USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 39
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" I herewith send you a Number of Belts and Strings of Wam- pum, which You are to dispose of to the utmost Advantage, and I must insist upon your consulting Scarrooyady and the Belt of Wampum, and with them taking great Care that no Messengers be employed in this Service but such as are faithful, know the Charac- ters of the Indians well, and can distinguish such as are proper to trust the Message with or conceal it from.
"I am, Sir, Your humble Servant, "ROBT. H. MORRIS. " Philadelphia, 23d April, 1756."
The Governor then laid before the Board the following Letters
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from Sir Thomas Robinson, one of his Majestie's Principal Secre- taries of State :
A Letter fron Sir Thomas Robinson to Governor Morris. " WHITEHALL, 31st December, 1754. " Sir :
" A Clause having been inserted in the Mutiny Bill by Parlia- ment this Session, enacting that all Troops in America whilst in Conjunction with the British Forces under the Command of an officer bearing his Majesty's immediate Commission, shall be liable to the same Martial Law and Discipline as the British Forces are, I send you by the King's Command the enclosed Copy of the said Clause, in order that You may act conformably thereto, and I like- wise send you several printed Copies of the Mutiny Bill passed last Year, and of the Articles of War founded thereupon, which being in every respect the same as the Bills passed this Session will be sufficient for your Guidance and Direction till such Time as the new Bill and articles of War can be printed, whereof I will here- after transmit to You a proper Number of Copies.
"I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant,
"T. ROBINSON."
Another Letter from Sir Thomas Robinson to Gov'r. Morris. " WHITEHALL, 23d January, 1755. " Sir :
" A clause having been inserted in the Mutiny Bill by Parlia- ment this Session, Enacting That all Troops in America whilst in Conjunction with the British Forces under the Command of an Officer bearing his Majesty's immediate Commission shall be liable to the same martial Law and Dicipline as the British Forces are, I have the King's Comand to send You, pursuant to my Letter of the thirty-first past, several printed Copies of the said Mutiny Bill, together with the Articles of War founded thereupon, for your Guidance and Direction.
"I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, "T. ROBINSON."
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MEMORANDUM :
On the Twenty-Fourth of April the Governor finding by a Let- ter from Fort Cumberland that the Flour purchased by this Pro- vince for the Use of General Braddock was not delivered as it ought
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to have been, wrote the following Letter to the Committee of As- sembly, vizt. :
" Gentlemen-
" By a Letter I have received this morning from the Commis- sioners for running out the Roads over the Hills, I find the Flower ordered to be provided for the Army has not been yet delivered at the Place agreed on, and the Retardation of the March with the Consequences that may thence ensue is ascribed by Sir John St. Clair to this Delay and the not clearing proper Roads.
" I am indeed much surprised at the Flower's not having been delivered according to the Time fixed, and urge You to do all in your Power to expedite the Delivery of it. I think Orders should issue immediately by the Return of the express to have the Roads cleared with all possible Expedition at the Expence of the Province, and desire Supplies may be forthwith sent for that Purpose.
" The Sasquehannah Indians expect a Present, which need not be great as they have no particular Business, and only come down to assure Us of the Continuance of their Friendship for Us. Pray give the necessary Orders that they may go out of Town and reach the Place of their Habitations before the Message arrives from the Six Nations and Col. Johnson, as mentioned in the Minutes, which the Secretary has my Orders to show you.
"I am, Gentlemen, Your most humble Servant,
"ROB'T. H. MORRIS.
" PHILADELPHIA, 24th April, 1755." -
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Monday the 12th May, 1755. PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
John Penn, Joseph Turner,
Robert Strettell, Richard Peters, 5
Esquires.
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
A Letter from Mr. George Croghan of the first May in answer to the Governor's of the twenty-third April was read, and order'd to be enter'd as follows :
A Letter to Governor Morris from Mr. George Croghan. " AUCQUICK, May the 1st, 1755.
" May it Please your Honour :
"Last Night I received your Express with a Copy of General
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Braddock's to your Honour, and pursuant to your Honour's Com- mands to me have this Morning delivered the Messages to the In- dians, which I have the Pleasure to inform your Honour has had its desired Effects, for to-morrow morning all those Indians here set off with me to the Camp to await upon the General, except the Woman and Children, chief of which insist on staying here and planting and being supplied by me, altho' I see General Braddock wants the Women and Children to be kept from the Camp; yet I must confess I had rather they had all gone as I dont expect the Assembly will allow me anything for their Maintenance for the future, and perhaps cut me out of the Ballance due me now, tho' I can have all my Accounts well attested. I have dispatched this Day Messengers to Ohio in your Honour's Name to call the Dela- wares and Shawonese and other Tribes, such as can be found on this side the French Fort, to meet me at the Camp, which I make no Doubt will meet with Success ; and likewise I have sent to Sas- quehannah for the Indians there. At the Return of those Messen- gers I will let your Honour know what Success I have had and what Number I have collected. together. As I shall be chiefly this Summer with the Army I wish some Orders might be given to provide for those that will be here. Whatever Com- mands your Honour may have for me please to direct to the Camp, where I shall be ready to obey your Honour to the utmost of my Power.
" I am Your Honour's most humble and obedient Servant, " GEO. CROGHAN."
A Message was delivered by Two Members that the House was met according to Adjournment and ready to receive any thing the Governor might have to lay before them. The Governor said he did not recollect any thing but the German Bill, which had been con - sidered on the Foot it stood as their last Adjournment, and should be sent to them.
The Governor informed the Council that on Receit of the Com- miss"'s Letter of the Sixteenth of April from Fort Cumberland, already entered, which came to his Hands on the Twenty-Third, as he was setting out for New York with Governor Shirley, he sent it by the Secretary to the Speaker and such of the Members as were in Town, with Directions that in case they would promise to pay the Charges of clearing the necessary Roads to write to the Com- missioners immediately to proceed to the Work, and to use all the Dispatch possible; and that the Secretary had a Meeting with the Speaker and some other Members, in which it was their Opinion that the Expences of the Roads would be chearfully ordered to be paid by the Assembly at their next meeting, and that thereupon Mr. Peters wrote a Letter by Advice of and with
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the Approbation of the Members, which Letter was read, and is as follows :
A Letter from Mr. Richard Peter's to the Comm's. for runing the Roads, &c.
"PHILADELPHIA, 25th April, 1755.
" Gentlemen :
" The Governor received your letter yesterday at the Time Gov- ernor Shirley was setting out, and laid it before such of the As- sembly as live in Town, and being obliged to accompany Governor Shirley, he commanded me to receive the Result of their Consulta- tions, and send it to You, and if favourable to press You in his Name to proceed to clear the Roads a sufficient Breadth which should be by You thought necessary to be opened, and to make Cause ways and lay Bridges, and to set about it with the utmost Expedition.
" Let nothing, I beseech You, be omitted in your Power. Get a Number of Hands immediately, and further the Work by all possible Methods.
"I am ordered to tell You that all your Expences will pe paid at the next Sitting of Assembly, which begins the Twelfth of May; be not, therefore, any ways concerned about this. Do your Duty, and oblige the General and Quarter-Master if possible. If you can- not please, after You have properly done your Part, You may then rest perfectly satisfied.
"Surely the Flower will be delivered in Time, or great Blame may be laid with Truth at the Door of the Commissioners.
" What Sir John St. Clair says is so far true, that had the Army been ready now and retarded by Delays in Matters undertaken by this Province, all the Mischief thence arising would have been justly chargeable on this Province. But I am mistaken if they can within a Month from this Date get their Artillery so far as your Road, which I suppose is to cross the Road made by Washington over the Allegheny Hills to the Big Meadows, or is it expected that a Road be opened and cleared between Conegochege and the Camp at Wills' Creek ? I thought this had been done by Governor Sharpe.
" Be it as it will, Begin with the Road that will be wanted the first, and finish it if possible before it will be wanted to be used, and then proceed to any other that shall be thought necessary.
" If the Country does not furnish Draught Horses for the Artil- lery the General will be laid under the Necessity of pressing Men and Horses.
"I desire you will consider this Letter as if the Governor himself had wrote it, and if I have omitted any necessary Directions do not delay on that Account, but do the duty and Service required as if your directions had been full and clear and under the Governor's
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Hand and Seal; for whatever is not done that ought to be done will be laid at your Door, since I engage on the Part of the Governor and Assembly that You shall be paid all your Expences in clearing the Roads and making necessary Causeways and Bridges.
"I am, Gentlemen, Your humble Servant,
" RICHARD PETERS.
The Governor further informed the Council that this Letter was immediately sent off by Express, and an Answer returned to it which was likewise read in these words:
" CARLISLE, 29th April, 1755.
" Sir :
"In Obedience to your Honour's Commission to Us, We have viewed and layed out the Roads leading from hence to the Yohiogain and the Camp at Wills' Creek, and enclosed You have the Draughts thereof and the Account of the Disbursment in executing the Com- mission. We have carefully avoided all unnecessary Expence, and shall be proud our Conduct meets with your Honour's Approbation. We received Mr. Peters' Favour of the 25th Currant last night, signifying your Honour's Pleasure that We proceed immediately to open the said Roads which we shall chearfully comply with. To that End We have dispersed our Advertisements through the Counties of Lancaster, York, and Cumberland, to encourage La- bourers to come to Work, and We intend to set off to begin to clear up on Monday first.
"We have applied to Mr. James Wright (who happened to be here at the Time we received Mr. Peters) and John Smith for the necessary Provisions for the Workmen and Wagons, who have agreed to supply Us with whatever we shall want.
" We are Your Honour's most obedient humble Servants,
" JAMES BURD,
" for Self, GEORGE CROGHAN and ADAM HOOPS, # their Order. "To the Honourable ROBT. H. MORRIS, Esqr.
" JOHN ARMSTRONG, "WM. BUCHANAN."
That in his Absence an Express arrived from General Braddock with a Letter, pressing him to expedite the Business of the Roads which was opened by Mr. Peters agrecable to Orders left for that Purpose and communicated to the Speaker and the same Members as he had conferred with before on this Subject. The Letter fol- lows in these Words :
" A Letter from General Braddock to Governor Morris. "Sir :
" I have found it necessary to contract in Pennsylvania for Wagons
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and Horses to attend me over the Mountains, and have already dis- covered the very great Inconvenience of not having a Road from Philadelphia to Wills' Creck, as the March of these Wagons must for Want of it be greatly delayed, and consequently cannot join me so soon or in so good Condition as they otherwise might. It is likewise of such Importance to have a free Communication with your Province to facilitate the march of any Assistance or Convoys I may require from thence, that I dont see how I can with Safety move from Fort Cumberland till that Work is finished or in great Forwardness. I must, therefore, desire You to give your Orders to have it immediately made, and if You cannot prevail on your As- sembly to bear the Expence of it, nevertheless to have it done, and I must be obliged to charge it to the publick Account, I am satisfied You have so much Regard for his Majesty's Service and the Safety of his Colonies, that You will readily and speedily see this important Work carried into Execution.
"I am, Sir, Your most humble and most obedient Servant, "E. BRADDOCK. " Frederick, April 24, 1755."
Upon which Mr. Peters was immediately supplied with Two Hundred Pounds for that Service, who sent the Money up by Ex- press to Mr. John Armstrong with a Copy of General Braddock's Letter, requesting that not a Moment might be lost, but a Number of Hands engaged and put upon the Work directly. In answer he received a Letter from Mr. Armstrong, which was read, re- ferring to Letters sent by Mr. Franklin which were not come to Hand.
A Letter to Mr. Richard Peters from Mr. John Armstrong. " CARLISLE, 3d May, 1755. "Sir :
"Yesterday Mr. Jervis came here, of whom I received the two hundred Pounds sent by the Committee of the Assembly towards the Expence of the new Road, which is come in good Time.
"We have sent a Draught of the Road, both to the Waters of the Yohiogain and to the Camp, by Mr. William Franklin, with all the principal Places marked that occurred to Us, with the Amount of the Charges of laying out both and an Estimate of the Expence of opening and bridging the Road to the Yohiogain from the Tus- carora Mountains. That to the Camp will not cost so much in Pro- portion to its Length because 'tis less hilly, but We expect Amend- ments upon it so as to come into the Other near the Top of Sideling Hill and avoid two Crossings of Juniata, and also to cut off several Miles between the Devil's Hole and the Camp.
" Both Roads will leave little of Fifteen Hundred Pounds, for
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'tis impossible to tell what Expence unexpected Occurrences will arise to.
" The Camp Road touches on Patowmack for seven or eight miles, whereby you can judge whether 'tis in Maryland or not; the Other We studied to keep as near the Heart of our own Province as was consistent with the Situation of the Country and the Place intended to go to, and 'tis probable We have found the best Road that the Allegheny and other Mountains can admit of.
"The Governor's Letters will show You the Measures We are taking to expedite the Opening of the Road, but We fear the Want of a sufficient Number of hands. or Labourers, and think the Gov- ernor's and Assembly's Advertisements should have immediately issued to the Counties Eastward of Sasquehannah, where Labourers are more plenty than here-the half of what We had being en- listed.
"Two Hundred Hands will not make both Roads in Thirty Days. When We come to the branching off of the Camp Road shall it be hastily finished, or may the Hands be divided ?
" We have advertised in Lancaster, York, and Cumberland, half a Crown a Day and Victuals, and wish now that three Shillings had been offered, which wou'd have been a greater Inducement.
" We have Spades and Pick-axes a-making, Crow-Bars We think to borrow, Kettles to boil Provisions must be bought, and some Blankets, &c .; if a sufficient Number of Hands come, two or three Wagons would be necessary to attend them. Mr. James Wright (who was lately here) and Mr. John Smith has agreed to give Us Flower, and Mr. Joseph Armstrong to get Us what Bacon he can. The Commissioners have not been disappointed about Wheat, for they have got more than they agreed to give, and more may yet be had with Us. Perhaps some Inconveniency may have arose from the Miller's not so speedily grinding the Flower (of which I have not heard much) but the Want of more Coopers and Seasoned Stuff has been some Hinderance. Wheat now goes apace to Conegochege, but our Commissioners are not pleased that Cressap's son should receive the Contributions of this Province, least Discredit should arise thro' the Knavery of that Family; 'tis hard to prove any thing, but they strongly suspect.
" As to the Subsistence of Horses, thro' the Inhabitants Pro- visions may be had, giving' previous Notice, and over the North Hills there will be Grass enough in a Week's Time for Short Journeys. There's very little Grass near the Camp, but grows better every Mile backward.
" I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant, "JOHN ARMSTRONG."
The Several Letters were sent to the House, and likewise a Copy
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of the Minutes of Council, containing what passed between the Governor and Taedyuscung and the Wyomink Indians.
A Letter came to the Governor from General Braddock inform- ing him that some Persons were suspected of supplying the French with Provisions, and two of the Inhabitants of Cumberland County were particularly named, against whom the Governor issued War- rants in Council, and wrote the following answer to General Brad- dock :
" Sir-
"I am honoured with your Favours of the Twenty-fourth of April and fourth Instant, the former came to me at New York, where I was with Governor Shirley, and the latter I received Yes- terday by your Express.
" I shall be heartily sorry if the March of the Troops should be retarded or the Supply of Provision rendered more difficult for want of necessary Roads, which it was the Duty of this Province to have opened in Time, but as I have taken the greatest Pains imaginable, ever since my Arrival in this Province in October last, to prevail on the Assembly to grant the Supplies necessary for carrying his Majesty's commands into Execution, I cannot take any Part of the Blame to myself.
" The first Notice I had that such a Road would be wanted was about the twenty-fourth of February, when I received a Letter from Sir John St. Clair, dated the fourteenth of that Month, recom- mending it to me to open a Communication from this Town to the Forks of Yohiogany, which I immediately sent to the Speaker of the Assembly, who with some other of the Members had a Power over Five Thousand Pounds of the Publick Money, but they would neither consent to open that Road or to enable me to do it, upon which I wrote to Sir John ' that I was under very great Difficulties, having no Money at my Command, and obliged for every Article of Expence to apply to a Sett of Men quite unacquainted with every kind of military Service and very unwilling to part with Money upon any Terms.' I must observe to You that the Assembly of the Three Lower Counties upon Delaware, which form a little Government distinct and independent of Pennsylvania, had lodged a Thousand Pounds in the Hands of the Speaker of their House, to be disposed of as he and I should agree for his Majesty's Service; and when he came to Town, which was not till the first Week in March, We agreed to defray the Expence of reconnoitring that Country and surveying a proper Road out of that Money, but though what was then left of it not sufficient to open and clear the same, the Expence of which I agreed to recommend to the Assembly of this Province to bear; and as soon after this as a Commission and proper Instruc- tions could be prepared I issued one on the twelfth of March to a Number of Men acquainted with that Country West of the settled .
Parts of this Province to reconnoitre the Same, and to survey and
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lay out a Road as nigh as they could to the Ohio, and another to Fort Cumberland, and upon the Meeting of the Assembly on the eighteenth of March I strongly recommended it to them to make Provision for that necessary Service, but could not prevail with them to grant any Money for that Purpose, as I fully informed You when I was at Alexandria. But since my Return the same Com- mittee that refused it before have with Difficulty been prevailed on to advance some Money for this Service, and engaged to use their Interest with the Assembly to pay the whole Expence ; whereupon I sent Orders to the Commissioners who had made the Survey to open the Roads with all possible Dispatch, and they began the Work on the first of the Month, and nothing shall be wanting on my Part to further this necessary Service, which would not have remained thus long undune if the Assembly had furnished Money, or I had been sooner informed of your Intention to defray the Expence of it. I should not have been so particular as to this Mat- ter had not Sir John St. Clair taken the Liberty to speak of my Conduct in it in a very improper Manner to the Persons I am employed upon this Service, which may lessen me in the Eyes of those I am appointed to command, but cannot in the least contribute to his Majesty's Service. Had he wrote me on the head, I should have been obliged to him, but as he took another Method I think it unbecoming me to take any other Notice of it than what I have done in Answer to your Letter, being satisfied that You want no Proofs of my Attachment to the Crown or Zeal for his Majesty's Service.
"Upon your Letter I have issued Warrants to apprehend the two Irish Men mentioned in Delap's Information, and such as shall be found carrying Provisions or Warlike Stores to the French, and if any of them are taken I shall have them punished according to an Act of this Province lately made for that Purpose; but as the Laws are slow in their Motions and legal Proofs difficult to be obtained of Transactions carried on in secret and in the remote unsettled Parts of this Country, should your Scouts take any that are concerned in that unnatural Trade, or that utter treasonable Words, I shall not be surprised to hear that You have proceeded to do them Justice in a more summary Way than I am able to do.
" Agreeable to your Request, immediately upon my Return from Alexandria I sent to George Croghan, the Person entrusted with the Management of the Indians in this Province, to join you with as large a Body of able-Bodied Indians as he could. Copy of my Letter to him upon that head I send You herewith, but as I have had no Answer to it I send Mr. Peters, the Secretary of this Prov- ince, to further that Affair and to hasten the opening the Roads.
" The Letter herewith from Governor Shirley will inform You that the Destination of the five hundred Men raised in Jersey is so far enlarged as to admit of their being employed under him at
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Niagara, which is the more necessary as Sir William Pepperell's Regiment is not near full.
"I am glad Mr. Franklin has had Success in procuring You a Number of Horses and Wagons, and I shall endeavour to make my Assembly bear the Charge of them, but cannot say I have any. warm Expectations upon that head. Mr Franklin will be in Town this Evening, and I detain your Messenger till he comes, as he may have something to write You of his Transactions.
"I am, Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient and most humble Servant,
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
"To His Excellency EDWARD BRADDOCK, Esquire.
"Philadelphia, 12th May, 1755."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday, 14th May, 1755. PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
John Penn, Joseph Turner, Richard Peters,
Robert Strettell, Esquires.
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The German Bill was again considered with the Amendments as proposed by the Governor and answered by the House, and it was the unanimous Opinion of the Council that the Bill should be re- turned with the following Amendments, from which they advised the Governor not to recede :
Reply to the Assembly's Answer to the Governor's Amendments.
" AMENDMENTS. 1st. The Governor adheres to all his 1st Amend- ment contained Page 1, 2, 3, & 4, to the Word accountable.
"4th. Recedes from his 4th Amendment, inserting [with the Names of all such Persons ] as in the Answer.
"6th. Agrees to let the Words [or otherwise] stand as in the Bill.
" 7th. Agrees to let the 1st and 2d Lines of Page 8 in the Bill stand as in the Bill.
" 8th, 9th. Adheres to his 8th and 9th amendments, inserting as follows, viz *.: after the Word [them ] in 7th Line of 9th Amendment add [or any Two Justices], and after [Philadelphia ] in 14th Line of Page 6 of the Amendments add for any Two Justices of the Peace of any of the Counties within this Province ], and after the Word [them] in the 20th Line of said 9th Amendment add [or any Two of the Justices aforesaid].
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