USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV > Part 78
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" July 31st, 1744."
" GEO. THOMAS.
-
August y& 11th.
MEMORANDUM.
The following Message from the Assembly was Delivered to the Governor in answer to his Honour's of the 31st of July, by two Members of Assembly :
" May it please the Governor-
" The Sentiments of the Present Assembly on that part of the Governor's last Message which relates to the Defence of the Pro- vince have been so often expressed, and are so well understood by the Governor, that we think any further Explanation at this time can be of no use. The Governor is pleased to inform us he hath already issued a Proclamation with the Advice of Council, 'Re- quiring all Persons under his Government able to bear Arms forth- with to Provide themselves with them, that they may be in a good condition not only to defend this his Majesty's Province, their own Persons, Families, and Estates, but to attack the Enemy, in case it shall be required of them; And that Lists of such as are thought best Qualifyed in the Several Counties to discipline the Inhabitants are preparing, and that Commissions will be made out for them with all convenient Dispatch.' By Commissions from former Governor's
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a Militia was raised within this Province, and as it seems to be war- ranted by our Charter of Priviledges, it will we hope excuse us from preparing a Bill to this End.
" As to that part of the Governor's Message which relates to French Prisoners, we are of Opinion it might be for the Advantage of the Province that those by whom they shall be taken should rather carry them into some other Part of the King's Dominions than bring them amongst us ; however such of them as are or shall be brought in ought to be taken care of. This we must leave to the Governor's Prudent management that it be done at the least Expence, and such Prisoners sent out of the Government as soon as it can be done with Convenience ; And the Charge that shall arise when known, we make no question but that succeeding Assemblies will pay.
"The Success which Attended the Governor's Endeavours for ac- comodating the Differences that lately subsisted between Virginia and Maryland and with the Indians of the Six Nations, his 'ob- taining a Solemn Renewal of their Friendship with us, and their Strongest Assurances that they will not suffer the French or Indians in their Alliance to march thro' their Country to disturb any of Our Settlements,' as it may be the Means of preserving of Peace and Preventing Danger on our Frontier, affords us great satisfaction ; and we return the Governor our Hearty thanks for his care and Con- duct in the Management of this Treaty. The Expence which ac- crued on that Occasion appears to us to be reasonable, and we shall make due Provision for its being paid.
" It were to be wished that the Shawonese were on better Terms with the Six Nations ; Their 'endeavouring to Draw the Delawares from Shamokin to Ohio' has no good aspect ; and as it occasions the Six Nations 'to entertain a Jealousy of some ill designs,' we desire the Governor will use his Influence with the Chiefs of those Dela- wares when they come down to prevent their Removal from Sha- mokin; and if any Method can be fallen upon to secure them effectually in the British Interest which requires our Assistance, we shall cheerfully contribute what can reasonably be expected from us to so good a Purpose.
" The Apprehensions the Governor is under 'That the Indian Trade as it is now carry'd on will involve us in some fatal Quarrel with the Indians, is not without good Cause. The Traders in Defi- nance of the Law carrying Spirituous Liquors amongst them, their Cheating of them of their Skins and Wampum, and Debauching their Wives,' are Crimes which have been frequently complained against, and it is to be feared not without just Grounds. And there- fore the Resolutions the Governor hath been pleased to take 'to do all that lies in his Power to Prevent these abuses by ordering a Strict Observance of the Laws relating to Licences, and the rigidest prose- cutions against such as shall be discovered to Sell Rum to the
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Indians,' we very much approve, and believe it may in a good de- gree remedy the Evil complained against. To provide a Bill for amending the Law in respect to Indian Traders would, we think, require longer time than will be convenient for us to stay together at this Season of the Year; and that, therefore, it will be best re- ferred to the Consideration of the Succeeding Assembly.
" Signed by Order of the House,
"JOHN KINSEY, Speaker."
The two Members at the same time acquainted the Governor that the House propos'd to adjourn to the 30th of September, unless he had any thing to lay before them that might require their longer stay. The Governor said he had no objection to the proposed time of Adjournment, but as some of the Delaware Chiefs were expected down before another Meeting of Assembly, he was desirous to know the Mind of the House as to their Maintainance and the Presents to be made them.
At a Council held at Philadelphia the 21st August, 1744, A. M. PRESENT :
The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
William Till,
Abraham Taylor, S Esquires.
John Kinsey, Esqr., Speaker of the Assembly.
The Deputies of the Delaware Indians.
The Governor order'd the Interpreter to tell the Indians he was ready to hear what they had to say.
Quidahickqunt Spoke as follows:
"Brother, the Governor :
" Alomipas, our Chief, is Sick, and has Deputed me to Speak for him. He had been often here, and always before this time, on Occasions that have been good and agreeable. Now we come upon a very unhappy Affair, something worse than any thing that ever happen'd before, and which we are very Sorry for.
"We remember all our Treaties, and that by them we became one Body and one People with our Brethren; We remember every part of them, and the Engagements we are under by them not to hurt our Brethren. And we freely confess that Blood has been Spilt by us contrary to the Chain of Friendship, tho' we, on our part, have had no design to break it.
" The Road from us to this Town has always been clear and open, but now we own we have laid a great Tree a-cross it that has almost block'd it up, and has rendred it impassable; and we are come
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down to endeavour to take it away, and to make the Road as clear as ever; and in token of the Sincerity of our Dispositions we present you with this String of Wampum.
"This Murder has, no doubt, filled our Brethren's Eyes so full with Tears that they cannot see us. We desire to wipe the Tears from their Eyes that they may see us, the Sky, and every thing else, as they used to do before the Murder happened; and for this purpose we present you with a Bundle of Skins.
"This Murder has been as great a grief to our Hearts as to Yours; it gives us great Pain when we think of it. We would, however. remove out of your Hearts the Spirit of Resentment and Revenge against Us for it; and in order to induce you to moderate your Anger we give you this Bundle of Skins.
" By an Article in all our Treaties we mutually engage, let what will happen it shall not break the good Correspondence that is be- tween Us; and now that this unhappy affair has happen'd, we are come down to desire it may not occasion a Breach of Friendship, but that notwithstanding this we may still continue Brethren, and to induce you we give a Bundle of Skins."
At a Council held at Philadelphia in the Supreme Court Room the 21st of August, 1744, P. M.
PRESENT :
Thomas Laurence,
Samuel Hasell, Esqrs.
William Till, Abraham Taylor,
The Chief Justice.
Shick Calamy, Deputy of the Six Nations, and
The Deputies of the Delaware Indians.
Nicholas Scull, and Interpreters.
Marcus Hewling,
The Governor Spoke as follows:
" Brethren-
"I am well pleased with what you said in the Morning, as it is a testimony of the good Disposition of the Delaware Nation to pre- serve the Treaties Subsisting between Us and them. We, on our Part, are well inclined to preserve a good Understanding, notwith- standing what has happen'd; but there must be something done first before we proceed to that; the Road is now obstructed and it must be made perfectly clear and free.
" I do not impute the Murders that have been Committed to the whole Delaware Nation. I impute them only to the People that
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Committed them ; but it lies on the whole Delaware Nation to see that Justice be done by delivering up the persons present, when the Murders were committed, to be examined and Punished according to Law.
"I have not forgot the Promise I made to the Six Nations at. Lancaster, that in case the two young men should, on Examination, be found innocent, they should not be punished but sent safe back to their Friends. I expect, therefore, that you will immediately point out the two Persons, and cause them to be brought to the Chief Justice To-Morrow Morning to. be examined. After this is done I have other Business to Speak upon."
Shick Calamy caused the two Young Men to stand up, and pointing to them said, they were the two, and should be carefully brought to be examined by the Chief Justice in the Morning ;
And after a little while added, "Brethren you have one of Our Cousins in Prison, and he has told some of our Young men that he would make his Escape this Night; he is Master of the Black Art and a Conjurer, therefore take care of him."
The Governor told Shick Calamy he defied the Devil and all his Works, and he need not be under any Apprehensions, The Indian should be well Guarded, and immediately gave orders to the High Sheriff, who was in waiting, to put him in Irons and to confine him closely.
At a Council held at Philadelphia in the Chamber of the Su- preme Court on the 24th of August, 1744, A. M.
PRESENT :
The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Ralph Assheton,
Robert Strettell,
11, } Esqrs
William Till,
The Chief Justice.
The Deputies of the Delaware Nation.
The Governor Spoke as follows :
" Brethren of the Delaware Nation :
" When you had done Speaking the other Day, I insisted you should immediately deliver up the two Young Men who were pre- sent at the Murder of John Armstrong and his Men, to be Exam- ined by the Chief Justice, and when that should be done, and they Examined, I then told you I would give you an Answer to the Sev- eral Matters mentioned by you.
"I understand the two Young Men were accordingly delivered and have been Examined, and the Chief Justice reports to me that for
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
any thing which appears in their Examination they were not Con- cerned in any of the Murders.
"The next thing in course would be to proceed immediately to the Tryal of Musha Meelan, as well to give you the Satisfaction of being Present as to have the benefit of these Young Men's Evi- dence, for before he can be condemned they must Speak publickly in a Court of Justice once more what they said in their Examina- tion before the Chief Justice ; but as several things Previous to the Tryal are to be done by our forms of Law, which require time, this will make it too long for you to stay. Your Forms and ours differ widely, but ours we know by long Experience are good ; they were made for Us by the Great King over the Seas, and it will be for the Benefit of the Indians to be tryed in the same manner the white People are. In Six Weeks or little more, Musha Meelan will be tryed, and then I desire you would send down the two Young Men to give the same Account at the Tryal as they did before the Chief Justice, and I give you the Strongest Assurances that they shall be taken good care of and sent back soon and with safety.
" These points being Settled, and taking it for granted that you will comply with our Request and send down the two young men at the time appointed, I shall now go on to answer the Several things mentioned by you at your first Meeting.
"You say it was you who stopped up the Road and layd a great Tree a-cross it-that by these Murders you have broke the Treaties between us, but are willing to open the Road again, to free it from all Obstructions, and to renew the Chain of Friendship, and to re- cover a good Understanding ; And in token of your Sincerity you presented Us with a String of Wampum.
"These, your Declarations, are well received by us; we are will- ing to be reconciled to you-we expect you will make good these Professions, and take care to prevent such outrages for the future, and in token of our Willingness to admitt you again into Friend- ship we present you with this String of Wampum.
" Brethren :
"We accept of your Bundle of Skins, and have concluded that they shall not be put to the Account of the Government, but given to the Widow and Children of the Deceased, to wipe away their Tears. And as Friendship is now perfectly restored, we design to make you a Present of Goods in token of our reconciliation, and shall order them to be ready to deliver to you in the afternoon.
" Before I conclude, I must say something of the same kind I sayd to the Six Nations. Tho' the Indian Traders are not the best sort of People, and may do you hurt, yet you are not to take Re- venge yourselves, but apply in all such Cases to Conrad Weiser, who is a Justice of Peace, and will hear your Complaint and pro- cure you such redress as our Law will give."
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Shick Calamy replyed as follows :
" Brother, the Governor :
" We have heard your Answer to what we sayd the other Day, and return you Thanks for giving Us so favourable a one, and for taking us again into your Friendship.
" Brethren :
"Since it is now understood how this Thing came about, and that the Sun which was darken'd now Shines again as clear as ever, we give you this Belt of Wampum to cover the Wound that we have made."
Here he laid down a Belt.
" Since this unhappy Affair is now fully ended, we give you this Belt of Wampum to take away the Hatchet."
Here he laid down another Belt.
"If the Hatchet be removed but a little way it may, perhaps, be Seen, and being Bloody give offence ; We therefore bury it with this Belt deep under Ground, that it may never be seen more, nor remember'd by Us nor those who are under the Ground to the latest Posterity."
Here he laid down another Belt.
" Let this String of Wampum serve to Clear the Air that was rendred foul and Corrupted by this unhappy Murder."
Here he laid down a String.
" Let this String of Wampum serve as fewel to the Council Fire, to make it burn as clear as ever.
" Let this String of Wampum serve to take the Overflow of Gall out of your Entrails, for such a foul offence as this always occasions an overflow of the Gall which must be taken out."
At a Council held in the Supream Court House the 24th August, 1744, P. M.
PRESENT :
The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
William Till,
Ralph Asheton, Esqrs.
The Governor spoke as follows :
" Brethren of the Delaware Nation :
" In the Forenoon you gave a Belt of Wampum to Cover the Wound, and another to remove the Hatchet; I accept your Belts and consent that the wound be cover'd and the Hatchet removed, and this unhappy affair buried under ground. In hopes that the Air
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may be rendred Pure and never infected again by such an Accident, I present you with this String of Wampum.
"That the Council Fire, tho' almost extinguished, may burn rather Brighter than it did before, I give you this String.
" And as a proof that my resentment has entirely Subsided, my Gall is removed, and that I shall never more bear in remembrance this unhappy affair,
" I give you this String of Wampum."
The Governor then ordered the Interpreter to enquire whether they had come to a resolution of sending the two Young Men down.
They answered : " they had had the matter under their Con- sideration, and tho' they had good Inclinations to Oblige the Governor, did not doubt but the Young Men might be very safe sent, yet they could not undertake to do it without the Consent of their Chief ; that on their Return they would Communicate the Gov- ernor's Request to Alimopas, and did not doubt but the Young Men might be sent down at the time."
A string of Wampum.
"The Conoy - Indians on Sasquehanna having removed higher up to be near us, we take this opportunity to inform the Governor of it, and on their behalf give this String of Wampum."
After what was publickly transacted was finished, the Governor desired Conrad Weiser to bring Shick Calamy and four or five of the principal Indians to his House, that he might have some private Conversation with them ; and accordingly Shick Calamy the Dela- ware Speaker, and five others, waited upon the Governor the next Morning, when the Governor told them that having heard some of the Shawnese from Hohio had been with them, and Invited them to remove from Shamokin to Hohio, he was desirous to know the Truth of it. To which answered, that the Shawnese at Hohio had indeed invited Cacawichiky and the Shawnese Indians at his town to Hohio, and that they had removed thither, and that their Uncles the Mingos had sent a Messenger to Cacawichicky with a Belt of Wampum, to know the reason „ of their removal, and to invite them back again to their former Settlement, to which no answer was yet come; but that the Shaw- nese had never Sent any such Invitation to the Delawares, and if they had they would not have Accepted of it; for they knew them to be a false People and to have ill minds, but would have sent their Brother, the Governor, an Account of it. The Governor, after Ex- pressing his Satisfaction at what they had said, asked them as Alumapies was growing very old, and seemed by what they had told him to be at the point of Death, who they intended to Choose for their Chief when that should happen. To which * answered that they had not yet come to any Resolution on that mat-
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ter, but as soon as they did they would give the Governor Notice of it. The Governor then recommended to them to be very carefull in their Choice, and especially with regaird to the Sobriety of the Person; for that one who was greedy of Strong Liquor would neither be able to Advise nor to Act for the Interest of their Nation ; for which Advice they all gave the Governor thanks, and promised to follow it; and after expressing great Satisfaction at the Governor's kind treatment of them, they took their leave of him and set out for Shamokin.
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Philada., Oct". 4th, 1744.
MEMORANDUM.
A Council was Summon'd to consider of the Returns of the Sheriffs and Coroners of the several Counties for the Year ensuing, but none of the Members attending, His Honour ordered That Com- missions be made out to Nicholas Scull, Esqr-, as Sheriff, and Henry Pratt, Gentleman, as Coroner of the City and County of Philadel- phia. To John Hart, Esqr-, as Sheriff, and Joseph Chapman, Gen- tleman, as Coroner of the County of Bucks. To John Owen, Esqr., as Sheriff, and Thomas Morgan, Gentleman, as Coroner of the County of Chester. To John Sterrat, Esq'", as Sheriff, and Robert Thompson, Gentleman, as Coroner of the County of Lancaster.
The Governor also ordered Commissions to be made out to Sam- uel Bickley, Esq"., as Sheriff, and Benjamin Cook, Gentleman, as Coroner of the County of Newcastle. To Thomas Green, Esq", as Sheriff, and Thomas Parke, Gentleman, as Coroner of the County of Kent; and to William Shankland, Esqr-, as Sheriff, and Robert Gill, Gentleman, as Coroner of the County of Sussex.
On the 14th Octobr. Five Members of the Assembly waited upon the Governor and acquainted him that in pursuance of the Charter of Priviledges and Laws of this Province a Quorum of the Repre- sentatives were met and had chose their Speaker, and desired to know when the Governor would be pleased to receive the House in order to present him. His Honour appointed twelve o'clock next day.
At a Council held at Philadelphia the 16th October.
PRESENT :
The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Clement Plumsted,
Samuel Hasell,
Ralphı Assheton,
Abraham Taylor, Esqrs.
Robert Strettell,
The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read and approved.
The Whole House waited on the Governor at the Time by him
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
appointed, and having presented John Kinsey, Esq"- as their Speaker, and the Governor having approved their Choice, the Speaker made the usual Claim of Privileges ; and the Governor was pleas'd to say in Answer, that so long as he should have any Thing to do with the Administration of the Government those Priviledges should be in- violably preserved to the Assemblies of this Province.
The Governor laid before the Board two Messages which he had prepared to send to the House, which were approved, and are as follows :
.A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" As it is the Duty of my Station to be at all Times watchfull over the Interests of the Province under my Government, and as nothing more essentially concerns them than the Security of its Trade and Navigation, I think my self indispensably obliged to lay hold of the first Opportunity of delivering to You my sentiments upon a very late Incident, which, as it cannot but have come to your Knowledge, must have in some degree likewise engaged your Thoughts before your Meeting together; that is, the taking of four Vessels upon our Coast by a French Privateer Ship of considerable Force, and the Captain's giving the Men leave to go on Shore, with this contemptuous Circumstance, that he was too well acquainted with Philadelphia to apprehend their sending out any Thing to at- tack him, and that he therefore design'd to Cruize a Fortnight longer in the same Place. If he did not stay out that Time it may be concluded he did his Business sooner, and from the Success he met with that this Ship and the Two Privateer Brigantines, equipped at Louisburg at the same Time, will soon return to an Harvest Plenti- full and to be reaped without Danger.
" Is it not a Reproach to the Name of Englishmen to suffer them- selves to be thus insulted when they have the Means in their Hands to maintain their ancient Character ? For under proper Regulations a Ship might have been equipped in a few Days capable of driving this Privateer from the Coast, or of bringing her in. And will not your Trade be entirely ruined when the Enemy are convinced by Experience that they may not only Cruize upon Your Coast, but Block up your Port with Impunity? The French in America seemed at first unprepared for War, but now they begin to Act, and it is highly probable their Privateers will Swarm upon our Coast next Summer if we do not put ourselves in a Condition to Act against them, to Convoy our Vessels off, and to protect them when they come upon our Coast. The Governments of New-England, Rhode-Island, and Connecticut, enter'd early into this Method of securing their Trade, and Virginia has been lately obliged, from the Disability of the King's Ships upon that Station, to do the same.
" It is not difficult to forsee the ill consequences that will ensue
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upon a want of Attention, or an ill-timed Parsimony in a Matter of this Importance. If the British Merchants, as well as our own, are not as well protected by this as by other Governments, the Trade of this City will soon be at an End; for no man will carry it on at a certain loss From hence will follow the Loss of your Ship-build- ing; and the Ship-wright, Smith, Joiner, and all other Artificers concern'd in equipping that noble Machine, must seek for employ- ment elsewhere; and when this Trade is once lost, the Example of a neighbouring City shews that it is not easily to be recover'd. This whole City, indeed, in some way or other depends upon the Merchant, and if he cannot Trade to Advantage it will be soon very sensibly felt by the whole. Even the Farmer, who is too apt to consider the Landed and the Trading Interest in opposition to each other, must confine his Produce to the Consumption of his own family, if the Merchant is disabled from exporting it to foreign Markets.
"In Opposition to the fitting out a Vessel for the protection of your Trade, I know it has been said that it is a needless Expence to the Province, since the King's Ships stationed at New-York and Virginia are sufficient to clear the Coast of the Enemies Privateers. But we are now convinced from Experience that the King's Ships have been order'd upon other Services, and that what with the De- sertion of their Seamen and their being out of Repair at their return to their Stations, the whole Summer has been spent before they could put to sea again.
"GEO. THOMAS.
"October 16th, 1744."
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
"Gentlemen :
"By the last Vessel from Bristol I receiv'd a Letter from the Proprietaries, enclosing a Copy of a Bill brought into the House of Commons last Session by Sir John Barnard, Colonel Bladen, and Mr. Fane, in consequence of a Petition, sign'd by Twenty-four Merchants, to prevent the issuing Bills of Credit in the Colonies as a Tender for the Payment of Debts. The Bill was order'd to be Printed, that it may be consider'd next Session. The Gentlemen who brought it in being of great figure and weight in the House, it is concluded that it will be well supported.
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