USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. V > Part 64
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
"""We thank you for the Notice you are pleased to take of those Young Men, and for your kind intentions towards them. They stand in need of your Advice, for they are a great way from Us. We, on behalf of all the Indians, our Men, Women, Children, entreat you will give them good advice. It is an hunting country they live in, and we would have it reserved for this use only, and desire that no Settlements may be made there, tho' you may trade there as much as you please, and so may the French. We love the English and we love the French; and as you are at Peace with one another do not disturb one another; if you fall out make up your Matters among Yourselves. You must ask the French what they intend to do, and endeavour to preserve Peace. We would not have you quarrel, but trade with us peaceably, one as well as another, but make no Settlements. If our Indians shou'd be struck it will be very kind to help them; it is better to help them than Us, for we are near New York and can be supplied easily from thence. Col. Johnson, the Agent of that Government, has assured Us We may always have what we want there; We expect him amongst Us soon, and can ask then for any thing for ourselves, but our young Men at Ohio must have their Supply from You. We, therefore, heartily thank you for your Regards to Us and our Hunters at Ohio, which we testify by
""' A String of Wampum.'"
638
MINUTES OF THE
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday, the 25th August, 1753.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Thomas Lawrence,
Robert Strettell, ? Esquires.
Joseph Turner, Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Governor received a Message from the Assembly by Two Members, that the House was met according to adjournment, and ready to receive what He had to lay before them. .
The Bill for striking Twenty Thousand Pounds to be made Cur- rent and emitted on Loan, and for re-emitting and continuing the Currency of the Bills of Credit of this Province, was read Paragraph by Paragraph, and a few Amendments of no consequence made to it.
Then the Lords Justices' additional Instruction to Governor Thomas of the twenty-first of August, 1740, was read, and the fol- lowing clause in consequence thereof was thought proper to be added to the Bill as an amendment :
" Provided always, and it is hereby further Enacted by the Au- thority aforesaid, that this Act or any Thing therein contained shall not take Effect, or be deemed, construed, or taken to have any Force or Effect until the same shall have received the Royal Approbation of his Majesty, His Heirs, or Successors."
And then the Bill was returned to the House with the following Message :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
"In answer to your Message of the Twenty-fifth of May last, I now send you down the Bill entituled ' An Act for striking the Sum of Twenty Thousand Pounds to be made Current and emitted on Loan, and for re-emitting and continuing the Currency of the Bills of Credit of this Province,' with some few amendments, to which I presume You can have no objection.
"I cannot, however, but acquaint you that in giving my assent to this Bill I have acted rather in compliance to your repeated Ap- plications than that in my own Judgement I could think an Addi- tion to our Currency at this Time absolutely necessary. I am in Hopes, nevertheless, that as the sum to be emitted is not exorbitant, it may be attended with no bad Consequences to the Province.
" JAMES HAMILTON,
"PHILADELPHIA, August 29th, 1753."
639
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
The Sundry Letters and Papers entered in the last minute of Council relating to Indian Affairs were read, and the following Message sent to the House :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" Since your Recess I have waited in almost daily Expectation of receiving such circumstantial Accounts of Indian Affairs, either by immediate application from themselves or by Information of the most intelligent among the Traders, as that in disposing of the money voted for Indian Services, I might best consult the Interest of the Province and fulfil the Intention of the Trust reposed in me.
"I am now to acquaint you that no Application hath been yet made to me for any Purpose whatever, either by the Indians at Onondago or Those at Ohio; nor have I received such well-grounded advices of their Wants or Distresses of any kind as to induce me to make use of the Credit you invested me with at Your last Sessions. But that I may, be perfectly satisfied of the Minds of the Six Na- tions and of the true Situation of their Affairs, I dispatched Mr. Weiser the latter End of the last Month to the Onondago Country for Intelligence upon all such Points as may be necessary for me to know, intending to take my measures from the Advices he shall bring from thence.
"The Sum appropriated for a Present of Condolence to the Twightwees should have been long since laid out in Goods suitable to the Occasion and sent them ; but it having been represented by all who came from the Westward that the French were on their March to Ohio, and had dispatched before them several Parties of their Indians, I thought the sending them under these Circumstances would be attended with too great a Risque of their falling into the Enemies Hands together with the Persons employed in transporting them through so large an extent of Country, being well assured that unless the Present be delivered to them in one of their own Towns it will be liable to great Embezzlement, as well as fall short of its intended Effect. When these difficulties are removed the Present shall be forthwith transmitted to them.
" JAMES HAMILTON.
" PHILADELPHIA, August 29, 1753."
MEMORANDUM.
The Governor received from Governor Clinton the following Let- ters and Intelligence :
" FLUSHING, 26th August, 1753. " Sr. :
" Being from home the second Instant when Mr. Weiser sent me
640
MINUTES OF THE
your Favour of the 28th July last, with one from himself excusing him from not coming Personally on Account of being very ill, Or my Return (the Messenger not staying for my Answer) I imme diately sent orders to detain him till the Tuesday following t. appear at the Council Board that Day. But to my great Surprize when I came to Town ; I heard that he had set out for Albany the Saturday before, upon which I asked the opinion of the Council, the Result of which I beg leave to refer you to the enclosed Copies.
"I should have answered your Letter sooner, but have not only been vastly hurried in Business, but have been very ill, and still continue to be greatly indisposed. I am, with very great Truth,
" Your Honour's most obedient and very humble Servant,
"G. CLINTON.
" 26th August, 1753.
" The enclosed is a Copy of a Letter I received from the Com- manding Officer at Oswego last night.
" Gov". HAMILTON."
" At a Council held at Fort George in the City of New York the eighth Day of August, 1753.
" PRESENT :
" His Excellency the Honourable GEORGE CLINTON, Capt. General, &ca.
" Mr. Alexander, " Mr. Holland,
" Mr. Kennedy, " Mr. Cambers,
" Mr. Murray, " Mr. Smith.
" His Excellency communicated to the Board a Letter from Gover- nor Hamilton of the 28th ultimo, acquainting his Excellency that as no Deputation hath been sent to him either from Onondago or Ohio (which he had some reason to expect), and not knowing the minds of the Six Nations with respect to the Proceedings of the French in Relation to the Western Indians, he thinks it absolutely necessary before he lays out any Part of the Money voted by the Assembly of that Government to send Mr. Weiser to Onondago, in order to know from themselves what the Sentiments of the Six Na- tions are with Regard to the French Proceedings, as whether they were previously made acquainted with them and do now approve them ? And if they do not approve them, whether they dislike them so much as to give them any obstruction, And of what sort ? And whether they expect any Assistance, and of what nature, from the Governments bordering on these Parts ? And that he has ordered Mr. Weiser to wait on his Excellency, and to pay the strictest Regard to his Commands. . And then his Excellency informed the Board that he received the said Letter at Flushing on the second Instant in the Evening, enclosed in a Letter from Mr. Weiser, and the next Day sent directions to Summon Mr. Weiser to attend him
641
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
in Council as on yesterday ; but that Mr. Weiser went out of Town the fourth Instant before notice was given to him to attend. Whereupon the Council advised his Excellency to send Directions to Mr. Weiser not to proceed to Onondago till Col. Johnson sets out for that Place, and to go in company with him, to the end he may consult with Col. Johnson on the matters he is charged with from his Government, that the same may not interfere with the Proceedings of this Government; and that he, Mr. Weiser, should not deliver any Message or make any application to the Six Nations upon Matters of a publick Concern but with the Consent and Approbation of Col. Johnson, and in his Presence; and least Mr. Weiser might be gone from Albany that Copies of the said Direc- tions be sent to the Commissioners of Indian Affairs to be delivered to him there or sent after him, and a Copy thereof to Col. Johnson.
" A true Copy. Examd. by "GEO. BANYAR, Del. Con."
A Letter to Governor Clinton from the Commanding Officer at Oswego.
" OSWEGO, 1st August 1753. " Sr. :
" Since my last to your Excellency, has pass'd this fifty odd Ca- noes more, twenty of which were Indians who stopp'd here, chiefly Five Nations and Coghnawagas, who declared that tho' they were going in company with the French they were not to join them in their Scheme on Ohio, but were going to War againt the Southward Indians, but the Orendacks and Abanaikees were to join Mons". Marin, the French Commandant, on Ohio. I am with all dutiful Respect, Sr.,
"Your Excellency's most dutiful and obedient humble Servant. " HITCHEN HOLLAND."
:
-
A Letter from Governor Clinton to Governor Hamilton. "Sr. :
" As I was just sending the enclosed to the Post Office Mr. Wei- ser came to me and made his apology for his abrupt Departure for Albany, assuring me it was his ill state of Health that occasioned it, and hoped I would forgive him; upon which I have passed over the affair and shall take no more Notice of it, therefore I beg your Honour to excuse him. I must refer you to him for what Talk he had with the Indians and Colonel Johnson, who I doubt not will give a very good account of his Embassy. As soon as I hear what VOL. V .- 41.
612
MINUTES OF THE
Progress he has made in securing them in our Alliance and Interest I shall do myself the Pleasure to communicate the Result to your Honour and the neighboring Governments, and am in great Hopes it will be of great service to the Tranquility of all the Governments upon the Continent. I am with very great Truth,
" Your Honour's most humble and most obedient Servant.
" G. CLINTON.
"FLUSHING, on Long Island, 27th August 1753."
-
A Letter from Governor Clinton to Conrad Weiser, Esquire. " NEW YORK, 8th August, 1753. " Mr. Conrad Weiser :
" Your sudden Departure prevented my giving you, while here, any Directions on the subject of Governor Hamilton's Letter of the 28 Ultº-, sent to me at Flushing enclosed in a Letter from you of the 2 Instant, in which Mr. Hamilton acquaints me with your intended Journey to Onondago, and that you are to pay a strict Regard to the Directions I may give you."
"I expect that by the time you will probably arrive at Col. Johnson's, he will be ready to set out for Onondago, and I think it proper that You should go in Company with him, and consult with him on the Matters You are charged with from your Government, that the same may not interfere with what he is to propose `and transact with the Six Nations on the Part of this Government ; and, therefore, you are not to deliver any Message or make any Applica- tion to the said Nations upon Matters of a Publick Concern but with the Consent and Approbation of that Gentleman, and in his Presence. I am, Sir, &ca.,
" G. CLINTON.
" A true Copy Examª, by " GEO. BANYAR, D. Sec'ry."
And on the second of September Mr. Weiser returned from Al- bany and made the following Report of his Journey, which, with the above Letters and Intelligence from Governor Clinton, were laid before the Assembly on the Fifth :
" Journal of Conrad Weiser to the Mohocks' Country :
"July 24th, 1753 .- Set out from my House in Heidleberg in Berks County-arrived in Philadelphia.
"On the twenty-sixth .- Waited on his Honour the Governor and received my Instruction.
" 28th .- Set out with the Stage Boat for Bordentown.
643
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
" August 1st .- Arrived in New York early in the Morning, be- ing taken ill sent my Son Sammy with one Henry Vanden Ham to Flushing on Long Island to wait on Governor Clinton and deliver Governor Hamilton's Letter to him. Governor Clinton being gone to the Plains, they left the Letter with his Lady and returned the next Day.
" Augt. 4th .- Went on Board an Albany Sloop, one Jacob Shans- hack Commander.
7th .- At Five o'clock arrived in Albany-next Day, in the morn- ing, delivered Governor Hamilton's Letter to the Mayor, Mr. Sanders, who thought proper to call the Commissioners of Indian Affairs to meet at four o'clock in the Afternoon, to concert Measures to bring back the poor Prisoners from Canada belonging to Penn- sylvania, taken in January last on the Waters of Ohio, the said Prisoners having wrote several Letters praying his Assistance for their Relief, which Letters Mr. Sanders gave me to peruse.
" Accordingly at four o'clock the Commissioners met at the House of one Lottridge, and a French Indian Squaw was sent for, who had one of the Prisoners, to wit, Jabez Evans, in her Family, given to her instead of Degarihogon, her Son or Relation, who died two years ago.
" The Indian Woman's Name was Susanna, Wife of one Thany- uchta. She being a noted Woman, and none of the Indians of that Country being in Albany but young Lads, She being asked how it came that those poor People were taken Prisoners in time of Peace, she made Answer that some of the Caghnawaga Warriors went to fight the Oyadackuchraono, and happened to meet some of them at some distance from their Country, accompanied by these White Men, who when they saw that the Caghnawagas would or had a mind to kill or take the Oyadackuchraono, they the English made Resistance, and wounded one of their Men with a Musquet Ball in his Arm, upon which they resolved to take the White People as well as the Indians, and brought them away to Canada, leaving their Horses and Things upon the Spot; and when they came to Canada they presented the said Prisoners to the Governor General, and told him how things happened, and that the Governor made An- swer he would have nothing to do with those Prisoners, upon which they, the Indians, took them to their Towns, and three of them were given to an Indian living in Caghnawaga, one to the Indians at Canassategy, and two were imprisoned at Quebec, for what Reason She did not know.
" The Commissioners told the Woman that they had received several Letters from these poor Prisoners praying for Relief (this very Woman had brought one from Jabez Evans), and as they were taken in time of Peace they desired that they might be brought back again; That the Commissioners would make reasonable Satis- faction to those that had them in their Houses and had used them
1
MINUTES OF THE
644
kindly if they would bring them over. The Commissioners sent a Belt of Wampum (which I did provide) to the Chief Men of Cagh- nawaga, called Anuchrakechty, to require his good office for the Re- lease of these Prisoners, which the Woman undertook faithfully to deliver ; she being a very intelligible Woman I desired Mr. Sanders to give her a Piece of Eight to buy some Bread for her Return, which She received very thankfully. I served the Commissioners as Interpreter, because it was thought fit that my Name should not be mentioned for fear that the Expectation of the Indians would rise too high; but the Woman asked me where I lived, because I could talk their Language so well, she wondered that I was never heard of. I told her I lived at Shohary and travelled up and down among the Indians, and so forth. By Way of Discourse she in- formed that the Conduct of those Indians that brought the English Prisoners was not approved of at Caghnawaga, and that the Rest of the Indians were angry at those that took them, and in their Drunk- enness would call them old women and Breakers of the Peace, and that it was a Shame to take People that had not offended and in time of Peace, that it appeared plain to the Indians that those Pri- soners had done no Harm.
" August 9th .- Set out from Albany with a Schnechtady Waggon for the Mohock's Country.
" 10th .- Staid at Schnechtady, it being a rainy Day-met Henry Peters, the Chief of the Mohocks (he that made so much Noise in New York), in his way to Stockbridge, at the House of Arrant Stevens the Provincial Interpreter, whom I went to visit and had some Talk with him about Indian Affairs.
" August 11th .- Hired a Man and Two Horses to carry me to the Mohock's Country, where I arrived the same Day and was kindly received by Col. Johnson.
" 12th .- Abraham Canusta, another Chief of Canajohary, ar- rived in his way to Albany. We went together to the Mohock's Castle to attend the Publick Worship with the Indians. I met some more of the Chiefs-gave them an Invitation to come and see me at Col. Johnson's to have some talk together about the News now stirring abroad every where.
" 13th .- With a String of Wampum, I delivered my Message to the Chiefs of the Mohocks, to wit: Seth Degarihogan, Kanadaka- yon, Konadochary, and Kellian, in the Presence of Col. Johnson. After about an Hour's time they made answer (Kanadakayon Speaker) that they were in the same Condition and laboured under the same Difficulties with their Brethren the English; that all what they could say was of Hearsay, though from good Authority, and that they believed it was too true, to wit : that the French passed Oswego with a very numerous Army of Men well armed and some great Guns, and gave it to understand to the Six Nations that they intend to take Possession of their Lands at Ohio, which Land they
645
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
said did belong to them from old Times, and that they would build Strong Houses at the Carrying Places, Jonasky a Carrying Place, Attoniat the Middle of the Carrying Place, and at Ohio, where they take Water, and at Logstown, and so take Possession quite down till they met the French coming from below, and that they would give Warning once or twice to the English Traders on Ohio to remove; if they did it was well, otherwise they would strike them. The same they would do to the Shawonese to remove or kill them. As to all the Rest of the Indians they would not meddle with them if they behaved well and sat still ; otherwise, if they dis- puted the French's Right to the Land, and would appear to be of- fended with what the French was now a-doing, they the French would make use of their Arms that they made use of from the Be- ginning of times, that they still knew how to use them against the Indians as well as in former times, and feared nothing ..
" That upon this the Senecas sent a Message to their Brother Col. Johnson to ask how long they had to live, and what was the Intention of the French. They thought the Coll. must know, and begged earnestly to be informed how things were. That the Coll. sent three Belts of Wampum to let them know that it was that what he often had told them, that if they did not stand upon their Guard and would now suffer the French to take Possession of Ohio or build Strong Houses any where upon the Six Nations' Land, it would be over with the Six Nations, and their Union would signify nothing more. That they must now stand up and shew that they are a People of Note, or lose all, &cª. This Mess- age was to go to Canayichagy, as well as through the Six Nations, but the Senecas stopped it, and sent their own Message to let the Canayiahagons know that they must sit still, notwithstanding the French's Expedition.
" They desired that this my Message might be delivered to the Six Nations at Onondago, and further Kanadakyon said not.
"Had some Hours' Talk with the before-named Abraham, an old Acquaintance of mine, and is looked upon to be the most sin- cere Indian of that Nation. He told me by Way of Discourse that the Six Nations were afraid of the French, because They the In- dians being so divided and the French Alliance among the Indians so strong, that the Six Nations could not prevent the French in their Undertakings. That the English had lost Ground among the Indians in the Time of the last War. That altho' the English their Brethren shou'd supply them with Amunition and cloathing, they could not resist the French without a numerous Body of Eng- lish Men that would and could fight. That the French were now about taking Possession of Ohio against the Will of the Six Na- tions, but they could not resist. That he was well assured that as soon as the French had Possession of Ohio and built Strong Houses there, they would send their Indian Allies against the
646
MINUTES OF THE
Southern' Indians in League with the English, to wit, the Cataw- bas, Cherokees, Cawidas, &cª., to force them the said Indians to sue for Peace, and to acknowledge Onontio for their Father, and so make himself Master of all the Indians and their Lands.
" I was told the same by Kanadakayon, another Chief of the Mohocks.
"Coll. Johnson shewed me his Commission and Instruction, which he had from the Governor of New York under the Broad Seal of that Government. I judged thereby that he did not want my Company, because he never asked me to go with him, or pro- ceed on my Journey. I had told him before that I had set out from Philadelphia to go to Onondago by Governor Hamilton's Order, but as he had such a Commission (having been informed by the Way) I thought my Journey to Onondago would be needless. He said he left it to me, but I perceived some Coolness in him as to my going; I thought it was best not to proceed any further at this time, but to return.
"The Coll. has been very kind to me, and entertained me and my Son very handsomely during my Stay, and was open and free in all Discourses to me, and would have me to change now and then a Letter with him, and whenever I came to the Mohocks Country to make his House my Home, and offered to do all the Service to the Province of Pennsylvania and myself that he possibly could in In- dians Affairs.
"August 14th .- Took my Leave of Col. Johnson and arrived in Schnecktedy.
" 15th .- Arrived in Albany, where I was informed that a Letter from his Excellency Governor Clinton to me was sent Yesterday to Schnecktedy after me by one Thomas Orman, who happened to be the same Person that brought me just then to Albany in his Wag- gon; he was called to an account for it immediately, he said that the Letter must be in his Coat Pocket, which he left at home; he promised to bring it to Albany the next Day early in the morning ; I told him I would not pay him till he brought the Letter, but he did not bring it, it was judged that he lost it.
"18th .- I left Albany, arrived in New York on the twenty-third in the Night.
"24th .- >Waited on Edward Holland, one of the Council, to know whether Governor Clinton was expected in Town. He did not know. I went to wait on Mr. Kennedy for the same Purpose, who told me that his Excellency was very ill, and he, Mr. Kennedy, would go to Flushing to-morrow to see him, and would inform his Excellency of my Return from the Mohowk's Country, and that he would be back again the same day.
"25th .- I waited on him again in the Evening, but Mr. Ken- nedy told me that all the Horses and Chairs over the River were
.
647
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
employed and that he could get none, which prevented his going to Flushing.
"26th .- Being Sunday.
"27th .- I went to Flushing, on Long Island, seventeen Miles from New York, to wait on Governor Clinton-he happened to be from home but came in by one o'Clock. I paid him my Compli- ments at his Door-he called me in and asked me how far I had been, and signified to me that it was a wrong Step in me to proceed to Albany before I had his Directions. I asked Pardon and told him my Reason why I proceeded. His Excellency said it was well, he did not disapprove so much of my Proceeding as of my Son's not staying for an Answer. His Excellency seemed well enough pleased with my Return, and of my not proceeding to Onondago, and was pleased to tell me that he intended to be in New York next Wed- nesday, and would then have me to wait on him and take a Letter to Governor Hamilton, and so dismissed me, but would have me stay and eat a Bit of Victuals first, and ordered his Attendance accord- ingly to get it for me and my Companion. After Dinner I left Flushing and arrived in New York the same Evening.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.