USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IX > Part 4
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" A PROCLAMATION.
"WHEREAS, divers Persons, the natural born Subjects of His Majesty, belonging to some of the Neighbouring Colonies have, without any Licence or Grant from the Honourable the Proprie- taries of this Province, or Authority from this Government, made several Attempts, in Bodies, to possess themselves of & settle upon a large Tract of Land within the limits . of this Pro- vince, not yet purchased from the Indians, lying at and be- tween Wyoming, on the River Susquehanna, and Cushietunck, on the River Delaware, and in the upper parts of Northampton County ; and have also endeavoured to persuade and inveigle many of the Inhabitants of this and the neighbouring Provinces to con- federate and join with them in such their illegal and dangerous De- signs, and to assist in settling & holding the said Lands by strong hand; And Whereas, the Delawares and other Tribes of Indians who reside within that Tract of Country between Wyoming & Cushietunck, and also the Six Nation Indians, have, as well at pub- lic Treaties as at divers' other Times, repeatedly made Complaints and Remonstrances to me against the said Practices and Attempts, & in the most earnest manner requested & insisted that the said Intruders should be removed by the Government to which they be- longed, or by me, & declared if this was not done the Indians would come & remove them by Force, and do themselves Justice ; but de- sired that the said Intruders might be previously acquainted there-
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with, that they might not pretend Ignorance ; And Whereas, not- withstanding I have already issued two Proclamations, viz'", the first dated in February 1761, & the second dated the 16th day of Septem- ber following, to apprize the said Intruders of their danger, and to forbid their settling on the said Lands and strictly enjoining & requiring in His Majesty's Name, all those who had presumed to settle on any part thereof, immediately to depart & move away from the same; yet I have lately received Information and fresh Com- plaints from the said Indians that divers Persons, in contempt of such my several Proclamations, and the Threats of the Indians, do still persist in their said Design, and are now actually settling on divers parts of the said Lands about Wyoming and Cushietunck.
" Wherefore, as well to continue my endeavours to preserve the Peace and Friendship which is now so happily restored and subsist- ing between us and the Indians, and to prevent the mischievous and terrible Consequences of their carrying into execution such their Threats, from which I am greatly apprehensive the Indians cannot any longer be restrained, if the said Intruders shall not immediately relinquish their Designs of settling the said Lands, as also again to warn any of the Inhabitants of this Province from being unwarily drawn in to join the said Intruders in such their unjust designs of making Settlements in the said Indian Country, I have judged it proper, before any Force shall be used against the said Intruders, by and with the advice of the Council, to issue this my Third Proc- lamation, hereby again strictly enjoining & requiring in His Majes- ty's Name all and every person and persons already settled and resid- ing on the said Lands (Indians excepted) immediately to depart and move away from the same. And do hereby forbid all His Majesty's Subjects of this or any other Province or Colony, on any pretence whatsoever, to intrude upon, settle or possess any of the said Lands, or any other Lands within the Limits of this Province not yet pur- chased of the Indians, as they will answer the contrary at their Peril, and on pain of being immediately prosecuted with the utmost Rigour of the Law. And hereby also strictly charging, enjoining & requiring all Sheriffs, Magistrates, Peace Officers, and all other His Majesty's liege People within this Province, to exert themselves and use their utmost Endeavours to prosecute and bring to Justice & condign Punishment, all Offenders in the Premises.
" Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, At Philadelphia, the second day of June, in the Year of our Lord, one thousd, seven hundred & sixty-three, and in the third year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the 3rd, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, & Ireland, King, Defen- der of the Faith, &ca. forth.
"JAMES HAMILTON.
"By his Honour's Command,
JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Jun ., Secretary. "GOD SAVE THE KING."
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Instructions from the Governor to James Burd, & Thomas McKee, Esqrs.
" By the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, and Commander-in- Chief of the Province of Penn- sylvania, & Counties of Newcastle Kent, and Sussex, on Dela- ware.
" To James Burd & Thomas McKee, of the County of Lancaster, in the said Province, Esquires, Greeting.
"Gentlemen :
" I have lately received Intelligence with fresh Complaints from the Indians at Wyoming, that the Connecticut People still persist in prosecuting their Scheme of settling the Lands about Wyoming, and at & about Cushietunck; And with the advice of the Council, I have thought it proper to issue a third Proclamation on that oc- casion, & to desire that you will immediately take a Journey to Wyoming, with such assistance as you shall judge proper to take along with you, and use your best endeavours to pursuade or drive away all the White People that you shall find settled, or about to settle there, or on any Lands not yet purchased from the Indians.
" Before you shew yourselves amongst them, you will gain all the Information and Light you can into their Designs, what their numbers are, & learn the names of as many as you can ; where set- tled, or about to settle; What numbers (and from whence) they expect to join them
"On your arrival amongst them, you will convene the heads of them, & after reading the Proclamation, expostulate with them about the Injustice, Absurdity, and Danger of their attempting to settle there, and let them know that I expect and require of them by you, that they shall all immediately Depart and quit their Set- tlements, and if they shall agree to go away peaceably, You will then after their departure, see all their Buildings and Improve- ments destroyed ; and in case they refuse to comply, You will then. acquaint them that they may rest assured that besides the danger they may be in from the resentment of the Indians, this Govern- ment will never permit them to continue there ; and that therefore it would be most advisable for them to return peaceably to their own Country, & desist entirely from their design of making any more Settlements there.
" If you find these Expostulations and persuasive means shall not succeed, & that you can do it without danger of Resistance from a Superior Force, & the risque of Bloodshed (which by no means hazard) I would have you, either by Stratagem or Force, to get three or four of the ringleaders, or others of them, appre- hended and carried to the Goal at Lancaster, sending with them a
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proper force & Mittimus under your hands & Seals, there to wait my further Orders.
" And if that cannot be done, you will endeavour to get the names of as many of them as you can, in order that they may be prosecuted at Law, and further measures taken with them, as shall at your Return be judged most proper. For this end I have armed you with a special Commission, constituting you Magistrates · of the Counties of Northampton, Berks, and Lancaster, but I im- magine, the Lands where they are settling must be in Northamp- ton County.
"You will please to keep a Journal of your Proceedings, and on your return report the same to me in writing under your hands, with an Account of your Expences, that orders may be given for the discharge thereof.
" Given under my hand & Seal-at-Arms, at Philadelphia, the second day of July, Anno Domini, 1763.
" JAMES HAMILTON."
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Monday the 20th June, 1763.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &cª.
William Logan,
Richard Peters,
Thomas Cadwalader,
Benjamin Chew, Esquires. Joseph Turner,
The Governor laid before the Board sundry Letters of Intelligence from the Frontiers, containing Accounts of Hostilities committed by the Western Indians, on His Majesty's Subjects within this Province, & of the Suspicious Behaviour of the Indians settled on the upper parts of the Susquehanna. The said Letters were sever- ally read, & were from the following Persons, viz":
One from Lieut. Sam1 Hunter, to Col. Ja& Burd, dated at Fort Augusta, 13th June.
Ditto from Lieut. Caleb Graydon, to Ditto, dated D", 15 June.
Ditto from Mr. Geo. Croghan, to the Governor, Shippensburg, 11 June.
Ditto from Mr. Joseph Shippen, Jun'., Sec"", to Do., dated at Har- ris's Ferry, inclosing a list of the Indians now living on the North West Branch of ye Susquehanna.
Ditto from Colo. James Burd, to the Governor, dated at Hunter's Fort, 17 June.
Ditto from Col. Boquet, to Ditto, dated 19 June. Ditto from Capt. Ourry, Commands at Fort Bedford, to the Governor, dated 10 June, 1763.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
At a Council held at Philadelphia on Thursday the 23rd June, 1763.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esq"., Lieutt Governor, &ca.
Benjamin Shoemaker, Benjamin Chew,
William Logan,
Thomas Cadwalader, S Esqrs
The Governor laid before the Council several Letters received by him last Night, from the Frontiers of this Province, giving him in- formation of new Murders & Depredations lately committed by the Indians on divers of his Majesty's Subjects on the said Frontiers, and represented that the remainder of the Money granted to His Majesty by the last Supply Bill, subject to the disposition of the Governor and the Provincial Commissioners, was expended; the Council thereupon advised the Governor to summon the Assembly as soon as possible, and lay before them the Intelligence he has re- ceived, and the great danger the Province is in from the Indians, that they may provide for the Publick Security ; And His Honour concurring in Opinion with the Council, ordered Writts to issue for summoning the Assembly to meet on the 4th day of July next.
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Tuesday, the 5th July, 1763.
The Assembly having met yesterday, pursuant to the Governor's Summons, issued on the 23rd June, His Honour sent to the House by the Secretary, the following Message, with Letters therein re- ferred to, from Sir Jeffery Amherst, dated the 12th & 25th June last, & sundry others, containing matters of Intelligence concerning the late Incursions & Depredations committed by the Indians on the Frontiers.
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" Being sensible how very inconvenient your attendance in As- sembly at this Season, must be to your private affairs, nothing less than the most urgent necessity, and an immediate want of your assist- ance for the publick Safety, could have induced me to call you to- gether before the time to which you stood adjourned.
"At a Time when, by the happy success of Ilis Majesty's Arms, and the Wisdom of his Councils, a peace, equally glorious to his
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Crown, and beneficial to His Subjects in all Quarters of the World, hath been lately concluded; & while we were filled with the pleasing hopes of reaping the just fruits of the excessive Labour and Ex- pence, which have been bestowed in effecting that great & Salutary work, it gives me the utmost concern to be obliged to acquaint you that our Toils are not yet come to an end, but that fresh troubles have arisen from a Quarter whence we had little reason to expect them, and which, if not timely repelled, or otherwise composed, may again deluge this Country with Blood & Rapine.
"It is now about a Month since we were alarmed by accounts from the commanding officer at Fort Pitt, that Murders and other Hostilities had been committed by Indians (but of what Tribe or Nation was not known) on many of His Majesty's Subjects in those parts, some of them almost within sight of the Fort; and that they had even been hardy enough to assault His Majesty's Posts of San- dusky and Detroit, in the former of which they had succeeded, & put great part of the Garrison to the Sword, but had happily failed with respect to the other; all which accounts have been since con- firmed.
"Immediately, on receipt of these advices, I thought it incumbent on me to provide for the Security of the important Garrison of Augusta, by reinforcing it with a considerable number of men, & putting the Frontiers into as good a State of Defence as the short- ness of the time would allow; both which Services, with the Con- currence of the Provincial Commissioners, have, in a good Measure, been accomplished out of the remainder of the last Supply granted to His Majesty, then undispos'd of; and I am in hopes that it is at present in a Condition to withstand any Attack that may be made upon it by Indians.
"As, after the first Blow that was struck, no further Depreda- tions were, for some time, heard of, I was in hopes it was rather the effect of private Resentment, than of a general Combination of the Indians to make war upon these Colonies, but the Cruel Murders that have since been committed, not only upon our Traders, but upon several new settled Families, far within the purchased parts of the Province, without the least Provocation from the unhappy sufferers, too plainly evince these Hostilities to be the effect of some concerted Plan, which, whether so extensive or not as was at first apprehended, has nevertheless been attended with all the bad effects that could have resulted from a general Combi- nation, the loss of lives only excepted, in as much as from a Dread of being cruelly butchered, the miserable People throughout almost the whole Frontiers of the Province have been induced to desert their Settlements with the utmost Precipitation, together with all their Worldly Substance, and to take refuge in the interior Parts, where it cannot but be extremely burthensome to the Inhabitants to sup- port them.
" Under these Circumstances, repeated Applications have been made to me for Succour, on behalf of those who are now become
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the Frontier Inhabitants, in order to enable them to make a stand, and repel the Enemy, in case they should be attacked, as well as to cover the Reapers in the time of their approaching Harvest, by means whereof they are in Hopes of being able to secure a con- siderable part of the Crop now in the Ground, which is absolutely necessary for the subsistence of the Country.
" But as it is not in my power to afford them an effectual aid, without the assistance of your House, I have called you together, to give you an opportunity of consulting and providing for the Publick good & safety, and do most earnestly press you, that you will, with a little Loss of time as possible, enable me to raise a Body of Men for the purposes aforesaid, as well as do every other thing that may be thought necessary for the protection of the Country at this dangerous and critical Juncture.
" His Excellency Sir Jeffery Amherst, Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Forces in North America, hath done, and is now doing everything in his power for securing the important Posts to the Westward, and to that end, hath sent thither as considerable a Body of regular Troops as the present weak state of the Army under his Command will admit of. But as the full protection of so extensive a Frontier will require a much greater number of Men than he can possibly spare, you will see by his Letter of the 25th of June, which I now lay before you, what it is he expects we will do for our own Defence. And as every particular therein appears to me extreamly reasonable, & even absolutely necessary, I beg leave to recommend the Contents to your immediate Consideration & Compliance ; And in particular, that you will forthwith pass a Bill for compelling the Inhabitants to furnish Carriages, &ca., for His Majesty's Service; as, without such an authority, it will be difficult, if not impracticable, to transport such quantities of Pro- visions and Stores as may be necessary for the Subsistance & Preser- vation of the King's Garrisons.
"I have only to repeat my Request, Gentlemen, that whatever you shall think proper to do upon this occasion, may receive all the Dispatch the Nature of the thing is capable of, as I am apprehen- sive that without some speedy Encouragement on the part of the Legislature, the Frontier Settlements will be entirely abandoned, and left a prey to the Enemy.
" July 4th, 1763."
"JAMES HAMILTON.
VOL. IX .- 3.
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A Letter from General Amherst to the Governor.
"NEW YORK, June 12th, 1763.
" Sir :
"On the Intelligence received from Col. Boquet, of the bad In- tentions of the Indians, I have thought it necessary to send two Companies, under the Command of Major Campbell, towards Phila- delphia, that the Col. may employ them as he may judge best on the Communication. It is particularly inconvenient at this time, when I am in hourly expectation of receiving Directions from Home, for the general Arrangement of the Troops in this Country, but I could not hesitate a moment in sending what assistance I can spare, when the Inhabitants seem to be in Danger from the attempts of the Savages.
"Colonel Boquet acquaints me that you intended to apply to your Council for some Men to send to the support of the Garrison of Fort Augusta, & I flatter myself your application will be attended with success. Surely if the Province have the least Regard for their fellow Subjects, they will chearfully lend their assistance at a time when there appears real Danger from a sett of Savages, who shew no Mercy in their Depredations.
"I am, with great Regard, Sir, " Your Most Obedt. Hume· Servt., "JEFF. AMHERST."
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A 2nd Letter from General Amherst to the Governor.
"NEW YORK, June 25th, 1763. " Sir :
" As it now appears from the Intelligence received from all Quar- ters, that the Indians seem determined to push their Depredations, owing, I suppose, to some advantages they have gained over Strag- gling parties of Traders, and a false hope of the Detroit and the upper Posts being cut off, I think it my Indispensable Duty once more to renew my Instances with you, to lose no time in calling your Assembly, & pressing them to enable you to raise, with the utmost Dispatch, a Body of Men to be employed in the Defence and protection of the Frontiers.
"Capt". Curry writes me that there are many of the Inhabitants near Bedford, who are ready to enter into the Provincial Service. Should you be enabled to issue Commissions, which I hope you will be, no time should be lost in sending proper Orders for recruiting those Men, as well as for forwarding any others that may enlist as fast as raised, to the Communication above.
."I find Mr. Croghan has very judiciously engaged twenty-five Men to Garrison Fort Littleton, and I make no doubt but the Pro-
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vince will readily defray the Expence of those Men, so long as it may be judged necessary to continue them.
"There is one thing more which I have to lay before you; I mean the necessity of procuring a Law to compel the Inhabitants to furnish Carriages, as Colonel Bouquet writes me, without such an Authority, he despairs of being able to get on with the Troops, & such a quantity of Provisions as will be absolutely necessary for their Subsistance. This, therefore, will admit of no Delay, and I am persuaded you will give it the utmost dispatch, that this most essential Service may not be retarded when it is in the power of the Legislature to remove the Difficulty.
"I am with great Regard, Sir, "Your most Obedt humb. Servant, "JEFF. AMHERST."
1209433
6th July, 1763.
The Governor laid before the House a Letter received by Express from Colo Bouquet, at Carlisle, which follows in these words :
" Sir :
"I am sorry to acquaint you that our Posts at Presque-Isle, Le Beuf, and Venango, are cut off, and the Garrisons Massacred by the Savages, except one Officer & Seven men, who have escaped from Le Beuf. Fort Pitt was briskly attacked on the 22nd; had only a few Men killed & wounded, & dispersed the Enemy. Fort Ligo- nier has likewise stood a vigorous attack, by means of some Men who reinforced that small Garrison from the Militia of Bedford. The Indians expect a strong Reinforcement to make new attempts on these two Post.
" If the Measures I had the Honour to recommend to you in my Letters of Yesterday, are not immediately put into Execution, I foresee the Ruin of the part of the Province on this side Sasque- hannah, & as York County would be covered by Cumberland, I think they ought to join in assisting to build some Posts, and sav- ing the Harvest. It would not be less necessary to send imme- diately arms and Ammunition to be distributed to the Inhabitants to defend their Reapers.
" I have the Honour to be, Sir, " Your most Obedt Humble Serv.,
" HENRY BOQUET."
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Thursday, 7th July, 1763.
Two Members of Assembly waited on the Governor with a Copy of two Resolves made by the House, which are as follows, viz" :
" In Assembly, July 6th, 1763, A. M.
" The House resumed the Consideration of the Governor's Mes- sage, which, with the several Letters of Intelligence attending it, was read again, and after some time spent therein,
" Resolved,
" That it be recommended to the Governor and Provincial Com- missioners, to take into the immediate pay of this Province, any number of the Back Inhabitants and others, not exceeding Seven hundred men, exclusive of those already in the service of the Gov- ernment, to be divided, stationed, & employed in protecting the Frontier Inhabitants, within the purchased parts of the said Pro- vince, during the time of Harvest, or until the next Meeting of this House.
" Resolved,
" That if the sum of Money now remaining in the Publick Treasury, should prove insufficient to defray the Expence of raising the aforesaid Number of Men, this House will, with the Assent of the Governor, supply the Deficiency at their next Meeting.".
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday the 8th July, 1763.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutt. Governor, . &cª.
Richard Peters,
Benjamin Chew, Esqrs.
Thomas Cadwalader,
The Governor laid before the Board two Bills, which the House sent up for His Honour's Concurrence, vizt. :
" An Act for regulating the Hire of Carriages to be employed in His Majesty's Service."
" An Act for regulating the Officers and Soldiers in the pay of this Province."
And the same being read & approved, were sent by the Secretary to the House, with the Governor's assent. His Honour at the same time sent the following Message to the House, viz' :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" In the course of the present Year a great deal of Publick Busi- ness hath been transacted by me, and, I believe, as many useful Laws
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enacted as by any of my predecessors in the same space of time, yet I have not understood that any Allowance hath hitherto been made to me for my Support, as hath been customary in this Province. I therefore beg leave to recommend this matter to your Considera- tion.
" JAMES HAMILTON.
"July 8th, 1763."
The House then sent two Members to the Governor, to know at what time His Honour would be pleased to pass the said Bills; And the Governor desired them to acquaint the House that he should be ready in the Council Chamber at Half an Hour after 12 this after- noon, for that purpose.
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EODEM DIE, 12} o'Clock.
The Governor, by His Secretary, acquainted the House that he waited in the Council Chamber, & required their attendance there, in order to pass the Bills, which had received his assent. The Speaker & the whole House attended accordingly, & presented to the Governor the Bill entituled " An Act for regulating the hire of Carriages to be employed in his Majesty's Service," And a Bill en- tituled " An Act for regulating the Officers and Soldiers in the pay of this, Province ;" which His Honour enacted into Laws, & signed Warrants for affixing the Great Seal thereto. The Laws were or- dered to be deposited in the Roll's Office after they were Sealed.
Mr. Speaker then presented to the Governor a Certificate for £500, towards his Support for the Current Year, for which His Honour thanked the House.
The House adjourned to Monday the 12th September next.
At a Council held at Philada., on Monday, the 25th July, 1763.
PRESENT :
The Honorable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &cª.
William Logan, Joseph Turner,
Richard Peters,
Thomas Cad walader, Esquires.
The Governor having received by the Pitt Pacquet, from the Right Honourable the Earl of Egremont, one of His Majesty's prin- cipal Secretaries of State, the King's Proclamation of the Peace, with His Lordship's Letter, dated at Whitehall, 26 March, 1763, signifying His Majesty's Commands to have the same published in all proper places within his Government, laid them before the Board, which were read, and are as follow, viz":
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