USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV > Part 71
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of Arms and Ammunition, as well as to make some Provision for the security of our back Inhabitants against Inroads from the ffrench Indians, And of this City, upon which the Trade of the whole Pro- vince chiefly depends, against any Attempt that may be made upon it from the Sea.
" GEO. THOMAS. "Nov. 14, 1743."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, the 16th of January, 1743. PRESENT :
The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Samuel Hasell,
Ralph Assheton, Esqrs.
William Till,
Abraham Taylor,
The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read and approved.
His Honour the Governor laid before the Board several Messages that had passed between him and the Assembly at their last Sitting, which were read and follow in their Order :
A Message to the Governor from the Assembly :
"May it please the Governor-
" The Bill for the new appointment of Trustees, &t., has now lain a considerable Time before the Governor, and if there be no other Objections against its being past into a Law but such as arise meerly from the Bill, we are perswaded the Governor is by this Time sufficiently determined in the Affair, and we shall be glad to have his result. If the difficulties do not arise from the Bill, but some other cause, we are desirous he will be pleased to communicate them to Us, that we may be able to judge whether they are such as are in our Power to remove, And what part it will become Us to Act therein. The Bill appears to us both useful and necessary, & all such we are willing to hope may readily obtain the Governor's Assent ; And he may be Assured we shall as readily and chearfully demonstrate our Gratitude by making an Honourable Provision for his Support.
"Signed by Order of the House, "JOHN KINSEY, Speaker.
" December 3d, 1743."
The Governour to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" As I have not taken upon me to limit any Assembly to a time for their Consultations on Matters recommended either of my self or by the Directions of the highest Authority, I have the more
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right to Expect a like ffreedom from You. I think my self likewise at liberty to give reasons or not as I shall think fit for my Appro- bation or Disapprobation of any Bills that have been or shall be laid before me. In due time, however, I may perhaps send you my Observations or Amendments to that for the new appointment of Trustees of the General Loan Office of Pennsylvania, and for making Current ten thousand Pounds in new Bills of Credit to Ex- change such of those now by Law current as are torn and defaced. I am highly obliged to you for the Assurance you have been pleased to give me of making an honourable Provision for my Support, but an Expression so general is liable to different Constructions ; some may think that an Honourable Support which in my Opinion it may be dishonourable for me to accept. There is a Justice due from the publick to me under my present Character, as well as a Justice due from me to the Publick. I am thoroughly disposed to discharge my Duty, and I promise my self that you will be as willing to put a finishing hand to the good work that was begun last year; So that being free from all differences amongst ourselves, We may be the more at liberty to attend to the Publick Interests in a Conjuncture so Critical.
"6th December, 1743."
" A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
" May it please the Governor --
" We have taken into our serious Consideration the Message the Governor was lately pleased to send Us, with the Lords Justices' Letter, in which We observe, 'the uncertain State of Publick Af- fairs, and the Dangers that his Majestie's Dominions in America may be exposed to from any sudden Attempt that might be made in case of a Rupture with ffrance,' are the principal Inducements to the Commands their Lordships were pleased to give. But since by the latest Accounts we have received no such Rupture hath hith- erto happened, and a War with ffrance is supposed to be less likely at this Time than at the Date of their Lordships' Letter, we appre- hend there is no imediate Danger, and that the State of Publick Affairs may yet take a more favourable Turn, restore the blessing of Peace to Europe, and continue it to us. However this may be, we think our selves indispensably obliged with Gratitude to acknow- ledge this Instance of their Lordships' tenderness and care for these remote Parts of the British Dominions, and we shall be ready to give such Proofs of the sincerity of our Profession of our Loyalty to our King and our Duty to their Lordships when occasion shall require, as we hope will be acceptable. With like grateful Senti- ments we observe the Concern which appears in the Governor's Message for the safety of the people of this Province, And yet it will be much more agreeable to Us the Storm which threatened should wholly blow over, that the Governor might receive our thanks VOL. IV .- 43.
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for his good intentions, rather than for his putting in Execution the Means he is pleased to propose for our Security.
" Sign'd by Order of the House. " JOHN KINSEY, Speaker.
· " December 7, 1743."
MEMORANDUM.
The Day after the Delivery of the last Message, two Members of Assembly waited on the Governor to inform him that the House was inclinable to adjourn to the seventh Day of May next, which not being objected to by his Honour, the Assembly did accordingly adjourn themselves to that Day.
His Honour acquainted the Board that he had received Informa- tion 'that a Vessel belonging to Mr. Thomas Robinson, a Merchant of the City, arrived yesterday in the River Delaware from Cagliari, a Port in the Island of Sardinia up the Mediterranean, not far from Sicilly, a place known to be infected with the Plague, and that the Captain was committed to Jayl by an Order of the City Magistrates for presuming, contrary to his Duty, to bring the Vessel to one of the Wharfs, And for abusive Language;' And the Owner and Mas- ter waited without to be examined before him in Council, and they being called in and Interrogated, the Master produced a Bill of Health dated at Cagliari, the 7th of September last, and en- dorsed at Port Mahon the 9th of October following, and declared he had not touch'd at any place, and that no person Except the Pilot had been on Board his Vessel, nor he nor any of his People on board any other Vessel since his Departure from Port Mahon; That his Cargo consisted of Salt, and that there were no goods on Board but a single Cask of Wine for his own Use, and that the Crew during the whole Voyage had been in perfect Health, and were so at this Time. After a full Examination, his Honour, finding the Captain but a weak Man, gave him a severe Reprimand for presuming to bring his Vessel to the Wharf before he had waited on his Honour and received his Directions, and Order'd him imedi- ately to remove to the Distance of two Miles from the City & there to remain, and not to suffer any Person to go from on Board, or any Except the Doctors to come on Board his Vessel, until he should receive his Honour's further Orders; And, in the mean Time, to take care to Open the Chests and have all the Cloths belonging to the Sailors and Passengers well aired. His Honour likewise directed the Secretary to speak to Doctor Greeme and Doctor Bond to visit the Vessel, and to report the number and Condition of the Sailors and Passengers, and to give it in Charge to Doctor Græme as Naval Officer to Examine the Chests and to be satisfyed that there were no other Goods on Board than Salt and the Cask of Wine. The Secretary was order'd to Prepare a number of Precepts and to de- liver one to every Pilot, forbidding them on the severest Penalties
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to presume to conduct any Vessel that should come from any part of the Streights, or from any other Place where there was Danger of receiving the Plague or any other Infectious Distemper, nearer than two Miles of any Port within the Province or Counties.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, the 25th of April, 1744. PRESENT :
The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Thomas Laurence,
Samuel Hasell, Esqrs.
Abraham Taylor,
Robert Strettell, S
The Minutes of the preceeding Council were Read and approved.
The Governor laid before the Board a Second Letter which he had received by way of New York from Andrew Stone, Esqr., Secretary of the Lords' Regents [covering a Duplicate of the Letter entred in the Minutes of Council of the 14th of November last], which was read and order'd to be entered :
" Whitehall, September 3d, 1743.
" Sir :
"I send you inclosed a Duplicate of the Letter which I wrote to you by Order of their Excellencies the Lord's Justice's on the 15th past, Containing Their Excelleies directions for putting the Province under your Government into an immediate Posture of Defence ; And Their Excellcies, doubt not but you will have taken the proper measures for that purpose. Their Excellcies. have Commanded me on this Occasion to Signify to you their further Directions that you should put the forces belonging to His Majesty's Province under your Governmt in such a Condition as to be able not only to repel the French Forces if they should attack the sd Province, but like- wise to be in a Condition, if it should become necessary, to attack them. I am Sr., &co.
" ANDREW STONE."
The Governor then laid before the Board a Letter dated the 22d of this Instant April, from Mr. Cookson, at Lancaster, purporting "That John Armstrong, an Indian Trader, with his two servants, Woodward Arnold and James Smith, had been murder'd at Juniata by three Delaware Indians, and that John Mussemeelin and John Son of Neshalleeny, two of the Indians concerned in the murder, had been Seized by the order of Shick Calamy and the other Indian Chiefs at Shamokin, and sent under a guard of Indians to be delivered up to Justice, that one was actually delivered up and in Jayl at Lan- caster, but the other had made his Escape from the Persons to whose care he was committed."
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His Honour then Sent to the Chief Justice to consult him about the Steps proper to be taken to bring the Indian to his Tryal, but as he was absent at a Court of Oyer and Terminer in Bucks County, it was the Opinion of the Board that the Indian Mussemeelin should be immediately removed to Philadelphia Jayl, and that Con- rad Weiser should be immediately dispatched to the Chiefs of the Delaware Indians at Shamokin, to make a peremptory demand in his Honor's Name of the other murderers concerned, and that Shick Calamy and the Indians there do order immediate search to be made for the Goods of which the deceased was robbed, in order to their being put into the Hands of his Brother for the satisfaction of his Creditors, or the Support of his family. And at the same time to inform them that the Chiefs of the Indians which shall meet at Lancaster on the Treaty with Our Neighbouring Govern- ments, will be desired to Depute some of their Number to be pre- sent at the Tryal and at the Execution of such as shall be found Guilty.
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May the 8th, 1744.
MEMORANDUM.
A message was sent from the Assembly to the Governour by two of their Members, desiring to know whether the Governour had come to any Resolution upon the Bill for the appointment of Trus- tees of the General Loan Office, &c., And that if he was willing to pass it, he would send it back to the House that they might make some alterations in it, which were become necessary as the time was elapsed at which the Bill was to take place. To which the Gover- nour answered, That he had the Bill under consideration, and was willing to return it to the House for any Alterations they may find necessary, altho' he thinks it not altogether Parliamentary, and that he was ready to pass any Bills that may be laid before him for the Publick Good; but as this Bill has for its Basis the paper money Act pass'd by him, which has yielded a very considerable annual Revenue to the Publick, and amongst other things was expressly calculated for the Support of Government, he expected that the House would make up to him a Support equal to what was Given to his two immediate Predecessors. The Governour added, that as he had fallen into more difficult times than any of their former Gov- ernours, and had conducted publick affairs to the Honour and Repu- tation of the Province, he hoped the Assembly had laid aside all prejudices as he on his part had done, and that they would no longer defer doing what he thinks is not only in Justice due to him, but is at this time, as the Excise Act is likewise Expired, so apparently for the interest of their Constituents. E. R. P.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
At a Council held at Philadelphia the 15th day of May, 1744.
PRESENT :
The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esquire, Lieutenant Governour.
Thomas Laurence,
Ralph Assheton,
William Till,
Abraham Taylor, Esqrs.
Robert Strettell,
The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read and Ap- proved.
The Governor laid before the Board Several Messages that had passed between his Honour and the Assembly, which were read, and are as follows :
"The Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" I communicated to you at your last meeting a Letter from the Lords' Justices, directing me 'To put the Colony under my Com- mand into the best posture of Defence possible.' I have since re- ceived another. Letter, which is now laid before you, further direct- ing me 'To put the Forces belonging to his Majesty's Province under my Government into Such a Condition as to be able not only to Repel the French Forces if they should attack the said Province, but likewise to be in a Condition if it should become necessary to attack them.' Their Excellencies were, undoubtedly, at the time of writing these Letters in expectation of some Event which would have brought on a Rupture with France, probably that of Prince Charles of Lorain's passing the Rhine with the Army under his Command, and joining that Commanded by his Majesty in Person. If a War with France was then Expected, and an attack upon some of the French Plantations in America was then meditated, What are We to Expect after Our Mother Country has been threatened with an Invasion by a French Power in favour of a Popish Preten- der ? His Majesty's Vigilance, and the Zeal and affection of his Parliament, seem, indeed (under God) to have already defeated that dangerous and insolent Attempt; and may the Attempts of his Majesty's Enemys, and the Enemies of Our Religion and Liberties in all times to come, be defeated. But is it likely matters will stop here ? Is it not more Probable that War will be soon denounced against that perfideous nation; and since Our Distance renders us unserviceable to his Majesty's and the British Cause in Europe, that We shall be called upon for Our Assistance towards humbling the haughty Enemy in America ? The conjuncture, Gentlemen, is extremely Critical. The method proposed by me at your last meet- ing for defending ourselves, will put us in a Condition, when it shall be required of us, to annoy our Enemies.
"GEORGE THOMAS."
"May the 8th, 1744."
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The Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" Mr. Cookson's Letter to me, which I have ordered to be laid be- fore you, will fully inform you of the barbarous Murders perpe- trated by three of the Delaware Indians upon John Armstrong, an Indian Trader, and his two Servants. Shick Calamy and the In- dians settled at Shamokin, upon Information given by the Brother of the deceased, and some others, apprehended two of the Murder- ers and sent them down to the Inhabited part of the Country; but one only of them was delivered up, the other having been permit- ted by the Indians that had the Custody of them to make his Es- cape. The first was committed to Lancaster Goal ; but upon notice giving me of it, thinking that he might not be altogether Secure in the Neighbourhood of the Indians, that it might be of use towards the Conviction of his Accomplices to defer his Tryal till they should be apprehended, and that it might give some uneasiness to the In- dians to be presented with such a Scene at the Place appointed for setling their Differences with the Governments of Virginia and Maryland, I, with the advice of the Council, ordered him to be con- vey'd under a Guard to the Goal in this City where he now lyes. And that the Reputation of the Government, the safety of the Back Inhabitants, and the Trade of the Province with the Indians, may not in the future be affected by any Remissness in the Prosecution of this affair, I sent orders to Conrad Weiser to set out immediately for Shamokin, and there to make a Peremptory Demand in my Name of the other two Murderers; and that Shick Calamy and the Indians there do order immediate Search to be made for the Goods of which the deceased was robbed, in order to their being put into the Hands of his Brother for the satisfaction of his Creditors or the Support of his family ; And at the same time to Inform them that I design to send a Message to the Chiefs of the Indians which shall meet at Lancaster on the Treaty with Our Neighbouring Govern- ments, desiring them to depute some of their Number to be present at the Tryal and at the Execution of such as shall be found Guilty.
" Conrad Weiser has had a great deal of Trouble with Indian affairs within these few months, which, with his Fidelity and Ca- pacity, I think intitles him to an handsome Reward from the Pub- lick, and I do not doubt but you will give it him."
The Assembly to the Governor.
" May it please the Governor :
" The Religious and Civil Liberties we enjoy under the happy Establishment of the Crown in the present Royal Family are ines- timable, and any Attempt against the Person of Our Gracious Sov- creign and present Constitution ought to be held in the greatest Detestation by every true Lover of his Country. It was with great surprize and concern we received Information of the late insolent
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and treacherous Invasion intended in favour of a Popish Pretender ; and we Esteem it a Signal Favour of Divine Providence in discov- ering and defeating that Attempt, and preventing the Effusion of blood which might have ensued thereupon.
" We have a grateful Sense of every Instance of the care taken by the Government over us; the Letters sent by Direction of the Lords Justices, which the Governor hath been pleased to communi- cate to Us, we account of this number. And altho' we must con- fess the affairs of Europe seem to be very unsettled, the Conjunc- ture, as the Governour is pleased to express it, extremely Critical, yet we still hope this part of the King's Dominions is in no im- mediate danger ; that the late seasonable Interposition of Providence against his Enemies, the Enemies of our Country, Religion, and Liberty's, the Defeat of their Combined fleet, and the many Dis- apointments their Ambitious views have from time to time received, may at length induce them to seek peace for their own Sakes. But as former Assemblies, as well as the Present, have fully expressed themselves on the Subject matter of this Message, and their Senti- ments therein well understood by the Governor, we think it unne- cessary to add any thing further on the same Occasion."
A Message to the Governour from the Assembly.
" May it please the Governor :
" We return the Governor Our Hearty thanks for the Care he hath been pleased to take for apprehending the Indians Charged with the Murder of John Armstrong and his two men, lately killed on or near Juniata Creek. Altho' the Relation given by Conrad Weiser since his Return from the Indians, laid before us by the Governor s Directions, makes it appear not improbable that Mashe- meelin, the Indian now in Custody, was the only person who com- mitted those barbarous facts, The Care and dilligence already shewn by the Governor in this affair leave us no Room to Doubt but that such farther steps will be taken as shall be necessary for the Dis- covery of all such as have been any wise concerned in perpetrating those Murders, that they may be brought to Justice in the most Prudent manner, and so as to avoid giving any Umbrage to the In- dian Nations. And we offer it to the Governor's consideration whether to this Purpose, as well as in regard to the Treaty which by his Mediation hath been set on foot between our Neighboring Governments and the Indians, it would not be more effectual if, instead of the Message the Governor is pleased to Mention, He should be present at the time of the Treaty. This we know must occasion an Expence; but as it is requisite for the publick Good, if the Governor shall be pleased to undertake the Journey, we will chearfully make Provision for that purpose, and likewise for the Services Conrad Weiser hath done the Province.
" Permitt us further to observe, that according to Conrad Weiser's
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Accounts, two Letters sent by Alexander Armstrong to the Indians caused great Disturbance, and made them apprehensive the Friends of the Deceased intended to revenge themselves on the Indians ; and as it may be of evil Tendency, and destructive to the Peace of the Province, for private Persons to take upon themselves to do Acts which more properly belong to the Government, we pray the Gov- ernor will be pleased to take such Measures as he shall think most proper to prevent the like practices for the future."
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Conrad Weiser-his Report of his Journey to Shamokin.
" Shamokin, May 2d, 1744.
" This day I delivered the Governor's Message to Olumapies, the Delaware Chief, and the rest of Delaware Indians, in the presence of Shick Calamy and a few more of the Six Nations, The purport of which was, That I was sent Express by the Governor and Council to demand those that had been concerned with Mussemeelin in Mur- dering John Armstrong, Woodward Arnold, and James Smith ; That their Bodies might be searched for and decently buried ; That the Goods be likewise found and restored without fraud. It was delivered to them by me in the Mohawck Language, and întrepreted into Delaware by Andrew, Madam Monture's Son."
In the afternoon, Olumapies, in the presence of the aforesaid In- dians, made the following Answer :
"Brother the Governor-
" It is true that we the Delaware Indians, by the Instigation of the Evil Spirit, have Murdered James Armstrong and his Men. We have transgressed, and we are ashamed to look up. We have taken the Murderer and delivered him to the Relations of the De- ceased, to be dealt with according to his works.
"Brother the Governor --
" Your demand for the goods is very just. We have gathered some of them. We will do the utmost of what we can to find them all. We do not doubt but we can find out the most part, and what- ever is wanting we will make up in Skins, which is what the Goods are sent for to the Woods.
" Brother the Governor-
" The dead Bodies are Buried ; it is certain that John Armstrong was buried by the Murderer, and the other two by those that searched for them. Our Hearts are in Mourning, and we are in a dismal condition and cannot say any thing at present."
Then Shick Calamy with the rest of the Indians of the Six Na- tions there present, say'd : " Brother the Governor-We have been all missinformed on both sides about the unhappy accident. Mus-
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semeelin has certainly Murdered the three White men himself, and upon his bare Accusation of Neshaleeny's Son, which was nothing but spite, the said Neshaleeny's son was Seized and made a Prisoner. Our Cousins the Delaware Indians being then Drunk, in particular Olumapies, never Examined things, but made an Innocent person Prisoner, which gave a great deal of Disturbance amongst us. How'er the two Prisoners were sent, and by the way in going down the River they stopped at the House of James Berry. James told the Young man, 'I am sorry to see you in such a Condition. I have known you from a Boy, and always loved you.' Then the Young man seemed to be very much struck to the Heart, and say'd, 'I have said nothing yet, but now I will tell all; let all the Indians come in, and the White people also; they shall hear it.' And then told Mussemeelin in the presence of all the people.
"'Now I am going to Dye for your Wickedness. You have killed all the three White men; I never did intend to kill any of them.' Then Mussemeelin in anger say'd, 'It is true I have killed them. I am a Man, you are a Coward ; it is a Great satisfaction to me to have killed them. I will Dye with Joy for having killed a Great Rogue and his Companions.' Upon which the Young Man was set at liberty by the Indians. We desire, therefore, our Brother the Governor will not insist to have either of the two Young Men in Prison or Condemned to Dye. It is not with Indians as with White people, to put People in Prison on Suspicion or for Triffles. Indians must be first found Guilty of a Crime, then Judgement is given and immediately Executed. We will give you faithfully all the particulars, and at the ensueing Treaty entirely satisfie you; in the mean time We desire that good friendship and Harmony may continue, and that we may live long together is the Hearty desire of your Brethren the Indians of the United Six Nations present at Shamokin."
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