USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. V > Part 10
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" Given at Philadelphia, under the Great Seal of the said Province, the Fourth day of July, in the Twenty-first Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, & Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., Annoqz Domini, 1747.
" By Order of the President & Council, " ANTHONY PALMER, President.
" RICHARD PETERS, Secretary.
"GOD SAVE THE KING."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, 9th July, 1747.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President. Thomas Lawrence, Robert Strettell,
Abraham Taylor, Joseph Turner, Esqrs.
Thomas Hopkinson, !
The Minutes of the preceding Council was read and approv'd.
The President laid before the Board a Letter which he received yesterday by the Post from Governor Shirley, dated at Boston, 29th June, informing him That the Government taking into Considera- tion the great Danger which all his Majestie's Colonies in North America are in of being in time destroyed by the French and the Indians under their influence, without a firm Union between them- selves for their mutual Defence, & for weakning & destroying the Power of the Enemy, & more especially for driving the French from the Borders of the Province of New York & New England, had ap- pointed Commissioners to meet in a Congress to be held at New York on the Second Day of September next, with such Commiss". as may be appointed by all his Majestie's Governments from New Hampshire to Virginia, inclusively, then & there to treat & agree upon Measures for encouraging the Indians of the Six Nations vigorously to prosecute their Incursions on the Enemy, as also to agree upon the method and proportion of raising Men & Money for carrying on the War both offensively and defensively, & to project & settle such Enterprizes and plans of Operation as the common Interest shall require, desiring that the President wou'd represent this in the strongest Light to the Assembly, and recommending it to the several Governments separately to make Provision without Delay for the Encouragement of the Six Nations till the Congress can be held.
On reading the Letter the Council was of opinion that at present no more was necessary to be done than that the President shou'd acknowledge the Receipt of it, & assure Governor Shirley that when the Assembly met it shou'd be laid before them.
The Secretary laid before the Board several Letters which he had received from Mr. Conrad Weiser, in one of which he informs him that in his Journey to Shamokin, in obedience to the Command of the President and Council, he fortunately met at Chambers' Mill, in Pextang, with Shikalamy & several Indians, amongst whom was Scaienties, a man of Note of the Cayiuga Nation, which accidental Meeting rendring it unnecessary for him to go further, he there communicated to them the Messages given him in Charge, as well from the Prop" as the Council, & having committed what pass'd be- tween them to writing, he had inclos'd it in order to be laid before the Council, & the Report being read it was order'd to be enter'd.
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Memorandum of the Message deliver'd to the Indians of Shamokin at the House of Joseph Chambers, in Paxton, by the Subscriber.
There was Present Shikalamy, Taghneghdorrus, Caniadarogon, & Scaienties (a man of) Note among the Cayiuckers).
"Brethren : You that Live at Zinachson (Shamokin); I am sent to you by your Brethren the President & Council of Philadelphia to pay you a Visit, and to acquaint you of what passes among the White People, also to inform myself how you do and what passes among the Indians in these critical times."
Gave a string of Wampum.
"1. Brethren : in the first place I am to acquaint you that your Friend & Countryman John Penn, the Eldest Son of great Onas, Died last Winter with a contented mind, and as his Death must needs affect you as it did us, being you are sensible he always has been a true friend to the Indians, I give you these Handkerchiefs to wipe all your Tears."
Gave 12 Silk Handkerchiefs.
"2. Brethren : I also inform you that your Brother Governor Thomas has left us and is gone to England, not out of any ill will or disgust, but for the sake of his Health; he has been ill ever since the Treaty of Lancaster, the Doctors of this Country could do no good to him, he is hopes that the Air of his Native Country and the assistance of some skilful Doctor there will give him ease. He went away a good friend of the People of Pennsylvania and of his Brethren the Indians, and will do them what Service he can when in England."
Laid a string of Wampum.
"3. Brethren : notwithstanding the Governor is gone, the same correspondence will be kept up with all the Indians by the Presi- dent & Council of Philadelphia; they resume the same Power with their President as if the Governor was here, and the body of the People heartily joins them to keep up a good correspondence with all the Indians, according to the Treaties of Friendship subsisting between us. Your old and assured Friend James Logan is also in being yet, although he layd aside all Public Business as to the White People, in Indian Affairs he assists the Council and will not lay that aside as long as he is alive & able to advise." In Confirma- tion whereof I
Laid a String of Wampum.
"4. Brethren : there was a Trunk found in one of the Rooms where your Friend John Penn used to Lodge when in Philadelphia, with some Cloaths in it, and as he has been gone for several Years, and the Cloaths were almost spoiled, your Friend, the Secretary, changed them for new ones, and sent them up to me to give to the
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Indians at Zinachson, to wear them out in remembrance of their good Friend & Countryman, John Penn, deceased."
Gave 10 Strow'd Match Coats and 12 Shirts.
" Brethren : I have at present no more to say."
June 17th, 1747.
After about 15 Minutes, Shikalamy made answer, directed his Discourse to the President & Council of Philadelphia, and said :
" Brethren : We thank you for this kind visit. We longed to hear of you and to inform ourselves of the truth reported among us; some few of us intended a visit to Philadelphia this Summer for that purpose; we are pleased with what has been said to us, and will give you a true account this Day of all what passes among the Indians."
We then broke up for about an hour.
Then Shickalamy informed me, in the presence of the others before mention'd, that in the beginning of last Spring some of the *Zistagechroanu came to treat at Oswego with a Message from their whole Nation, joined by the rest of the Indians about the Lakes of Canada, to the Six United Nations, to the following purport, vizt .:
" Brethren, the United Nations : We have hitherto been kept like Prisoners on the other side the Lake, Onontio our Father told us that if we should treat with the English he wou'd look upon it as a breach of the Peace with him ; now we come to let you know that we will no more be stop'd from treating with your Brethren, the English; We will join with you to support the House of Oswego, where the Goods that the Indians want are so plenty. All the Indians about the Lakes will join, and if need take up the Hatchet against our foolish Father Onontio whenever you require it ; his Goods are very dear, and he is turned malicious because he sees our Women & Children Clothed fine in English Cloaths bought at Oswego. We have already let him know that we want no more of his advice, as we did formerly when we were Young, but that we became now Men of Age, and would think for ourselves let the consequences be what it will." In Confirmation of the above Speech the said Deputies Laid several fine Tobacco Pipes adorned with Wampum & fine Feathers.
" They had an agreeable Answer from the Six Nation Council. The Six Nations have received Messages from other Nations to the the same purport, all promising to engage in favour of the Six Na- tions, and the House of Oswego.
" Shickalamy told me further that of late a Council was held at Onontago by the Six Nations, in which it was agreed to send a Mes-
* The Zistagechroanu are a numerous Nation to the North of the Lake Frontenac; they don't come by. Niagara in their way to Oswego, but right across the Lake.
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sage to Canada of the last Importance, and that also a Message was sent to Albany to desire their Brethren the English to tye their Canoes or Battoes for a few Days to the Bushes, and not to proceed in their Expedition against Canada till their Messengers came back from Canada, which would clear up the Clouds, and the United Nations would then see what must be done.
" Scaienties informs that a few Days before he came away from Cayiucker (which was about the Twentieth Day of May last) a Message arrived at the Cayiucker Country, and the Seneckers from the Commanding Officer of the French Fort at Niagara, inviting them two Nations to come and pay him a visit, and to receive a fine Present which their Father Onontio had sent those two Nations, he having understood that the large Presents he had made the Six Na- tions from time to time were withheld by the Onontagers & Mohocks, of whom he had been informed that they are corrupted by the Eng- lish by which & what they had received from Onontio they had enriched themselves & cheated the other Nations in Union with them.
" That some of the two Nations were actually gone to Niagara to receive the Presents, and were set out the same Day when Scaien- ties came away.
" Warr against the French in Canada was not declared by the Six Nations when Scaienties came away, and it was, as yet, uncertain when it would be done, at least not before the arrival of their Mes- sengers, and perhaps not this Summer. The Sinickers and Cay- iuckers are against it, the Mohocks are for it very much, the Onontagers have declared in open Council last Spring, never to leave the Mohocks, their eldest Brother and founder of the Union, the Oneiders & Tuscarroros, the Onontager's Example.
" This is what Shikelamy & Scaienties assures to be true. The Mohocks engaged themselves in the War against the French on their own accord, without the Approbation of the Six Nation Council, they having been over persuaded by their Brethren, some of the White People at Albany, and by the force of Presents prevailed upon. The Council of the Six Nations does not altogether like it, but think it too Rashly of the Mohocks.
" Shikalamy and Scaienties wonder at the dexterity of the French to have Intelligence of the Declaration of the Onontagers in Coun- cil, and so soon had Presents at Niagara and a Message in the Sinickers Country, but both say the Six Nations will after all stick together, notwithstanding the Presents received from the French.
" The Five French Indian Traders that were killed on the South side of the Lake Erie, have been killed by some of the Six Nations (there called Acquanushioony, the name which the Six Nations give their People, signifys a Confederate). Another French Trader has since been killed in a private quarrel with one of the Jonontatich- roanu, between the River Ohio and the Lake Erie-the French man
.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
offering but one charge of Powder & one Bullet for a Beaver skin to the Indian ; the Indian took up his Hatchet, and knock'd him on the head, and killed him upon the Spot.
"This is all the news that can be depended on; several more stories I heard not worth while to trouble the Council with, as there was no Confirmation of them.
" I am sorry to add that there are great Complaints against two of our Traders; one is James Dunning, who is accused to have stollen 47 Dear Skins and three Horses (or Mares), upon the heads of Joniady River; the circumstances are very strong; the Indian from whom the Skins & Horses have been stollen is a Delaware Indian, a Sober, quiet, and good natur'd man ; he was down at my House with his Complaint, a few days before I set out for Shamokin. I sent him back again till I had learned the par- ticulars, being I could not talk with him sufficient to find out the Truth of the Story ; he was now with Shikalamy and renewed his Complaint. James Dunning is gone down Ohio River, and will stay out long; the Indian was content that I should inform the Council of his misfortune ; he not only lost his skins & Horses, but pursued James Dunning in vain to the place call'd Canayiahagen, on the South side of the Lake Erie, from thence back again to the Place where he left the Skins, and from thence again to Ohio, but all in vain, for he could not find or come up with James Dunning.
" The other Complaint was made by the same Indian against one John Powle, a Liver on Sasquehanna River on the Indians Land above the Endless Mountain, who is accused for stealing two Bun- dles of Skins from the said Indian whilst he was pursuing James Dunning. He (the Indian) had sent his Brother down Joniady River with the Skins they had left, and desired his Brother to leave his two Bundles on the Island at such an Indians House, which ap- pears this Indian did, and then fell sick at the House of the said John Powle and dyed there. Before he was dead John Powle fetched the Skins from the Island (he says by order of the de- ceas'd), and paid himself of what the Deceas'd ow'd him, who had Skins of his own sufficient to answer all his Debts and defray his Expence ; and would pay what he wanted, notwithstanding the de- ceased's Skins & his that is alive are all gone, and a very poor ac- count John Powle gives of the whole. The Indians insist upon it that he stole them.
"The said John Powle had also taken a very fine Gun in pawn from the said two Indians for three Gallons of Liquor (Brandywine). After the deceas'd paid him he did not deliver up the Gun, but alledged that he lent it out, and endeavoured to cheat the Indian out of it entirely. I sent a few Lines to him by the Indian to come to Joseph Chambers' to me and answer to the Same Complaint. He appeared, but Laugh'd at the Indian ; but upon Examination I found he was a Lier, if not a Thief, and offer'd his Oath to confirm a Lie
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of which he was afterwards convinced by me. I then sent to Jus- tice Armstrong to come and assist in the affair ; but we could not do no more than to order John Powle to pay the Indian the value of the Gun. As for the Skins we could do nothing. I for my part am convinced he stole them, at least the most of them.
" A great deal of other Mischief has been done to some of the Indians ; some Horses have been taken on pretence of Debt, some- times Skins belonging to a third Person, & so on.
" The Delaware Indians last Year intended a visit to Philadel- phia, but were prevented by Olumapies weakness, who is still alive but not able to stir ; they will come down this Year sometime after Harvest, and by what I can hear Shikalamy along with them, & there is no doubt but they will renew the above Complaint. Olima- pies has no Successor of his Relations, and he will hear of none so long as he is alive, and none of the Indians care to meddle in any affair. Shikalamy advises that the Government of Philadelphia should name Olumapies' Successor and set him up by their Au- thority, that at this Critical time there might be a man to apply to since Olumapies has lost his Senses and is uncapable of doing any- thing. I have informed the Indians of what I thought was proper both from Europe & America, and among other things that the Northern Colonies had been informed that the Six Nations had de- clared Warr against the French, & that thereupon they had resolved to put a stock of Money & Goods together in some honest Gentle- man's hands to supply their Brethren in every thing, & to take care that their Wives and Children should not want; that the Govern- ment of Pennsylvania had not seen cause yet to contribute some- thing towards it, as doubting the truth of the matter, that the Government of Pennsylvania being of a peaceable disposition from the beginning of times, did not hitherto see cause to encourage their Brethren, the Six Nations, to declare War against the French, knowing their Brethren to be People of sound understanding and Judgment, and will know best themselves what to do; but if things shou'd come to Extreames, that their Brethren the Six Nations' Blood should grown warm against the French (who broke the peace and shed the first Blood on the Governments of New York & New England), in order to humble their Pride, the Government of Penn- sylvania wou'd not fail to contribute handsomely towards their Brethrens Support.
"This is what I have told them as from myself, according to what I had learned from the Voice of the generality of the People of Pennsylvania, both Gentlemen & Common People.
" CONRAD WEISER, Interpreter."
The Council judging Mr. Weiser's Report & Letters contained several matters proper for Governor Clinton to know, as he was now at Albany in Treaty with the Indians, the President was de-
1
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sired to write a Letter on the subject, & to enclose an Extract of such parts of Mr. Weiser's Report as were thought necessary.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, the 22d July, 1747. PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President. Abraham Taylor, Robert Strettell, 1
Benjamin Shoemaker,
Joseph Turner, Esqrs.
Thomas Hopkinson,
The Minutes of the preceeding Council were read and approv'd.
Mr. Hopkinson inform'd the President that the Members of Council in his absence had met, on an Express received the 13th July from New Castle, and desir'd that as what had pass'd was re- duc'd into writing, the same might be read and enter'd in the Council Books; and thereupon deliver'd sundry Papers, the Con- tents whereof are as follows, vizt. :
Monday, 13th July, 1747.
An Express arriving from New Castle about 10 of the Clock this morning, such of the Members of Council as were in Town imme- diately met (his Honour the President being then on the River on his return from New Castle), viz" :
Samuel Hasell, Abraham Taylor,
Robert Strettell, Joseph Turner, Esqrs.
Thomas Hopkinson, William Logan,
The Letters received by Express were read in these words, vizt. : " Gentlemen :
"This Moment Thomas Quant & a Son of Mr. Nandins informs me a Company of French, or Spaniards, to the Number of One hundred or thereabouts, has Robb'd & Plunder'd the Houses of James Hart & Edmund Liston and carried off all the valuable part of their Negroes & other Goods, and its supposed they have done so all the way from Lewis Town. This I thought my duty to let you know; You may depend its no false alarm. I am, in haste, yours, &c.,
"Dd. WETHERSPOON.
" 12 O'Clock Sunday Night, " July 12th, 1747.
"To JOHN CURTIS & JOHN FINNEY, Esqrs., at New Castle."
"May it please Your Honours :
" Inclosed is an Express which this Moment came to hand from Mr. David Wetherspoon, which we judge our Duty to forward with
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the utmost Dispatch. We are, Gentlemen, endeavouring to Arm what Men we can on the occasion, & are, Gentlemen,
" Your very humble Servants,
"JEHU CURTIS, "JOHN FINNEY.
"New Castle, July 13th, 1747, at 4 o'Clock in the Morning. "For the Honoble. the President & Council of Pennsylvania."
Thereupon the Members of Council were unanimously of opinion that some measures ought immediately to be taken for the Safety of this Province & the assistance of the Government of the lower Coun- ties, and as such Measures would be attended with some Expence, for the defraying whereof no provision was made by Law, even in Case of the greatest Emergency, the Publick Money being wholly at the Disposal of the House of Assembly, which was not then sit- ting, it was proposed and agreed that such of the Members of As- sembly as were in Town should be sent for; That they should be in- formed of the Contents of the said Dispatches, and that they shou'd be desir'd to acquaint the Council whether they would Use their endeavours with the Assembly at their next Meeting that the neces- sary Expences on this occasion should be defrayed out of the Pub- lick Money in their Disposal.
The said Members of Assembly being accordingly sent for, the Speaker, Mr. Pemberton, Mr. Leech, Mr. Morris, and Mr. Trotter, attended, and after Some time spent in a conference on this Subject, the further Consideration thereof was referr'd to the Afternoon.
EOD. DIE, 3 o'Clock, P. M. PRESENT :
Thomas Lawrence,
Samuel Hasell,
4 Abraham Taylor,
Members of Council.
Robert Strettell,
Thomas Hopkinson, William Logan, Esqrs.,
John Kinsey, Thomas Leech,
Joseph Trotter,
Members of Assembly.
James Morris, Oswald Peele,
The Conferrence on the Subject matter of the Letters receiv'd by Express from New Castle was resumed, and several Measures pro- posed by the Members of the Council to the Members of Assembly as necessary on this occasion, To which the Speaker answered,
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amongst other things, to the following purpose : That they knew the Difficulties Men of their Principles were put under on these occasions, That whilst they contended for their own the same Rea- sons induced them to make allowances for the opinions of others; That the Majority of the Council were not of their Sentiments, and different conduct would be expected from them. On which it was asked who would bear the Expence of what was necessary to be done, & whether the Members of Assembly present would under- take, the Assembly wou'd do it; to which the Speaker reply'd, that none of them had any Authority from the Assembly, That therefore their Acts could only be consider'd as those of private Men, that if it was expected they were to make a bargain with the Council, & that they the Council were to fitt out a Vessell & the Assembly shou'd Pay them, they would not do it, that none of them cou'd say what the Assembly would do, but that he the Speaker would not deceive them, that he did believe whatever the Dangers were some of them would Act up to their Principles, that if it depended on his own vote he could not consent, that he would as soon accept their Commission to go in Person against the Enemy, That whatever was done must be the result of their own Judgments, not their Advice, that tho' these were their Principles, yet those of great part of the Province were of different, that whatever was done by the Governor & Council or President & Council for the time being for the good of the Province, tho' it were neither such as the Assembly wou'd advise the doing of nor perhaps approve of when done, he did be- lieve they would not be sufferers by, that tho' the Assembly might decline entering into the particulars of such an Expence, yet they would always shew so much regard for what was intended for the benefit of the Province that they would make Compensation by the Money given to Support the Government or otherwise.
It was then objected by one of the Council that perhaps the measures they might propose to take might by the Assembly be judged imprudent & the Expence refused to be paid on that account. The Speaker answer'd that tho' he could not advise what to do, yet if he observed any Inconveniences like to arise on what was deter- mined to be done he had no objection to pointing them so farr as occurr'd to him.
He further observed to the Council, that what they proposed to do was such as they judged immediately necessary for the defence of the Province, or some steps necessary to be taken to prevent the like attempts for the future. If the former, what they did would, he judged, be favourably construed ; if the latter, it was too late, though they should attempt, as he thought, to overtake the Enemy, and that it would be more prudent to let what they were to do be the result of their further deliberations; That if any such depre- dations were committed as the Express mentioned, it must be plain they had no intentions of doing Injurys higher up, otherwise they
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would not have alarmed the people below; That what was done was not done in this Province, and the Government here lay under no obligations of doing any thing unasked; that the account received was uncertain, and if true there would no doubt be further Expresses one after the other, or if they were minded to be at a certainty, it might not perhaps be amiss to send a Messenger to be informed of the truth of the particulars, the Expence of which he made no doubt the Assembly would pay; that on the return of this Express they would be the better able to judge what was fit to be done, if no other arrived in the meantime.
The said Members of Assembly being withdrawn, the Members of Council prepared a Letter to Jehu Curtis and John Finney, Esqrs., at New Castle, which was immediately sent by Express, in these words, viz *:
" Gentlemen :
" His Honour the President not being yet arrived your Letter by Express came to our hands at 10 o'Clock this morning, since which we have received no further Account of the matters therein men- tioned.
"We wait the Arrival of our President, whom we hourly expect, when such measures as are in our Power will be taken; in the mean- time we desire you would be pleased to acquaint Us by Express whether the accounts we have received from You have been con- firmed, and of every other Fact relating thereto that you shall think material and well attested.
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