USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV > Part 69
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May 4th.
Two Members of the Assembly waited upon the Governor & acquainted him that the House was inclined to adjourn to the first Day of August next, unless he had something to lay before them that might require them longer stay. To which the Governor an- swer'd that he had nothing to Lay before the House at this Time, nor had he any objection to the Time proposed.
At a Council held at Philada., June 6th, 1743.
PRESENT :
The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor.
Samuel Preston,
Clement Plumsted,
Thomas Laurence,
Samuel Hasell, Esqrs.
William Till,
Robert Strettell,
After reading the Minutes of the preceeding Council, which were
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approv'd, the Governor order'd the secretary to read the Draught of his Letter to Col. Gooch, in which he inclosed Conrad Weiser's Report of his second Journey to Shamokin.
" Philada., April 25th, 1743.
" Sr. :
" As I made an Offer of my Mediation to the Indians of the six Nations imediately after I was inform'd of their unhappy Skirmish with some of the Inhabitants of the back parts of your Government, and you have been since pleased, in your Letter of the 8th of ffebru- ary Last, to signify to me that my good Offices would be acceptable, I now transmit by a special Messenger a Copy of the Report made by our Indian Interpreter (who is a Man of great probity and a thorough Knowledge in Indian Affairs), on the several Matters he was charged with. Shikellimo came down with him to this Town & confirm'd the whole by word of Mouth, before the Council here, and as he is a person of Consequence, & Indians always expect to be well rewarded for their Trouble, I have taken care to send him & his fellow Travellers home well Satisfied. As the Answer of the six Nations, in what relates to Virginia, is very far from breathing a Spirit of Revenge, I cannot but promise my self that it will prove satisfactory to you, and consequently that I shall have the pleasure of having been in some Degree instrumental as well in preventing a further Effusion of Blood, as in restoring a ffriendship which the policy of his Majestie's Colonies in this part of his Dominions has at all Times cultivated with great Care and Expence, and seems to me more particularly necessary in this Critical Juncture ; ffrom the Interpreter's private Conversation with Shikellimo, you will observe that the six Nations insist upon the Virginians having been the Agressors ; And to be plain, from all the Circumstances I have been able to Collect, I am of that Opinion. Had Mr. Pattin been him- self in the Action, his Letter, from the Character you give him, would have had greater weight with me, tho' there are some Things in it that upon a Strict Examination appear inconsistent & impro- bable ; but as he received his information from others who found it necessary to lay the Blame on the Indians to excuse their own Rashness, his Veracity is no ways concerned, And if the Inhabi- tants of the back parts of Virginia have no more Truth and Hon- esty than some of ours, I should make no Scruple to prefer an Iroquois' Testimony to their's. The Indians own that they kill'd some Hoggs to asswage their Hunger, which, joined to their Threats last year in Case they were not paid for their Lands, seems to mc to have been the fatal Cause of the Skirmish. Had they design'd Hostilities, it is not probable they would have trusted themselves in any of the white Inhabitants' Houses, as some of them did upon their Invitation, tho' only with a design to secure them. I shall not enter into a more particular Examination of the facts, as I can-
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not Doubt but you have been since very fully inform'd of them. Nothing now remains but to take the Hatchet out of their Heads- ~ that is, I suppose, to send Commissioners to Albany to declare your Concern for the rashness of your remote Inhabitants, and at the same time to make them a present. This done, they will enter into a friendly Treaty with you about the Land when they Treat with the Governor of Maryland at Harris' fferry on Sasquehan- nah, which will be next Spring. Whatsoever measures you shall think fit to take, I am sure & Confident they will be the most pru- dent and equitable, but you will give me Leave to insist that as the six Nations have suspended their Resentment & have order'd their ffriends to lay aside their Arms at my request, you will be pleas'd to take the most effectual Measures on your part to prevent Hostili- ties from being exercised against them until you shall have signified your Resolutions to me. The Messenger is order'd to wait your own Time for an Answer, which I shall not fail to Transmit forth- with to Shamokin in Order to its being Convey'd to the Indian Council at Onondago. If it shall be thought that I can be further serviceable, you may use the Greatest freedom in laying Your Com- mands upon me as I am, &t."
Then the Secretary read Col. Gooch's Answer, which was likewise order'd to be transcribed into the Council Book, and is as follows : " ST. :
" The Service you have done the Publick in Mediating so success- fully for Virginia, and bringing the Indians, after our Late unhappy Skirmish, to a Sense of Humanity, is a very Sensible Pleasure to me. I laid your Letter before the Council, who beg you to accept their most grateful Acknowledgements, tho', as is commonly the Lot of good natur'd Men, at the same Time we thank You for what is past; We are the occasion of fresh Trouble, by pleading for the Continu- ance of your good Offices. A journey to Albany at this Season, to take the Hatchet out of their Heads, is a Concession we would will- ingly avoid, And therefore we request that You will be pleas'd to send your honest Interpreter once more to the Indian Chiefs, and if Possible prevail with them to accept through Your Hands a present from Us of £100 Sterl. value in such Goods as you think proper, as a token of our sincere Disposition to preserve Peace and friendship with them, And as an Earnest that we will not fail to send Comis- sioners next Spring, at the Time and to the place that shall be agreed upon, to treat with them concerning the Lands in Dispute. If what the six Nations insist upon be true, that we were the aggressors, the matter has been greatly misrepresented to me, and I should be much concerned. But since, by your kind interposition, the Cure for past injuries and the Preservative against future ones is applied, I shan't controvert the ffact, and You may depend upon it no fresh Hostilities shall be Exercised against them. Had I known of the good Under- standing, and how firmly the ffriendship between Your Province and
S 1
1
th of
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the Indians is establish'd, I should not have Troubled the Governor of New York on this Subject.
"I am very sincerely and with much respect,
" Sr., Your most Obedient Humble Serv.,
" WILLIAM GOOCH.
" May 7th, 1743."
It was the Opinion of the Board that Conrad Weiser should be sent for immediately, and dispatch'd to Onondago with the following Instructions :
" Instructions for Conrad Weiser, Esqr., Interpreter for the Go- vernment of Pennsylvania, with the Indians of the six Nations.
"You are forthwith to proceed for Onondago, and there You are to acquaint the Chiefs of the six Nations met in Council,
"That the Governor & Council of Virginia have express'd an in- tire Satisfaction in my Mediation, and have very thankfully acknow- ledg'd my Services in healing the Breach occasion'd by the late un- happy Skirmish between some of their back Inhabitants and some Indians of those Nations ;
"That they have given me the Strongest Assurances that no fresh Hostilities shall be exercised ag them ;
"That they have requested the Continuance of my good offices, and that I would send You, as being a Person in whom I can con- fide, to desire them to receive through my Hands a Present from that Governmt Of one hundred Pounds Sterling Value in such Goods as I think proper, as a token of their sincere Disposition to preserve Peace and ffriendship with them, and as an earnest that they will not fail to send Commissioners next Spring at the Time and to the Place that shall be agreed upon to treat with them con- cerning the Lands in Dispute ;
"That the said one hundred Pounds Sterling is already lodged by the Governor of Virginia in my Hands for that Purpose, and shall be laid out in such Goods as shall be most agreeable to them ;
" And Lastly, after you are perfectly well Satisfied of the like good Dispositions in the Indians of the six Nations, and they have Consented to accept of the present Offer'd, You are to agree with them upon the Time and Place of meeting next Spring for treating with the Government of Virginia concerning the Lands in Dispute.
" Given under my Hand & the Lesser Seal of the Province of Penn- sylvania, this 18th Day of June, 1743."
Then the Governor informed the Board that Robert Dunning, John Canon, & Esther Harris, were waiting at the Council Door, in Order to lay before them a Deposition made before Justice Hogg by one James Hendricks, servant to an Indian Trader at Alligheny, , who had deposed that he had seen the Indians there in pursuit of
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some of the Traders, And that he had heard the discharge of two or more Guns, from whence he verily believ'd that the pursued Tra- ders were murder'd, and at the same Time declared his Apprehen- sions that the Indians designed to cut off all the Traders in those parts, which had alarmed the Inhabitants of Lancaster County to that Degree that several had left their Habitations; And that they were dispatch'd as Messengers to inform the Government of this, and to receive Directions what to do. Whereupon they were called in and Hendricks' Deposition was read, and likewise two other De- positions made by two other Indian Traders, who deposed that they were desired by some Indian ffriends of theirs to make the best of their Way out of the Indian Country, to avoid their being murder'd by the Indians, who were come to a Resolution to cut off all the white People.
After which sd. Dunning and the others were Examin'd, but re- lated to no other Particulars than what were contained in the said Depositions, except some groundless insinuations of one Peter Char- tier, an Indian Trader;, Whereupon the Governor entred into a De- tail of the several Transactions that had lately past between this Government and the six Nations, from whence he concluded that they might be assured there was no Disposition in the Indians to begin a War, and that the Informations given by Hendrick's and the rest were the Effect of fear & Chartier's Villanous Reports, and advised them to return immediately to their own Homes and to pre- vail on their Neighbours to disperse and remain quiet. But they insisting that it would not be in their power to Satisfy the Minds of the people unless some Persons of Credit were to be sent by the Governor, And the Secretary informing the Board that William Parsons and himself were to go up to Lancaster County next week upon some business of the Proprietor's, The Governor gave di- rections to Mr. Peters to inform himself in the best Manner he could of the Truth of what had been deposed, and to send him speedy intelligence of it, And if he found there was no just Grounds for the People's fears, as he was almost confident there was not, that he would use his utmost endeavours to quiet them and to per- swade the People to return to their Habitations, particularly by shewing them a Copy of the Messages that had passed between him & the Indians of the six Nations, and by putting them in Mind that those Indians had at all Times preserved their Treaties in- violably with this Government, and that from thence & many other Circumstances there is not at this Time the least reason to appre- hend any Treachery from them.
The Governor laid before the Board the following Letter, which was wrote by Mr. Cookson at the Instance of the Conoy Indians :
" May it please your Honour-
"The Indians of the Conoy Town, on the East side Sasquehanna, in the beginning of April Last sent me a Message, signifying their
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having some thing to Communicate to your Honour by me, and de- sired me to be at Home the 11th of the same Month, on which Day they came down to the Number of 14. I invited them into my House, and after some time Old Sack (who is the Chief of that Town) spoke to the following purpose: 'We desire you to acquaint our Brother the Governor, that our fforefathers came from Piscatua to an Island in Potowmeck, and from thence down to Philadelphia in Old Proprietor Penn's Time, in Order to shew their ffriendship to the Proprietor; That after their return they brought down all their Brothers from Potowmeck to Conejoholo, on the East side Sasquehannah, and built a town there.
"' That the Indians of the six Nations told 'em there was Land enough, they might chuse their place of Settlement any where about Sasquehannah.
""'That accordingly they thought fit to remove higher up Sas- quehannah to the Conoy Town, where they now live; And on their first settling, the Indians of the six Nations came down & made their ffire, and all the great Men declared the fire of their Kindling in token of their approbation of their settling there; But that now the Lands all around them being settled by white People, their hunting is spoiled And they have been long advised by the six Nations to leave the place and go higher up the River and settle either at the Mouth of Conodogwinnet, Chiniotta, or up at Shamokin.
"'That now they are come to a Resolution to remove up to Sha- mokin; And, therefore, according to their Custom, they desire to acquaint their Brother, the Governor, therewith, that he may know certainly where to find them upon any occasion; that they will be down at Philadelphia in one Year, and then they hope the Governor or some Gentlemen of Philadelphia will give them something for their old ffields.' And in order to satisfy your Honour that this Message was sent down at their instance, they desired the String of Wampum herewith sent to be delivered.
" Upon hearing that the Stragling Indians were call'd into their Towns upon Account of the late Skirmish in Virginia, I told them I hoped they were under no Apprehension of Staying amongst the white People, especially of this Province, for that they might be well assured they might remain very secure in their Treaty with this Government so long as they behav'd agreeably to it. To which the Old Man answer'd, that what had happened in Virginia was no motive at all to their removal; That they were under no fear or Apprehension of our People's using them ill, And that the sole reason was to be settled a little from the Inhabitants for the sake of their Hunting.
" As they observed to me form in the thing, I thought it would VOL. IV .- 42.
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be expected that I should be particular, or should have reduc'd it to the necessary parts.
"I am Yo". Hon's most obedt. Humble servt,
"THO. COOKSON.
"Lancaster, 1st May, 1743."
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August 1st, 1743.
The Assembly, by two of their Members, acquainted the Gov- ernor that they were met pursuant to their Adjournment, and if the Governor had any thing to Lay before them they were ready to receive it. To which the Governor Answer'd that he had prepared a Message, and would send it to the House to-Morrow.
August 2d.
The Governor sent his Secretary with the following written Message, and the several Papers referred to, Viz" :
" Gentlemen :
"I have now the Pleasure to tell You that my Mediation be- tween the Government of Virginia & the Indians of the six Nations has been so far attended with Success that nothing seems wanting but the fform of a treaty to reconcile their Differences, as well on Account of the Late unhappy Skirmish as of the Lands claimed by those Indians, which both parties are desirous should be held next Spring, and have given me the strongest Assurances that no. Acts of Hostility shall be committed in the Mean time. The Governor of Maryland has likewise promised that Satisfaction shall be made them for their Lands settled by the People under his Government. I can truly say that I have spared no Pains, for no Pains can be too great to accomplish so desireable a work as that of Peace, and I assure my self from thence of Your and every Man's Approba- tion that has any Sentiments of Humanity or knows how to Value the Reputation or Security that will attend this Government from its becoming the Reconciler of our Neighbour's Quarrels. To avoid prolixity and for your more particular Information & Satisfaction, I have order'd Copies of the most material Transactions in this Affair to be laid before You.
" As this has generally been the Season for finishing the Business of the Year, it may not be improper to put you in mind that there are still some things undone which immediately concern the Interests of the Publick : I for my Part shall be glad of this and every other
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Opportunity of demonstrating my willingness to do every thing that can reasonably be expected of me.
" GEO. THOMAS. " Aug. 2, 1743."
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August 6th.
Two members of Assembly waited on the Governor & delivered the following answer to his Message, Viz. :
" May it please the Governor :
"We receive with great Satisfaction the Account the Governor is pleased to give Us that his Mediation between the Government of Virginia & the Indians of the six Nations is attended with Success. The late unhappy Skirmish between some of the Inhabitants of that Colony and a Party of the six Nations, to such as Consider'd the dismal Consequences that might have attended, Afforded but a melancholy Prospect, and as we now find that by the Governor's Care and Diligence the Scene is happily changed, the Obstacles to future Peace removed, it merits not only 'our's & every mans Approbation' but excites our Gratitude in the return of our hearty thanks.
"This has generally been the Season for finishing the business of the Year, such as appears to Us necessary now to be done, and we have now under our Consideration, and the part which lies before Us we hope in a little Time to compleat. And we acknowledge the Obligation we are under for the kind Declaration the Governor is pleased to make 'of his being glad of this and every other Oppor- tunity of demonstrating his willingness to do every thing that can reasonably be expected of him.'"
August 11th.
Two Members of the Assembly waited on the Governor and presented a Bill for removing the Trustees of the Loan Office and appointing others to execute the said Trust.
August 13th.
Two of the Assembly waited on the Governor and informed him that several of their Members being sick and unable to attend, the House was inclinable to rise as soon as possible, and was therefore desirous to know his Sentiments on the Bill now before him. To which the governor answer'd that he was sorry for the Indisposi-
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tion of the Members, and that he was not himself very well, but that he had consider'd the Bill and had it still under Consideration.
EODEM DIE.
Two Members waited on the Governor and acquainted him that the House proposes to adjourn this Day to the 30th of September next, if he had nothing to lay before them that might require their longer Stay. To which the Governor answer'd, That he had no Objection to the Adjournment.
August the 13th.
Conrad Weiser's Report of his Journey to Onondago on the affairs of Virginia, in Obedience to the Orders of the Governor in Council, 13 June, 1743, delivered to the Governor the 1st Sep- tember :
" On the 21st we arrived at Cachiadachse, the first Town of the Onondagoes. About noon I heard that the Messenger I had sent from Oswego had missed his Way and did not arrive there. I there- fore imediately sent a Messenger from this place to the Chief Town about five miles off to acquaint the Chiefs of that Nation of my com- ing with a Message from Onas on behalf of Assaryquoa. They dispatched Messengers that Day to Summon the Council of the Six Nations. My Messenger came back & inform'd me that the House of Annwaraogon was appointed for our Lodging; we set out and arriv'd there at three o'Clock in the Afternon. After we had eat some dry'd Eels boiled in Hominy, and some Matts had been spread for Us to lye upon, Canassatego & Caheshcarowanoto, of the Chiefs, with several more, came to see Us & receiv'd Us very kindly. They asked how their Brethren did in Philadelphia, and in particular the Governor, & whether Onas was arrived. I answer'd that their Breth- ren in Philadelphia were all well & in the same Disposition of Mind as they had left them in Last Year, and in particular the Governor their Brother was so, who, according to the Trust reposed in him by Onas, when he left Philadelphia, was always engaged for the good of the Publick. We smoak'd a Pipe of Philadelphia Tobacco together, & had some further discourse on things of no Consequence. The 22d, early in the Morning, Tocanontie (otherwise call'd the black Prince of Onondago), came to see Us with Caxhayion and expressed their Satisfaction at my coming to Onondago, saying You never come without good News from our Brethren in Philadelphia. I smil'd & told him it was enough to kill a Man to come such a Long & bad Road over Hills, Rocks, Old Trees, and Rivers, and to fight through a Cloud of Vermine, and all kinds of Poisen'd Worms
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and creeping things, besides being Loaded with a disagreeable Mes- sage, upon which they laugh'd ; and Tocanontie told me that he was extreamely glad last Night to hear I was come to Onondago. Can- assatego and Caheshcarowno, with several more, came to see Us again and spent the Day with us. We had for the Subject of our Conversation the Occurrences of our Journey and General News. The twenty-third it was good weather. I, with Shikellimo, visited Canassatego, desired him to meet Us in the Bushes to have a pri- vate Discourse, which he approved of. We met a little way distant from the Town; I brought with me my Instructions and the Wam- pums I had, and told him that as he was our Particular ffriend and well acquainted both with Indians & white People's Affairs & Cus- toms, I would tell him all my Business, and beg his Advice how to speak to everything when the Council should be met. He as- sured me of his good will and Affection to the Governor of Pensilvania and all his People, and that he would do for me what lay in his power. I then explained my Instructions to him, and show'd him the Wampum. He told us that what he had heard of me was very good, he must first go and acquaint Caheshcarowano with it, and they would then both send for me and Shikellimo, and put us in the Way ; we broke up imediately, and Canassatego went directly to Caheshcarowano and we to our Lodging. In the afternoon they sent for me and Shikellimo to the House of Caheshcarowano, and I was desired to bring my Instructions and my Wampums with me. I went along with the Messenger to the House of the said Chief, where I found, to my Surprize, all the Chiefs of Onondago met in Council. Tocan- ontie spoke to me after this Manner : 'Brother, the Chiefs of Onondago are all of one Body and Soul, and of one Mind; there- fore Canassatego and Caheshcarowano have acquainted us with the whole of what had passed betwixt You and Canassatego in the Bushes ; you have done very well and prudent to inform the Ononda- goes of your Message before the rest of the Counsellors meet, since it Concerns chiefly the Onondagoes, and it will altogether be left to Us by the Council of the United Nations to answer your Message ; be, therefore, not surprized in seeing Us all Met in Council unex- pectedly, and explain the Paper to Us you have from our Brother the Governor of Pennsylvania, which I did accordingly, and ac- quainted them with the whole Message; they seemed to be very well pleased, and promised they would put every thing in such Pos- ture that when the Council of the United Nations arrive, I should have an Answer soon, and such an one as they did not doubt would be satisfactory to the Governor of Pennsylvania and Assaryquoa ; that they had always so much regard for Onas & his People that they would do anything for them in their Power, and they looked upon the Person that kept House for Onas (meaning the Governor) as if Onas was there himself. I thanked them for their good will and Left them for this Time, knowing they had something to do
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amongst themselves ; Tocanontie was Speaker. The 24th the Coun- cil of the Onandagoes sat again. Jonnhaty, the Captain of the Unhappy Company that had the Skirmish last winter in Virginia, was sent for with two More of his Companions. He was desired to tell the story from the beginning how every thing happen'd, which he did; he seem'd to be a very thoughtful and honest Man, and took a deal of Time in telling the Story ; after he had done, I told him I would write it down before I left Onondago, in his Presence, to which he agreed, and desired that some of the Chiefs might be present when he was to rehearse it again. In the Evening the Ca- juga Deputies arrived. The 25th Visited Caheshcarowano this Morning, and Caxhayion in the afternoon. Jonnhaty gave a ffeast to which Assaryquoa whom I represented, and Onas whom Shikel- limo represented, was invited with the Chiefs of the Town, about 18 in number; the ffeast consisted of a Cask of Rum, of about two gallons ; several Songs were sung before the ffeast begun, in which they thanked Assaryquo for visiting them ; they also thanked Onas (the Governor of Pennsilvania) for conducting Assaryquoa and Showing him the Way to Onondago; the Sun was praised for having given Light, and for dispelling the Clouds ; then the Cask was open'd, & a Cup of about & of a Gill was fill'd for Canassatego, who drank to the Health of Assary- quoa ; next him drank Caheshcarowano to the Health of the Governor of Pennsilvania, and after this Manner we drank round; the next Time the first Cup was reached to me by Jonnhaty, who attended the ffeast, I wished long Life to the wise Counsellors of the united Nations, and drank my Cup, so did Shikellimo & the rest; after that the Kettle was handed round with a wooden Spoon in it; every one took so much as he pleased. Whilst we were drinking & smoking, news came that a Deputation of the Nanticoke Indians arrived at Cachiadachse from Maryland ; the House of Canassatego was ordain'd for them, since the Town House was taken up by Onas & Assaryquoa; after all the Rum was drunk, the usual thanks was given from every Nation or Deputy with the usual sound of Jo-haa, and we parted. The 26th. In the Morning I went to see the Nan- tikokes ; there was six in Number, none could speak a word of the Language of the united Nations. I found there besides Canassetego, his Brother, Zila Woolien, and others; they desired me to stand Interpreter for the Nanticokes (they heard us talk English together), to which I consented ; no Deputies were Yet arrived from any other Nation. I desired Canassatego to send again to have at least the Oneidos there, as they were concern'd in the Late Skirmish, which was done immediately. The 27th. No Business was done to-Day. The 28th. The Deputies from the Oneidos and Tuscaroros arriv'd. Aquoyiota, an old Acquaintance of mine, came with them ; he is a Man of about 70 Years of age, a Native & Chief of the Oneidos. The 29th. The Onondago's held another Private Council, and sent for me and Shikellimo; every thing was discoursed over again, and
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