USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 11
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"' We are glad to see You at this your old meeting Place, and We do now, in his Majestie's name, and in behalf of all his Colonies, renew the Antient Covenant Chain of Friendship, that it may be stronger and brighter than ever, which We recommend to You to preserve clean and free from Rust by a peaceable and affectionate Behaviour to all your Brethren, and especially to those who live near You, and You may then with Confidence rely on the Favour of this and all his Majestie's Governments.
"' As a Proof of the King your Father's tender Regard for you, I shall deliver You a Present he has sent You, consisting of such Necessaries as You may want, And the Commissioners from Each of the Governments have contributed towards a Present for You also. All which Presents shall be here ready for You in the After- noon.'
" Elisha Williams, Esquire, Commissioner for Connecticut, took his Seat. On a Motion made and seconded that a Message be sent to his Honour the Lieutenant Governor of New York, relating to the Answer he proposes to make to the Six Nations, Mr. Hutchinson and Mr. Franklin were appointed to prepare the same.
"Theodore Atkinson and Richard Wibird, Esquires, Commis- sioners for New Hampshire, took their Seats; as did also Richard Peters, Esquire, One of the Commissioners for Pennsylvania.
" Mr. Hutchinson reported the following Message :
"' ' May it please your Honour :
"" The Commissioners from the several Governments now met at Albany, observe that in the Speech your Honour proposes to make this Day to the Indians of the Six Nations, and which You have caused to be communicated to the Board by their Secretary, no Notice is taken of the Complaints of the said Indians relating to their Lands. This Complaint seems, by the Letter from the Right Honourable the Lords of Trade, which your Honour has laid before the Board, to have been the principal Occasion of this unusual and expensive Meeting of Commissioners from so many Colonies, and it appear's by the last Answer from the Indians that their Uneasiness still remains.
""' The Commissioners therefore think it incumbent on them to pray your Honour that they may be acquainted with the particulars of the Complaint, and that they may have an Opportunity of con- sulting with your Honour proper Measures for removing the Causes thereof.' Which was read and unanimously agreed to, and it was
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thereupon ordered that Mr. Wells and Mr. Pitkin wait upon his Honour the Lieutenant Governor with the same.
" Adjourned to three o'Clock this Afternoon."
" At a Meeting, &ca,, on Saturday the Sixth July, 1754, P. M. "PRESENT :
" All the Commissioners from Massachusets Bay, All the Com- missioners for New Hampshire, The Commissioners from Connecti- cut, Stephen Hopkins, Esquire, Commissioner from Rhode Island.
" Mr. Wells reported to the Board that he and Mr. Pitkin had delivered the Message they were appointed in the morning to deliver to his Honour the Lieutenant Governor of New York.
"The Four Gentlemen of the Council of New York, Martin Howard, Benjamin Franklin, and Abraham Barnes, Esquires, took their Seats.
" Mr. Murray delivered to the Board his Honour the Lieutenant Governor's Answer in Writing to the Message delivered to his Honour in the Morning by Mr. Wells and Mr. Pitkin, which was read, and is as follows :
"' Gentlemen :
"' In answer to your Message to me of this Day, I acquaint You that Yesterday I had the Sachems of the Connajohary Castle be- fore me in Council to conclude the Matter in Controversy between some Germans and one Teady Magin relating to an Indian Purchase that had occasioned the greatest Uneasiness among the Indians of that Castle, which after two Meetings was then formally and finally settled to the Satisfaction of all Parties.
"'I then took Occasion to observe to them that at their Meeting on the second Instant I desired them to open their minds fully, and that I expected they would then have laid all their Complaints be- fore me, That as to what they liad mentioned in their publick Speech on the fourth Instant, I was not acquainted with any other particular Complaints until I came to this Place, being abroad on the Circuit at the Time they made them at New York, and then I promised that as soon as I returned thither I would look into them and do all the Justice that lay in my Power, with which they declared them- selves well satisfied and thanked me.
"'JAS. DELANCEY.
"' Albany, 6th July, 1754.'
"The Board being obliged to attend at the Interview of the Schaticook and River Indians, Adjourned to Monday Morning at nine o'Clock."
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" At a Meeting, &ca., at Albany, on Monday the 8th Instant, 1754, A. M.
" PRESENT :
" William Johnson and William Smith, Esquires, Two of the Council of New York, and all Commissioners.
" The Speech proposed by his Honour to be made to the Indians of the Six Nations having been again read to the Board, and the Complaint of the Indians relative to their Lands coming under their Consideration, the Board were acquainted that Mr. William Living- stone and Mr. William Alexander, Two of the Heirs or Devises of Philip Livingston, Esquire, Deceased, the Proprietor or Patentec of the Lands on which Connajohary Castle stands, had declared their Readiness to give up all Right to said Patents or such Parts as shall be thought necessary, it was ordered that said Mr. Livingstone and Mr. Alexander be informed that the Board desired to speak with them. Mr. Livingstone and Mr. Alexander being present, in- formed the Board that their Father was one among other Patentces of the Lands mentioned, that they were interested } Each of them in their Father's Right.
" The Circumstances of his Title they had made no Enquiry into, but were ready to make any Resignation which either Justice or the publick Service required.
" The Board being informed that his Honour the Lieutenant Gov- ernor desired a Gentleman from Each Government might be ap- pointed to be present with him in making Enquiry of the Indians of the Connajohary Castle how far they were satisfied respecting their Land, Mr. Peters and Mr. Howard were appointed to wait on the Governor and acquaint him that the Board agreed to the Pro- posal; accordingly Mr. Hutchinson was appointed for Massachusetts Bay, Col. Atkinson for New Hampshire, Col. Walcott for Connec- ticut, Mr. Hopkins for Rhode Island, Mr. Norris for Pennsylvania, Col. Tasker for Maryland.
"Joseph Murray and John Chambers, Esquires, of the Council of New York, took their Seats.
" His Honour's Draught of the Speech he proposes to make to the Six Nations which was delivered to the Board the Sixth Instant was read, and after Debate had thereon relative to the Sale of Rum amongst them and the Connajohary's Desire about a Church, some alterations and additions to it were agreed to be proposed to his Honour.
" The Representation of the present State of the Colonies was again read through, but no final Resolution thereon agreed to.
" The Answers of the Schaakticook and River Indians to the
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Speech made them the Sixth Instant were read, and are as follows :
" The Speech of the Schaakticook Indians.
""'Father :
'" We are glad that the Governor sees his Children now before him. We are small in number, but next Time we hope we shall be more. Your Honour may see that we are but young and unex- perienced, our antient People being almost all dead, so that We have no body to give Us any Advice; but We will do as our Fathers have done before Us.'
" Gave a Belt.
"'Father :
" This Belt came from our Forefathers, and We will be true and faithful to the King as they were.'
"Gave a belt .. .
"They gave also to the Governor a small Bundle of Skins, and desired that the Sale of Rum might be stopped at Schaakticook, and that if they want it they will come and buy it at Albany.
" The Speech of the River Indians.
"' Fathers :
""' We are greatly rejoiced to see You all here. It is by the Will of Heaven that We are met here ; and We thank You for this Op- portunity of seeing you altogether, as it is a long time since we have had such an One. Fathers who set present here : We will just give You a short Relation of the long Friendship which has subsisted between the White People of this Country and Us. Our Forefathers had a Castle on this River. As One of them walked out he saw some thing on the River, but was at a loss to know what it was. He took it at first for a great Fish ; he ran into the Castle and gave Notice to the other Indians. Two of our Forefathers went to see what it was and found it a Vessel with Men in it. They immediately joined Hands with the People in the Vessel and be- came Friends. The white People told them they shou'd not come any further up the River at that Time, and said to them that they would return back from whence they came and come again in a Year's Time. According to their Promise they returned back in a Year's Time and came as far up the River as where the Old Fort stood. Our Forefathers invited them ashore, and said to them here We will give You a Place to build You a Town, it shall be from this Place up to such a Stream (meaning where the Patroon's Mill now stands), and from the River back up to the Hill.
""'Our Forefathers told them tho' they were now a small People they wou'd in time multiply and fill up the Land they had given . hem. After they were on shore some time some other Indians who
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had not seen them before looked fiercely at them; and our Fore- fathers observing it, and seeing the White People so few in Number least they should be destroyed, took and sheltered them under their Arms; but it turned out that those Indians did not desire to destroy them, but wished also to have the said White People for their Friends. At this Time which We have now spoken of the White People were small, but We were very numerous and strong; we defended them in that low State, but now the Case is altered.
"' You are numerous and strong-we are few and weak; therefore, We expect that You will act by Us in these Circumstances as We did by You in those We have just now related. We view You now as a very large Tree which has taken deep Root in the Ground whose Branches are spread very wide. We stand by the Body of this Tree and We look round to see if there be any who endeavor to hurt it; and if it should so happen that any are powerful enough to destroy it We are ready to fall with it.'
" Gave a Belt.
""'Fathers :
""'You see how early we made Friendship with You. We hid Each other in a very strong Chain, that Chain has not yet been broken; We now clean and rub that Chain to make it brighter and stronger ; and We determine on our Parts that it never shall be broken, and We hope You will take Care that neither You nor any one else shall break it, and We are greatly rejoiced that Peace and Friendship have so long subsisted between Us.'
"Gave a Belt.
""'Fathers :
"' Don't think strange of what We are about to say. We would say something respecting our Lands. When the White People pur- chased from Time to Time of Us they said they only wanted to pur- chase the Low Lands, they told Us the hilly Land was good for nothing, and that it was full of Woods and Stones, but now We see People living all about the Hills and Woods altho' they have not purchased the Lands. When We enquire of the People who live on these Lands what Right they have to them they reply to Us that We are not to be regarded, and that these Lands belong to the King. But We were the first Possessors of them, and when the King has paid Us for them then they may say they are his.
""' Hunting now is growing very scarce, and We are not like to get our Living that Way, therefore We hope our Fathers will take Care that We are paid for our Lands that We may live.'
"Gave a Belt.
" Made a Present of a Bundle of Skins.
"The Board then adjourned to three o'Clock this Afternoon.
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"At a Meeting, &ca., Monday, 8th July, 1754, P. M. " PRESENT :
" All the Commissioners except Col. Atkinson, Mr. Norris, and the Comm's. of Maryland.
"The Board proceeded in their Consideration upon the Plan for a Union, but did not go thro' with it.
" The Speech proposed to be made to the Six Nations was returned 'to the Board from his Honour with the Alterations and Additions proposed by the Board in the Morning.
"' Ordered, That the said Speech lie upon the Table till some further Matters relating to it be agreed on by the Board.'
" The Committee appointed in the Morning to be present with the Governor of New York at a Conference with the Connajohary In- dians returned from the same and reported as follows :
""'That his Honour enquired of the Indians whether they had not expressed themselves satisfied with the measures he had taken concerning their Lands and the Promise that he would enquire fur- ther into the affair when he came to New York, to which they re- plied that they were sensible his Honour was at Albany when they made their Complaints at New York last Year, that he had told them he had now left the Papers there, but would enquire into it when he came there. That they were willing to try one Year more and if Matters were not made up by the Governor, whom they looked on as their Elder Brother, but neglected as they used to be, they wou'd send to all their other Brothers (pointing to the Commis- sioners) for their Assistance, and that they agreed to this the rather as there were French Indians in Town, and that they did not think it convenient to have any Difference before them.' , Upon which his Honour again assured them he wou'd enquire into their affairs in order to their being satisfied, especially as he had the King's Orders for it.
" The Board receiving a Message from his Honour that the Sachems of the Six Nations were attending to be spoke to, the Board adjourned to nine o'Clock to-morrow Morning, and waited upon the Governor.
" At a Meeting in the Court House at Albany, Tuesday 9th July, 1754, A. M.
" PRESENT :
"Joseph Murray and William Smith, Esquires, of the Council of New York, all the Commiss"". except Col. Partridge and Mr. Hopkins.
an ob
"The publick Conference between his Honour the Lieutenant
-
F
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Governor of New York and the Commissioners from the several Governments with the Sachems of the Six Nations, yesterday evening, was read and ordered to be entered as follows: "'Brethren :
"'You told me your Hearts were deeply concerned at the sad Effects which may arise from selling Rum in your respective Coun- tries. I will give Orders that the Laws already made for prevent- ing the Sale of this Liquor among You shall be strictly put in Execution, and whatever further Provision in the Law is neces- sary, I will endeavour it shall be made, that You may see I take Care of your Health and your Peace, which are hurt and disturbed by the Use of this Liquor among You of the Five Upper Nations. And as to what You of the Mohocks have said I shall consider how far it may be necessary to restrain the People living round You from selling Rum and if I can think of a proper Remedy for this Evil I will endeavour to apply it.
"'Brethren of the Upper Castle of the Mohocks :
""' I am well pleased with your Request to have a Church built amongst You, and I shall do every thing in my Power to promote so good a Work. And it is very agreeable to me and the Com- missioners from all the Governments present to find a Disposition in You to receive the Christian Religion.
"'Brethren :
""' As I have given You Satisfaction with respect to one of your Complaints about your Lands, which lay heavy on your Minds, and have assured You that I shall endeavour to do You Justice as to the rest when I come to New York, I shall not say any thing farther to You on that Affair now.'
"The Governor being informed by the Interpreter that they chose to have the Powder divided on the Hill, told them it was in his Opinion better for them to have it sent to Schenactady. Hend- rick answered for them, just as his Honour pleased, who told them he would order the Powder to Schenactady and the Rum above the Settlements, with which they expressed themselves satisfied.
" His Honour then said : :
"' I have now done speaking to You, but before I cover up the Fire I must recommend it to You to behave quietly and peaccably to all your Brethren and their Castle in your Return home.'
" Hendrick then replied :
"' Your Honour told Us You now covered up the Fire, and We are highly pleased that all Things have been so amicably settled, and hope that all that has passed between Us may be strictly observed on both sides.
VOL. VI .- 7.
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"' Brethren of the several Governments :
"' We hope that You will not fail in the Covenant Chain where- with We have mutually bound Ourselves, and now so solemnly renewed and strengthened. If We don't hold fast by this Chain of. of Friendship our Enemies will laugh Us to scorn.
" ' Brethren :
""" We wish You would all contribute to provide some Provision for Us in our Way home, which will effectually prevent our People from killing the Inhabitants' Cattle, and We desire you will provide some Waggons for Us to go to Schenactady. We think this Expence will fall too heavy upon one Province, as We have the Presents from all to carry up. We beg We may all take Care of the Tree of Friendship and preserve it by our mutual Attention from any Injuries. We will take Care of it on our Sides, and We hope our Brethren will do so on theirs. We wish this Tree of Friendship may grow up to a great Height, and then We shall be a powerful People.
" ' Brethren :
""We the United Nations shall rejoice in the Encrease of our Strength, so that all other Nations may stand in Awe of Us.
" ' Brethren :
" ' I will just tell You what a People We were formerly. If any of our Enemies rise against Us, We had no Occasion to lift up our . whole Hand against them, for our little Finger was sufficient. And as We have now made so strong a Confederacy, if We are truly earnest therein We may retrieve the antient Glory of the Five Nations.
"'Brethren :
" ' We have now done, but one Word we must add : The Inter- preter, if the French continue their Hostilities, will want any assist- ance, three or four to be joined with them, but this matter we submit to the Governor. We have now fully finished all that we have to say.'
" The Governor replied :
"' Brethren :
"' It gives me and all the Commissioners here present great Satisfaction that this Interview has concluded so amicably on all sides. I have ordered thirty Waggons to be provided for your Service, which I expect here to-morrow morning; and I have ordered Provisions for you to serve you on your Journey.
""' I hope that by this present Union We shall grow up to a great Hcight and be as powerful and famous as You were of old.
"' As to the Interpreter, when the Circumstances of this Country require it he shall have the necessary Assistance, and I assure You
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in the Name of this Government and all the Governments here present that We shall endeavour to extend and preserve the Cove- nant Chain by every possible Method in our Power.'
" They asked his Honour when Himself and the Commissioners proposed to return Home. His Honour answered that they had some Matters yet to settle about the Union, and then they should set out for their respective Habitations.
" The Governor then in his own Name and that of the Commis- sioners wished them a good Journey, and they returned the Compli- ment, and then the Conferences broke up.
" The answers of the Lieutenant Governor and the Commissioners to the Schaakticook's and River Indians were next read and ordered to be entered as follows :
" The answer to the Schaakticook Indians.
" ' Children :
"' We condole with You on the Loss of your old and experienced People.'
" A String.
" ' Children :
"[I and the Commissioners from the other Governments here present are glad to see that altho' You are young and unexperienced, yet You are willing to take Advice and are determined to remain faithful to the King and friendly to all his Subjects.'
".A Belt.
" Answer to the River Indians.
" 'Children :
"' We are glad to find that You treasure up in your Memories the mutual Instances of Friendship between our Ancestors and Your's ; the Remembrance of that Friendship will descend to our Posterity, and We desire You to hand it down to Your's, and altho' there is a great Alteration in Circumstances since our Predecessors first came among You, yet. We have not less Affection for You than they had.'
" A Belt.
"' Children :
"' Your brightening and strengthening the Covenant Chain is well pleasing to me and the Commissioners. We acknowledge You have never broken it; We have likewise preserved it entire, and are determined to continue to do so.'
" A Belt.
" ' Children :
" ' You complain that some of the People of this Province are
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in Possession of your Lands which You never sold ; this is a Com- plaint which affects Persons who live at a Distance. I have ordered Notice to be given them of it, and if upon Enquiry into the Affair it shall appear that You have been injured, I will endeavour to get You redressed, but I shall observe to You that the constant Method of granting Lands in this Province is and has been by Lycence from the Governor to purchase from the Indians, and upon the Purchase being returned before him in Council He with their Advice orders a Patent, and that most of these Lands concerning which You com- plain were patented when You were Children-some before any of You were born.'
" Ordered, That the following Minutes be made, that the last Paragraph of the foregoing Answer to the River Indians about the Manner of patenting Lands in this Province, beginning with the Words I shall observe was an Addition made by his Honour to the Draught sent him yesterday by this Board.
" Col. Johnson, Mr. Chambers, Col. Patridge, and Mr. Hopkins, took their Seats.
ยท
" The Plan of the Union was debated and agreed upon, and Mr. Franklin was desired to make a Draught of it as now concluded upon.
" Adjourned till Five o'Clock this Evening."
" At a Meeting, &ca., on Tuesday the Ninth of July, 1754, P. M. " PRESENT :
" The Honourable the Lieutenant Governor and the Four Gen- tlemen of the Council of New York, and all the Commissioners, except Mr. Franklin, absent by his Appointment in the Morning.
" The Draught of the Representation, &", was read and consid- ered Paragraph by Paragraph, some amendments made, and the whole was agreed to and ordered to be minuted as follows :
" 'That his Majestie's Title to the Northern Continent of Ame- rica appears to be founded on the Discovery thereof first made, and the Possession thereof first taken in 1497, under a Commission from Henry the Seventh of England to Sebastian Cabot.
"""'That the French have possessed themselves of several Parts of this Continent, which by Treaties have been ceded And confirmed to them.
"' That the Right of the English to the whole Sea Coast from Georgia on the South to the River Saint Lawrence on the North, excepting the Island of Cape Breton and the Islands in the Bay of Saint Lawrence, remains indisputable.
"' That all the Lands or Countries Westward from the Atlantick
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Ocean to the South Sea, between 48 and 34 Degrees North Lati- tude, were expressly included in the Grant of King James the First to divers of his Subjects so long since as the Year 1606, and afterwards confirmed in 1620, and under this Grant the Colony of Virginia claims Extent as far West as the South Sea, and the antient Colonies of the Massachusets Bay and Connecticut were by their respective Charters made to extend to the said South Sea, so that not only the Right to the Sea Coast but to all the Inland Countries from Sea to Sea, has at all Times been asserted by the Crown of England.
""That the Province of Nova Scotia or Acadia hath known and determinate Bounds by the original Grant from King James the First, and that there is abundant Evidence of the Sense which the French had of these Bounds-while they were in Possession of it ; and that these Bounds being thus known, the said Province, by the Treaty of Utrecht, according to its antient Limits was ceded to Great Britain, and remained in Possession thereof until the Treaty of Aix-la-chapelle, by which it was confirmed; But by said Treaty it is stipulated that the Bounds of the said Province shall be determined by Commissaries, &c1.
"'That by the Treaty of Utrecht the Country of the Five Cantons of the Iroquois is expressly acknowledged to be under the Dominion of the Crown of Great Britain.
""' That the Lake Champlain, formerly called Lake Iroquois, and the Country Southward of it as far as the Dutch or English Set- tlements, The Lakes Ontario, Erie, and all the Countries adjacent have, by all ancient Authors, French and English, been allowed to belong to the Five Cantons or Nations; and the whole of these Countries long before the said Treaty of Utrecht were by the said Nations put under the Protection of the Crown of Great Britain.
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