USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IX > Part 25
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The Bill entituled "An Act for opening and better amending &. keeping in repair the publick roads and Highways within this prov- ince," sent up by the House this forenoon for the Governor's Con- currence, was also read and considered, and directed to be returned to the House, with a verbal message that his Honour agreed to it.
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The Governor received a verbal message from the Assembly by two Members, that the House acceded to the amendments made to the German Bill, & having no material Business before them were inclined to adjourn this Week, and desired he would be pleased to appoint a time for passing the two Bills ;- On which the Governor acquainted them, he had no objection to their making an adjourn- ment, and would be ready to pass the Bills to-morrow at 12 o'clock, in the Council Chamber.
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Council Chamber, Saturday 12 o'clock, May 18, 1765.
The German Bill being compared with the engrossed Copy, the Governor sent a Message to the House by the Secretary, requiring their attendance. The House accordingly attended & the Speaker presented the two Bills entituled " A Supplement to the Act enti- tuled ' An Act for prohibiting the Importation of Germans or other passengers in too great numbers in any one Vessel." And " An act for opening & better amending & keeping in repair the Public Roads & Highways within this province;" which the Gov" enacted into Laws, & signed a Warrant for affixing the Great Seal thereto, & they were ordered to be deposited in ye. Rolls Office."
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The Speaker then acquainted the Governor that the House pro- posed to adjourn till the 9th of September next, if it was agreeable to his Honour ; to which the Governor answered that he had no objection.
At a Council held at Philadelphia on Tuesday the 4th June, 1765.
PRESENT :
The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor, &c. Lynford Lardner, Benjamin Chew, ~ Richard Penn,
$ Esqr.
The Governor laid before the Board a Letter he last Week re- ceived from George Croghan, Esq"., deputy Agent for Indian affairs, inclosing his Journal and minutes of several Friendly Conferrences he had held at Fort Pitt, with sundry tribes of the Western and North- ern Indians, wherein they had renew'd and Confirmed their En- gagements made with Brigadier Gen1. Bouquet last Fall at Musk- ingham. The said Letter & Journal, &c., were read, & ordered to be entered in the minutes of Council, & follow in these Words, vizt.
A Letter to the Governor from George Crogham, Esqr. FORT PITT, May 12th, 1765.
" Sir :
"The several Nations of Indians here has been much longer coming to this Post than I expected, owing to the Jealousy of each other, each wanting to lead the other, & disputes Subsisting amongst themselves; however, I have at length got them together, & tho' some of the Delaware's tribes seemed discontented, seeing the Shawanese bring in their prisoners and agree to everything that his Excellency General Gage required of them, with the Senecas, then the Delawares came into the same measures. They have all ap- pointed Deputys of their Chiefs to go to S~ Willm. Johnson, and replace hostages there, amongst which is a Chief of each Nation. They have given me my Choice of their Nations to go with me to the Illinois, and from the disposition of the Nations where I am going (by what I can learn), my Journey would have been but of little Service if I had not settled matters with those Nations first, and got a Deputation from them to go with me. Inclosed I send your Honour a Copy of my Journal since I came here, to which I refer you, for my transactions with the Indians. I am
"Your Honours most Obedt. "humble servant, " GEO. CROGHAN.
"The Honble. JOHN PENN, Esq"."'
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George Croghan, Esq'rs. Journal of Transactions with the In. dians at Fort Pitt.
" February 28th, 1765. Lieutenant Frazier and I arrived at Fort Pitt, where Major Murray informed us that Mr. McKee had, a fortnight before, sent a Message to the Chiefs of the Dela- wares, Shawanese, Senecas, and Sandusky Indians, desiring them immediately to come to this Post to meet me, but as yet received no answer, and further acquaints me there has been but few Indians here during the Winter.
I then went and spoke to the Hostages, who informed me that they had heard from Custaloga, and his Tribe, who was Hunting near Tuskerawas, and that they believed they would soon come into . this Post, but heard nothing from the other two Tribes.
March 1st. Six Seneca Indians came here from one of the Shawanese Towns, and informs me as follows :
"That the Deputation from the Shawanese and Delawares, which was sent last Summer to the Illinois, to Council with the French and Indians in that Country, was returned; That they had been well received by the French, who, on their arrival cloathed them, and told them they would supply them with every necessary they wanted to carry on the War against the English, and would send traders with them to their towns when they set off; That they had held a Council with nine Indian Nations settled on the Ouabache and Illinois Country, who had all engaged to support them with their whole force, should they continue the War against the Eng- lish; That on those Deputys return to the Plains of Sioto, and being informed of the Terms of accommodation agreed on by their Nations (during their absence), with Col. Bouquet, they then in Council with the Sandusky and Seneca Indians, agreed to abide by their People's engagements, and perform the whole on their part, provided the English would open a free trade & intercourse with them, and supply them with Ammunition, Goods, and rum, as usual, and not prohibit the sale of Powder and Liquors, as they had done before the late differences happened. Those Indians further say that the Shawanese had sent a Message to the French Traders who was then following them to their Towns, to return home; (I much doubt the Truth of this), and that they had sent a Message likewise, to the nine Nations in that Country, acquainting them that they were about accommodating matters with the English, desiring them to sit still 'till they heard further from them in the Spring."
March 2d. I dispatched a Messenger to the Shawanese and Senecas, and another to the Delawares and Sandusky Indians, to acquaint them of my Arrival here in Company with Lieu" Frazier, with Messages from the King's Commander-in-Chief, & Sir Wil- liam Johnson, to their Nations, and desired their several Chiefs would immediately come here to meet me; I likewise sent a Mes-
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sage to Pondiac, who, I hear, is among the Twightwees, to meet me at the Mouth of the Sioto, on my way down the River.
4th. Two Senecas came here from Venango, (where a Hundred of their people was Hunting), to know if a Trade was opened here for the Indians, as they had heard from the Seneca Country there was, all differences being settled by their Nation and the English last Fall, by Sir William Johnson.
Delivered a String of Wampum.
5th. Major Murray and I acquainted them there was no trade open'd yet, nor could there be any till the Shawanese & Delawares had come to perform their Engagements with Colo. Bouquet ; that we had sent for them, & expect they will be here before the last of this Month ; gave them a Belt of Wampum, desiring them to rest Satisfied till that time, & likewise desired some of their Chiefs to come down, & hear what would pass between us & those Nations.
17th. Andrew, a Huron Indian, & a Frenchman, one Alexander Masonville, came here with dispatches from Colo. Campbell, at Detroit, to the General.
20th. Lieuten“ Frazier informed Major Murray & me, that the Gen''s Instructions to him was to be at the Illinois at all Events, the beginning of April; that as the Indians was not met here, he proposed to set off down the River in two or three days, as the Service he was sent on was of a different nature from mine, and de- sired I would employ Mr. Maisonville and Andrew to go with him, that the Service he was going on might not suffer.
21st. With the approbation of Major Murray, I employed An- drew & Mr. Maisonville (Interpreters), with a Shawanese, Seneca Indians, to accompany him, and furnished him with Wampum, Sil- ver Truck, & other necessaries for his Journey, that the Service might not suffer by any delay the Indians might give me here, or his want of any assistance in my power to give him.
22d. Two Delaware runners came here from Custalogo, to let us know that he had forwarded the Messages sent him, & expected that all the Nations would be on their way here by this time, & that he would come in a few days.
23d. Several Delawares came here to trade with what peltry they had, for Goods, but not being suffered, they seem'd very sulky.
25. Several Senecas from Venango came here, expecting the Shawanese, Delawares, & Sandusky Indians was come, but finding they were not, determined to wait their Arrival.
28. Three Shawanese and one Seneca came here from the lower Shawanese at the plains of Sioto, with a Message to let me know that my Message had come to their Town two days before they left it, and that their Chiefs had sent them off to acquaint me they were collecting all our Flesh & Blood together, (meaning the Eng- lish Prisoners), and were to set off in two days after they left it, and would make all the haste in their power up with them, but, as the Weather was so severe and the Waters high, they could not make that dispatch they could wish.
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April 1st. Four Delawares came here from one of their Towns, where two of their Tribes was collected together in Council, and said they were sent by their Chiefs to inform us, That altho' Cus- talogo had sent word their Chiefs would come here, yet their two Tribes could not, one of their Men having been called up to Hea- ven by the Great Spirit of Life, who told him that he must ac- quaint his Nation that before they made Peace with the English, they must consult with the Quakers of Philadelphia, who would direct them how to make a lasting peace, & desired I would send for some of them to come here, then their Nation would come in & make a Peace; And as the great Spirit had told this man several things of great Consequence to them, desired that Mr. M'Kee might go there & commit it all to writing
2d. Major Murray and I made those four Delawares the follow- ing answer on a Belt of Wampum. " Brethren :
" We are surprized at the Message you delivered us Yesterday from the Chiefs of the Delawares; the man you mention who says he spoke to the Great Spirit, you may be assured is deceiving your people, as we are persuaded he never spoke to him. Your Nation agreed to terms of accommodation last Fall with Col. Bouquet; in part they have complied with those Terms. They begged of him for peace in the most submissive manner, and your Brethren, the Eng- lish, thought your Nation would be the first to come here when sent for. We have received Messages from the Senecas, Shawanese, and Sandusky Indians, that they are now on their way here; there is the Messengers that brought us those accounts, and are to stay here till they arrive. You will, therefore, return to your Chiefs, & let them know that no People whatever, in this Country, can give you Peace but the King's Commander-in-Chief; and we desire them to come here with the other Nations, and comply with your Engage- ments to Col. Bouquet, & not suffer themselves to be amused by Idle Dreams or Stories that may be told them by any body."
A Belt.
6th. Four Six Nations arrived here in a Canoe down the Monaun- gahela river, with five Cherokee Scalps; they met a number of Vir- ginia Hunters on the heads of New river, who had like to have killed them.
13. Several Munsie Indians came here in Canoes down the Ohio, from their Village above Venango, and brought two English Prison- ers, which they delivered up, both Girls; one about twelve, the other about Nine Years of age; they were taken Young; can't speak a word of English ; one was taken near Shippensburg, the other near Juniata, in Cumberland County, Pennsylva.
14. About Eighty Seneca Indians came here from their Town at the Two Creeks, and brought with them a quantity of Skins & Furs, expecting to Trade.
In a private conversation with Major Murray & me, they informed me that two Tribes of the Delawares were very much aversed to
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making peace with the English, till the return of Kill Buck from Sir William Johnson, & then if they liked the terms, they would stand to them, but not otherwise; that they called Custalogo an old Woman for agreeing to the Terms he did with Col. Bouquet ; that they wanted to fight, & would have cutt off that Army had it not been for him, & they have been striving all this Spring to pre- vent the Shawanese, Senecas, & Sandusky Indians from coming here with the English Prisoners, telling the Indians, in Public Council, as the French and the Nine Nations, living on the Oqua- bache and Illinois Country, have agreed to supply & support us in the War against the English, as we shall be able to drive them out of this Country in less than two Years.
But those Indians say that Giashutha, with the rest of the Senecas, Shawanese, and Sandusky Indians, with all the English prisoners in their Nations, are now on their way here, & would have arrived by this time had it not been for the Delawares, Custaloga and his Tribe being the only people of that Nation willing to be at peace with the English.
18th .- Two Delaware runners came here from their Chiefs, to inform us they had accepted of the invitation I had sent them, & was now on their way here, and would endeavour to be here as soon as the other Nations.
19th .- The several Indians now here, which is about Two hun- dred, seem very sulky, on account of their not being suffered to Trade, notwithstanding I have made use of every argument in my power to explain to them the reason of it.
20th .- I dispatched four Indian runners to meet the several Chiefs with the messages, to press them to make all the dispatch possible here. In the afternoon the Beaver, with several Dela- wares, came here, with several horses, loaded with peltry, in order to Trade, when I informed them that no Trade could be permitted till the several Nations had performed their engagements to Colonel Bouquet.
21st .- A number more Delawares arrived here with several Horse loads of peltry, in order to Trade.
23d .- Four Senecas came here, who informed me they see a Battoe, with several White men, going down this river about 25 days ago, and asked me where they was going, on which I told them ; they then said I was wrong in letting them go, as they knew the French had incensed the Indian Nations that way against the English, and that unless a number of the Shawanese & Delawares would undertake to reconcile those Nations to the English, they were of opinion it would be very difficult to do it any other way.
24th .- The Newcomer or Noatwhelama, arrived here, with most of the Warriors of his tribe, when he made a long speech to Major Murray, & me by way of Compliment.
25th-Custalogo arrived here, when he and his Tribe saluted the Garrison with Three discharges of their Guns, which Major Murray ordered to be returned with three Cannon.
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26th-Six Delaware Indians arrived here from Sir William Johnson, and brought a Letter to the Chiefs of the Delawares, which I interpreted and explained to them in a meeting which Major Murray & I had with them on that occasion.
In the Evening, about Twenty more Delawares came here with several horses loaded with Skins & Furs.
28th .- Four Shawanese runners came here with the Callimutt of peace, belonging to their Nation, and atter smoaking out of it, they informed Major Murray & me, that the Chiefs of their Nation was on their way here with all the English prisoners, which was the reason of their being so long on the road, the prisoners not being able to travel fast, but that they would be here in three or four days, & desired us not to be uneasy till they arrived.
29th .- I had a private meeting with the Chiefs and principal Warriors of the three Tribes of the Delawares. When they brought the Indians they say had been lifted up to Heaven, and had spoke to the great spirit or giver of Life, I spoke to him and desired to know what the great Spirit had told him; He remained Silent for some time, and then spoke as follows :
" Brethren :
"It is now one hundred & fifteen days since I saw and spoke with our Father which is in Heaven, by which I know every thing on Earth, and good from bad ; I have likewise been informed how far our great Father allows us to know his Will, and in what manner we ought to proceed in order to make a firm and lasting Friendship be- tween one another, and the persons amongst the White people to whom we are to Speak to on this head, by order of our Father, are the Quakers. We are sensible of the misunderstanding that has been between us, and know we ought to be as one people, having but one Father. God, when he first made us and seated us on this Earth, considered us as his people, and gave us directions in what manner to live ; and now this second time has discovered himself to me, acquainting me with the method we ought to pur- sue to live agreeable to his desire ; he spoke to me concerning all the people which inhabit this Continent.
"Now, Brethren :
" We have got as much of his Sentiments as will be sufficient to direct us to live in firm Friendship, and it will be happy, Brethren, if we adhere to the advice our Father has given us ; it will do us both good ; As we are people of different Colours who inhabit this Continent, our Father has likewise spoke to my Chiefs by me, giving them an advice in what manner to behave as Kings, and now they will act as Kings.
" Brethren :
" We are fully determined to comply with the Orders of our Great Father, as we don't think it would be right to disobey him ; and desire you will join us, and let us both comply with his request ; it will be better for us. We are his people, & he is our Father ;
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you know, Brethren, if we do not do as he desires Us, it will not be good for either of us."
30th .- Several Chiefs and principal Warriors of the Delawares, in a private Meeting, told me that the great Spirit had told them, as they were the first Nation that met the Quakers when first they came to Philadelphia, they ought to be the first apply'd to in ma- king a lasting peace for all other Nations in this Country, and if they would agree to that, they would make a peace & bring all other Nations into it.
I told them I was well acquainted, by other Nations, that this was what they wanted, that I was much surprized at their Conduct after what they had promised to Col. Bouquet, and that the Qua- kers could not make peace with them ; That as soon as the Shawa- nese come, I would deliver the General's messages to them, which if they complied with, It would be well for themselves, as all other Nations had made their peace with Sir William Johnson, except them & the Shawanese ; That the Shawanese was now coming in order to go to Sir William Johnson to make theirs, and if they would not they must go to the Quakers or sit alone in the Woods, for it was out of my power to comply with their request.
May 1st .- Two Indians from Sandusky came here and says that about 30 days ago a Frenchman from the Ilinois passed by the Mi- amies Village towards Detroit, and told all the Indians he saw that the King of France, their Father, had sent a large quantity of Goods to New Orleans, for to supply his Children, the Indians in this Country, & would send them more next Year.
Last Night, two principal Warriors of the Delawares, differed in Council & stabbed each other in such a manner that their Lives is despair'd of, which throw'd all the Tribes of that nation in such confusion that Major Murray & I was obliged to speak to them on three Belts of Wampum, to reconcile them to each other.
2d-A number of the Shawanese arrived here, with part of the English prisoners, and saluted the Garrison with a discharge of their Guns, which was returned by three Cannon, after which they came over the river & informed that the rest of their people would be here to-morrow.
5th .- The Messenger that I sent to meet part of the Shawanese return'd, & says that some of the prisoners was sick, which delayed them so long on their way here, but that they expected them to morrow Evening.
6th .- A number of Senecas arrived here, and say the Shawanese would not get here till to-morrow morning.
7th-The Shawanese arrived with the last of the White priso- ners, & saluted the Garrison with two rounds, which was returned by three Cannon, then made several Compliments to Major Mur- ray & me for their delay on the road and the time it took them to collect the prisoners together before they sett off, being determined not to come till they could deliver them up and comply with their other engagements, as their whole Nation was resolved to
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make a lasting peace with their Brethren, the English, which shall neyer be broke on their side, and hoped their Brethren would not give any occasion for the future to excite their Jealousy or suspicion (meaning the English.)
In the Evening two Senecas arrived here from Chenessies on business to the Senecas, Shawanese, & Delawares, and by what I can learn, their Business is to enquire what Success the Shawanese, Delawares, and Senecas had last Fall, at the Illinois, with the French and Indians there, those two men has told the Senecas here that the Six Nations are so divided in their Councils, that they had not agreed to go to Sir William Johnson when they left home, tho' he had sent several Messages for them.
8th .- The Shawanese & Senecas sent for Major Murray & me and performed all the Ceremonies of Condolence, as usual on Meet- ings of this Nature."
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At a meeting with the Chiefs of the Shawanese, Delawares, Se- necas, & Sandusky Indians, at Fort Pitt.
PRESENT :
Major William Murray, & several Officers of the Garrison.
Delawares.
Shawanese.
Neattawatways,
Kisinoutha,
Custaloga,
Lawoughgua,
The Beaver,
Thaminusque,
Latort,
Lawisimo,
"Tepiscochan,
Wapecawpa,
Kelopum,
Chiefs.
Assitahiwa,
Spoagusa,
Metholahela,
Ncsseuletham,
Beniwesica,
Cuscalethon,
Mamsehigh,
Kehewenum,
Weconna thaca,
Capta. N. Jacobs.
Thecoma,
Wingenuna,
Wapemoga,
Chief Warriors.
Cutfinger Peter,
Nichebucketha,
Capt™. Pipe,
Nichmwhoa,
Capt". Johnny,
Capt". Grey Eyes,
Turtle Heart,
With 105 Warriors, besides Women & Children. Senecas.
Sun Fish,
Chief
Ouchista,
White Wolf,
Warriors.
Kyashuta,
Chiefs.
Thomas Hickman,
Connaduntohas,
Kecholan,
Couidageiate,
Opeloawethin,
Giniswean,
Chief Warriors.
Wessoaux,
Sohays,
Simon Girty,
With 125 Warriors, besides
With 215 Warriors, besides Women and Children.
Women & Children. S
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John Peters,
Opaughkee,
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Sandusky Indians.
Onadegoss,
Thusnedasgo, } Chiefs. Thanissisa,
Capt". John, - Chief Warriors.
With 38 more Warriors, besides Women & Children.
Munsies.
38 Men, besides Women & Children.
" Brethren :
" I have sent here two Months ago, by his Majesty's Com- mander-in-Chief, & Sir William Johnson, Bar', with Messages to your several Tribes, and have sent several messengers to summon you together, and to my great surprise you have, by your delays, obliged me to stay here waiting for you, thirty days longer than I expected.
A string.
" Brethren,
"His Excellency General Gage has ordered me to inform you that he expects you will immediately perform all the engagements you made last Fall to Col. Bouquet, one of which was to deliver up all the English prisoners and negroes which was in your several Villages; this article in part you then performed, and was to deliv- er the rest here early this spring, and I hope as you have delayed so long after I sent for you, that you have brought them agreeable to your promises. Two Belts.
" Brethren,
" At the same time you promised solemnly to Col. Bouquet, that you would send Deputys of your nations fully empowered to settle a peace with Sir William Johnson, and at the same time leave such a number of Hostages here till their return; How you have com- ply'd with this Article I need not inform you; you have sent but one Man to Sir William Johnson, and he not a Chief of any of your Tribes; and the Hostages you delivered to Col1 Bouquet, have all shamefully run away except three, tho' they was all as well used here as any of our own people, and never confined. This conduct Brethren, has given all your Brethren the English a suspicion of your Sincerity, therefore His Excellency General Gage expects that you will immediately send proper Deputys to Sir William Johnson to ratify and confirm a lasting peace, and replace Hostages here, till that is done ; as till you perform those your engagements to Col. Bouquet, no trade can be opened for your nations.
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