USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IX > Part 53
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" Brother :
" When you spoke to us the next Day, you told us every thing that passed in the Time of War, as well as since, which is very true, and we acknowledge we were wrong, though we did not expect you would do as we requested. And from what you have told us, We
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know that it is not in the Power of any other Person but the King, our Father. And though you say we were the only Nation that has mentioned this to you, we know that all other Nations of Indians wish, as well as we, that there were no Forts in this Country.
" As to what we said about the Boats going down the River, we did not mean that they should not go, but desired you would not send them till we had time to go and Council with the Nations in that Country, as we have heard bad News from thence. And as to what we said about our People that were killed when you were taken Prisoner, we only mentioned it to shew you what a foolish People the Indians there are. It is very true, Brother, we did send a Hatchet to those Nations in Time of War, but it was sent to us from the Senecas to carry to them.
" Brother :
" We now desire that you may forget what we first spoke to you about those things, and help us to some Council Wampum, as we are very poor, and we will immediately set out to talk to all the Nations in that Country, and take back from them all the Belts we sent them, and do every Thing in our Power to make the Road smooth & easy to Travel, and convince you that we are as much disposed to hold fast the Chain of Friendship as any Nation in this Country."
A Belt.
At a Meeting held at Fort Pitt, on Monday, the 9th of May, 1768, with the Chiefs and Principal Warriors of the Six Nations.
PRESENT :
Mr. Croghan and the Commissioners.
It was agreed upon by them to comply with the Request of the. Commissioners in sending Messengers to the People settled at Red- stone, Youghioghany, and Monongahela, to signify to them the great Displeasure of the Six Nations, at their taking Possession of the Lands there, and making Settlements on them ; and also that it is expected they will with their Families remove without further Notice. They accordingly appointed the White Mingo and the three Deputies sent from the Six Nation Country, to carry a Mes- sage to that Effect, and the Commissioners agreed to send Mr. John Frazer and Mr. John Thompson, to accompany them, with written Instructions in behalf of the Government of Pennsylvania.
Monday 9th of May, 1768, P. M.
The Indian Messengers having agreed to set out for Redstone Creek to-Morrow, the Commissioners, as an encouragement to them
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for the Trouble of their Journey, made them a present of some Black Wampum.
They then desired Mr. Frazer and Captain Thompson to hold themselves prepared for accompanying the Indian Messengers in the Morning, and wrote them a Letter of Instructions, which fol- lows in these words, viz :
"FORT PITT, the 9th of May, 1768.
" Gentlemen :
" The Six Nations, at the public Conferences held last Week, with them and other Tribes of Indians at this Place, renewed their Complaints of Encroachments being made on their Lands, and they have agreed, at our Instance, to send four Messengers to the People settled on the waters of the Monongahela and Youghioganey, to express their great Disapprobation of their continuing still there, and also to let them know that it is expected by the whole Confede- racy of the Six Nations, that they will remove from the Lands they have unjustly taken Possession of, without further delay. But as it is necessary, in order to enforce the Message from the Indians, and to see that it is properly and effectually communicated to the People, that some prudent Persons should accompany the Indian Messengers, we request that you will do us the Favour to under- take this Business.
As soon as you arrive in the midst of the Settlement near Red- stone Creek, it will be necessary to convene as many of the Settlers as possible, to whom the Indians may then deliver the Message which shall be given to you in writing; and we desire you will leave a few copies of it with the principal People, that they may communicate the same to those who live at any considerable Dis- tance from them.
"We herewith furnish you with a Copy of the Speech delivered to us at this Treaty by the Six Nations, respecting the settlement of their Lands, which you will be pleased to read to the Settlers for their information.
" You may then acquaint them, that they must be convinced by this Message and the Speech of the Six Nations, that they have hitherto been grossly deceived by a few straggling Indians of no Consequence, who may have encouraged them to stay on their set- tlements, and that they will now be left without the least Pretence or Excuse for staying on them any longer. However we make no Doubt but before you reach Redstone many of the Families will have removed, in Obedience to the late Law passed in this Province, which has been read and fully explained to them by the Reverend Mr. Steele and the other Gentlemen who the Governor sent up to them in March last.
" But should you find any of those inconsiderate People still ac- tuated by a Lawness and obstinate Spirit, to bid Defiance to the Civil Authority, you may let them know that we were under no
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Necessity of sending in the Name of the Governor any further no- tice to them, or of being at the Pains at making them acquainted with the real Minds of the Indians, to induce them to quit their settlements, for that the Powers of Government are sufficient to compel them to pay due obedience to the Laws, and they may de- pend upon it, they will be effectually exerted if they persist in their Obstinacy.
" You may likewise assure them, that they need not attempt to make an Offer of Terms with the Government respecting their Re- moval, as we hear some of them have vainly proposed to do, by saying they would go off the Lands immediately, on condition that they should be secured to them as soon as the Proprietary Pur- chase is made. It is a high Insult on Government for those Peo- ple even to hint such things.
" The only Motives therefore, which excite us to make use of the present Expedient of sending you with Messengers from the Indians on this Occasion, is the compassionate Concern we have for the dangerous Situation and Distress of those unhappy People, and the hopes we have that by this Means they may be convinced it is their true and best Interest to pay a due Submission to the Laws, by re- linguishing their Settlements without Delay. If any of them should talk of Petitioning the Governor for a Preference in taking up the Lands they have improved, you may assure them from us that it will be to no Manner of purpose till they have first complied with the Law.
" We depend greatly on your Care and Prudence in executing this Business to our Satisfaction, and recommend it to you to be particularly careful that the Indian Messengers are treated with the greatest Civility and Kindness. When you return to Fort Bedford we beg you will write us an Account of your Proceedings. We wish you a Safe Return to your Families, and are with great regard, Gentlemen,
"Your most Obedient humble Servants, " JOHN ALLEN. " JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Junior. "To Messieurs John Frazer and William Thompson."
Messieurs Frazer and Thompson being in Readiness with their Horses and Provisions for their Journey to Redstone-Creek, the Commissioners sent several times for the Indian Messengers, who at last came to the Fort and acquainted them that they had been seri- ously considering the Business they were going to be sent on, and it now appeared to them so disagreeable, that they could by no means consent to undertake it, and immediately returned the Wampum which had been given them. Upon being interrogated as to the Reasons of their declining to perform what they had consented to, they answered that three of them were sent as Deputies by the Six Nation Council to attend the Treaty here; and having received no
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Directions from them to proceed any further, they chose to return home in Order to make Report of what they had seen and heard at this Place; they further added that the driving White People away from their settlements was a Matter which no Indians could with any satisfaction be concerned in, and they thought it most pro- per for the English themselves to compel their own people to re- move from Indian Lands.
After this refusal of the Indians who had been appointed to carry the Message from the Six Nations, the Commissioners in vain at- tempted to persuade or procure others to execute the Business, though they used great Endeavours for that Purpose; and they thought it both useless and imprudent to continue to press a Mat- ter on the Indians which they found they were generally much averse to; and therefore, concluded to set out on their return to Philadelphia without further Delay. But in a short Time after- wards Kayashuta came with Arroas (a principal Warrior of the Six Nations) to the Commissioners at their Lodgings, where the former addressed himself to them in Effect as follows, viz“: " Brethren :
"I am very sorry to find that you have been disappointed in your Expectations of the Indian Messengers going to Redstone, according to Your desire, and our Agreement, and I am much afraid that you are now going away from us with a discontented Mind on this Ac- count. Believe me, Brethren, this Thought fills my heart with the deepest grief, and I could not suffer you to leave us without speak- ing to you on this Subject, and endeavouring to make your Minds easy.
" We were, all of us, much disposed to comply with your Request, and expected it would have been done without difficulty, but I now find that not only the Indians appointed by us, but all our other young Men, are very unwilling to carry a Message from us to the White People, ordering them to remove from our Lands. They say they would not chuse to incur the ill Will of those People; for if they should be now removed, they will hereafter return to their Settlements when the English have purchased the Country from us, And we shall be very unhappy, if, by our Conduct towards them at this Time, we shall give them Reason to dislike us, and treat us in an unkind Manner, when they again become our Neigh- bours. We therefore hope, Brethren, you will not be displeased at us for not performing our Agreement with you, for You may be assured that we have good Hearts towards all our Brethren, the English."
The Commissioners returned Kayashuta many Thanks for his friendly Behaviour on this Occasion, and assured him that they greatly approved of the Conduct of the Indians during this Treaty, and were now returning home with very easy and contented Minds. They further acquainted him that their Reason for urging them to send a Message to the Redstone Settlers, proceeded entirely from
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the great Anxiety they had of contributing every Thing in their Power that might expedite the Measures taken by the Government to do them Justice, and to redress every Injury they complained of. Yet as they found the Compliance of their Request was disagreeable to the Indians, they could not press the Matter on them any further, though it appeared to be a Step very necessary to be taken at this Time.
They then took leave of the Indians in the most friendly Manner, and set out on their Return to Philadelphia.
The End of the Treaty held with the Indians at Fort Pitt.
At 'a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday the 15th of July, 1768.
PRESENT:
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &ca.
Benjamin Chew,
James Tilgham, Esquires.
The Governor being informed that a Negro Man was lately com- mitted to York County Gaol for Burglary, the Council advised His Honour to issue a Commission appointing David Jamison and Mar- tin Eikleburger, Esquires, Justices for holding Courts in that County for the Trial of Negroes, according to Law.
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The 23d of July, 1768.
MEMORANDUM.
Mr. John Pope of the County of York, being recommended to the Governor as a proper person to be in the Magistracy, His Hon- our, accordingly, by a special Commission, appointed him one of the Justices of the Peace and of the County Court of Common Pleas for the said County.
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Saturday the 6th of August, 1768.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &ca.
The Governor laid before the Board a Letter he had received from His Excellency Governor Franklin, dated the 29th of last Month, inclosing His Proclamation, and a Copy of a Deposition of Stephen
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Skinner, Esquire, concerning the Robbery of the Treasury of the Eastern Division of New-Jersey, on the 22d of July last, which were read, and the same being taken into consideration, the Board advised His Honour to issue a Proclamation, enjoining and requir- ing all Officers of the Peace within the Province and lower Coun- ties, to use their utmost Endeavours to discover and apprehend the Perpetrator or Perpetrators of the said Robbery, and likewise to di- rect that the same be Published in the Pennsylvania Gazette, Journal, and Chronicle, and two hundred Copies thereof Printed and dispersed through the different Counties within his Govern- ments. The said Proclamation follows in these Words, Vizt:
" By the Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor, and Commander-in- Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware.
"A PROCLAMATION.
"WHEREAS, it appears to me by the Deposition of Stephen Skinner, Esquire, Treasurer of the Eastern Division of New-Jersy, transmitted to me by his Excellency Governor Franklin, that the House of the said Stephen Skinner, at Perth Amboy, was, in the Night of the twenty-first Day of July last past, robbed of Money to the Amount of seven Thousand Pounds, and upwards, by some Person or Persons unknown, Part of the said Money being in Dollars, a small Part in Gold, and the rest chiefly in new Bills of Credit of that Province.
"I have, therefore, by and with the Advice of the Council, thought fit to issue this Proclamation, hereby requiring and enjoin- ing all Judges, Justices of the Peace, Sheriff's, and all other Offi- cers of the said Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties on Dela- ware, to use their utmost Endeavours to discover and apprehend the Perpetrator or Perpetrators of the said daring Villainy, and to secure the said Money, and for that Purpose strictly to examine all Persons who, from being possessed of an unusual Sum of New Jer- sey Currency, or from other Circumstances, there may be Reason to suspect being concerned therein.
"Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the sixth day of August, in the Eighth Year of His Majesty's Reign, and in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight.
" JOHN PENN.
"By His Honour's Command.
"JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Junior, Secretary. "GOD SAVE THE KING."
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Tuesday the 6th Septem"., 1768.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &cª
Richard Peters, Benjamin Chew, - Esquires.
Lynford Lardner, James Tilghman, S
The Governor laid before the Board a Transcript of a Record of Conviction of John Dowdle and Thomas Vaughan, at a Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Goal delivery, held at Chester, for the County of Chester, on the fifteenth day of August last, be- fore William Allen, John Lawrence, and Thomas Willing, Esquires, Justices of the Supream Court of the Province of Pennsylvania, and of the said Court of Oyer and Terminer, by which Record it appears that the said John Dowdle and Thomas Vaughan were legally Tried and Convicted of Felony and Murder, committed on the Body of a certain Thomas Sharpe, on the Thirty-first day of March last, in the said County of Chester, and had each received Sentence of Death for the same. The said Record being taken into consideration, and no Circumstances reported by the Judges in favour of the said Criminals, The Governor with the advice of the Board, issued a Warrant for their Execution, on Saturday the seven- teenth of September instant.
Tuesday, the Thirteenth of September, 1768.
The Assembly having met Yesterday pursuant to Adjournment, the Secretary waited on the House and acquainted them that the Governor being necessarily called into a Neighbouring Province to transact a Business of great Importance, had left a written Message for the House, which, by the Governor's directions, he then de- livered to them, and at the same time laid before them a Letter from the Right Honourable the Earl of Hillsborough, His Ma- jesty's Secretary of State for America, dated with its Inclo- sure, which Message and Letter are respectively as follow, Vizt .:
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" As I am obliged to attend a Treaty shortly to be held with the Indians at Fort Stanwix, for the important purpose of settling a general Boundary Line between them and this, and the neighbour- ing Colonies, it will not be in my Power to meet you at the Time to VOL. IX .- 35.
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which you last adjourned. But, it being not usual at this Season to enter upon any other Business than the Settlement of the Public Accompts, I am in hopes my absence will not prove in any sort det- rimental to the Interest of the Province.
" I have ordered the Secretary to lay before you a Letter which I received since the last Session, from the Right Honourable the Earl of Hillsborough, His Majesty's Secretary of State for America, which I recommend to your most Serious Consideration, and doubt not but you will conduct yourselves on the Occasion in such a man- ner as to confirm our Gracious Sovereign in the favourable Opinion he is pleased to entertain of you.
"September the 7th, 1768."
" JOHN PENN.
A Letter from the Earl of Hillsborough to the Governor.
WHITEHALL, April 21st, 1768.
" Sir :
" I have his Majesty's Commands to transmit to You the inclosed Copy of a Letter from the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Colony of Massachusets Bay, addressed, by order of that House, to the Speaker of the Assembly of each Colony upon the Continent of North America.
" As His Majesty considers this Measure to be of a most dan- gerous and factious Tendency, calculated to inflame the Minds of his good Subjects in the Colonies, to promote an unwarrantable Combination, and to excite and encourage an open Opposition to, and Denial of the Authority of Parliament, and to subvert the true Principles of the Constitution, it is His Majesty's Pleasure that you should immediately upon the Receipt of this, exert your utmost Influence to defeat this flagitious Attempt to disturb the Public Peace, by prevailing upon the Assembly of your Province to take no Notice of it, which will be treating it with the Contempt it de- serves.
"The repeated Proofs which have been given by the Assembly of Pennsylvania, of their Reverence and Respect for the Laws, and of their faithful Attachment to the Constitution, leave little room in His Majesty's Breast to doubt of their shewing a proper Resent- ment of this unjustifiable attempt to revive those Distractions which have operated so fatally to the prejudice of this Kingdom and her Colonies, and accordingly, His Majesty has the fullest Confidence in their Affections ; but if, notwithstanding these Expectations, and your most earnest Endeavours, there should appear in the Assembly of your Province a disposition to receive or give any Countenance
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to this Seditious Paper, it will be your Duty to prevent any pro- ceeding upon it, by an immediate Prorogation, or Dissolution. "I am, with great Truth and Regard, Sir, " Your most Obedient, humble Servant, " HILLSBOROUGH."
" Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania."
Thursday the 15th of September, A. M.
The Secretary waited on the Assembly, in Obedience to Orders he had received from the Governor, and laid before them for their Perusal a Copy of the Conferences held at Fort Pitt with the Indians in May last.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Tuesday the 4th of October, 1768.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, President. Joseph Turner, Lynford Lardner,
William Logan, Thomas Cadwallader, S Esquires.
The President laid before the Board the Returns of Sheriffs and Coroners for the Counties of Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, Berks, Lancaster, and New Castle, which, being duly considered, the fol-, lowing Persons were appointed and Commissionated as Sheriffs and Coroners for the respective Counties, vizt :
Joseph Redman, Caleb Cash, John Morton,
Joseph Gibbons,
Joseph Ellicott, James Wallace, Jacob Shoemaker, Jame Whitehead, Junior, James Webb, Junior, Mathias Slough, John Thomson, William McClay,
Sheriff, Coroner, S Sheriff, Chester Do·
Coroner,
Sheriff, Coroner, Sheriff, Coroner, Sheriff, Coroner,
Philadelphia County.
Coroner, Sheriff, Bucks
Berks Do
Lancaster
New Castle Do
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday the 6th of October, 1768.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, President.
Joseph Turner, Lynford Lardner,
William Logan, Thomas Cadwallader, S
Esquires.
The Returns of Sheriffs and Coroners for the Counties of North- ampton, York, Cumberland, Kent, and Sussex, being now made, the President, with the Advice of the Council, appointed and Commis- sionated the following Persons as Sheriffs and Coroners for their respective Counties, Vize :
John Jennings,
Sheriff,
Northampton County.
. Robert Lattimore,
George Eichelberger,
Joseph Adlum,
Coroner,
David Hoge,
Sheriff,
Cumberland A
William Denny,
Coroner, S
James Wells,
Sheriff,
Kent
Solomon Wallace,
Coroner,
Boaz Manlove,
Sheriff,
Sussex Do
George Walker,
Coroner, S
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Tuesday 13th of December, 1768.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor, &cª.
The Governor laid before the Board Three Records of Convic- tion, which being read, it appears by one of the said Records, that at a Court of Oyer and Terminer and general Goal Delivery, held at York for the County of York, on the eighteenth Day of No- vember last, before John Lawrence and Thomas Willing, Esqires, Justices of the Supream Court of the Province of Pennsylvania, and of the said Court of Oyer and Terminer, John Shannon was Tried and convicted of Felony and Burglary, committed in the dwelling House of William Scott, in the township of Berwick, and County aforcsaid, on the fifteenth of October last, and hath receiv- ed sentence of Death for the same.
By another of the said Records it appears that at the said Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Goal Delivery, held the eigh- teenth of November last, before the said Justices, Henry Fisher alias Weaver, was tried and Convicted of Felony and Burglary,
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committed in the Dwelling House of James M'Gaughy, in the Township of Cumberland, and County of York, on the twenty- third of July last, and hath received Sentence of Death for the same.
By the other of the said Records, it appears that at the said Court of Oyer and. Terminer and General Goal Delivery, held on the eighteenth and nineteenth Days of November last, before the said Justices, Henry Smith and Mary Kennedy were Tried and Convicted of Felony and Murder, committed on the Body of Baltzer Klotzer, in the Township of Manchester, and County of York, on the twelfth of July last, and have received Sentence of Death for the same.
The said Records being taken into Consideration, and the said Justices having recommended to the Governor the two first men- tioned Criminals as objects of his Mercy, the Governor, with the Advice of the Board, granted the said John Shannon and Henry Fisher, alias Weaver, a Pardon, and issued a Warrant for the Exe- cution of Henry Smith and Mary Kennedy, on Saturday the twenty-fourth of December instant.
[Here follows 45 Blank Pages in Council Book, after which ap- pears the following : ]
Chamber, and required their attendance, that he might pass the Bills which had been agreed on. The whole House attending ac- cordingly, the speaker presented to the Governor ten Bills intitled as follow, viz. :
" An Act to repeal an Act entituled 'An Act to enable the In- habitants of the Borough of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, to raise money on themselves for supporting a Nightly Watch in the said Borough, & for other purposes therein mentioned."
" An Act to prolong the time limited for drawing the Lottery in- stituted and directed to be drawn in and by virtue of an Act enti- tuled 'An Act for raising by way of Lottery the sum of £3003, 15, &ca.'"
" An Act directing the choice of Inspectors & for holding the General Elections in this Province."
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