USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. V > Part 46
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"By the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsyl- vania and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Dela- ware :
"A PROCLAMATION.
" Whereas, By an Act of Parliament passed in the Twenty-Third Year of his Majestie's Reign, entituled ' An Act to encourage the Importation of Pig and Bar Iron from his Majestie's Colonies in America, and to prevent the Erection of any Mill or other Engine for slitting or rolling of Iron, or any plating Forge to work with a Tilt Hammer, or any Furnace for making Steel in any of the said Colonies,' it is enacted 'That from and after the Twenty-Fourth
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Day of June, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hun- dred and Fifty, every Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Com- mander-in-Chief of any of his Majestie's Colonies in America shall forthwith transmit to the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations a Certificate under his Hand and Seal of Office, containing a par- ticular Account of every Mill or Engine for slitting and rolling of Iron, and every plating Forge to work with a Tilt Hammer, and every Furnace for making Steel at the Time of the Commencement of this Act erected in his Colony, expressing also in the said Certi- ficate such of them as are used, and the Name or Names of the Proprietor or Proprietors of each such Mill, Engine, Forge, and Furnace, and the Place where each such Mill, Engine, Forge, and Furnace is erected, and the Number of Engines, Forges, and Fur- naces in the said Colony.' To the end, therefore, that I may be the better enabled to obey the Directions of the said Act, I have thought fit with the Advice of the Council to issue this Proclamation, hereby enjoining and requiring the Proprietor or Proprietors, or in case of their Absence the Occupiers of any of the above-mentioned Mills, Engines, Forges, and Furnaces erected within this Province, to appear before me at the City of Philadelphia on or before the Twenty-First day of September next, with proper and ample Testi- monials of the Rights of such Proprietor, Proprietors, and Occu- piers therein, and sufficient Proofs whether the said Mills, Engines, Forges, and Furnaces, respectively, were used on the said Twenty-
Fourth Day of June or not. And I do further hereby require and command the Sheriff of every County in this Province, respectively, on or before the said Twenty-First Day of September to appear be- fore me at the City of Philadelphia aforesaid, and then and there by Writings under their Hands and Seals to certify and make known to me every Mill or Engine for slitting and rolling of Iron, every plating Forge to work with a Tilt Hammer, and ever Furnace for making Steel which were erected within their several and respec- tive Counties on the said Twenty-Fourth Day of June, and the Place and Places where the same were erected, with the Names of their reputed Proprietor or Proprietors, and the Occupiers of them and every of them ; and whether they or any of them were used on the said Twenty-Fourth Day of June or not, as they and each of them will answer the contrary at their Peril.
" Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of the Province of Penn- sylvania, at Philadelphia this Sixteenth Day of August, in the Twenty-Fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Second, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, &c., and in the Year of our Lord 1750.
" JAMES HAMILTON.
" By his Honour's Command,
" RICHARD PETERS, Secretary. " GOD SAVE THE KING."
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An Act entitled " A Supplementary Act to the Act intituled 'An Act for preventing the Exportation of Bread and Flower not mer- chantable, and for the new Appointment of Officers to put the said Law in Execution,'" having been delivered to the Governor by two Members for his Concurrence, it was read once over and then Para- graph by Paragraph, and agreed to, and sent by the Secretary to the House with a Message that the Governor would pass it when it should be presented to him for that Purpose.
A Message from the House in Answer to the Governor's of the eighth Instant was read.
" May it please the Governor:
" The Governor's Care in issuing his Proclamation last Summer, ' upon the Complaints of the Deputies of the Six Nations against such as had settled on their unpurchased Lands,' and the Measures he has since taken to prevent all Cause of Complaint, appear to us prudent and absolutely necessary ; and we hope the Lenity shewn towards such as 'were then spared' in Commisseration of their Cir- cumstances, and on their Bonds to remove in a very short time, may not be attended with any ill Consequences; And this we have the more Reason to expect as we are now informed the Lord Chan- cellor has lately given a Decree in favour of our Proprietaries which may settle the Boundaries between us and our neighboring Colony, and put an End to any ill Offices or future Quarrels between us on that Account. But should those Settlers who have been so tenderly dealt with unhappily suffer themselves to be 'spirited up to stay,' and by that means not only continue the Cause of Complaint them- selves, but by their Example draw others to return to the old or any other Settlements, as this would be highly ungrateful and 'act- ing in open Contempt of the Government,' and might involve the whole Province in great Difficulties and themselves and their Fam- ilies in Destruction, we desire the Governor world 'strictly put the Laws in Execution against them ; and if any further Assistance of ours should be necessary in an Affair of such Importance to the Peace of the Province, we shall readily contribute whatever can reasonably be expected from Us.
" Tho' the ' Accounts from Ohio mention that the French still continue their Threats against the Indians who carry on Commerce with our Traders,' and ' that they are frequently alarmed as if the French were approaching in a military manner,' yet as they keep themselves upon their Guard, and 'as nothing hostile has hitherto been attempted,' we hope with the Governor ' this may blow over,' And, from the Caution and Unanimity of the Indians in our Alli- ance, the French may be obliged to alter their Measures.
" Ever since the Twightwees upon their earnest Sollicitations, and by the Intercession of the Six Nations, became our Allies, we have taken them under our Notice, and as such have made them Sharers
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in our Presents. However, since they have withstood the Sollicita- tions of the French, as they engaged themselves to do by the Treaty at Lancaster, and as they have refused to receive any Presents from them in Proof of their Attachment to Us, at the same time inti- mating ' they would be pleased to receive some Testimony of our Regard ;' and as on their Admission to our Alliance the Deputies of the Six Nations candidly informed us tho' they were numerous and worthy of our Friendship 'yet they were poor,' we are of Opinion, considering the Service they may be of to us, and 'the large Addition which is made to the Trade of this Province by their means,' it may be prudent, and accordingly we have agreed to make them some 'small Present' at this time.
" The Accounts from Andrew Montour, which have been laid be- fore us by the Governor's Order are under our Consideration, and we think it reasonable to make him such allowance as shall appear a 'suitable Recompence for his Services.' The Esteem he is in with the Indians, the great Confidence they place in him, his Dis- cretion and Residence at Ohio, are good Reasons for the Governor's recommending him to our Notice. Such a Person we judge must be of Use to influence their Conduct and keep them firmly attached to the British Interest. And as he is ready and willing to serve the Province to the utmost of his Power, he deserves to be encour- aged, especially as the Indians of those Parts are not of the most ' prudent Behaviour, and at a Time when the French leave no Means unattempted to alienate their Affection from us, and exclude us from any Share of the Benefits of trading with them.'
" Signed by Order of the House.
"ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker.
"15th August, 1750."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Saturday the 18th August, 1748.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Robert Strettell,
Thomas Hopkinson,
Richard Peters,
Joseph Turner, 1 William Logan, S Esqrs.
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approv'd.
The Governor informed the Board that on receit of a Message from the House that the Flower Bill which was engross'd might be examin'd by some Members of Council, and that he would please to appoint the Time for their presenting it to him in order to be enacted into a Law, he had appointed Mr. Strettell and Mr. Peters
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to compare the Engross'd Bill with the Copy, and had likewise ordered the House to wait on him at eleven this morning; where- upon the Secretary was sent with a Message requiring their imme- diate Attendance.
And the House attending accordingly, the Speaker presented to his Honour the Bill entitled a Supplementary Act to the Act in- tituled " An Act for preventing the Exportation of Bread and Flower not merchantable, and for the new Appointment of Officers to put the said Law in Execution ;" which was enacted into a Law. Then the Speaker presented the Governor with an Order on the Treasury of Four Hundred Pounds for his Support, for which he return'd the House his Thanks.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday, 19th September, 1750.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Thomas Lawrence,
Samuel Hasell,
Joseph Turner,
Thomas Hopkinson. & Esqrs.
William Logan,
Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approv'd.
The Governor having received some Intelligence of Consequence relating to the Indians, in a Letter wrote to the Secretary by Capt, Trent, one of the Justices of Cumberland County, and partner with Mr. Croghan, the most considerable Indian Trader, which seems to be confirm'd by a Letter of the third Instant from Governor Clin- ton, both Letters were read and order'd to be enter'd:
A Letter to the Secretary from Capt. Trent. " LANCASTER, August 18th, 1750.
" Sir :
" A few Days ago some of the Lowry's Hands came in from the Woods, they had a Frenchman in company who says he was a French Trader, and was put in Irons and confined for disobeying the Orders of the Commander of the Fort where he traded (the Fort lyes betwixt De Troit and the Pict's Country) by the Assistance of his Friends he made his Escape to the Picts that are in Friendship with us, some of which was for putting him to death for a Spy, others would have him sent back, and some were for delivering him to Lowry to be kept till the Man that killed his Brother and the Indian by setting Fire to the Powder was delivered. He's in Lowry's Possession now; he says that the French Traders com- plain'd to the Governor that the English Traders had bought all their Debts of the Indians, and that unless he prevented the Eng-
1
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lish from trading so far back that they must quit the Trade; upon which the Governor ordered the Hatchet to be given to the French Indians to strike the English, which was done before he came away. He says that there was a great Number of Soldiers expected up from Canada, and that the White men taken from Carolina was taken by the French Nottawagoes or Wandotts, and was sent to Canada before he made his escape, who I suppose are now returned with the other Prisoners that came with Capt Stoddard from Canada. The two Traders belonging to our Province that I wrote you as I was coming from Philadelphia last was taken, have sent a Letter home; there were taken by the Ottawawas and are sent to Canada ; they write that they are well used, and are to be sent home in the Spring by way of New York ; we have also an Account that thirty French Wandotts have killed fourteen White Men belonging to Carolina; I cannot assert it for Truth, tho' I am afraid it is too true.
"I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant,
" WILLIAM TRENT."
A Letter from Governor Clinton to Governer Hamilton. " Sir :
"I yesterday received the following Information from Coll. Wil- liam Johnston, viz .: that Jean Ceur is sent with another Officer to Ohio River to bring that Body Indians over to the French (if pos- sible) by any means, he having a large Quantity of very valuable Goods to distribute among them and all other Nations he passes thro'; And as you may have time enough to overset their Schemes by sending proper Persons to talk with the Indians, and acquaint them that they come as Spies. This Account he says may be de- pended on, for Arent Stephens, the Interpreter, who came lately from Oswego, saw and spoke with Jean Ceur, who made no Scruple: to tell the Intent of his Journey. If the French should prevail on those Indians by their Presents the Five Nations must certainly submit, for which Reason I thought it for his Majestie's Service and the Safety of these Colonies to give you this Intelligence as soon as possible.
"I am, with great Respect, Sir,
" Your Honour's most obedient and very humble Servant,
"G. CLINTON.
"FORT GEORGE, 3d September, 1750."
And on mature Consideration of these and several other Matters which are come to the Governor's Knowledge since the Meeting of the Assembly by the Examination of the Traders, many of whom are now in Town, the Governor drew up the following Answer to Governor Clinton, which was approved, and it was likewise thought proper that the Southern Governments should be made acquainted with the unfavourable Change likely to happen very soon in the State of the Indian Affairs, to the end that they might
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concur in proper Measures to preserve the Friendship of the Indians at this nice Conjuncture :
A Letter from Governor Hamilton to Governer Clinton. " Sir :
"Your Excellency's Letter of the third Instant, imparting to me Coll. Johnson's Intelligence of some French Officers going towards Ohio with a large Present for the Indians, was detained in the Post Office, or I would have done myself the Honour to have answered it sooner, especially as the Contents are of great Consequence and what I have had of late much under my Consideration.
"The Indian Interpreter at Ohio was fortunately in Town when your Letter came to my Hands, and I dispatched him immediately with a Present to the Twightwees, which at my Instance had been provided by our Assembly ; he came to deliver me a Message from the Indians at Ohio to all his Majestie's Governments, a Copy whereof I have enclosed, as also a Copy of a Message from the Twightwees, giving to understand that they had resisted the French Solicitations and Presents and would adhere to their new Allies ; and if these Messages be duly considered, it cannot but be thought necessary that these Indians be suitably rewarded for their Attach- ment to us, because it must be obvious that if for want of due En- couragement Nations of such Importance should go from us, this would affect our Influence on all the other Indians, and might in the end totally destroy it.
" You cannot be insensible that Numbers of the Six Nations have of late left their old Habitations and settled on the Branches of Mississippi, and are become more numerous there than in the Countries they left, at which both the French and the Council at Onondago are not a little alarmed, as it will give a remarkable Turn to Indian Affairs, and must draw the Attention of his Majestie's Governors into those more remote Parts. If my Information be true, and I have it from Persons of undoubted Credit, these Refu- gees of the Six Nations (if I may use the Term), the Shawonese and Delawares, with their new Allies the Owendaets and Twight- wees, make a Body of Fifteen Hundred if not Two Thousand Men, and in my Opinion these different Nations are now upon the Bal- lance. If a prudent Management and seasonable Liberalty be exer- cised they may be retained in our Interest; But if no notice be taken of them, nor suitable Presents be made them, the French may justly reproach the Twightwees for their Defection, and they will cast these Reproaches on our Indians who perswaded them into our Alliance, and thereupon they may not only leave us themselves but draw off our Indians with them, and if we fall into these un- happy Circumstances 'tis not probable we shall retain the Six Nations at Onondago long, for when these are stripp'd of their Allies and of these Westward Indians, they will be despised, or to avoid Contempt go over to the French with the other Indians.
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" This I take to be a true Representation of the State of Indian Affairs; and it gives me much Concern that the Council at Onon- dago should not be able to retain their People among them, but by suffering their young Indians to go and settle in those distant Parts give Rise to a new Interest that in a little time must give them Law instead of taking it from them. But the thing is too plain to be concealed, and therefore his Majesty's Governors will do well to consider what is proper to be done on this new turn of Affairs.
"This Province has chearfully been at a very considerable Expence to preserve these Indians, and was it in Ability might continue to do so, but they grow too numerous for any single Colony ; it is therefore become expedient that this Matter should be fully set forth, and as I have taken the Freedom to place it in what appears to me to be the true Light to your Excellency, I shall likewise do the same to the Governors of Virginia and Mary- land, in hopes that something may be done to frustrate the Effects of the Indefatigable Pains the French are taking in that Quarter.
" I am, with great Respect, Sir,
" Your Excellency's most obedient humble Servant,
"JAMES HAMILTON. .
" PHILADELPHIA, 20th September, 1750."
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday, the 3d October, 1750.
PRESENT :.
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Joseph Turner,
Thomas Hopkinson, Esquires.
William Logan,
Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.
The Returns of Sheriffs and Coroners for the four Counties of the Province were read, and the Commissions order'd to be made out for the following Persons :
Sheriff.
Coroner.
Isaac Griffitts, Philadelphia County,
George Heap,
Joseph Hart, Bucks County, William Smith,
John Owen, Chester County, Isaac Lea,
Andrew Work, Lancaster County. Robert Stuart.
A Letter from Governor Clinton, with his Message to his Assem- bly, and their Answer on the Subject of the Governor's Letter to him, entered in the last minute of Council, were read and order'd to be enter'd :
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A Letter from Governor Clinton to Governor Hamilton. " Sr ..
" Your Favour of 20th Instant I received by the Post, which I communicated to his Majesty's Council of this Province, and (by their Advice) laid it before the General Assembly, from whose Sentiments on the Contents you will form a better Judgment on perusing the enclosed Papers than by my relating them to you.
"I am, Sir, Your Honour's " Most obedient and very humble Servant,
"G. CLINTON.
"FORT GEORGE, in New York, October 1st, 1750."
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A Message from Governor Clinton to his Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" I have received by the last post a letter from Governor Hamil- ton, a copy of which, together with copies of some papers enclosed in said letter, I now send to you, with an extract from a letter to me from Coll. Johnson.
"From all of them you will perceive how necessary it is for you to enable me without delay to secure the fidelity of the Indian Nations in alliance with the British Colonies, and to remove the jealousies which have been artfully infused into their minds by the French of Canada, by granting the Supplies necessary for these purposes. I must, therefore, earnestly recommend to you to take this matter into your serious deliberation, that the mischiefs which threaten all the Colonies in North America may be prevented be- fore it become too late. You will perceive from Mr. Hamilton's Letter that the Government of Pennsylvania expects that we will join in bearing part of the expence of securing the fidelity of the Indians on Ohio River.
ยท "I cannot give any proper answer to his letter till I know your resolutions whether you will contribute to that expence. "G. CLINTON.
"FORT GEORGE, in the City of New York, 25 September, 1750.
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The Address of the General Assembly of New York to Governor Clinton.
" To his Excellency The Honourable GEORGE CLINTON, Capt. General and Governor-in-Chief of the Colony of New York and Territories thereon depending in America, Vice Admiral of the same, and Admiral of the White Squadron of his Majesty's Fleet,
" The humble Address of the General Assembly of the said Colony.
" May it please your Excellency :
" We, his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects the General VOL. V .- 30.
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Assembly of the Colony of New York, have with all due attention considered your Excellency's Message of the twenty-fifth instant, the copy of Governor Hamilton's letter of the 20th instant, the ex- tract of Coll. Johnston's letter of the 18th of Angust last, and the other papers therewith communicated to us touching the present State of Indian Affairs, and humbly beg leave to represent to your Excellency that the People of this Colony have in all times past exerted their utmost Efforts, at a very great annual expence, to se- cure and retain the Indian Nations in the British Interest, and are still willing to contribute according to their abilities towards pre- serving the Five Nations (on whom many other great and numerous Nations depend) in their attachment to his Majesty; But humbly beg leave to observe to your Excellency that we have been put to an almost insupportable Expence (not unknown to your Excel- lency) during the late War to secure our Frontiers against the In- cursions of the common Eenemy, to which by our Situation we were continually exposed. By this means, Sir, all our publick Fund are exhausted, and a debt of many thousand Pounds incurred, which remains still unpaid; in these circumstances Your Excel- lency must be sensible that we are at present in no condition to comply with Governor Hamilton's Proposals; and must further beg leave to observe to your Excellency, that as in the late War we in defending our own Frontiers which lye between the Enemy and our neighbouring Colonies to the Westward, did in a great Measure, without any Contribution of Assistance from them, secure their In- habitants from all that Desolation, Blood, Rapine, and Captivity, to which Numbers of poor People of this Colony were then exposed, So we conceive it just and reasonable that they should now at their own Expence secure the Fidelity of those Indian Nations who are seated much nearer to them than to us-a work of far less difficulty, expence, and hazard than what we, by our Situation, ever have and ever must, whilst the French are Masters of Canada, continue to .be expos'd to. And this we beg your Excellency will be pleased to represent to Governor Hamilton and the other Governors of his Majesty's Colonies to the Westward.
"From the Intelligence Coll. Johnson gives your, Excellency in his letter of the 18th of August last, it appears to us necessary that your Excellency should without delay mect our Five Nations of Indians, in order to dispell and remove all the Jealousies which the French Emissaries have artfully infused into them to the prejudice of his Majesty's Interest among them, and, if possible, to prevent any Defection among these Nations. And if your Excellency is of the same opinion, we will immediately enable you to make them a suitable Present on this occasion, and will make the usual Provision for the Expence of your Excellency's Voyage to Albany.
"By order of the General Assembly.
"DAVID JONES, Speaker.
" Assembly Chamber, in the City of New York, 27th of Septem- ber, 1750."
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A Letter from Mr. Weiser, dated the thirtieth of September to the Secretary, was likewise read and order'd to be enter'd :
" BETHLEHEM, in Bucks County, September the 30, 1750. "Sir :
" By these few lines I let you know that I am safely returned on my Journey from Onondago to this place last night, and hope to find my family in perfect health by to-morrow. I wish I could inform you by these lines of a great deal of agreeable news, but I cannot. Our Friend Canassetego was buried to day before I came to Onondago, and Solconwanaghly, our other good friend, died some time before. He that is on the head of affairs now is a proffessed Roman Catholick, and altogether devoted to the French. The French priests have made a hundred Converts of the Onondagers, that is to say Men, Women, and Children, and they are all cloathed and walk in the finest Cloathes, dressed with Silver and Gold, and I believe that the English Interest among the Six Nations can be of no consideration any more. The Indians speak with contempt of the New Yorkers and Albany People, and much the same of the rest of the English Colonies. I conclude and desire you will men- - tion my humble respects to his Honour our Governor. I am,
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