USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. V > Part 32
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" Brethren of the Twightwee Nation :
"We understand that by an antient Custom observ'd by your Ancestors, the Delivery and acceptance of the Calumet Pipe are the Ceremonies which render valid & bind fast your Alliances. We must now tell you what our Usages are on these occasions. The English when they consent to take any Nation into their Alliances draw up a Compact in writing, which is faithfully Interpreted to the contracting Parties, and when maturely consider'd and clearly and fully understood by each side, their assent is declar'd in the most publick manner, and the stipulation render'd authentick by Sealing the Instrument with Seals, whereon are engraven their Familie's Arms, writing their names, and publishing it as their Act & Deed, done without force or constraint freely and voluntarily. This is the English Method of ratifying Treaties, this is the grand Security each gives of his Faith, and our Brethren of the Six Nations, the Delawares, Shawonese, and all other Indian Nations, when they first enter'd into the Chain of Friendship with us, executed Instru-
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ments of this Nature, and as you are now one People with us in the same manner with all other of our Indian Allies, it will be ex- pected by this and His Majesty's other Governments that you will do the same. For your satisfaction we now show you some of the Deeds that the Indians executed when they first enter'd into our Alliance.
" Brethren Deputies of the Twightwees :
"You say some of your Allies having heard of your Intentions to apply for admittance into the Freindship & Alliance with the English, desired you to acquaint them with the Success of such Ap- plication, to the end that they might have an opportunity of asking the same favour. As we don't know the Names of those of your Allies, their number, or Situation, we cannot be more particular at present on this head than to tell you that we are always ready to receive favourably the applications of all those whom our Brethren of the Six Nations shall recommend as worthy of our Friendship and Regard.
" In Testimony whereof we have wrapped a String of Wampum round the Calumet Pipe sent by your Allies.
" Brethren of the Six Nations, &c., at Ohio :
" You perceive that at your Request we have receivee the Twigh- twees into our Friendship. We take kindly your conducting them to us for that end, and as a proof of our being well pleased with your Conduct on this occasion, we have ordered our Interpreter to deliver you at Mr. Croghan's some English Goods that are lodged there for the use of the Indians.
" Brethren :
" Your intercession for the Shawonese puts us under difficulties. It is at least two Years since the Governor of Pennsylvania wrote to Kekewatcheky a Letter, wherein he condescended out of regard to him & a few other Shawonese who preserved their fidelity, to offer those who broke the Chain a Pardon on their submission on their Return to the Towns they had deserted, and on their coming down to Philadelphia to evidence in Person the sincerity of their repentance. This they should have immediately complied with, and they wou'd have readily been admitted into favour, but as they did not do it, what can be said for them ?. You who live amongst them best know their Dispositions, and wou'd not, it may be hop'd, become Mediators for them were you not persuaded they wou'd return to their Duty. Some of them it may be allowed are weak People, and were perverted from their Duty by the persuasions of others, but this cannot be thought to be the Case of Neucheconno & a few more. As, therefore, you have taken upon you the Office of Inter- cessors, take this string of Wampum & therewith Chastize Neuche- conno and his Party in such Terms as shall a proper Severity with them, tho' the expressions are left to your discretion, and then
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tell the delinquent Shawonese that we will forget what is past and expect a more punctual regard to their Engagements hereafter."
Here was delivered a String of Wampum.
"'Tis but Justice to distinguish the Good from the Bad ; Keke- watcheky and his Friends who had virtue enough to resist the many fine Promisses made by the Emissaries of the French, will ever be remembered with Gratitude & challenge our best Services. To testify our Regard for these, we present them with this
"Belt of Wampum.
" And have ordered our Interpreter who is going to Ohio to give them a present of Goods."
The Commissioners gave a handsome Entertainment to the Depu- ties of the Twightwees and the Indians who conducted them from Ohio, and after Dinner enter'd into a free Conversation with them about the Numbers and Situation of their Towns and those of their Allies; and by their Informations it appears that the River Ouabache takes its rise from a Lake at a small distance from the West end of Lake Erie, from which it runs South-Westerly 4 or 500 Miles, and falls into the Ohio about 300 Miles from the Missis- sippi ; that on this River and another River called the Hatchet, the Twightwees- and their Allies have Twenty Towns, and that they count one thousand fighting Men; that it is a plain Country & of a rich Soil abounding with Game. The principal Deputy of the Twightwees laid down with Chalk the Courses of the Mississippi, of Quebache, & of Ohio, marking the Situation of their own Towns, of Lake Erie, & of two Forts that the French have on the Mississippi, whereby it is Manifest that if these Indians and their Allies prove faithful to the English, the French will be deprived of the most convenient & nearest communication with their Forts on the Mississippi, the ready Road lying thro' their Nations, and that there will be nothing to interrupt an Intercourse between this Province & that great River.
At the Court House at Lancaster, Friday, July 22d, 1748. P. M. PRESENT :
The same as in the Morning.
Taming Buck, one of the Chiefs of the Shawonese, stood up and spoke as follows:
" Brethren-
"We, the Shawonese, sensible of our ungrateful Returns for the many favours we have been all along receiving from our Brethren the English ever since we first made the Chain of Friendship, came
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along the Road with our Eyes looking down to the earth, and have not taken them from thence till this Morning, when you were pleased to Chastise us, and then pardon us. We have been a foolish Peo- ple & acted wrong, tho' the Sun shone bright and shewed us very clearly what was our Duty. We are sorry for what we have done and promise better behaviour for the future. We produce to you a Certificate of the renewal of our Friendship in the year 1739, by the Proprietor and Governor. "Be pleased to sign it afresh, that it may appear to the world we are now admitted into your Friendship, & all former Crimes are buried & entirely forgot."
The Commissioners receiv'd the Deed but refus'd to Sign it, letting them know they were forgiven on Condition of better be- haviour for the future; and when they shall have performed that Condition it will be time enough to apply for such Testimonials. Orders were given for mending their Guns and Hatchets, and then the Twightwees were told that the Secretary was preparing an In- strument for rendering authentick our Treaty of Friendship with them, which wou'd be ready at Nine o'Clock in the morning, to which time the Commissioners adjourn'd.
At the Court House at Lancaster, Saturday, 23d July, 1748.
PRESENT :
Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, - Esqrs.
Thomas Hopkinson, William Logan,
The Magistrates and many of the Inhabitants of Lancaster County. The same Indians as Yesterday.
The Instrument and Counterpart having been prepar'd and ap- prov'd by the Commissioners, the Contents thereof were read and carefully Interpreted to & approv'd by the Indians, & then they were executed by the Commissioners and the three Deputies of the Twightwees, the other Indians mention'd therein signing as Wit- nesses, together with the Magistrates and Inhabitants present.
" Whereas, at an Indian Treaty held at Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster and Province of Pennsylvania, on Wednesday the Twentieth Day of July, Instant, before the Honourable Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, and William Logan, Esquires, by virtue of a Commission under the Great Seal of the said Province, dated at Philadelphia the sixteenth Day of the same Month, Three Indian Chiefs, Deputies from the Twightwees, a Na- tion of Indians situate on or about the River Quebache, a Branch of the River Mississippi, viz. : Ciquenackqua, Assepausa, and Na- toecqueha, appeared on behalf of themselves & their Nation, & prayed that the Twightwees might be admitted into the Friendship and Alliance of the King of Great Britain and his Subjects, professing
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on their Parts to become true and faithful Friends and Allies to the English, and so forever to continue, and Scarrowyady, Cadarianiaha, Chiefs of the Oneido Nation, Suchrachery, a Chief of the Seneka Nation, Caniuckodon, Cantyuckqua, Ecknisera, Chiefs of the Mo- hocks, Lawachcanricky, Taming Buck, Ossoghqua, Chiefs of the Shawonese, and Nenatcheehon, a Chief the Delaware Nation, all of them Nations in Friendship and Alliance with the English, becom- ing earnest Intercessors with the said Commiss" on their behalf, the Prayer of the said Deputies of the Twightwees was granted, and a firm Treaty and alliance of Friendship was then stipulated and agreed upon between the said Commissioners and the said Deputies of the Twightwee Nation, as by the Records of Council remaining at Philadelphia, in the said Province, may more fully appear. Now these Presents Witness, & it is hereby declared that the said Na- tion of Indians called the Twightwees are accepted by the said Com- missioners as Good Friends & Allies of the English Nation, and that they, the said Twightwees and the Subjects of the King of Great Britain, shall forever hereafter be as one Head and one Heart, & live in true Friendship as one People, in Considertaion whereof the said Ciquenackqua, Assepausa, & Natoecqueha, Deputies of the said Twightee Nation, Do hereby in behalf of the said Nation Cove- nant, Promise, & Declare that the several People of the said Twigh- twee Nation, or any of them, shall not at any time hurt, injure, or defraud, or suffer to be hurt, injured, or defrauded, any of the Sub- jects of the King of Great Britain, either in their Persons or Estates, but shall at all times readily do Justice & perform to them all Acts and Offices of Friendship and good Will. Item; that the said Twigh- twee Nation by the Alliance aforesaid becoming entitled to the Privelege and Protection of the English Laws, They shall at all times behave themselves regularly & soberly according to the Laws of this Government whilst they shall live or be among or near the Christian Inhabitants thereof. Item; that none of the said Nation shall at any time be aiding, assisting, or abetting to or with any other Na- tion, whether of Indians or others, that shall not at such time be in Amity with the Crown of England and this Government. Item; that if at any time the Twightwee Nation by means of Evil minded Persons & Sowers of Sedition shou'd hear any unkind or disadvan- tageous Reports of the English, as if they had evil designs against any of the said Indians, in such case such Indians shall send No- tice thereof to the Governor of this Province for the time being, & shall not give Credit to the said Reports till by that means they shall be fully satisfied of the truth thereof; And it is agreed that the English shall in such cases do the like by them.
"In testimony whereof as well the said Commissioners as the said Deputies of the Twightwee Nation have smoked the Calumet Pipe, made mutual Presents to each other, & hereunto interchange- ably set their Hands and Seals, the Twenty-third Day of July, in the Year of our Lord, 1748, and in the 22d Year of the Reign of
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George the Second, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.
"BENJAMIN SHOEMAKER, [L. s.] "JO. TURNER, [L. S.] " THOS. HOPKINSON, [L. S.] "WILLM. LOGAN, [L. S.] "The Mark of " CIQUENACKQUA, M [L. s.] " The Mark of "ASSAPAUSA, M [L. s.] " The Mark of "NATOECQUEHA, M [L. s.]
"Signed, Sealed, & Delivered in the Presence of Us ;-
"RICHARD PETERS, Secretary.
" CONRAD WEISER, Interpreter. "The Mark of
" M ANDREW MONTOUR, Interpreter.
" ADAM PETER REEHM.
" DAVID STOUT.
" GEORGE CROGHAN,
" MICHAEL HUBLY,
" JOHN FORSYTH,
" CONRAD DOLL,
"PETER PREEST,
"EDWARD SMOUT,
" THOMAS COOKSON,
" PETER WORRAL,
" GEORGE SMITH,
" The Mark M of SCARROWYADY,
" The Mark M of CADARIANIRKA,
" The Mark M of SUCHRAQUERY,
"The Mark M of CAMINCHODON,
"The Mark M of CUNTYUCKQUA,
"The Mark M of LAWACHCAMICKY.
" The Mark M of DOMINI BUCK,
" The Mark M of ASSOGHQUA, "The Mark M of NENATCHEHON.
The Commissioners then enquired if the Indians had any particu- lar news to communicate, and after some time spent in Conference Suchraquery spoke as follows :
" The Indians of the several Nations living at Ohio return you thanks for your acceptance of their good Offices in conducting the Twightwees and admitting them into your Alliance; likewise for your Goodness in accepting their Mediation on behalf of the Shawo- nese, & thereupon forgiving their late Breach of Faith. Our new Brethren, the Twightwees, tell us that they have brought a few Skins to begin a Trade, and they desire you would be pleased to
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order the Traders to put less Stones in their Scales that their Skins may weigh more, and that they may allow a good Price for them, which will encourage them and their Nation to Trade more largely with You." This the Commissioners promis'd to do.
The Commissioners inform'd the Indians that there was likely to be a Peace between the King of England and the French King ; that the News was but just arriv'd and imperfectly told, but that there was actually a Cessation of Arms. The Indians making no Reply, the Commiss's, after ordering a Present to the Twightwee Deputies, rose & put an End to the Treaty.
Captain Smyter being ready to Sail for London, Mr. Taylor & Mr. Hopkinson are appointed a Committee to draw up an answer to the Proprietaries Letters, and it is recommended to them to sett all matters relating to the Association in their true Light.
At a Council held at Philada. 30th July, 1748.
PRESENT :
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President,
Thomas Lawrence,
Samuel Hasell,
William Till,
Abraham Taylor,
Robert Strettell,
Benjamin Shoemaker,
Esqrs.
Joseph Turner,
Thomas Hopkinson,
William Logan,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.
Mr. Taylor laid before the Board the Draught of a Letter to the Proprietaries, which was approv'd, & the Secretary is order'd to write it fair to be Sign'd by all the Members.
" PHILADA., July 30th, 1748.
" Gentlemen :
" As we don't think it necessary to distinguish between the Let- ters which we receive from either of you seperately & those which are signed by both jointly, we take this opportunity by Captain Smyter of acknowledging your several favours of the 16th & 29th of October, and of the 12th, 29th, and 30th March last, and are well pleased to find therein that some parts of our Administration are approv'd of. But we must own it gave us no small Concern that the measures which have been taken to prevent this City or perhaps this Colony from falling into the Hands of His Majestie's, or that endeavouring to preserve the Lives & Properties of its In- habitants from Murder & Rapine (at a time when it was notorious both to this & the neighbouring Governments that Designs were meditating & preparations in our Enemie's Ports actually and avowedly carrying on for these purposes) shou'd be thought Illegal or Unwarrantable.
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"The frequent & repeated Accounts we received of the Enemie's designs and their Preparations (the Truth whereof hath been since confirm'd)-their Boldness and Insolence in coming up the River last Summer-the weak & impotent Condition of the Province, either to repell an Enemy or suppress Tumults and Insurrections, which were very much apprehended wou'd attend an Invasion, added to the Murmurs and complaints of the People, who having been re- fused any assistance from their Representatives, were laid under a Necessity of applying to the Council for their Countenance and leave to bear Arms and form themselves into proper Bodies for their mutual defence, were sufficient Causes for our taking this matter into our most serious Consideration ; And it was very evident that the Government of itself was unable to give them any Protection, and wou'd in our opinions have been both unjust & unreasonable as well as very unfit to disable them from defending themselves, as it might increase their discontent and probably end in a dissaffection if not a real disobedience to such Government and Laws as wou'd allow them no kind of Security in so dangerous a Conjuncture. The Council observing that the best and soberest of the Inhabitants were extremely desirous of uniting upon this occasion, provided they cou'd have Lycence and Permission from them for so doing, accordingly granted them the liberty of meeting undor Arms & forming themselves into proper Companies for learning Military Discipline; and as some will of course be more expert and assiduous than others, such were thought fittest for a Command and were ac- . cordingly recommended to the Council for their approbation; and as we had an opportunity of knowing the Characters of the Persons and their fitness for such a Trust, and that such as were recommended were Friends to the Government, especially the Principal Officers who were under the immediate direction of this Board, we accordingly granted them such Commissions as the former Governor had issued; and in a few Months we had the satisfaction to see a great number of the most substantial Freeholders formed into Companies, fur- nished with Arms and Ammunition, & every Day attending with great Chearfulness, in a most severe Cold Season, to learn the use of them, in which they made a very amazing progress in a short time, so that from a State of the greatest anxiety we soon found this Association had given us a degree of strength and security sufficient to quiet the minds of the People, to preserve the Peace of the Government in case of Insurrections, and to frustrate the Designs of our Enemies, and to it (under God) we must attribute the Preservation of the City of Philadelphia.
" If any doubt shou'd remain with you about the Legality of it, we imagine it must arise from a supposition that the Associators acted independently of the Government ; but this will appear to be without foundation from the very Tenor of the Officers' Commis- sions, one of which we have inclos'd for your Satisfaction.
" You are pleas'd very justly to observe, that we cannot be war-
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ranted in granting Commissions to any Officers who are to receive their Orders from others than ourselves or those we shou'd appoint, as this wou'd be giving the power of governing the Militia from the King to the People, and wou'd undoubtedly be greatly Criminal; but this we always guarded against, tho' we cou'd not find it was ever expected or intended; on the contrary, the inferior Officers were to take their Orders from their Superiors, & the Superior Officers were constantly to receive their Orders from this Board.
" Possibly the not fully understanding that part of the Articles of the Association relating to the Military Council might occasion this mistake ; but when we assure you that Council was Invested with no Powers in respect to Actions, but was only intended as a proper' Band of Union for the different Regiments of different Counties, that the whole might become as one body, & that one and the same Spirit might, by the means of this Common Council, be more easily communicated to & diffused among the several Parts; and also to make those Regulations which are usually the matter of Militia Laws and are necessary in every Militia, but cou'd not be hoped for from our Assembly, and if made by any not chosen by the People wou'd not probably be so likely to be regarded ; suck as fixing the times & places for the meeting of the Companies to be exercis'd in Arms, and directing the Conduct to be observ'd on these occasions; settling the manner of making and spreading Alarms, the places of Rendezvous of particular Companies & of whole Regiments, on the Alarm, & the Conduct the Officers are to observe at such times till they shall receive Orders from the Gover- mor or Commander-in-Chief, &c., &c., &c .; All which Regulations were intended to be laid before the Governor or President & Coun- cil for their approbation, and to be of no force without that Sanc- tion.
" But in Matters of Action in Time of Service it was never undestood that the Military Council shou'd meet to give Orders; no such thing was imagin'd; but the Orders were to be expected from the Captain General, i. e., the Governor for the time being. If every thing intended by the Associators was not clearly exprest in that short Instrument, by which they first engaged themselves, it may be imputed to the Novelty of the Scheme, for which they had no Precedent, and to the haste in which the whole Affair was neces- sarily carried on, especially since they have not in any part of their Conduct given the least Umbrage that they aim at in assuming any Powers inconsistent with the prerogatives of Government; and we have reason to believe that if the Military Council are not prevented from sitting by the declaration of a Peace, One of their first Acts may be an Explanation of every thing in the Scheme that is doubt- ful or liable to misconstruction, to the full satisfaction of the Gov- ernment.
" On the whole, as the Associators had no Power, nor pretended VOL. V .- 21.
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to have any but what they receiv'd from this Board, and as we granted none but such as we think are well warranted by the Char- ter, we hope you will be as well satisfied of the Legality of this proceeding as we assure ourselves you are of the usefulness and necessity of it.
" Shou'd the Associators have assumed to themselves Powers the least derogatory of His Majestie's Prerogative, or have acted other- wise than for His Majestie's Service, or that of the Country, we always had it in our Power instantly to put a stop to such proceed- ings by suppressing their Officer's Commissions ; but this we had not the least reason to apprehend ; on the contrary, their Conduct from the Beginning has been orderly & regular ; their zeal & Industry remarkable, tho' it has been a hard Service on them and their Offi- cers ; a constant, regular Guard has been kept on the Battery with- out the least Grudging or Discontent, and at their general Musters they have discovered a Skill & Regularity that has surprized every body ; the whole has been attended with such Expence, Care, and Fatigue (in which permit us to say we have had our share ) as would not have been born or undertaken by any that were not warm & sincere Friends to the Government, and true Lovers of their Coun- try. In short, by this means we have, in the opinion of most Strangers, the best Militia in America, and one of the compleatest Batteries, of its size, on the Continent, so that had the War con- tinued we shou'd have been in little Pain about any future Enter- prizes of our Enemies.
" As the part we have acted in this Affair was intended, so it has really proved, to be of the greatest Service to our Country, and the most that could be done at such a critical Juncture for His Majes- tie's Service and your own; and whatever opinion Lawyers or others not fully acquainted with our unhappy Circumstances, may enter- tain of it, it is, in our opinion, one of the wisest & most useful mea- sures that was ever undertaken in any Country. It would, there- fore, be too sensible a mortification to the Inhabitants to find their zeal and laudable Intention on this occasion and the real Service they have done so far mis-understood as to subject them to Censure. We hope, however, when the Association & the good effects of it come to be fully considered & understood, and the Conduct of its Members impartially examin'd, it will be found to have been under- taken with a laudable Design, and conducted in all its Parts with such order as is consistent with the strictest Rules of good Govern- ment, and will, therefore, merit your approbation.
" The Treaty we have lately had with the Indians at Lancaster will, we hope, be productive of considerable advantages to the People of this Provinee, by enlarging our Indian Trade and ex- tending our Friendship & Alliance to Indians hitherto unknown to us. We parted with much satisfaction on both sides, & expect on their Return we shall be address'd by other Nations in their Neigh- bourhood.
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"The Pardon so earnestly sought for by the Shawonese, & their submission appearing sincere, we thought not proper to refuse, especially as the Six Nations became Intercessors for them. We hope when you have perus'd the Treaty itself, to which we beg leave to refer, you will approve of it. We earnestly wish for the arrival of our Governor, as we cxpect great Satisfaction from his Adminis- tration, & as it will be some Relief to Us who we assure you have been fully employed in the Business of the Publick ever since Colo, Thomas' Departure. If we shou'd be so happy as to have given You the same satisfaction in our Administration as we flatter our- selves we have given the People under our Care, we shall think our Time & Pains well bestowed. We are,
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