USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. V > Part 71
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tunity of giving me your News. He will deliver to me faithfully whatever you think proper to say. Tell him all that is in your Minds, conceal nothing from him, that I may know the full and true State of your Affairs.
" [Lesser Seal of the Province.] JAMES HAMILTON."
The Instructions of the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Governor of Pennsylvania, to Mr .John Putten.
" You are to read carefully over my Message to the Chiefs of the Six Nations at Ohio, the Principal of which are the half King Scarrooyady, and Cayanguiloquoa, and to make your self perfectly Master of the Contents thereof, so that they may be truly and clearly explained to them in Council; and that they may conform exactly thereto I have sent therewith two Strings of Wampum, one for those Chiefs the other for the Shawonese.
"You are to call at Mr. George Croghan's at Aucquick, and consult with him in what manner to deliver the said Message, and if Andrew Montour goes to Ohio, You are to go with him, and he is to be the Interpreter ; if he should be gone before you reach Mr. Croghan's, You are to follow him, and if You find him at Ohio, You are to get him to interpret the Message.
" You are to make all the Enquiry possible of what the French are doing or propose to do next Summer-what numbers of French there are and under whose Command, and whether at Weningo or in that Neighbourhood-What Forts the French have built or in- tend to build, and in what Places, and learn the Situation of such Places and their Distance from Shanoppin.
"You are likewise to take a particular Account of the Road from Carlisle, so as to know how far Westward Shanoppin is from thence, and whether to the Northward and how much so, and how far the French Forts are from Lake Erie or from the Straits of Niagara.
" You are to learn the Numbers of the Indians, as well Six Na- tions, Delawares, Shawonese, Owendats, and Twightwees, and how many of them encline to the French and how many to the English, that it may be known who are to be depended on and who not.
" You are to learn the Names of those who carry the Whiskey among those Indians, and in what Quantities.
" You are to learn what Quantity of Arms and Ammunition have been sent to the Ohio Indians by the Government of Virginia, and what Use has been made thereof, and whether the Indians have held any general Councils, and whether any Measures have been or are to be concerted for their Defence against the French next Summer.
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" What the Indians expect the English will do for them, whether they expect English Men to head them, and whether if they do the Indians will be brought under any Command or Discipline.
" You are to learn what Number of Twightwees have declared for the English and whether they will oppose the French, and if those Twightwees who went in the Summer to Canada are returned and what they did there.
" On your Return from Ohio You are to call on Mr. Croghan and desire his Letters to the Governor; and You may prudently ex- amine where the Goods are which were left by the Commissioners in the Hands of Mr. Croghan and what he proposes to do with them, and whether any Orders have come from Virginia for the Delivery of the Goods left with Mess's Guest, Trent, and Montour.
"You are not to let it be known that You have any other In- structions than to deliver the Shawonese, and that the Message sent with them be well interpreted and conformed to by the Indians.
"If you apprehend any Danger, or are taken sick, You are to destroy these Instructions.
"You are to keep a Diary or Day Book and set down in it every thing that occurs worthy of your Notice, which is likewise to be destroyed in case of Danger or Sickness.
"JAMES HAMILTON."
A Letter from Governor Hamilton to the Governor of South Carolina.
"PHILADELPHIA, December 6th, 1753. 1
" Sir :
" I received from the hands of Capt. Read the Favour of your Letter of the twelfth of October last, together with the Two Shawo- nese Indians you were pleased to send to me under his Care.
" They have been detained here much longer than I intended on Account of a dangerous Distemper one of them had contracted at Sca, from which as soon as he was recovered I lost no time in pro- viding a Special Messenger in whom I can place a Confidence, and committed both of them to his Care, with orders to deliver them with a Message from me agreable to the Contents of your Letter to the Six Nations at Ohio, whom I have desired to conduct them to the Lower Shawoncse Town, the Place of Residence of the princi- pal Men of that Nation, who will I hope be so sensible of your Kindness to their Countrymen as to release your Carolina Indians, if any they have, and for the future give your Province no further Offence or Trouble.
"The Chiefs of the Six Nations at Ohio having solicited the Re-
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lease of these Shawonese, as you will see by my Letter of the thir- tieth of October, of which Mr. Boone was pleased to take the charge, I thought your good Intentions in sending them to me would be best answered by my giving to those Chiefs the Conduct of this Negociation. And as I have requested them to give me an account of their Proceedings herein, I shall not fail upon receiving their answer, which I expect by the Return of the Messenger, to impart the contents thereof to you.
" If the Northern and Southern Indians can be prevailed on to accept Mr. Dinwiddie's Invitation to be present at the Treaty He proposes to hold next Summer at Winchester, in Virginia, there will I hope be no great Difficulty in persuading them to enter into a Friendship and good agreement for the future, seeing it is so much for their mutual Interest, and now more than ever rendered neces- sary by the late hostile attempts of the French.
" I am, Sir, Your Excellency's " Most obedient and most humble Servant,
-
"JAMES HAMILTON.
" His Excellency JAMES GLEN, Esquire, Governor of South Carolina."
The Matter of the Requisition enjoined by Lord Holdernesse's Letter was again taken into Consideration and a Form agreed upon; but several Persons who came to Town from Virginia reporting that Governor Dinwiddie had sent an Officer to the French Camp on that Errand; and it being uncertain what Part of the Assembly of this Province would take in this Affair, it was agreed to postpone it till it should be known what Governor Dinwiddie had done or proposed to do.
MEMORANDUM.
The Governor's answer to Lord Holdernesse's Letter was read in these words :
" My Lord :
" I had very lately the Honour to receive your Lordship's Letter of the twenty eighth of August, imparting certain Intelligence his Majesty had received of the March of a considerable Number of In- dians not in Alliance with the King, supported by some regular European Troops, intending as it was apprehended to commit some Hostilities on Parts of his Majestie's Dominions in America; and withal signifying his Majestie's Commands and Direction for my con- duct in case the Subjects of any Foreign Prince or State should pre- sume to make any Encroachment on the Limits of his Dominions.
"Your Lordship will please to be assured I shall pay the most punctual Obedience to every particular of the King's Commands signified in your Lordship's Letter, so far as I am capable of know-
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ing them. But I must not omit to acquaint your Lordship that in the present case it falls out most unfortunately that if the Bounds of the British Empire on this Continent have ever been ascertained, the Particulars thereof are what I am very much a Stranger to after repeated enquiries upon that head, for which reason I should have been extremely glad of your Lordship's Explanation upon a Point that I am persuaded is not well understood in this Part of the World; upon which, nevertheless, the Settlement and consequently the Strength of his Majestie's Dominion in America does very much de- pend, and without the knowledge whereof it seems impossible for, the Governors of these Colonies to say what are or are not the un- doubted Limits of his Majestie's Dominions.
" I have some reason to believe that one or more Forts have been lately built by the French within the extreme Limits of this Pro- vince to the Westward; but as the Western Bounds thereof have never been actually run I cannot speak with Certainty. I shall however use my utmost Diligence to learn how far the Information I have received touching such Encroachments on his Majestie's Do- minions may be depended on, of which I shall do myself the Honour to acquaint your Lordship in a further account, as well as of the other Particulars mentioned in your Lordship's Letter, as soon as they shall be known to me.
"I am, May it please your Lordship, Your Lordship's most obedient and most humble Servant,
"JAMES HAMILTON.
" PENNSYLVANIA, November 25th, 1753."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 13th Day of February, 1754.
PRESENT :
John Penn, Benjamin Shoemaker,
Thomas Lawrence, Joseph Turner, Esquires.
Robert Strettell, Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved. MEMORANDUM.
On the fourth Instant Two Members waited on the Governor to acquaint him that the House was met according to their Adjourn- ment, and desired to know if he had any thing to lay before them. The Governor had been some time confined to his Chamber by a tedious Sickness, and was then too much indisposed to admit them to speak to him; therefore ordered the Secretary to inform them of his Indisposition, and that he would send a Message to the House in the morning; and accordingly he sent them this verbal Message
1
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by the Secretary, That " the Governor was sorry to find himself prevented by Indisposition from now communicating to the House in a proper manner sundry Letters which he some time since re- ceived as well from his Majestie's Ministers as from several of the neighbouring Governors relating to Indian Affairs, which, never- theless, he hoped yet shortly to be able to do if it should please God to favour him with the recovery of his Health.
" In the mean time it would be equally agreeable to him whether the House thought fit to come to a short Adjournment or should proceed to prepare such Business as they might have to lay before him, when his Health would permit him to receive it, which he would willingly hope will not be long."
Yesterday Two Members waited on the Governor in his Chamber, as he was still indisposed, with an Order for Five Hundred Pounds on the Treasurer, and the following Message, " That the House, on receiving the Governor's Message of the fifth Instant, were con- cerned to hear of his ill State of Health; but as he then gave them some Expectation that he should in a short time be able to proceed upon the publick Business, and acquainted them that it was equal to him whether they made a short Adjournment or proceeded to prepare such Business as they might have to lay before him, they have chose to continue their present Sitting, as being in the most suitable Season with Regard to their private Affairs, hoping the Governor's Indisposition would not long continue ; and as they now have the Pleasure of hearing that his Health is in a great Measure restored, they beg Leave to acquaint him that they have prepared some Business to lay before him whenever it may suit him to receive the same." To which the Governor was pleased to say "That he thanked the House for the Order, and that he expected in two or three Days his Health would permit him to receive any Business the House might have to lay before him."
The Governor by his Secretary informed the Council that his bad State of health would not permit him to come to Council, and de- sired they would carefully peruse the Draught of a Message he in- tended to send to the assembly, with the several Letters therein referred to, and give him their opinion thereon.
Then was read a Letter of the Lords of Trade in the following words :
" WHITEHALL, September 18th, 1753. " Sir :
"His Majesty having been pleased to order a Sum of Money to be issued for Presents to the Six Nations of Indians, and to direct his Governor of New York to hold an Interview with them for deliver- ing these Presents, for burying the Hatchet, and for renewing the Covenant Chain with them, We think it our Duty to acquaint you therewith; and as we find it has been usual upon former occasions,
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when an Interview has been held with these Indians, for all his Majestie's Colonies whose Interest and Security is connected with and depends upon them to join in such Interview, and as the pre- sent Disposition of those Indians and the attempts which have been made to withdraw them from the British Interest appear to us to make such a general Interview more particularly necessary at this time, We desire You to lay this Matter before the Council and general Assembly of the Province under your Governmt-, and re- commend to them forthwith to make a proper Provision for appoint- ing Commissioners to be joined with those of the other Governments for renewing the Covenant Chain with the Six Nations, and for making such Presents to them as has been usual upon the like Occasions. And we desire that in the Choice and Nomination of the Commissioners You will take Care that they are Men of Charac- ter, Ability, and Integrity, and well acquainted with Indian affairs.
" As to the Time and Place of Meeting, it is left to the Governor of New York to fix it, and he has Orders to give you early Notice of it.
" We are, Sir,
"Your very loving Friends and humble Servants,
"DUNK HALIFAX, "J. GRENVILLE,
" DUPPLIN.
"JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire,
" Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania."
And a Letter from Governor Dinwiddie in the following word's =
" WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia, November 24th, 1753. " Sir :
" Your Letter of the 30th of October came to my Hands this Day, as also Copy of Your's to Governor Glen. I sent an Express to that Gentleman three weeks ago, and then, agreeably to Scarroo- yady's Desire, I wrote him to acquaint me the Reasons for confining some of the Shawanese Indians, who were in Friendship with the English, but Scarrooyady desired the Commissioner from me at Winchester not to insist on their Release without the Six Nations' Direction. Andrew Montour, who is here from the Six Nations, desires their Release and to be sent thither, which I shall strenu- ously desire Mr. Glen to do, and when they come here shall send them to their Nation.
" The French Governors must be invested with more Power than those from Great Britain to invade his Majestic's Lands in the Time of confirm'd Peace between the Two Crowns and to build Forts ; as my Power is more enlarged by a late Instruction from Home, I have sent a Person of Distinction to the Commander of the French Forces on the Ohio to know. his Reasons for this unjustifiable Step.
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in invading our Lands. I have desired him to write me by what Authority he proceeds in this unjust and unwarrantable Manner, and have desired him immediately to return, otherwise I shall be obliged to follow the Directions and Powers invested in me from his Majesty of Great Britain by repelling Force by Force. The Mes- senger has been gone three Weeks; when he returns I shall acquaint You of his Proceedings, Reception, and Answer of the French Officer.
"We have several Workmen gone out to build a Fort at the Forks of Mohongialo with the Approbation and desire of the In- dians, but if the French have embarked and gone down the River I fear they will prevent our Designs.
" I am fully of Opinion that all the Colonies should join in op- posing the Designs of the French, for they will be cruel bad Neigh- bours if allowed to settle so near our Western Frontiers.
"Our Assembly is now sitting; I have by Order from Home represented to them the Necessity of a proger Supply in case of Need, but I fear they will be very backward therein unless the Mes- senger I sent to the French returns before the House is up ; they say if occasion they will readily come into a Supply, but this Do- minion is so extensive and the Expence of calling the House of Burgesses so very large that I wish they may do it now.
" I shall write Mr. Glen of the Necessity and Usefulness of en- larging those Indians. The Commissioner I sent to Winchester was chiefly to deliver a Present to the Twightwees and to receive their Assurances of Friendship to the British Subjects, and to ask them and some of the Chiefs of the other Nations of Indians to meet me at Winchester next May, when I propose to give them a considerable Present and to endeavour to make Peace between the Northern and Southern Indians ; after that to make a strict Alli- ance between the many different Tribes and the King of Great Britain and his Subjects setled on this Continent. I shall there- fore be glad of your Assistance in an Affair I think so necessary for our Mother County, the Trade and Safety of these Colonies. The Express I sent to New York is not yet returned, which gives me some Uneasiness.
" I presume the Letter I sent You by him was from the Earl of Holdernesse, I suppose for a mutual Supply from all the Colonies. I shall be glad if so to know the Disposition of your People on this present Emergency.
" My time is much taken up with the Assembly, therefore can only say farther, that I remain with sincere Regard and Respect,
" Sir, Your obedient humble Servant,
"ROBT. DINWIDDIE.
" Governor HAMILTON."
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Then was read another Letter from Governor Dinwiddie in the following Words :
" WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia, January 29th, 1754. " Sir :
"The Return of the Gentleman whom I sent Express to the French Commandant to know what Steps the French were taking on the Ohio, enables me to acquaint your Honour that on his arrival there he found that the French had taken Post on a Branch of that River and built a Fort, wherein they had mounted eight Pieces of Cannon, Six Pounders, and that they had in Readiness Materials for other Forts, which they declared their Intentions to erect on the River, and particularly at Log's Town, the Place destined for their Chief Residence, so soon as the Season would permit them to embark; and for which Purpose He saw two hun- dred and twenty Canoes ready finished, besides a great number more blocked out. Having delivered his Credentials and my Let- ter, he complained to the Commander of the Violence that had been offered to his Majestie's Subjects in seizing their Effects and making Prisoners of their Persons, to which he was answered, " That the Country belonged to them; that no Englishman had a Right to trade upon those Waters, and that he (the Commandant) had orders to make every Person Prisoner that attempted it on the Ohio, or the Waters of it.'
" Your Honour will perceive these to be their Sentiments by the enclosed, and it were superfluous to advance many arguments with so discerning and Sagacious a Servant of our Master to prove the Urgency that presses every one of his Majestie's Colonies to exert themselves on this Occasion to Vindicate the Honour and Dignity of his Crown, and justify his undoubted Rights against the In- vaders of the British Property.
" The Power of our Enemies is far from being contemptible, and it is as certain they will exert its utmost Efforts to procure all pos- sible Advantages against Us. They have already engaged Three Indian Nations, the Chippoways, Ottoways, and Orundacks, to take up arms against the English, and from the best Information Major Washington learned that the French had Four Forts on the Mis- sissippi, besides their Strong Settlement at New Orleans, where they have above Fourteen Hundred Men in Garrison; That by means of the River Ovabaseck they have Communication between Canada and the Mississippi, and some Forts on the Owabesh to cover and protect this Communication.
" Before they sent their Troops into Winter Quarters last Fall they called the several Tribes of Indians near their Fort together and told them that altho' the approaching Season and the State at that time of the Waters made it necessary to send the chief of their Forces into Winter Quarters, yet they might be assured to see
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them early in the Spring with a much more considerable Arma- ment, and that then they would take Possession of the Ohio, and threatned them if they were not entirely passive.
" These Circumstances induced me to order out for the present a Detachment of the Militia and call together the Assembly, which I have ordered to meet the fourteenth of next Month, and hope they will enable me to take more vigorous Measures, which I shall then do with all Expedition, and propose to have what Men I can raise at Will's Creek on the head of Patowmack River early in March, which I have chosen for a Place of Rendezvous, as being more generally convenient for us all and nearest the Scene of action.
"It may, perhaps, interfere with the Service to divide the Com- mand, and therefore I should be glad to find that it were agreeable to you to entrust my general Officer with the command of the Forces You can prevail with your Assembly to raise on this occa- sion.
"I have no doubt but you will be qualified upon this present Situation of our Affairs to raise a considerable Force for defeating the Designs of the French, and as you have many Persons among You that understand the Lands upon the Ohio, they will be able to give you proper Intelligence ; but it appears to me absolutely necessary to be very early on the Ohio with such Forces as we pos- sibly can collect together; and as I have no doubt of your earnest Inclination to promote the Dignity of the Crown and the Safety of these Colonies, I pray an Answer on the Return of this Express, and am, with great Respect, Sir,
" Your most humble Servant, "ROBT. DINWIDDIE.
" Governor HAMILTON."
In which was enclosed the following Letter from the French Commander to the Governor of Virginia :
" Monsieur :
" Comme j'ai l'honneur de commander en Chef, Monsieur Wash- ington, m'a remus la lettre que vous ecriviez au Commandant des Trouppes Francoises.
" J'aurais ete charme que vous lui eussiez donne ordre on qu'il ent ete dispose a se rendre en Canada pour voir Monsieur notre General, au quel il appertient mieux qu'a moi de mettre au jour l'evidence, et la realite des droits du Roi mon Maitre sur les Terres scituees le long de la belle Rivicre, et de contester les Pretentions du Roi de la grande Bretagne a cet egard.
" Je vais adresser votre lettre a Monsieur Le Marquis Duquisne ; sa reponse me servira de loi, et sil m'ordonne de vous la communi-
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quer, Monsieur, je puis vous assurer que Je negligerai vieu pour vous la faire tenir promptement.
" Quant a la Sommation que vous me faites de me retirer, je ne me crois pas dans l'obligation de m'y rendre ; quelques que puis- sent etre vos Instructions, Je suis ici en vertu desordres de mon General, et je vous prie, Monsieur, de ne pas douter un instant que je suis dans la constante Resolution de m'y conformer avec tout l'exactitude, et la fermete que l'on peut attendre du meilleur Officier.
" J'ignore que dans le cours de cettee Compagne il se soit rien passe qui puisse etre repute pour Acte d'hostilite, ne qui soit contraire aux traitez qui subsistent entre les deux Couronnes, dont la Con- tinuation nous interresse, et nous flattee autant que Messieurs les Anglois. S'il vous eut ete agreeable, Monsieur, d'en venir sur ce point a un detail particulier des faits' qui motivent votre plainte, j'aurais cu l'honneur de vous repondre de la facon la plus positive, et je suis persuade, que vous auries en lieu d'etre satisfait.
"Je me suis fait un Devoir particulier de recevoir Monsieur Washington avec la Distinction qui convient a votre Dignette a sa Qualite et a son grand Merite; je puis me flatter qu'il me ren- dra cette Justice au pres de vous, Monsieur et qu'il vous fera con- noitre ainsi que moi le Respect profond avec lequel je suis.
" Monsieur, votres tres humble et tres obeissant Serviteur.
"LEGARDEUR DE St. PIERRE. " Du Fort de la Riviere, au beuf le 15 xbre, 1753."
Then was read a Letter from Governor Delancy in the following Words :
"NEW YORK, 7th December, 1753.
" Sir :
" I have lately received a Letter from the Commanding Officer at Oswego of the eighth November, acquainting me that since his former to Governor Clinton the greatest Part of the French Army that went up this Summer to Ohio had re-passed Oswego, from whom Two Men deserted, the One an Englishman taken at Minas during the late War, the Other a Frenchman; that from these he learned that the French have not been able to accomplish their De- signs on the Ohio by reason of the Indians, but threaten a second Tryal next Year ; they also informed him that the French Army had been very sickly, and great numbers had died of the Scurvy through the badness of their Provisions, and that the Indians to the Southward had not only bid them Defiance but had forced from them both Provisions and Brandy several times; they farther informed him that the French had taken Two English Prisoners whom they sent
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