USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. V > Part 30
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" On the other hand, You are to use all means in your Power to get from them all kinds of Intelligence as to what the French are doing or design to do in these parts, & indeed in every other Place. You are not to satisfy yourself with generals, but to inform your- self truly & fully of the real dispositions of these Indians, & what dependance can be had on them for the Security of this Province, and for the total prevention of all Hostilities within our Limits. You are to make particular Enquiry into the number and Situation of the Indian Nations between these People's Settlements on Ohio & the River Mississippi, &c., to the West of Lake Erie, since it is said there are several Indian Nations within these Limits & on the Lakes Hurons & Illenois, who are disoblig'd with the French, & might easily be brought into the Amity of the English.
" You will see by the Assembly's answer to the Council's Mess- age, a copy whereof will be given You herewith, what Sentiments- they entertain about War; and as they have the disposal of the Public Money it wou'd be wrong to urge the Indians to War, since no dependence cou'd be had on the Assembly to support them in such an undertaking, and consequently any Encouragement of this kind wou'd be to bring them into a Snare, and in the end might prove extremely hurtful .. This consider'd, nothing of this kind must be urg'd by you, & if the Indians mention it themselves you need not be explicit, you are to tell them that this Point is not in
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your Instructions, that your Business was to make them a visit & to be truly inform'd of their Situation, & to bring them a valuable Present-the most substantial Mark that can be given of the great affection which this Province bears to their Friends the Indians ; & if they insist any further you are to tell them that at their Instance you will make a faithful Relation of every thing given you by them in charge to the Government, & transmit to the Indians their Re- solves. But whatever You do on this head, as a good deal must be left to Your discretion & Judgment on such information as shall be given You, You are to take special Care not to disoblige the In- dians or in any wise diminish their heartiness for His Majestie's Cause against the French.
"You are to make particular Enquiry into the Behaviour of the Shawonese. since the commencement of the War, & in relation to the Countenance they gave to Peter Chartier. It is proper to tell You that they relented, made acknowledgements to the Government of their Error in being seduc'd by Peter Chartier, & pray'd they might be permitted to return to their old Town, & be taken again as sincere Penitents into the favour of the Government; & tho' the Governor gave them assurences that all past misbehaviour should be pardon'd on their sending Deputies to Philadelphia to acknow- ledge their fault, yet they contented themselves with loose Letters by Indian Traders, some of which have been delivered & some not, but had they all been delivered this was not a becoming manner of addressing the Government, nor cou'd they expect any thing from it.
" You will, therefore, speak to them by themselves, & give them such a quantity of Goods as, upon their present Temper & the frank- ness of their Submissions, you shall think they deserve.
" Given in Council under my Hand & the Lesser Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the 23d Day of June, Anno Domini, 1748.
" ANTHONY PALMER."
These Instructions were drawn up in March last when Mr. Weiser was upon the point of going to Ohio, & were laid be- fore the Assembly in May, but his Journey being postpon'd for the reason set forth in former Minutes, they were never delivered to him.
The Secretary having consulted the Attorney General on the words of the Royal Charter relating to Reprieves', agreeable to the - Order of the Board reported, that it was his opinion the Council might Reprieve for a definite or indefinite time, as they shou'd think proper ; whereupon the following Reprieve of Alexander Ure was Sign'd :
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" George the Second, by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France, & Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, To the Sheriff of the City & County of Philadelphia, in our Pro- vince of Pennsylvania, Greeting :
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" Whereas, at a Court of Oyer & Terminer & General Goal De- livery held at Philadelphia for the City & County of Philadelphia aforesaid, in the Twenty-second Year of our Reign, before John Kinsey, Thomas Græme, & William Till, Esq's., our Justices, a cer- tain Alexander Ure was arraign'd & convicted of Felony & Murther, as by the Records of the said Court relation being thereunto had more fully appears ; And Whereas, the said Alexander Ure did then receive Sentence of our said Court that he be taken from thence to the Place from whence he came, and from thence to the Place of Execution, & there be hanged by the Neck until he shou'd be dead, We do hereby Command You that from the Execution of the said Sentence you abstain until our Pleasure be further known. In Tes- timony whereof We have caused the Lesser Seal of our said Pro- vince to be hereunto affixed. Witness, Anthony Palmer, Esq"., President, Thomas Lawrence, Samuel Hasell, William Till, & Abra- ham Taylor, Esqrs, in Council at Philadelphia, the Twenty-third Day of June, in the Year of our Lord 1748, and in the Twenty- second Year of our Reign.
" ANTHONY PALMER, " THOMAS LAWRENCE. " SAMUEL HASELL, " WILLIAM TILL, " ABRAHAM TAYLOR."
Mr. Croghan Petition'd the Board that his account might be set- tled & discharg'd, whereupon it was with his consent agreed that he shou'd take other Goods in lieu of those charg'd in Account of the Goods at Harris,' & receive an order from the Council on the Pro- vincial Treasurer to pay him the Sum of
Province of Pennsylvania to George Croghan, Dr. Decr-, 1st, To 1 cwt. of Tobacco which I bought by order of Conrad Weiser £ 1 50 To Cash paid for Provisions for the Hands that went with the Goods, viz. :
2 cwt. Flower £1 00
1 cwt. Bacon - - 2 10 0
3 10 0
5 00
To 60 1b. of Deer Skins to wrap the Goods in To the hire of 12 Horses to carry the Goods sent by me to Ohio, @, 40s. each 24 00
To 2 Men's wages from the 1st Dec". to the 1st May is 5 Months, @@, 4s. each # Mº. 20 00 To 1,000 white Wampum which I gave at the Speeches 1 10, 0 Carried forward, £55 50
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£55 50
Brought forward,
April 28th, To Goods of my own which I was oblig'd to add to the Present sent by the Province, finding near 1,500 Indians in great want of Powder, Lead, &c., & the Present sent by the Province so small as not sufficient to supply one-half of them with Amunition to kill themselves Meat, viz. :
9 Cask of Powder
63
6 0
11 cwt. Lead
@, 45s. # cwt.
24 15 Q
15 1b. Vermillion -
@ 20s.
15 0 @
20 Doz. Knives
- -
@, 12s ..
12 0 0
1,000 Flints
-
,
1 10 0
6 1b. Brass Wire -
a, 5s.
1 10 0
1 cwt. Tobacco
1 50
Carriage of those Goods from Philade to my Place, and from there to Ohio
50 00
169 0 0
£224 5 0
A Letter from Mr. Shirley, by the Post, was read in these words:
" BOSTON, June 11th, 1748. " Sir :
" His Exellency Governor Clinton having appointed an Interview with the Indians of the Six Nations to be held at Albany the tenth of July next, wherein matters of great Importance to the Safety & Welfare of all His Majestie's Colonies in North America will be transacted, I have at the desire of the General Assembly of this Province (a Copy of whose Vote is inclosed You), as also Governor Clinton, & in consequence of His Majestie's Commands to me to join with Governor Clinton in this Service, determin'd (God willing) to be present at the interview, attended by Commissioners from this Province ; & as a full Representative by Commissioners from all the Northern Colonies will have a great tendency to render our Negotiations with the Six Nations successful, & fix them in His Majesty's Interest, & engage them in carrying on the War against His Majestie's Enemies, and as other Matters may be transacted at the said Congress which may be for the lasting Security and Ad- vantage of these Colonies, I do now upon my own meer motion, and the solicitous desire I have that His Majestie's Service upon this Continent may be consulted in the best manner, and the Inter- ests of all His Colonies there be most effectually secured, as well as at the Request of the General Assembly, earnestly desire your Honour wou'd cause Commissioners to be sent from your Govern- ment to be present at the aforesaid Interview, and to consult & join with the other Commissioners there in transacting the several mat-
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ters contained & proposed in the inclosed Copy of the before-men- tioned vote.
" I shall write to all the rest of the English Governors from New Hampshire to Maryland, & am with great Regard,
"Sir, Your Honour's most obedient humb. Servant,
"W. SHIRLEY.
"The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esq."
" The Committee appointed to take under Consideration those Parts of His Excellency's Speech which relate to the Meeting of ye Commissioners lately held at New York, & to the securing the Indians of the Six Nations, and also His Excellency's Message of the 31st May, are humbly of opinion That it is not expedient for the Court at this time to come into any new Resolutions respecting the Result of the Commissioners who lately conven'd at New York, but that it is of great Importance to the Government, as well as to those whose Borders the Six Nations of Indians are Situated, that measures should now be taken for preserving said Indians in their good affection to His Majesty's Subjects and Attachment to his In- terest, and that the Treaty or Interview proposed by His Excellency will in all probability greatly tend to strengthen such affection and attachment; and as this Government have generally appeared by their Commissioners at such Interviews, the Committee are of opinion that three Gentlemen be now chosen by this Court to attend to His Excellency the Governor, & that they be empower'd, in Case any Bounty or Reward shall be found necessary, in order to en- courage the Indians to Acts of Hostility against the French, over and above what may be allowed by His Majesty to engage for the same on the part of this Government, agreeable to such Instructions as they shall receive from the Court for this purpose.
"The Committee are further humbly of opinion that the Gentle- men sent from this Government be Instructed by the Court and fully impower'd (with the Approbation of his Excellency the Gov- ernor) to join with any other Governments who shall be present at this Interview, in humbly representing to His Majesty the dis- tressed State of their Governments by means of the French in Canada, the Necessity of the Reduction thereof, & the inability of the Several Governments to effect the Same at their own Charge, and humbly His Majesty's favour in allowing forces to be raised in America for this purpose at the Charge & in the pay of the Crown, & to order such a number of His Majesty's Ships to be sent up the River St. Lawrence as may be thought proper, and that His Ex- cellency be desir'd immediately to advise the several Governments, as far as Maryland, of this Interview, that as many may be present as possible.
" By Order, "JACOB WENDAL.
In Council, June 8th, 1748, Read & sent down.
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"In the House of Representatives, June 8th, 1748. Read & order'd that this Report be accepted, & that Mr. Tyng & Collo. Heath & Capt". Rowell, with such as the Honoble. Board shall join, be a Committee to wait upon His Excellency & lay the same before him accordingly.
"Sent up for Concurrence, "T. HUTCHINSON, Speaker."
"In Council, June 10th, 1748. Read & Concurr'd, and ST. William Pepperell & Samuel Danforth, Esqrs., are joined in the Affair.
"By Order of the Board, "WM. PEPPERELL.
"Copy Examin'd, "Per J. WILLARD, Secretary."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Saturday, 25th June, 1748,
PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President.
Samuel Hasell, William Till,
Robert Strettell, Benjamin Shoemaker,
Joseph Turner,
Esqrs. William Logan,
Thomas Hopkinson,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.
A . Letter from Governor Clinton in answer to the President's Letter by Express was read & order'd to be enter'd.
"NEW YORK, 21st June, 1748. " Sir :
"I have your favour of the 18th with a Paper inclos'd containing a Message from the Cayukas to the Sasquehanna' Indians, together with a recital of what pass'd upon a Message sent them from the English, which I am quite Ignorant of, as nothing of that kind is contained in Collo. Johnson's Treaty, who I sent lately among the Six Nations to prevent their going to Canada. Therefore, if any Person has surreptitiously undertaken to deliver them a Message with such Expression, in order to intimidate the Indians, or make them revolt from their repeated Engagements to support His Majestie's Interest, it is perfectly contrary to my Directions & Knowledge; and I look upon such (whoever they be) aiming at nothing less than a total defection of those Tribes, or at least to anticipate the advantages I have improv'd among them for His Majesty's Service.
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" As I have not time to get transcrib'd the Treaty which Colo Johnson had with those Tribes at Onondago, I have inclos'd the original he sent me, and if you think it expedient to take a Copy thereof I must desire You'll return the Original by the first oppor- tunity, as I shall have occasion for it soon at Albany.
"I am glad the Information you sent me touching the Enemy is contradicted by the last Express, and I am, Sir,
"Your most obedient humble Servant, "G. CLINTON.
" The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esq"."
The Secretary was order'd to take a Copy of Colo. Johnson's Report of his proceedings at Onondago, & to send it with a Copy of Mr. Clinton's Letter to Mr. Weiser for the satisfaction of the Indians.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, 16th July, 1748.
PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esgr. President.
Thomas Lawrence, Samuel Hasell,
Abraham Taylor, Robert Strettell,
Benjamin Shoemaker,
Joseph Turner,
Esqrs. ,
Thomas Hopkinson,
William Logan,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.
A letter from Mr. Weiser and another from Mr. Croghan were read, whereby it appear'd that the Ohio Indians were on their Road near the town of Lancaster and cou'd not be beat out of a Notion they had entertain'd of this City's being sickly, but desir'd the Council wou'd be pleas'd to give them the Meeting at Lancaster.
The Council after taking up a long time in deliberating upon the Request at last agreed to accede to it, & Mr. Shoemaker, Mr. Turner, Mr. Hopkinson, & Mr. Logan, were appinted Commissioners to treat with these Indians at Lancaster, and the Secretary was order'd to prepare a Commiss" and a Sett of Instructions from the heads now deliver'd to him, to be Sign'd in the Afternoon. .
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P. M. Present as before. The Commission & Instructions were agreed upon & sign'd in
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Council, & a Warrant issued to the Keeper of the Great Seal to affix the same to the said Commission :
" George the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, & Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, To our Trusty and well beloved Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, & William Logan, Esqrs., and to every of them, Greeting :
" Whereas, some of the Chiefs of the Six Nations Indians living on the Waters of Ohio, a Branch of the Mississippi, in Amity & Alliance with Us, have signified to our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania that the Twightwees, a considerable Nation of Indians residing on the Borders of Lake Erie, and late in the Interest of the French King, are now earnestly desirous to enter into the Alliance & Friendship of Us and our Subjects ; and for that end that several Cheifs and Deputies have been sent from the said Twightwees Nation, and are now waiting at Lancaster with divers Cheifs of the said Six Nations, in order to enter into a Treaty of Alliance & Friendship with Us and our Subjects; And also, that several Cheifs & Deputies from the Shawonese Nation of Indians at Allegheny are now likewise waiting at Lancaster in order to renew the League of Amity subsisting between Us & that Nation : Know ye, that reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Abilities, and Circumspection, We have thought fit to Nominate & Appoint You the said Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, & William Logan, & every of you, our Commissioners on behalf of our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania afore- said, to treat with the said Indians now at Lancaster, or with their or any or every of their Cheifs or Delegates, & with them to renew, ratify, & confirm the League of Amity subsisting between our said Province of Pennsylvania and the said United Nations of Indians, or between us and the said Shawonese Nation of Indians, & like- wise to enter & compleat such Treaty of Alliance with the said Twightwee Nation ; And further to do, act, transact, & finally to conclude and agree with the Indians aforesaid all and every other Matter and thing whatsoever necessary, touching or in anywise con- cerning the Premisses as fully and amply to all Intents, Constructions, and Purposes, as our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid might or cou'd do being Personally present, hereby rati- fying and confirming and holding for firm and effectual whatsoever you, the said Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hop- kinson, and William Logan, or any of You, shall lawfully do in and about the Premisses. In Testimoney whereof We have caused the Great Seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness Anthony Palmer, Esqr., President, Thomas Lawrence, Samuel Ha- sell, Abraham Taylor, and Robert Strettell, Esqrs, Members of our Council for our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid at Philadelphia, the sixteenth Day of July, in the Year of Our Lord One thousand
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seven hundred and forty-eight, and in the Twenty-second Year of our Reign.
"ANTHONY PALMER, Presidt. "ROBERT STRETTELL, " ABRAM TAYLOR, "SAM. HASELL, "THOM. LAWRENCE.
" By the Honourable the President & Council of the Province of Pennsylvania.
" Instructions to Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, & William Logan, Esqrs., Commiss's. to treat with certain Indians now at Lancaster
" Whereas, by a Commission from His Majesty bearing date here- with, You are hereby instructed to enquire into the Temper and Number of the Twightwees, one of the said Nations, whether they are really and sincerely come off from the French & heartily in the English Interest, or this Change of their's is only pretended & occa- sional, taking its rise from the scarcity of Indian Goods among the French, and so likely to drop on the Publication of a Peace with France; and when you shall be inform'd of the true and real State and Disposition of these People You will in your receiving any proposals from them govern Yourselves accordingly.
" As to the Shawonese, You are to enquire very exactly after their Conduct since the commencement of the War, and what lengths they went in favour of Peter Chartier, where he is, & what he has been doing all this time, and be careful that these People ac- knowledge their fault in plain Terms, & promise never to be guilty of any behaviour again that may give such reason to suspect their fidelity, & according to the reality of their Submissions You are to regulate what You shall say to them.
" With respect to the Indians of the Six Nations, You are hereby . Instructed to tell them, exclusive of what shall be proper to be said to them in answer to the Business they come to transact with this Government, that their behaviour during the War has been very acceptable to the King's Governors, & that they will always be receiv'd by them in a most affectionate manner, & recommend it to them to cultivate a good understanding with all the Nations on the Borders of this and the Neighbouring Provinces in alliance with them, notwithstanding the probability of an approaching Peace, which You are likewise to mention with the greatest prudence lest the Cessation of Hostilities shou'd not be followed by a General Peace.
" Given in Council under our Hands & the Lesser Seal of the said Province of Philadelphia, this Sixteenth Day of July, 1748.
" ANTHONY PALMER, Presid',
" ROBERT STRETTELL, "ABRAM TAYLOR.
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Governor Gooch's Letter in answer to the Council's sent by Ex- press was read in these words :
"June 25th, 1748.
" Sir :
"I immediately upon reading your Letter of the 17th Instant, which I this Day received, I took my Pen in hand to return You and the Gentlemen of the Council all due thanks for the Regard You were pleased to shew for our Safety as well as Your own, in communicating to me so speedy Intelligence of a Sett of Privateers, with Don Pedro at their head, with whom we have been no less alarm'd & pester'd than You, having had several small Vessels taken in the Bay and within the Mouth of the Capes.
" My Express dispatch'd to Captain Norbury in Consequence of Mr. President's Letter, reach'd him the Day before he sail'd, and just after he had brought in with him two Privateers, the one from the Havannah with 14 Carriage Guns and 100 Men, the other from St. Augustine with four Carriage Guns and 10 Swivels and 40 Men, who promis'd me in his Answer to it to go down to your Capes, and of whom I must therefore suppose You have had long before this the satisfaction of hearing. Captain Masterson is now also out upon a Cruize, so that it is to be hoped if neither of them is so fortunate as to meet with Don Pedro, the Enemy will at least be so much terrified as to keep their distance, and not give us so much disturb- ance by Intercepting our Trade and infesting our Coasts with such audacious Insolence as they have presum'd to do of late.
"I am, with my best Respects to the Gentlemen of the Council, with great Regard,
" Sir, Your most obedt. humb. Servt .. "WILL. GOOCH.
I should have told You that Capt" Norbury manned & took with him the largest of the two Privateers he had taken; and that I desired. You would make my Compliments to Mr. Peters, your worthy Secretary.
Mr. Joseph Bonsall & Mr. John Davis, Commiss's appointed to Survey that part of the high Road leading from Philadelphia to New Castle which runs thro' the County of Chester, made their Return, which was read, approved, and confirmed, and order'd to be recorded in the Council Book ; and the said Road is to be open'd sixty feet wide, except in the Towns of Darby & Chester, where the Streets are to retain their present breadth, of which all Supervisors of the Highways are to take notice, & open the Road in the several Townships thro' which it passes of the width aforesaid, agreeable to the said Return.
Pursuant to two Orders from the Honourable the President & Council, one of the 8th Day of September, 1747, the other of the
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2d Day of March then next following, referring it to Us, the Sub- scribers, to view and lay out by Course and Distance that part of the King's high Road leading from the City of Philadelphia to the Town of New Castle which runs thro' the County of Chester, We do humbly Certify and Report to the Honourable the President & Council, that We have viewed, and with the Assistance of William Parsons, Surveyor General, we have as regularly and as near as conveniently cou'd be to the Courses it now runs, Resurvey'd that part of the King's high Road aforesaid which Runs thro' the County of Chester, Beginning at the middle of the Bridge over Cobb's Creek, being the Boundary between Philadelphia and Ches- ter Counties, and from thence extending South seventy degrees West twenty-eight perches, North seventy-nine degree and an half West twenty-four perches, North seventy degrees West one hun- dred and fifty-one perches, thence South seventy-nine degrees West twenty-eight perches to a Run of Water, thence North seventy-four degrees West forty perches to a Stone twenty foot distance from the East Corner of George Woods' House in Darby, thence South sixty-one degrees and an half West twelve perches to Darby Creek, and the same Course twenty-eight perches more to a 'post, then South fifteen degrees twenty Minutes West one hundred and thirty- one perches to the middle of the old Road, thence South fifty-nine degrees West two hundred and twenty-six perches to Dwyer Run, one hundred and sixteen perches more to Deel's Run, and sixty- two perches more to a post, thence South thirty-nine degrees West one hundred and two perches to Talnell Run, two hundred and ninety-six perches more to another Run, & one hundred and one hundred and sixteen perches to Isaac Gleeve's House, thence South sixty degrees West one hundred and twenty perches to a post, thence South seventy-one degrees and an half West one hundred and seventy-six perches to a post, thence South sixty degrees and an half West one hundred and seventy-eight perches to a post, thence South sixty-three degrees and a quarter West two hundred and forty perches to Crum Creek, thence South sixty-one degrees and an half West one hundred and thirty perches to a post, thence South sixty-four degrees West twenty-eight perches to Ridley Creek Bridge, and the same Course fourteen perches more to a post, thence South thirty-four degrees West one hundred & thirty perches to a post, thence South four degrees and an half West fifty-six perches to a post, thence South eleven degrees & an half west fifty-six perches to a wild Cherry Tree, thence South fifty-six degrees and an half West ninety-five perches to Welsh Street, in the middle of Free Street, in the Borough of Chester, then along Free Street South sixty-two degrees West twenty-three perches to Market Street, thence along Market Street South twenty eight degrees East thirty-one perches to the middle of James' Street, thence along James' Street South sixty-two degrees West thirty-eight perches to the Bridge over Chester
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