representing to the Board the Necessity of dis- patching the Indians of the Six Nations, who being very numerous remain here at a great Charge, proposed that the Consideration of the value of the Present to be given them should be now proceeded upon. And Accordingly the Board entering upon the same, & ob- serving that for these many years there has not been so great an Appearance here of Chiefs of these Nations as at this time, and that they have returned very full & distinct answers to every Arti- cle of the Treaty with them in 1732, are of Opinion that proper goods for them, to the value of about Two hundred pounds, should be provided and given them, and that to Conrad Weyser, the Interpreter, who is extremely usefull on all such Occasions, and on the present one has been very serviceable, there be given twenty pounds ; which sums the Provincial Treasurer is hereby directed to pay. And that the Provincial Treasurer advance the said Sums.

At a Council held at Philadia., October 9th, 1736.

PRESENT :

The Honble JAMES LOGAN, Esqr., President.

Clement Plumsted, Samuel Hasell,

Ralph Assheton, Thomas Griffitts. Esqrs.

[See Minute of 13th Aug., 1737.]

Information being given to the President that divers of the In. dians are seen about the streets much disordered by Liquor, which 'tis believed they have been furnished with from some of the' low Tip- ling Houses in this City, contrary to the Laws of this Government, the following Order was drawn up, & being signed by the Presi- dent, It is Ordered that the same be published by the Cryer this afternoon throughout the City.

By the Honourable the President and Council of the Province of Pennsylvania.

AN ORDER.

Whereas, by an act of General Assembly of this Province, Inti-

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

tuled An Act against selling Rum and other strong Liquors to the Indians, all Persons whatsoever are by the said act prohibited directly or indirectly to Sell, Barter, Give, or Exchange, by them- selves or others, any Rum, Brandy, or other strong Liquors, mixed or unmixed, to or with any Indian within this Province, under the Penalty of their forfeiting Ten Pounds; And Whereas, a large Number of the Chiefs of the Indians of the Six Nations are lately arrived in this City, & have for some days past held Treaties of great Importance to the Government of this Province, during which time it appears that divers Persons in this City, without any Regard to the Laws & good Government of the Place, but solely intent on their own private Lucre, do furnish divers of the Indians with the said Liquors, whereby they are rendered incapable of pursuing the Business for which they came, & to the great Reproach of the Government are seen disordered about the streets. These are there- fore strictly to Prohibit and Forbid all Persons whatsoever within this Province, directly or indirectly, to Sell, Barter, Give, or Ex- change, or by any means to furnish the said Indians, or suffer them to furnished with any Rum, Brandy, or other Spirits, on Pain of the Forfeiture aforesaid, & being further prosecuted as the Law directs; And all Magistrates, Sherifs, Constables, & other Officers within the said Province, are hereby required to put the said Act in Ex- ecution against such Persons as shall be legally Convicted of selling Rum, or any other strong Liquors, to the Indians as aforesaid.

Given under the Seal of the said Province at Philadia., the ninth day of October, 1736, in the tenth year of His Majesty's Reign.

JAMES LOGAN, Presidt.

At a Council held at Philadia., October 12th, 1736.

PRESENT :

The Honble JAMES LOGAN, Esqr., President.

Samuel Preston,

Samuel Hasell,

Clement Plumsted,

Thomas Griffitts,

Thomas Laurence, Charles Read,

} Esqrs.

The Minutes of the four preceding Councils being read and ap- proved,

The President informed the Board, that agrecable to the Minute of the 4th, Care had been taken to provide Goods for the Indians, but next day after Council, consulting with Conrad Weyser the Interpreter, he had advised that the Delivery of the Present should be delayed till the Indians had finished with the Proprietary, with whom they were then to treat about the Purchase of Lands, that most of last week being spent therein the Indians had yesterday ended with the Proprietary, having signed Releases to him for all

MINUTES OF THE

the Lands lying between the Mouth of Sasquehanna & Kekachta- nium Hills, and that it now remained to conclude on the Quantity & Quality of the several Goods to be given them, & on the sub- stance of what should be proper to be spoke to them. The Board are of Opinion, that considering the large Quantity of Goods which they have had from the Proprietor on the Purchase, it may not at this time be necessary to give them, in behalf of this Government, so great a Present as the Value ordered by the aforesaid Minute, but that it may very well be considerably reduced, & accordingly It is Ordered, that it be reduced to between sixty and seventy Pounds, [And the Treasurer is directed to pay the same. ] to be left out.

The President laid before the Board a Letter from George Mi- randa, one of the Traders at Allegheny, addressed to Edward Ship- pen, giving an account that an accidental Quarrell having hapned between an Indian of the Six Nations or Mingoes, with one Solomon Moffat, a Blacksmith, in which the Indian is represented as the aggressor, he was unhappily killed by a Blow given him by Moffat, who had since fled toward Virginia. The President said that the Indians now here had received an account of this affair, but different from that given by Miranda, the Blacksmith being charged as having been very abusive to the Indian & first assaulted him. The Board being of Opinion that Process ought to be forthwith issued against Moffat, took into advisement whether it would be proper to issue Warrants or a Proclamation with a Reward for apprehending him, and the Board being equally divided It is left to the President to determine the manner of Proceeding .*

The President likewise acquainting the Board that the Indians at a meeting with the Proprietor & him, had taken notice that Conrad Weyser & Shekallamy were, by the Treaty of 1732, ap- pointed as fitt & proper Persons to goe between the Six Nations & this Government, & to be employed in all Transactions with one another, whose Bodies the Indians said were to be equally divided between them & us, we to have one-half & they the other; that they had found Conrad faithfull and honest; that he is a true good Man, & had spoke their Words & our Words, and not his own ; and the Indians having presented him with a drest Skin to make him Shoes, and two deer Skins to, keep him warm, they said as they had thus taken Care of our friend they must recommend their's (Shekallamy), to our Notice; and the Board judging it necessary that a particular Notice should be taken of him accordingly, It is Ordered that Six pounds be laid out for him in such things as he may most want, and that the Provincial Treasurer pay the said sum. And ye Provincial Treasr. is desired to provide the same.

It was then recommended to the President, & he undertook to prepare a Draught of what might be proper to be said to these In-

* See Minute of Augt. 13th, 1737.

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

dians at giving the Present from this Government, and to lay the same before the Board to-morrow morning at ten o'clock, to which time the Council adjourned.

MEMORANDUM.

By Direction of the President, the following Proclamation for apprehending Solomon Moffat was issued :

" By the Honourable the President and Council of the Province of Pennsylvania.

" A PROCLAMATION.

"Whereas Information hath been given unto us, that on or about the beginning of September last, at Allegheny, in the County of Lancaster, within the Province aforesaid, a Quarrell having arisen between an Indian Man of the Mingoes, or Six Nations, in League & Amity with this Government, and Solomon Moffat, of the County aforesaid, Blacksmith, the said Indian Man did receive several Blows and Wounds of which he languished for several days, and languish- ing died, & that the said Moffat hath since fled for the same: And Whereas, it is not only necessary for the Preservation of that Friend- ship & good agreement which hath hitherto subsisted between this Government & all these Indians, but is likewise consonant to Jus- tice, that the said Soloman Moffat should be apprehended and brought to a Tryall for the said Offence, We have thought fit to issue this Our Proclamation, Hereby Charging & Commanding all & every of the Sherifs and Officers of the respective Counties of this Province to make diligent search & Enquiry within their respective Baily- wicks for the said Solomon Moffat, & him to apprehend & bring before any of His Majesty's Judges or Justices in this Province, to be committed to Gaol, till he be thence delivered by due Course of Law ; and for the Encouragement not only of the said Officers, but of every other Person, in detecting, pursuing, & apprehending the said Moffat, We'do hereby promise a reward of Ten pounds, to be paid by the Provincial Treasurer, to any Person or Persons who shall apprehend and deliver the said Moffat to any Judge, Justice, or other Magistrate within this Province, so that he be committed to safe Custody, in order to be proceeded against according to Law.

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Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV, Part 10

Author: Publication date: 1838 Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State Number of Pages: 814

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814