USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IX > Part 8
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"3dly. That by the Treaties between us & them, it was agreed that whenever they thought themselves agrieved by the White peo- ple, they were first to represent the same, in a friendly manner, to me, without having recourse to Arms, or offering to strike us ; That I should always observe that conduct towards them, and that while we both continued to act in that manner, any differences that might happen might be settled to our mutual Satisfaction, without break- ing the antient Chain of Friendship, which we were as desirous as ever to preserve whole and entire ; And
" Lastly. That I had requested that Conference with them, & desired they would freely open their hearts to me, and acquaint by what Nations of Indians these murders had been committed, and for what reason, and whether they, or any other Nations of Indians to their Knowledge, had any just Cause of complaint against us, and what that Cause was; and promised that as far as lay in my power, I would give them immediate Satisfaction, and as a token of my Sincerity I gave them a Belt."
" Brother John Curtis :
" I have now finished what I had to say to Papounan, & the In- dians living at Wighalousin, in answer to their kind Message; I now desire you to inform the Indians how kindly you have been
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treated since you have been here. I now wish you a good Journey, and shall take care that you be escorted safe out of the Inhabi- tants."
The Governor having received Information that severall Robbe- ries had lately been committed on the Public Roads and Highways near the City, and being acquainted by two Members of Assembly that the House had voted the sum of Fifty Pounds as a Reward for apprehending any of the Persons concerned therein, thought pro- per this day to issue a Proclamation of the said Reward, in order the better to discover the Offenders and bring them to Justice.
The Proclamation follows in these words, viz -.:
" By the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieuten- ant Governor & Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Penn- sylvania, & Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, on Dela- ware :
"A PROCLAMATION.
" WHEREAS, information hath been made to me, not only that divers attempts have of late been made to rob, but that several Rob- beries have been actually committed on his Majesty's Subjects tra- velling on the Highways, near the city of Philadelphia, by Persons unknown, to the great terror and Annoyance of the said Subjects coming to and returning from the said City : And Whereas, it is of great Importance that a Stop should as soon as possible be put, in this young Colony, to crimes of so evil and pernicious a Nature, and the Authors and Perpetrators thereof brought to condign and exemplary punishment, I have therefore thought fit, with the ad- vice of the Council, to issue this Proclamation, hereby offering a Reward of Fifty Pounds to any Person or Persons who shall make known and cause to be apprehended all or any of the Persons who were concerned as Authors, Perpetrators, or Accomplices, in any of the aforesaid Robberies or Attempts to rob on the said Highways, since the first day of October instant, So that he or they shall be convicted thereof, according to due course of Law. And I do hereby strictly charge and command all Magistrates, Sheriffs, and other Officers whatsoever, within this Government, to use their utmost care and diligence in detecting and apprehend ng the said Offenders, that they may be brought to Justice.
" Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, At Philadelphia, the twenty-second day of October, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Sixty-three, and in the Third Year of His Majesty's Reign.
" JAMES HAMILTON.
" By His Honour's Command.
" JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Jun"., Secretary. " GOD SAVE THE KING."
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MEMORANDUM. at New Castle, Monday, the 24th Octo", 1763.
Three Members of Assembly waited on the Governor with a verbal Message, that the House had met on the 20th Instant, pursuant to the Charter and Laws of the Government, and had chosen their Speaker, & desired to know when and where they might present him for his Honour's Approbation.
The Governor having acquainted them that he was now ready at his Lodgings for that purpose, the House accordingly attended, and presented Mr. Jacob Kollock as their Speaker, who, being approved, claimed the usual Privileges, which were granted; and then the House withdrew.
MEMORANDUM. at Newcastle, Saturday, the 29th October, 1763.
The Assembly sent'a Verbal Message to the Governor by three Members, that the House, having understood that His Honour in- tended to set off To-morrow Morning for Philadelphia, in order to meet the Hon'ble John Penn, Esquire, lately appointed his Suc- cessor in the Government, and this day arrived in the River from England, proposed to adjourn to the 20th day of March next, if it was agreeable to His Honour, to which the Governor answered that he had no objection.
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Soon after, the Governor received another Message by three Members, that the House desired to have an Opportunity of taking their leave of His Honour before he sat out for Philadelphia, and requested to known when they might wait on him for that purpose, to which the Governor was pleased to say their proposal was very agreeable to him, and that he should be ready to receive the House immediately.
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Monday, the 31st day of October, 1763.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &ca.
The Honourable John Penn, Esquire.
Benjamin Shoemaker, Ric hard Peters,
Joseph Turner, Lynford Lardner, &Esquires. Benjamin Chew,
The Honourable Proprietaries, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esq's., having been pleased to appoint John Penn, Esqr., to be Lieu- tenant Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of
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New Castle, Kent, & Sussex, on Delaware, He produced their Com- mission, bearing date the 18th day of June last, under the hands- and Seals of the said Proprietaries, & under the Great Seal of the said Province, as also a Certificate under the Seal of the privy Council, dated the 31st August, 1763, declaring His Majesty's Ap- probation of John Penn, Esquire, to be Lieutenant Governor, &cª: and his having taken the usual Oaths, both which being read, the Governor, attended by the Council, Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, Common Council, & preceded by the Sheriff & his Officers, went to the Court House, where his Commission was published with due Solemnity in the presence of a very great concourse of People. Immediately afterwards, the Battery Guns fired a Royal Salute, and the Bells of Christ Church rung in Compliment to him.
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November the 1st, 1763.
Mr. Joseph Shippen, Jun"-, being continued Provincial Secretary and Clerk of the Council, & directed Yesterday in Council to pre- pare a Proclamation for the Continuance of Magistrates and other Officers, the same was issued this day by the Governor, and ordered to be Published in the Pennsylvania Gazette & Journal.
" 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, the Honourable Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute Proprietaries and Governors-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, have been pleased by their Commission under their Hands and Seals, bearing date the Eighteenth day of June last, to constitute and appoint me to be their Lieutenant Gov- ernor of the said Province and Counties, with all necessary Powers and Authority for the well governing of the same; which said Ap- pointment the King's Most Excellent Majesty, in a Council held at St. James's, the thirty-first day of August last past, was graciously pleased to allow and approve of : Therefore, in pursuance of the said Trust in me reposed, having a special regard to the safety of the State and Government of the said Province and Counties, & to pre- vent failures in the Administration of Justice therein, I have, by and with the advice and consent of the Council of the said Province & Counties, thought fit to ordain, and do hereby ordain and declare, that all Orders and Commissions whatsoever, relating to the Gov- ernment of the said Province and Counties, heretofore lawfully and
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rightfully issued, which were in force on the Thirty-first day of Oc- tober last, shall be, continue and remain in full force, power and virtue, according to their respective Tenors, until my further plea- sure shall be known therein ; and that all Persons whatsoever, who on the thirty-first day of October last, held or enjoyed any Office of Trust or Profit in this Government, by virtue of any such Com- mission as aforesaid, shall continue to hold & enjoy the same until they shall be determined by me as aforesaid, or by other sufficient Au- thority. And I do hereby further command & require all Magis- trates, Officers, and Commissioners whatsoever, in whom any pub- lick Trust is reposed in the Government of the said Province and Counties, that they diligently proceed in the performance and dis- charge of their respective duties therein, for the Safety, Peace, and well being of the same.
" Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Province at Philadelphia, the First day of November, in the Fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George, the third King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &ca., And in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty- three.
"JOHN PENN.
44 By His Honour's Command,
" JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Jun"., Secretary."
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November 4th, 1763.
This day the Governor, accompanied by the Earl of Stirling, Lynford Lardner, and Richard Penn, Esqrs., and several other Gen- tlemen, went to New Castle, where his Commission & Proclamation for the continuance of Magistrates and other Officers of the Govern- ment, were published at the Court House, in the presence of a num- ber of the Inhabitants.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday the 10 Novem"., 1763.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &c2.
James Hamilton,
Richard Peters,
William Logan, ? Esquires.
The Governor having Yesterday received Letters from Sir Jeffery Amherst, making a Requisition of Troops to be raised by this Pro- vince, to be employed, in Conjunction with His Majesty's Regular
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Forces, in Offensive Operations against the Indians, laid the same before the Council, which were read, and are as follows, viz":
A Letter from Gen'l Amherst to the Governor.
"NEW YORK, Novem' 5th, 1763.
"Sir :
"Just as I had sealed the inclosed, and delivered it to an Officer returning to Philadelphia, I received the favour of your Letter of the third Instant, acquainting me of your Arrival at and Appoint- ment to the Government of Pennsylvania, on which I beg leave to congratulate you.
"The contents of the Inclosed will shew you that an exertion of the Power with which you are vested, and which you are so obliging as to offer for forwarding the King's Service, will be immediately wanted, and, I trust, by your Influence, the Province of Pennsyl- vania will chearfully and readily lend the Assistance demanded for subduing and punishing the Barbarians, who have so unjustly attacked our Settlements and Butchered the Inhabitants.
" I am, with great Regard, Sir, " Your most Obedient humble Servant,
"JEFF. AMHERST.
" To the Hon. Governor PENN."
A Letter from General Amherst to Governor Hamilton.
"NEW YORK, November 5th, 1763.
" Sir :
" On a due Consideration of the most probable Measures for crushing the present Insurrection of the Indians, and punishing the guilty, as they deserve, I find it absolutely necessary to make Ap- plication to the Provinces most nearly concerned, that a respectable Body of Men may be raised, so as to proceed early in the Spring, in conjunction with such regular Troops as can be collected, to put in Execution such offensive Operations as may be judged most effectual for reducing the Savages, and securing Peace & Quiet to the Settlements hereafter.
"In Consequence of this Plan, I have made Application to the Provinces of New York and Jersey for certain Quotas of Men, to be raised, so as to be ready to proceed to Albany by the first of March next, in order to join with such of the regular Troops as can be spared for carrying on offensive Operations by the way of Lake Erie, &cª., and, that the whole race of Indians who have so unjustly com- menced, and are still carrying on Hostilities against Us, may be effectually reduced, and severely punished, which alone can secure
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the future Tranquility of the several Colonies, I must apply to the Province of Pennsylvania, & Colony of Virginia, for their Assist- ance on the Occasion, by raising Men to act against the Delawares, Shawanese, and other Tribes on that side, who have committed Hos- tilities ; and I trust, the requisition I am now to lay before you, will not only meet with a proper Reception, but that, you will be pleased to enforce the same to your Council and Assembly, backed with such Arguments (if any Arguments can be necessary on such an Occasion), as will at once remove every Obstacle that could be started to a Compliance therewith.
"The Proportion I must demand from your Province is one thou- sand Men, exclusive of Commissioned Officers, to be divided into two Corps of ten Companies each, commanded by their proper Field Officers, and each Company to consist of a Captain, two Subalterns, and fifty Men, including three Serjeants and three Corporals, for the Service on which they will be employed, requires that there should be a good many Officers ; The Men to be clothed, but in a light manner ; a Cloth Jacket, Flannel Waistcoat, Leggings, &ca., will be full sufficient; and it will be necessary that the whole are raised, and ready to join the King's Troops, or to be sent on such Service as the Commanding Officer in the Southern District may direct, by the first of March next.
" Particular care should be taken that, in recruiting the Men, none should be raised but such as are able bodied, neither too Young or too old, but fit for the most active and alert Service.
" Although, by an Order from Home, the regular Troops are sub- ject to a Stoppage for the Provisions issued to them, belonging to the Crown, yet, upon this Occasion, I will take upon me to order Provisions to the Provincial Troops that shall be raised, & take the Field; and they shall, likewise, be provided with Arms, unless any of them chuse to bring their own Arms, for which they shall have the same Allowance as was made in former Campaigns, should any of them be lost or damaged in actual Service; Tents will also be furnished to them, as formerly.
" The Time of Service may be limited to the first of November, although it is much to be hoped every thing will be finished long before that period, in which case, the men will be sent back to the Province.
"I am, with great Regard, Sir, " Your most Obedient humble Servant, "JEFF. AMHERST."
The Board, taking the said Letters into Consideration, were of opinion that it would be necessary for the Governor to convene the Assembly before the time to which they stood adjourned, in order to furnish the Quota of Troops demanded by the General, & that there may be sufficient time for raising them before they are ex- pected to take the Field.
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MEMORANDUM, 22d Novem"-, 1763.
Several Robberies on the Highways, & the Murder of Henry Hamilton, having been actually committed near this City, since the late Governor's Proclamation, of the 22nd October last, The Gov- ernor thought proper, by the advice of the Council, this day to is- sue a new Proclamation, offering a Reward of £50 for apprehend- ing any of the Persons concerned in the late Robberies, and £200 for the detection of the Person & his Accomplices, who perpetra- ted the said Murder.
" By the Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Gover- nor, & Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex on Delaware.
" A PROCLAMATION.
" WHEREAS, Information hath been made to me, not only that divers attempts have of late been made to rob, but that several Robberies have been actually committed on His Majesty's Subjects travelling on the Highways near the City of Philadelphia, by Per- sons unknown, one of which Robberies was committed on Saturday last, on the. Wissihiccon Road, and was accompanied with the Mur- der of Henry Hamilton, the person robbed, to the great terror and annoyance of the said Subjects, coming to and returning from the said City. And Whereas, it is of great importance that a stop should, as soon as possible, be put, in this young Colony, to Crimes of so evil and pernicious a nature, and the authors and perpetrators thereof brought to condign and exemplary punishment, I have there- , fore thought fit, with the advice of the Council, to issue this Pro- clamation, hereby offering a Reward of Two Hundred Pounds to any Person or Persons who shall make known & cause to be appre- hended all, or any of the Persons who were concerned as Perpetra- tors or Accomplices in the Robbery and Murder of the said Henry Hamilton ; And the sum of fifty Pounds for the making known and apprehending all, or any of the Persons concerned as Authors, Perpetrators, or Accomplices, in any of the other Robberies, or at- tempts to rob, on the said Highways, since the first day of October last, so that he or they shall be convicted thereof, according to the due Course of Law. And I do hereby strictly charge and command all Magistrates, Sheriffs, and other Officers whatsoever, within this Government, to use their utmost Care and Diligence in detecting and apprehending the said Offenders, that they may be brought to Justice.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
" Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the twenty-second day of November, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & Sixty-three; And in the Fourth Year of His Majesty's Reign.
" JOHN PENN.
" By His Honour's Command,
" JOSEPH SHIPPEN, JunT., Secretary. "GOD SAVE THE KING."
At a Conference held on Thursday, the 1st December, 1763, at the State House.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutt. Governor, &cª.
James Hamilton, Richard Peters, Esqrs., Members
William Logan, Thos. Cadwalader, S of Council.
Joseph Fox, Esqr., and several other Gentlemen.
Papounan, Jnº. Curtis, Sam Curtis, Conoy Sam, Jemmy Nappier, Job Chilloway & his Father, with several elderly Indians from Wighalousin.
John Curtiss who was sent by the Governor
day of last, with a Message to the Indians at Wigha- lousin, being returned from the Indian Country, attended with Pa- pounan and several other Indians who accompanied him from thence, & addressing himself to the Governor, in behalf of Papounan and the Wighalousin Indians, spoke as follows :
"Attend to me Brother, and you our new Brother, who are lately arrived.
"You gave me a Belt of Wampum with a Message to send away to the Nanticokes, which I carried to them. When I delivered it there were Seven Nations present, who were very glad to receive it It went from Chenango to Onondago, among the Six Nations. " Brothers :
"You must not take it amiss that I do not give you an answer to your Message; I shall send my Answer to Sir William Johnson, from whom you are to expect it.
" Brothers :
" We of the five Nation Council (the Nanticokes) are very glad that you want an answer so soon to your Belts. You shall know all your Brothers' minds of the Six Nations; They are doing their endeavours to reconcile all matters, and make all things easy.
" Brothers :
" We are desirous that we may use our mutual Endeavours to live in Friendship together. We can see very well, Brothers, that
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the evil Spirit stands so between you and us that we can't see each other. This makes us tell you to join us in our Endeavours, that we may remove this evil Spirit on one side if we can ; If you can't remove him out of the way, we shall live but a miserable Life.
" Brothers :
" You know, and can see, that we Indians are poor, weak, miser- able People of ourselves, but if you join your endeavours to ours, we can remove him out of the way.
" Brothers :
"You told us this to remember how our forefathers and Grand- fathers did, and the method they used to make Friendship.
" Brothers :
" You look but a little way, but I don't; I look as far back as the Creation, when God Almighty first made us, & placed the good Spirit in our Hearts.
" Brothers :
" I desire you to use your Endeavours to live in Friendship. We will do the same and use our Endeavors. On the Susquehanna three of my People lie killed by your People, but I don't regard them & shall still use my endeavours to preserve our Friendship.
" Brothers :
" You shall never hear a word come out of my Mouth on account of my Young Men, who lie dead on the Susquehanna; I shall, not- withstanding this, use my Endeavours to preserve our Friend- ship."
A String
Job Chilloway then stood up in behalf of Papounan, says :
" Brother :
" I have a Message to deliver to you from Newoleka. Newo- leka says :
" Brother :
" Now I shall let you know how I have been used during my Friendship towards the English, I have done my endeavors to stop all these Enemy Indians who passed by me towards your Frontiers. They have threatened me to lay my head on the Logs & cut off my head for taking the White people's part, and they have threatened to tie me. They have put my Men in confinement, for taking the White People's part. Now I will let you know the Enemy Indians' Minds ; What made them so strong that I could not stop them from doing any Mischief, and what they complained of against their Brethren, the English, and what these Enemy Indians say against You. I believe they have told me all they have to complain against you.
"They tell me that the English have killed more of us since the Peace has been made than they did in the first War. They charged these things to me, which gave my Mind great trouble ; and after
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those four Indians were killed at Fort Allen, I could not stop them by any means at all. I thought they would kill me, and my people, many a time, for offering to stop them.
" I have now told you all how I have been tormented in my Mind by these Indians."
A White String of three Links.
Newoleka further says :
" Brother :
" I am very glad that I have heard from you. I am now going to give an answer to your Message you sent me by Jnº Curtis.
"I am glad to find you have taken pity on me, and spoken to me in the kind manner you have done.
"Brother :
"I am glad to hear your Speeches. I am here at present, but can scarcely determine which way to turn myself with my Family, but I will let you know which way I think to remove. I shall go away to Sir William Johnson, among his Indians, where they hold Treaties of Friendship. I therefore, deliver you this Belt, as other Indians used to do, to let you know my mind."
A Belt of Seven Rows.
"We have now said all we had to say."
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8th December, 1763.
MEMORANDUM :
The Governor received last Week, by the - Packet, the follow- ing Letter, dated the 10th day of October last, from the Right Hon- ourable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, inclo- sing the King's Proclamation of the Seventh of the same Month, concerning the Establishment of several New Colonies in North America, and signifying His Majesty's pleasure, that the same should be made public in the several parts of this Government. His Honour, by the advice of his Council, this day issued a Pro- clamation for that purpose.
A Letter from the Right Hon'ble, the Lord's Commiss'rs. for Trade, &ca., to the Gov'r.
" WHITEHALL, October 10th, 1763.
" Sir :
" We have received His Majesty's Commands to send you the inclosed printed Proclamations, & to desire you will cause the same to be forthwith made Publick in the several parts of your Govern- ment, taking especial care that you do exactly conform to the orders and regulations therein contained, in so far as depends upon your-
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self, and that you do strictly enjoin all Persons whatever, whom it may Concern, to pay a due Obedience thereto on their parts. " We are, Sir,
" Your most Obedient, humble Servants,
" HILLSBOROUGH, " SOAME JENYNS,
" Ed. BACON, " JOHN YORKE.
" JOHN PENN, Esq'.
" By the Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Lieutenant Gover- nor, and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware.
"A PROCLAMATION.
" WHEREAS, His Majesty was graciously pleased on the seventh day of October last, to issue His Royal Proclamation in the words following, viz* :
" GEORGE R .:
" Whereas, We have taken into our Royal Consideration the ex- tensive and valuable Acquisitions in America, secured to our Crown by the late Definitive Treaty of Peace, concluded at Paris the tenth day of February last, and being desirous that all our loving Sub- jects, as well of our Kingdoms as of our Colonies in America, may avail themselves, with all convenient Speed, of the great Benefits and Advantages which must accrue therefrom to their Com- merce, Manufactures, and Navigation, We have thought fit, with the Advice of our Privy Council, to issue this Our Royal Procla- mation, hereby to publish and declare to all Our loving Subjects, that We have, with the advice of our said Privy Council, granted Our Letters Patent under our Great Seal of Great Britain, to erect within the Countries and Islands ceded and confirmed to us by the said Treaty, Four Distinct and separate Governments, stiled and called by the Names of Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and Grenada, & limited & Bounded as follows, viz":
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