USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 27
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" Mr. Peters when at Albany acquainted Mr. Woodbridge of Stockbridge, the principal Agent of the Connecticut People, with this whole Transaction, and likewise shewed him sundry Indian Deeds to the Proprietaries for those Lands, at which he was pleased to express much Satisfaction, and to say that Pennsylvania might depend upon having no further Trouble in this Affair.
" Sir, I have mentioned these particulars because they will all- serve to shew that whenever the Six Nations shall in their publick Council consider this Deed obtained by Lydius, they will deem it a Violation of publick Faith and an arrant piece of Fraud, and will resent it not only as to Lydius, who they know to be a French Con- vert, but as to the people of Connecticut, and will not Scruple to do them Mischief. The Shickcalamy's and the Indians who live at Shamokin and on Sasquehanna who are very numerous and daily increasing, when they come to see the New England People set- : tle these Lands which they assuredly intend to do early in the Spring, will most certainly oppose them, and so a War between the Indians and the King's Subjects will be brought into the very Bowels of this Province by this Connecticut Project, which is undertaken against fair Notice and a full Knowledge.
" It is thought that if Hendrick can be prevailed on to come down and should hear all these matters laid properly before him, he would find out a method of laying the whole before the Six Nations and , preventing the Settlement of these Lands, but then as Indians do not like to blame one another should he be told beforehand that this is the Business he is sent for he may decline coming. For this Reason it is thought better not to mention a Word of this matter to Hendrick, but in as much as when he took his Leave of the Penn- sylvania Commissioners he made this Government a Tender of his
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Services, and declared in a very solemn manner that he would at any Time come to Philadelphia whenever the Governor should think it necessary to send for him, to write him a general Letter founded on this Province, and to leave it to you to give him what Impres- sions You please of this Journey and to persuade him to take it im- mediately.
" The Letter is enclosed in one to Mr. Clause, who has Directions to shew it to You and to consult with You how and when to deliver it and what to say to Hendrick. If he shou'd deliver it as of him- self to Hendrick, then he would probably come to consult You, and so you might with greater Advantage give your advice ; But if you think otherwise and that it is best for you to deliver it, this is left entirely to you. I am,
" Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, " ROBT. H. MORRIS."
Governor Morris' Letter to Hendrick Peters, a Mohock Chief :
" ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Governor of the Pro- vince of Pennsylvania,
" To Hendrick Peters, One of the Chiefs of the Mohocks. " Respected Chief :
" I take this Opportunity of acquainting You of my Appointment to the Command of this Province.
" Some matters of great moment to this Government as well as to the Indians of the Six Nations have lately fallen out, which make it necessary for me to have a private Conference with You before I can proceed to give Publick Notice to them of my arrival here.
"And as you was so good as to promise to the Commissioners when at Albany that You would at the Request of the Government come at any Time with Pleasure to Philadelphia and give your Sen- timents on any Thing that might be proposed for the publick Ser- vice, I now earnestly desire that You would Favour Us with a Visit in order to consult on some Affairs in which the safety of the In- dians and his Majesty's Colonies are very much concerned; that cannot be done by Message, but must be first communicated to You in Personal Conference.
" And I entreat You would use all the Expedition possible, as I cannot speak to the Council of the Six Nations till I know your Mind.
" If you should encline to take with You one or two of your best Friends it will be the more agreeable.
" Mr. Daniel Clause is well acquainted with the nearest and best Road to this City, and has my Directions to accompany You, furn-
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ish the necessaries, and make every Thing as agreeable to You as possible.
" I am with perfect Regard, Esteemed Chief,
" Your affectionate Brother,
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" Philadelphia, 16 November, 1754."
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A Letter to Mr. Peters from Mr. Daniel Brodhead.
" Mr. Richard Peters,
" Sir :- I thought it an incumbent Duty on me to inform You to what a Crises the New Englanders have raised most of the People of our Neighbourhood to in Relation of their setling the Lands of Wyomink. As soon as I received the Orders from our late Hon- ourable Governor and Mr. Allen I communicated them to my Brother Justices, and likewise desired their Assistance in order to suppress some Persons whom I looked upon to be busy in seducing our People to join the new Englanders, but found those Parties concerned, that by their Slackness the New Englanders have insin- uated themselves into our People to a great Height, as an Instance of which I'll beg Leave to mention one particular : There were some Letters came from New England last Week intimating that Wyo- mink was purchased, and that Thirteen of the Sachems had already signed the Deed, at the same time desiring all the Persons who were concerned to meet at Hertford in Connecticut on the twentieth of this Instant, in order to have their Rights delivered them. . This occasioned a meeting in our Parts to the Number of thirty, who had already become Adventurers and lodged their Money in the Hands of one Robert Parkes in order to be conveyed to New England. Upon hearing of which I immediately issued out a Warrant and had him brought before me just as he was setting off on his Journey ; after some Examination left him in Care of the Constable to get Security for his Personal Appearance at our next Court, according to the Directions I received from Mr. Allen, but instead of bringing me Security the Constable, who is a Party concerned, let him go, and Mr. Atkins, one of our Magistrates, at the same time wished I would send him to Goal with said Parkes, and accordingly set off with him for New England as Agents for our People. This appears to be a sort of Anarchy, which if not soon stopp'd will, I am afraid, prove very detrimental to the Proprietors and to the Peace of this Province.
" I should have wrote to the Governor, but as he is lately come in and a Stranger to me, thought it most proper to open myself to You, and beg the Favour of You to communicate it to his Honour, and as I am at present very conscious how to act any further in
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this Affair, beg of him to send me up Orders how and in what man- ner I may proceed.
" I leave You to deliberate more maturely on this Relation, and remain,
" Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant,
" DANL BRODHEAD.
" LOWER SMITHFIELD, Northampton County, November the 13th, 1754."'
A Letter to Mr. Richard Peters from John Mc Michael.
" Mr. Richard Peters,
"Sir :- This waits to inform You of the Disturbance which the New Englanders have raised in our Parts in respect to their Pur- chase and settling the Wyomink Lands; most of our People here are concerned with them, and not one Magistrate on this Side the Mountain (excepting Daniel Brodhead) but what joins them. John Atkins, Esqr., is now set off in company with one Robert Parkes for Hertford in Connecticut as Agents for the People here, in order to bring their Rights for said Land; unless this is suppressed speedily it will be impossible to sell any more Lands in these Parts. They are continually despising the Proprietors' Title, and nothing is to be heard now but the firm Title the New Englanders have to the Wyomink and other Lands. This, Sir, I assure You has a great Effect on the People this Way, insomuch that if not soon stopped will, I am afraid, prove detrimental to the whole Province.
"I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant,
" JNO. McMICHAEL.
" LOWR. SMITHFIELD, November the 14th, 1754."
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Governor Morris' Letter to Mr. Daniel Brodhead. " November 20, 1754. " Sir :
" Mr. Peters sent me by your Son your Letter to him of the 13th Instant, by which I am sorry to find that some of the People in Your County are weak Enough to be led away by the Idle tales of some designing Men from New England, and are. Entering into Schemes not only destructive of the Peace and good order of the Province, but such as will in the end prove most materially hurtful to themselves. By the Laws of England and of this Country No Man whatsoever has any Right to treat with the Indians or to pur- chase Land from them without a Lycence first Obtained from the Government in which such Land lyes; and if any such purchase
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be made it is not only void as to the Purchaser but the Person making the Purchase is highly Criminal, and so are all those that pretend to hold Lands under it. I highly commend you for your Conduct in the present affair, and reccommend it to you and the the other Majestrates to Act with Vigor in Discharge of the Trust Reposed in you, and you may Assure yourselves of the Govern- ment's best Assistance. I must desire You will by Letter from Time to Time inform me of your transactions in this New England Affair, and get and send me what Intelligence you can concerning the Measures they and their Adherents are pursuing, that the Gov- ernment may take Steps to prevent the Confusions that at present threaten the Publick Peace.
" I am, Sir, Your humble Servant, " ROBT. H. MORRIS."
Governor Morris' Letter to Governor Fitch. "PENNSYLVANIA, 20th November, 1754.
".Sir :
"Mr. Hamilton, my Predecessor, having wrote fully to You and Mr. Woolcot the late Governor of Connecticut, relating to a Scheme formed in your Province for purchasing from the Indians and set- ling some Lands upon the River Sasquehannah without the Leave of this Government tho' within its Bounds, I beg leave to refer You to that Letter, and to lay before You some other Matters from whence You may judge of the Nature and Consequence of that At- tempt. You will, therefore, please to be informed that about the Year 1690 the Indians then of the Five United Nations, by Deed regularly executed, conveyed to Col. Thomas Dungan, Governor of New York, a large Parcel of Land, great Part of which lay upon the River Sasquehanah and within the Limits of this Province, and that Col. Dungan afterwards by Deed conveyed to the late Pro- prietor William Penn all those Lands lying upon the Waters of Sasquehannah within the Province aforesaid. I would give You the particular Dates of these Deeds, but am now at a distance from Philadelphia where they are. These Instruments have been fre- quently produced to the now Six United Nations of Indians and their Allies the Sasquehannahs, are recited in many of their subse- quent Deeds and have been publickly acknowledged, ratified, and confirmed at several Treaties between them and this Government; and tho' the Force and Effect of those Deeds has always been un- derstood as well by the Indians as the English to vest in the Pro- prietors of Pennsylvania all the Lands upon the several Branches of Sasquehannah, yet they the Proprietaries have upon many Occa- sions by Treaty solemnly engaged not to take Possession of those Lands or suffer them to be settled without making the Indians a
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particular Satisfaction for such Parts of that Country as they should from Time to Time agree to give up; and for that Reason all sub- sequent Deeds have been considered only as Confirmations, so far as they related to the Lands upon the Waters of Sasquehannah ; but as those Lands are but a Part of the Province of Pensilvania, the Six United Nations at a Treaty held in October, 1736, did solemnly covenant and engage by Instrument, under the Hands and Seals of the Chiefs of the respective Nations, to sell all the Lands within the Limits of Pennsylvania to the Proprietaries of this Province and to no other Person whatsoever. This Instrument was produced to the Six Nations at the late General Treaty at Albany by the Commissioners from this Government and proved by one of the Chiefs who was then present and a Party thereto; whereupon the Six Nations in Public Council declared that the Signers of that Instrument were well known to them to have been the principal Men and Chiefs of their several Nations, and they did then solemnly ratify that Agreement and by a new Deed not only confirmed the several Sales they had theretofore made to the Proprietaries, but voluntarily bound themselves to sell no Land within the Limits of Pennsylvania to any Person whatsoever but to the Proprietaries only.
"You will give me Leave further to observe to You that the Six Nations at the said late Congress at Albany in open Council mentioned an Application then made to them by Agents from Con- necticut for the Purchase of some of the Sasquehannah Lands, and that they had absolutely refused to give any Ear to such Proposal, telling the several Governments then present, by their Commis- sioners, that they were determined the Lands at a Place called Wyomink, on the Sasquehannah, should not be settled, but re- served for a Place of Retreat for such of their People as in this Time of Confusion between the French and English might be obliged to leave their Habitations, and for that Reason earnestly desired that Pennsylvania would not insist on those Lands being comprehended within the Agreement then under Consideration, and warmly declared that if any White People attempted to settle there they would oppose them with Force. And to shew that the Re- serve of the Lands at Wyomink was a deliberate Act of their Coun- cil, they further declared that they had appointed John Shick Calamy, an Indian Chief of the Oneido Nation living in a Town on those Lands, as their Agent and Representative, and had given him Orders to take Care of them, and charged him not to suffer any White People whatever to settle thiem; And also desired the Government of Pennsylvania would consider him as their Agent, and upon his Application assist in removing any Persons that should take Possession of those Lands. Upon this the Commis- sioners of Pennsylvania, having shewed to the Indians that the Lands at Wyomink were near the Center of this Province, con- ceded to the Indian's Request, and on Behalf of this Province en-
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gaged that those Lands should not be settled by any White People whatever. These several Matters having been transacted at the late Congress at Albany in the most open and solemn Manner, and known not only to the Commissioners from the several Govern- ments but to Mr. Woodbridge, one of the Connecticut Agents em- ployed to make the Purchase of the Indians, I can make no Doubt but they have been fully laid before You, and were publickly known in your Province. Notwithstanding which, I am informed that Mr. John Lydius, who is known to be a Roman Catholic and in the French Interest, has been since employed by some People of your Province to purchase from the Indians some Lands within this Government; that he has in a clandestine manner by very unfair means prevailed on some few Indians, to whom he secretly applied, to sign a Deed for a considerable Part of the Lands of this Pro- vince, including those at Wyomink aforesaid; that a Number of your People interested in that pretended Purchase have been in this Province, laid claim to those Lands and offered them to sale, and that a great Number of them are now preparing to leave your Province and scat themselves upon those Lands.
"You must be sensible, Sir, how much the Indians, who cannot resist the Temptation of Strong Liquor, are liable to be imposed on by such clandestinc Purchases made without the Knowledge or Con- sent of any Government by Private Men for private Purposes; and how frequently the Indians themselves at their Publick Treaties have complained of this manner of surprising them into the Execu- tion of Deeds, and it cannot be doubted but the Six Nations in their great Council will esteem this pretended Purchase a fraudulent im- position upon some few of their People, and not in the least binding upon them, being contrary to their most solemn and repeated Engage- ments by Deeds and Treaties to this Government.
"I must further observe to You that since the French have taken Possession of the Lands upon the River Ohio the Indians of the Six Nations that resided there have removed to the Branches of Sasquchannah, to the Number of three hundred and upwards, and are now maintained at the Expence of this Province; and should those Indians be overpowered and drove from thence the Six Na- tions may so highly resent such a Treatment that it may occasion their total Defection at this Juncture, when their Friendship is of the greatest Importance to the English Interest.
"The Proprietaries and Government of Pennsylvania have ever treated the Indians with the highest Justice, and have most reli- giously observed and fulfilled the several Treaties that have been made with them; and those Treaties sufficiently shew the great Care that has been taken to give them (when Assembled in Public Council) a full and often a repeated Satisfaction for their Lands, and this is a Justice they have at all Times and upon all occasions acknowledged to have received from this Government; And as We stand engaged VOL. VI-17.
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to the Six Nations by Treaty neither to settle the Lands at Wyo- mink nor suffer them to be settled, this Government thought it proper, after receiving the Letters from Mr. Wolcot and yourself, to notify to the said John Shick Calamy and such of the Six Nations as live upon the Sasquehannah, that there was reason to apprehend some White People from your Province would attempt to seat them- selves there, and at the same time to inform them that those People were not authorised or even countenanced by this Government, and their attempts were disavowed by the Government of Connecticut, and were to be looked upon as a lawless sett of People, acting of their own Heads, and for whose Conduct no Government was answerable. Upon this Notification they have signified their Resolution first to kill the Cattle of such White People as should attempt to Set- tle that Country, and if after that they persisted in their Settle- ment that they would then treat them as Enemies and destroy them all.
"I am sure I need not observe to one so well acquainted with the Laws of England as I know You to be that the Soil and Govern- ment of this Province being legally vested in the present Proprie- taries under the Royal Charter to the late William Penn, Esquire, no Person whatever has any Right to purchase Lands of the Indians within the Limits of that Charter without a Lycence first obtained from them or their Governor for that Purpose, nor that no Lands within the same can be held by Subjects of Britain but under their Title ; the Steps, therefore, taken by the People of your Province appear to me to be not only a high Invasion of the Rights of Gov- ernment, but to strike at the very Foundation of Property in Lands in this Country, and tends to introduce the greatest Disputes and Confusions among his Majesty's Subjects.
"I shall be, therefore, very sorry if your People persist in the Prosecution of this their wild Scheme, as I am apprehensive it will bring on an Indian War in the Bowels of this Province, and be attended with other very fatal Consequences at a Time when his Majesty's Service and the Interest of the Colonies require the strictest Union between the several Governments and a firm Friend- ship with the Indians in their Alliance.
"This Subject has carried me to a greater Length than I expected ; but I could not avoid laying these several Matters before You, which when you have considered I am persuaded You will see the Scheme of these rash People in the Light I do, and contribute your endea- vours to prevent the Measures that seem at present to threaten the publick Tranquility.
"I am satisfied You do me the Justice to think that an Attempt so detrimental to the Peace of the Province I have the Honour to preside over will meet witha like Opposition in my Power; and I believe You judge with me that a Sett of People who quit their own peaceable Habitations with a premeditated Design to invade the
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Property and disturb the Quiet of their Neighbours are entitled to very little Clemency.
"I have only to request the Continuance of your good Offices in influencing the People of your Province to lay aside their rash Scheme and embrace the Offer of a legal Settlement made in Mr. Hamilton's Letter to Governor Wolcot, which I have Power and Inclinations to carry into K'xecution upon very reasonable Terms, to recommend the bearer, Mr Armstrong, to your Notice, and to asure You that I am,
" Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant,
"To Governor Fitch."
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
Report of John Armstrong Sent by the Governor of Pennsylvania to the Colony of Conneticut with Letters, and to make Discoveries of an illegal Purchase of Lands within the Province of Pennsyl- vania by a Number of Persons in the Collony of Connecticut.
" 27th November, 1754.
"Then received Information of Mr. John Lloyd, Merchant at Stanford, in Connecticut, that Mr. Elderkin said he understood the matter, that an Indian Deed was already Obtained from several of the Six Nation Chiefs, that he the said Elderkin was Concerned in the Lands, that the Purchasers had the Countenance of their Gov- ernment in what they had done, would Settle four hundred Persons Early in the Spring, and if the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania had any Objections he would be glad how soon the matter had a fair tryal & was brought to issue.
"On the 28th & 29th was informed at Newhaven (where I delivered the Letters of the Honourable Robert Hunter Morris in regard to the above Purchase to the Governor of Conneo- ticut) by Cap+ David Wooster, Lieut Nathaniel Whiting, & Mr. Thos. Darling, that the Purchase was intirely of a Private nature, contrary to their Own as well Our Laws, that the Government (ax such) had nothing to do with it, and that Mr. Elderkin was Certainly mistaken if he so much as insinuated any Licence to have been given by the Government for that purpose ; to the same Import spoke the Governor, the President of New Haven College, and sundry other Gentlemen.
Mr. Darling shewed me a Letter from his Correspondent near Hartford, discribing the boundaries of the Purchase together with the Procedure of the People concerned at a late Convention at Hart- ford, where the better to Conduct their Affairs they Chose a Com- mittee, a Treasurer, & Clerk.
" The Lands Purchased is the Forty-Second Degree of Northern
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Lattitude, beginning Ten Miles Eastward of the Eastermost Branch of the River Sasquehanah, and from thence to the end of Two de- grees of Longitude.
" The Gentlemen of the Committee are Major Phineas Lyman, Major Roger Wolcot, Col'. Samuel Tolcot, Major Eliphalet Dyar, Mr. Edwards, Mr. George Wyllys; the Latter is Secretary of the Colony and Treasurer to the Company, for so they are Called, the Sasquehanah Company; 'tis said the Committee are men of great natural understanding as well as considerable acquirements.
There were formerly Five Hundred Subscribers at Seven Dollars Each, to which are now added Three hundred at nine Do. There are Two of the Sachims has refused to Sign the Deed untill they are paid One Thousand Dollars more than the Other Sachems are Content with.
The Generality of the more knowing People despise the Scheme as wild & preposterous, but some others mightily cry up the Anti- quity and extent of their Charter whereon their claims are chiefly built .. This is answered to by Arguments from sundry topicks.
" Ist. From the Priority even to theirs of the North & South Virginia Companies Grant, dated 1606.
" 2dly. From the Agreement between his Majestie's Commis- sioners and the Governor & Commissioners appointed by the Colony of Connecticut who fixed the western boundaric of the Colony of Connecticut ; 'tis true they say there was a second line Established November 23d, 1683, more in their Favour, but it was only a Cor- rection of the first Agreement in December 1st, 1664, which the Colony of Connecticut to narrower Bounds than the first agreement gave them ; this last was Confirmed by his Majesty in Council March 28th, 1700.
" 3dly. From the Opposition they must inevitably meet with from the great Number of Indians now constrained by the Encroachments of the French to retire to these Lands, not only for sake of Hunting but for the Safety of their Wives & Children.
" 4thly. From the great Distance of these Lands from the Seat of Government and the difficulty of Co-extending Jurisdiction with their Property, &ca.
" When the Governor's Letters are laid before the upper & Lower Houses they will doubtless put a Stop to any Considerable Number coming in the Spring to Settle on the Sasquehanah Lands, yet 'tis highly probable that as matters are Carried to so great a Length some Number will come.
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