Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV, Part 75

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

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and Sixty Years; and under that Great King the Inhabitants of Virginia hold their Land, so they thought there might be some Mistake.

" Wherefore they Desired the Governor of New York to enquire of you about it. He sent His Interpreter to You in May, 1743, who laid this before you at a Council held at Onandago, to which You answer, 'That if you had any Demand or Pretensions on the Gov- ernor of Virginia any way, You would have made it known to the Governor of New York.' This corresponds with what you have said to Governor Thomas, in the Treaty made with him at Philadel- phia in July, 1742, for then you only made your Claim to lands in Government of Maryland.

" We are so well pleased with this Good Faith of You our Brethern of the Six Nations, and your Regard of the Treaties made with Virginia, that we are ready to hear you on the Subject of your Message Eight Years since.

" Tell us what Nations of Indians you Conquered any Lands from in Virginia, how long it is Since, and what Possession you have had ; and if it does appear that there is any Land on the Bor- ders of Virginia that the Six Nations have a Right to, we are willing to make you satisfaction."

Then laid down a String of Wampum, which was accepted with the usual Ceremony, and then added :

"We have a Chest of New goods, and the key is in Our Pockets. You are our Brethren ; the Great King is our Common Father, and we will live with you as Children ought to do in Peace and Love.

" We will brighten the Chain and Strengthen the Union between Us, so that we shall never be divided, but remain Friends and Brethren as long as the Sun gives us light. In Confirmation whereof we give you this Belt of Wampum."

Which was received with the Usual Ceremony. Tachanontia Reply'd :

" Brother Assaraquoa-

" You have made a Good Speech to Us, which is very agreeable, and for which we return you our Thanks. We shall be able to give you an Answer to every part of it sometime this afternoon, and we shall let you know when we are ready."

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

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In the Court House at Lancaster, 27th June, 1744, P. M. PRESENT :

The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqre., Governor, &ca.

The Honourable the Commissioners of Virginia.

The Honourable the Commissioners of Maryland.

The Deputies of the Six Nations.

Conrad Weiser, Interpreter.

Tachanoontia Spoke as follows :

" Brother Assaraquoa-

"Since you have Joined with the Governor of Maryland and Brother Onas in Kindling this Fire, we gladly acknowledge the pleasure we have in seeing you here and observing your good Dis- positions, as well to Confirm the Treaties of Friendship as to Enter into further Contracts about Land with Us, and in token of Our Satisfaction We Present you with this String of Wampum.

Which was received with the usual Ceremonies.

"Brother Assaraquoa :

" In your Speech this Morning you were Pleased to say we had wrote a Letter to James Logan about Seven years ago, to demand a Consideration for our Lands in the Possession of some of the Vir- ginians. That you held them under the Great King for upwards of One hundred and Sixty Years, and that we had already given up our Right, and that therefore you had desired the Governor of New York to send his Interpreter to Us last Year to Onandago, which he did, and as you say, We, in Council at Onandago, did declare that we had no Demand on you for Lands, and that if we had any Pretensions we should have made them known to the Governor of New York; and likewise you desire to know if we have any Rights to the Virginia Lands, and that we will make such Right appear and tell you what nations of Indians We conquered those Lands from.

"Now we Answer, We have the Right of Conquest-a Right too dearly Purchas'd, and which cost us too much Blood to give up without any Reason at all, as you say We have done at Albany; but we should be obliged to you if you would let us see that Letter, and Inform Us who was the Interpreter and whose names are put to the Letter ; for as the whole Transaction can't be above a year's standing, it must be fresh in every Body's Memory, and some of Our Council would easily remember it; but we assure you, and we are well able to prove that neither we nor any Part of Us have ever relinquished our Right, or ever gave such an Answer as you say is mentioned in your Letter. Could we so few years ago make a Formal Demand by James Logan and not be sensible of Our Right ? and hath any thing happen'd since that time to make us less sen-

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sible ? No. And as this matter can be easily cleared up we are anxious it should be done, for we are Positive no such thing was ever mentioned to us at Onandago nor any where else. All the World Knows we conquered the Several Nations living on Sasque- hanna, Cohongoronta, and on the Back of the Great Mountains in Virginia. The Conoy-uch-such-roona, Coch-nan-was-roonan, Tokoa- irough-roonan, and Connutskirr-ough-roonaw, feel the effects of Our Conquests, being now a Part of Our Nations, and their Lands at our Disposal.

"We know very well it hath often been say'd by the Virginians that the Great King of England and the People of that Colony conquered the Indians that lived there, but it is not true. We will allow they have conquered the Sachdagughroonan and Drove back the Tuscarroraws, and that they have on that Account a Right to some Part of Virginia, but as to what lyes beyond the Mountains we conquered the Nations residing there, and that Land, if ever the Virginians get a good Right to it, it must be by Us. And in Testi- mony of the Truth of Our Answer to this Part of Your Speech We give you this String of Wampum."

Which was received with the usual Ceremony.

" Brother Assaraquoa :

"We have given you a full answer to the first Part of Your Speech which we hope will be satisfactory. We are glad to hear you have brought with you a big Chest of New Goods, and that you have the Key in your Pockets. We do not doubt but we shall have a good Understanding in all Points, and come to an Agreement with you.

" We shall open all Our Hearts to You that you may know every thing in them ; we will hide nothing from you, and we hope if there be any thing still remaining in your Breast that may occasion any Dispute between Us, you will take this opportunity to unbosom your hearts and lay them open to Us, that henceforth there may be no Dirt nor any other Obstacle in the Road between Us; and in token of Our hearty Wishes to bring about so good an harmony we present You with this Belt of Wampum."

Which was received with the usual Ceremony.

" Brother Assaraquoa :

" We must now tell you what Mountains we mean that we say are the Boundaries between you and us. You may remember that about Twenty years ago you had a Treaty with us at Albany, when you took a Belt of Wampum and made a Fence with it on the Middle of the Hill, and told us that if any of the Warriors of the Six Nations came on your side of the Middle of the Hill you would hang them, and you gave us liberty to do the Same with any of your People who should be found on our side the middle of the Hill. This is the Hill we mean, and we desire that Treaty may now be

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confirmed. After we left Albany we brought Our Road a great deal more to the West that we might comply with Your Proposal, but tho' it was of your own making your People never observed it, but came and lived on Our side of the Hill, which we don't blame you for, as you live at a great distance near the Seas, and cant't be thought to know what your People do in the Back parts; and on their Settling contrary to your own Proposals on our new Road, it fell out that Our Warriors did some hurt to your People's Cattle, of which a complaint was made and transmitted to us by our Bro- ther Onas. And we at his Request altered the Road again, and brought it to the Foot of the Great Mountain where it now is, and it is impossible for us to remove it any further to the West, those Parts of the Country being absolutely impassable by either Man or Beast.

"We had not been long in the Use of this new Road before your People came like Flocks of Birds and sat down in both sides of it, and yet we never made a Complaint to you, tho' you must be Sen- sible those things must have been done by your People in manifest Breach of your own Proposal made at Albany; and therefore as we are now opening our Hearts to you, we cannot avoid Complaining, and desire all these Affairs may be settled ; and that you may be Stronger induced to do us Justice for what is Past, and to come to a thorough Settlement for the future, we, in the Presence of the Governor of Maryland and Brother Onas, present you with this Belt of Wam- pum."

Which was received with the Usual Ceremony.

Then Tachanoontia added :

" We forgot to say That the Affair of the Road must be looked upon as a Preliminary to be Settled before the Grant of Lands, and that either the Virginia People must be obliged to Remove more Easterly, or if they are Permitted, to say that our Warriors March- ing that way to the Southward shall go sharers with them in what they Plant."

In the Court House at Lancaster, 28th June, 1744, A. M. PRESENT :

The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Governor, &ca.

The Honourable the Commissioners of Virginia.

The Honourable the Commissioners of Maryland.

The Deputies of the Six Nations.

Conrad Weiser, Interpreter.

The Governor Spoke as follows :

" Friends and Brethren of the Six Nations-

"I am always sorry when any thing happens that may Create

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the least uneasiness between us, but as we are mutually engaged to keep the Road between Us clear and open, and to remove every ob- struction that may lie in the way, I must inform you that three of the Delaware Indians lately Murdered John Armstrong, an Indian Trader, and his two men, in a most barbarous manner, as he was traveling to Allegheny, and stole his Goods of a considerable value. Shick Calamy and the Indians settled at Shamokin did well; They seized two of the Murderers and sent them down to Our Settle- ments, but the Indians who had the Charge of them afterwards suffered one of them to Escape on a Pretence that he was not con- cerned in the Bloody deed. The other is now in Philadelphia Goal. By our Laws all the Accessaries to a Murder are to be Tryed and Put to Death as well as the Person who gave the Deadly wound. If they consented to it, encouraged it, or anywise assisted in it, they are to be put to Death, and it is just they should be so. If, upon Tryal, the Persons Present at the Murder are found not to have done any of these things, they are set at liberty. Two of Our Peo- ple were, not many years ago, publickly put to Death for killing two Indians. We therefore expect you will take the most effectual Measures to Seize and deliver up to Us the other two Indians pre- sent at these Murders, to be tryed with the Principal now in Cus- tody. If it shall appear upon their Tryal that they were not advising nor any way Assisting in this Horrid Fact, they will be acquitted and sent home to their Towns. And that you may be satisfied no Injustice will be done to them, I do now Invite you to Depute three or four Indians to be present at their Tryals. I do likewise expect that you will order Strict search to be made for the Remainder of the Stolen Goods, that they may be restored to the Wife and Children of the Deceased. That what I have said may have its due Weight with you, I give you this String of Wampum."

Which was accepted With the Jo-hah.

The Governor afterwards ordered the Interpreter to tell them He expected a very full answer front them, And that they might take their own time to give it, for he did not desire to interfere with the Business of Virginia and Maryland.

They sayd they would take it into Consideration and give a full answer.

Then the Commissioners of Virginia let them know by the In- terpreter that they would Speak to them in the Afternoon.

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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

In the Court House Chamber at Lancaster, Thursday, 28 June, 1744, A. M.

PRESENT :

The Honourable, the Commissioners of Maryland,

The Deputies of the Six Nations,

Conrad Weiser, Interpreter.

The Commissioners desired the Interpreter to tell the Indians they were going to Speak to them. Mr. Weiser acquainted them there- with. After which the said Commissioners Spoke as follows :

" Our Good Friends and Brethren of the Six United Nations :

"We have consider'd what you sayd concerning your Title to some Lands now in Our Province, and also of the Place where they lye. Altho' we cannot admit your Right, yet we are so resolved to live in Brotherly Love and Affection with the Six Nations, that upon giving us a Release in Writing of all your Claim to any Lands in Maryland, We shall make you a Compensation to the Value of Three hundred Pounds Currency, for the Payment of Part thereof we have brought some Goods, and shall make up the Rest in what manner you think fit.

"As We intend to say something to you about our Chain of Friendship after this affair of the Land is Settled, we desire you will now Examine the Goods and make an End of this matter.

"We will not omitt acquainting Our Good Friends the Six Nations that notwithstanding We are likely to come to an Agreement about your Claim of Lands, yet your Brethren of Maryland look on you to be as one Soul and one Body with themselves, and as a broad Road will be made between Us, we shall always be desirous of keep- ing it clear, that we may from time to time take care that the links of Our Friendship be not rusted. In testimony that Our Words and Our hearts agree, We give you this Belt of Wampum."

On presenting of which the Indians gave the usual Cry of Appro- bation.

Mr. Weiser acquainted the Indians they might now look over the Several Goods placed on a Table in the Chamber for that Purpose ; and the Honourable Commissioners bid him tell them if they dis- liked any of the Goods, or if they were damaged, the Commission- ers would put a less Price on such as were either disliked or Dam- nify'd. The Indians having View'd and Examined the Goods, and Seeming Disatisfy'd at the Price and worth of some of them, re- quired time to go down into the Court House in order for a Consul- tation to be had by the Chiefs of them concerning the said Goods, and likewise that the Interpreter might Retire with them, which he did. Accordingly they went down into the Court House, and soon after returned again into the Chamber. Mr. Weiser sat down among

to b- of n S

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the Indians and discoursed them about the Goods, and in some short time after they Chose the following from among the others, and the Prices agreed to be given for them by the Six Nations was, vizt. :

One Ib. Vermillion

£0 18 0

1,000 Flints -

- 0 18 0

4 Doz. Jewsharps - -

0 14 0

1 Dox. Boxes -

0 10

1c. 2qr. Ofb Barr Lead

3 00

Oc. 2qr. 0lb Shot

- -

1 00

2 Half Barrels of Gunpowder -

- 13 00

£19 11 0

Four Pieces of Strowds @, £7 -

- £28 00

2 Pieces Do.

- 10 00

200 Shirts

63 12 0

3 Pieces half Thicks

11 00

3 Pieces Duffle Blankets @ £7 -

21 00

1 Piece Do. -

6 10 0

47 Guns, 26s. -

61 20

£201 40

19 11 0

Pennsylvania Currency -

- £220 15 0

When the Indians had agreed to take these Goods at the Rates above specify'd, they informed the Interpreter that they would give an Answer to the Speech made to them this morning by the Hon- ourable the Commissioners of Maryland, but did not express the Time when such answer should be made.

At twelve o'Clock the Commissioners departed the Chamber.

In the Court House at Lancaster, June 28th, 1744, P. M. PRESENT :

The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Governor, &ca.

The Honourable the Commissioners of Virginia.

The Honourable the Commissioners of Maryland.

The Deputies of the Six Nations.

Conrad Weiser, Interpreter.

The Commissioners of Virginia desired the Interpreter to let the Indians know that their Brother Assaraquoa was now going to give

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his Reply to their Answer to his first Speech, delivered them the Day before in the forenoon :

"Sachims and Warriors of the Six Nations: We are now come to Answer what you said to Us Yesterday, since what we sayd to you before on the Part of the Great King, our Father, has not been satisfactory. You have gone into Old Times and so must we. It is true that the Great King holds Virginia by Right of Conquest, and the Bounds of that Conquest to the Westward is the Great sea.

"If the Six Nations have made any Conquest over Indians that may at any time have lived on the West side of the Great Mountains of Virginia, yet they never possessed any Lands there that we have ever heard. That part was altogether deserted, and free for any People to enter upon, as the People of Virginia have done by order of the Great King, very justly as well by an Antient Right as by its being freed from the Possession of any other, and from any Claim, even of you the Six Nations, our Brethren, untill within these Eight Years. The first Treaty between the Great King, in behalf of his Subjects of Virginia and you, that we. can find, was made at Albany by Colonel Henry Coursey Seventy years_Since. This was a Treaty of Friendship when the first Covenant Chain was made, when we and you became Brethren.

"The next Treaty was also at Albany above fifty-Eight years ago, by the Lord. Howard, Governor of Virginia. Then you declare yourselves Subjects of the Great King, our Father, and gave up to him all your Lands for his Protection. This you Own in a Treaty made by the Governor of Newyork with you at the same Place in the Year 1687, and you Express yourselves in these Words: '0 Brethren you tell us the King of England is a very Great King, and why should you not join with us in a very just Cause when the French join with Our Enemies in an unjust Cause. O Brethren we see the Reason of this, for the French would fain kill us all, and when that is done they would carry all the Beaver Trade to Canada, and the Great King of England would lose the Lands likewise; And therefore, O Great Sachim beyond the Great Lakes, awake, and suffer not those poor Indians that have given themselves and their Lands under your Protection to be destroyed by the French without a Cause.'

"The last Treaty we shall Speak to you about is that made at Albany by Governor Spotswood, which you have not recited as it is; for the White People, Your Brethren of Virginia, are in no Article of that Treaty Prohibited to pass and Settle to the Westward of the Great Mountains. It is the Indians' Tributary to Virginia that are restrained, as you and your Tributary Indians are from Passing to the Eastward of the same Mountains or to the Southward of Co- hongoroonton, And you agree to this Article in these Words: 'That the Great River of Patowmack and the High Ridge of Mountains

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which extend all along the Frontiers of Virginia to the Westwards of the Present Settlements of that Colony, Shall be for ever the established Boundaries between the Indians subject to the Domin- ions of Virginia and the Indians belonging and depending on the ffive Nations, so that neither our Indians shall not, on any Pretence whatsoever, pass to the Northward or Westward of the said Boun- daries without having to Produce a Pass port under the Hand and Seal of the Governor or Commander-in-Chief of Virginia, nor your Indians to pass to the Southward or Eastward of the said Boun- daries without a Passport in like manner from the Governor or Commander-in-Chief of New York.'

" And what Right can you have to Lands that you have no Right to Walk upon but upon certain conditions ? It is true you have not observed this part of the Treaty, and Your Brethren of Virginia have not insisted on it with a due Strictness, which has Occasioned some mischief.

" This Treaty hath been sent to the Governor of Virginia by Order of the Great King, and is what we must Rely on, and being in Writing is more certain than your Memory. That is the way the white people have of preserving Transactions of every kind, and trans- mitting them down to their Childrens' Children for ever; and all Dis- putes among them are settled by this faithfull kind of Evidence, and must be the Rule between the Great King and you. This Treaty your Sachims and Warriors signed some Years after the same Gov- ernor Spotswood, in the Right of the Great King, had been with some People of Virginia in possession of these very Lands, which you have set up your late claim to.

"The Commissioners for Indian Affairs at Albany gave the Ac- count we mentioned to you yesterday to the Governor of New York, and he sent it to the Governor of Virginia. Their names will be given you by the Interpreter.

" Brethren, this Dispute is not between Virginia and you. It is setting up your Right against the Great King, under whose Grants the People you complain of are settled. Nothing but a Command from the Great King can remove them; They are too powerful to be removed by any force of You our Brethren; And the Great King, as our Common Father, will do equal Justice to all his chil- dren; Wherefore, we do believe they will be confirmed in their. Possessions.

" As to the Road you mention, we intended to prevent any Occa- sion for it by making a Peace between You and the Southern In- dians a few years since, at a considerable Expence to Our Great King, which you Confirmed at Albany. It seems by your being at War with the Catawbas that it has not been long kept between you.

" However, if you desire a Road, we will agree to one on the Terms of the Treaty you made with Colonel Spotswood; and your

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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

People's behaving themselves orderly like Friends and Brethren shall be used in their Passage through Virginia with the same kind- ness as they are when they pass through the Lands of your Brother Onas. This we hope will be agreed to by you Our Brethren, and we will abide by the Promise made to you Yesterday.

" We may Proceed to Settle what we are to give you for any Right you may have or have had to all the Lands to the Southward and Westward of the Lands of your Brother the Governor of Mary- land, and of your Brother Onas, tho' we are informed the South- eren Indians claim these very Lands that you do.

" We are desirous to live with you our Brethren according to the Old Chain of Friendship to settle all these matters fairly and hon- estly.

" And as a Pledge of Our Sincerity We give you this Belt of Wampum."

Which was received with the usual Ceremony

In the Court House Chamber at Lancaster, June the 29th, 1744, A. M.

PRESENT :

The Honourable the Commissioners of Maryland.

The Deputies of the Six Nations.

Conrad Weiser, Interpreter.

Mr. Weiser informed the Honourable Commissioners the Indians were ready to give their answer to the Speech made to them here yesterday Morning by the Commissioners. Whereupon

Canassatego spoke as follows, looking on a Deal Board where were some black lines describing the Courses of Potowmack and Sasquahanna :

" Brethren-

" Yesterday you Spoke to Us concerning the Lands on this side Potowmack River, and as we have deliberately considered of what you said to us on that matter, we are now very ready to settle the Bounds of such Lands, and Release our Right and Claim thereto.

· " We are willing to renounce all Right to Lord Baltimore of all those Lands lying two Miles above the uppermost Fork of Pa- towmack or Cohongoruton River, near which Thomas Cressap has a Hunting or Trading Cabbin, by a North Line to the Bounds of Pennsylvania. But in case such Limits shall not include every Set- tlement or Inhabitant of Maryland, then such other Lines and Courses from the said two Miles above the Forks to the outermost Inhabitants or Settlements as shall include every Settlement and Inhabitant in Maryland, and from thence by a North Line to the

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Bounds of Pennsylvania, shall be the Limits. And further, if any People already have or shall settle beyond the Lands now described and Bounded, they shall enjoy the same free from any Disturbance of us in any manner whatsoever, and we do and shall accept those People for our Brethren, and as such always Treat them.

" We earnestly desire to live with you as Brethren, and hope you will shew us all Brotherly kindness ; In token whereof We present you with a Belt of Wampum."

· Which was received with the usual Ceremony.

Soon after the Commissioners and Indians departed the Court House Chamber.

In the Court House Chamber at Lancaster, June 30th, 1744, A. M.

PRESENT :

The Honourable the Commissioners of Virginia.

The Deputies of the Six Nations.

Conrad Weiser, Interpreter.

Gachadow, Speaker for the Indians, in answer to the Commis- sioner's Speech at the last meeting, with a Strong Voice and Proper Actions, Spoke as follows :

" Brother Assaraquoa :

" The World at the first was made on the other side of the Great water different from what it is on this side, as may be known from the different Colour of Our Skin and of Our Flesh, and that which you call Justice may not be so amongst us. You have your Laws and Customs and so have we. The Great King might send you over to Conquer the Indians, but looks to us that God did not approve of it, if he had, he would not have Placed the Sea where it is, as the Limits between us and you."

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Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV, Part 75

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