USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 46
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" That the Governor may be 'answerable for every Secret of State communicated to him by the King's Ministers, or those employed in His Majesty's Service,' may be true; but if they are such as he is enjoined to lay before the Assembly, and he accordingly recom- mends them as such, we presume he will be acquitted, and the House must be answerable for their own Conduct. But if the Governor supposes that from the Nature of His Station he must be the sole & only Judge what Letters or Papers coming to him on his Majesty's Service are proper to be made public, we are under a Necessity of differing from him so far as such Le'rs. or Papers are to be the Justification of our Conduct, which we presume the House may publish or not according to their own Prudence, in wch. we are assured the Governor may very safely confidc.
" Signed by order of the House.
" ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker. " 27th JUNE, 1755."
Then the Bill was taken into Consideration, and no Reason ap-
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pearing for the giving up any of the Amendments, it was returned to the House with the following Message :
" A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
"I have re-considered the Amendments made by me to the Bill entituled ' An Act for striking the Sum of Fifteen Thousand Pounds in Bills of Credit and giving the same to the King's Use, and for providing a Fund to sink the Bills so to be emitted, And to adhere to those Amendments.'
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" Philadelphia, June 27th, 1755."
The following Letter from Conrad Weiser of the 12th Instant was read in these Words:
A Letter to Governor Morris from Mr. Conrad Weiser. " HEIDLEBERG, in the County of Berks, June the 12th, 1755.
" Honoured Sir :
" Last Night I arrived safe at my House from Ofstuacky, an In- dian Town about 45 miles above Shamokin on the North-West Branch of Susquehannah River, where I have been with Ten hired Men to fence in a Corn Field for the Indians according to Your Honour's Order ; But when I came there I found the Indians that petitioned the Governor for that Purpose had mostly deserted the Place for want of Provision, and chiefly for having lost all their Corn by that great Frost in the Night between the 29th and 30th of May last past, which was the second Frost they had on that River since their Corn was up and entirely killed it. There was only Jonathan and one of the Cayugas named Canadics, upon the Spot with their Families. They thanked Your Honour very sin- cerely for the Kindness You had shewn in sending Hands to fence in their Cornfield; but said That as they cou'd have no hopes of getting one Grain of Corn this Year from what they had planted, they thought it Needless to have a Fence made about their Fields, but shou'd be extremely glad if the Government wou'd help them with some Provision in their present Necessity, which I promised to use my Endeavours or to write to your Honour to get it for them. I left one Sack of Flower with them, the same I did to the Indians at Canasoragy, about Ten Miles on this side of Otstuacky, and Two Sacks at Shamokin, with the Rest of the Provision I took up with Me for the Hand and cou'd now spare.
"I have bought of Christian Laver Lower, a Miller of Tulpe- hockon, 120 Bushels of good Wheat, and 60 Bushels of Jacob Fisher his Neighbour, to be distributed among the Indians as your Honour will be pleased to direct.
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" I gave them Hopes that the Meal shou'd be delivered to John Harris' Ferry, where they cou'd fetch it by Water, and I believe it will be the cheapest Way. There is a good Waggon Road from Christian Lavirs' Mill to Harris',-The Distance about 40 Miles, And Waggons may be had reasonably.
" In my going up I took Johin Shickallamy with Me, and as we past by Canasoragy, where an Indian Town now is, John told me that it wou'd be very unmannerly or unbecoming Me not to say something to them Indians (chiefly Shawonese and Chickasaws), as I was a Public Person and trusted wb. Indian Affairs, And'that the Indians longed to hear from the Governour of Pennsylvania how Things are concerning the War, &ca-
"I, therefore, told the Indians who were then met in Council That I was sent by the Governor of Pennsylvania to Ostuacky to fence in a Cornfield for the Indians there according to their Petition sent down last Winter to the Governor and his Council by Cayen- quiligoa and others, And that the Governor took this Opportunity to send his Salutation to them, and had ordered me to acquaint them, Ist. That the King of Great Britain had sent a great Number of Men and Ammunition, who are now on their March to drive away the French from Ohio by Force.
" 2dly. That no War was yet proclaimed between the English and French, but That it was daily expected ; That in the mean Time the Governor desires them to stop their Ears to every Thing what the French cou'd say to them and to listen altogether to the Eng- lish, and to depend upon that their Brethren the English will strictly observe the Treaties of Friendship subsisting between them and their Brethren the Indians.
" 3dly. That as soon as the Governor wou'd receive the News of War being proclaimed between the English and French, the Gov- ernor wou'd let them know, and whatever else shou'd pass worth their Notice."
Gave a String of Wampum.
" There are about 20 Men in this Town when they are all at Home. Five or 6 of them are Chickasaws that lived many Years among the Shawonese. There happened then to be Two Messengers from the Chickasaw Nation in the Town with some particular Mess- age to them. I cou'd not then learn what it was. One of those Messengers told Me that his Nation wou'd be mighty glad to see the English in earnest to fight the French, That they the Chicka- saws had observed that wherever the French came they did Mischief, And that they are now generally hated among the Southern In- dians.
" The Indians of this Town informed Me that a few Days ago some Shawonese Indian came from Ohio and reported that the French are in a very poor Condition at Ohio, their Provision being
.
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half Rotten, And that there is not 150 Men there, And that all their Indians had left them, but a very few French praying Indians are yet with them. I have nothing else to trouble your Honour with at present, But am,
" Sir, Your most obedient, " CONRAD WEISER."
A Letter from Governor Dinwiddie was read in these Words :
" VIRGA., WILLIAMSBURG, June 10th, 1755. " Sir :
" Yours of the 2nd Currt I received from Mr. Hunter. I have a Letter from the General to the Purport of what he wrote You, with an Addition to send some Men to Fort Cumberland to defend it against any Surprize, as he intended to take all the effective Men from that Fort with him.
"Our Assembly meets on Tuesday next, when I shall make proper Application to be enabled to do what he directs. I hope You will meet your Assembly in good Temper, and I agree to pay one-Third of the Charges (if the General succeeds in taking the Fort at the Ohio). He will leave at least Two Hundred Men in it. Their Pay, with Provisions, will be a considerable daily Expence.
" I have ordered Ten Pieces of Cannon, with all their Appurte- nances, to be sent to Fort Cumberland, and from thence to the Ohio. Provisions for the Soldiers will be much wanted, which I conceive you may easily supply from Your Province. Pray write me the result of your Assembly, and what Dependance may be on the Sup- ply of Provision. I wish you Health & Success in Your Applica- tion, & am, Sir,
"Your most h'ble Servt. " ROBT. DINWIDDIE. " Gov". MORRIS."
A Letter from General Braddock of the 21st Inst was likewise in these Words :
A Letter from His Excellency General Braddock to Governor Morris.
" BEAR CAMP, June 21st, 1755.
" Sir :
"I have this Day received your Two Letters of June 12th & 16th, And am much obliged to You for the Trouble you have had as well with Regard to the Magazine of Provisions as the Forage you have procured for Me. I have a firm Dependance upon your Care and Regard for the Service you have undertaken that I shall
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meet with no Disappointment, and that every thing will be con- ducted in the best Manner.
" I shall order the Deputy Pay Master to send Mr. Franklin a Draught by this Opportunity upon Col. Hunter for £1,000 Sterle. on Account of the Purchase of the Forage. You will please to let me know what further Demands there may be on that Account. When I am further advanced I shall be able to judge better of the Expediency of forming a second Magazine upon the New Road. The Party I have sent for the Protection of your People working upon that Road will I hope be a sufficient Security for them against all Pannicks.
" Gov". Morris :
" I am obliged to You for the inclosed from Captain Bradstreet. Herewith I send you some Letters which are to go to the North- ward, And you'll be so good as to forward in the best Manner.
"I am, Sir, Your most humble and most obedient Servant,
"E. BRADDOCK.
"P. S .- As it is perfectly understood here in what Part the Road making in your Province is to communicate w" that thro' wch I am now proceeding to Fort Du Quesne, I must beg that You and Mr. Peters will immediately settle it, and send an express on Pur- pose after me with the most exact Description of it, that there may be no Mistake in a Matter of so much Importance."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Saturday the 28th, of June, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
John Penn,
Richard Peters,
Joseph Turner,
Lynford Lardner, S Esquires.
The Bill for striking Ten Thousand Pounds for exchanging ragged and torn Bills, &a., being returned to the Governor last Night w ". a Message "that the House had agreed to sundry of His proposed Amendments. and desired he would be pleased to pass the Bill as it then stood;" the same was again taken into Considera- tion, and the Governor not thinking it worth while to insist on the remaining Amendments returned the Bill with a Message, " that he had withdrawn his first Amendment and agreed to the Amend- ments the House had made upon his Second proposed Amendment, and was ready to pass the same into a Law when it shou'd be pre- sented to him for that Purpose."
Mr. Peters was appointed to compare the engrossed Bill, and
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having compared it found it agree with the Draught. The House was required to attend the Governor in the Council Chamber, where the Bill was enacted into a Law, the Great Seal affixed to it, and it was lodged in the Roll's Office to be recorded.
The House acquainted the Governor that they proposed to ad- journ to the First day of September, And His Honour made no Objection thereto.
The Governor laid before the Council an Extract he had received of News of the English taking the French Forts of Beausejour, Pont du Buott, and the Fort on the Side of the Bay Verte, and it was read in these words :
Extract of News of the taking of the French Forts Beau Sejour, &c. " BOSTON.
"On Tuesday last arrived in Town Major Bowone who left the English Camp near Chegnecto on the 18th Instant, charged with Dispatches from the Honble. Colon1 Monckton to His Excellency Governor Shirley, and brings Us the agreeable News that on the first Day of this Instant in the Evening His Excellency Governor Shirley's Two New England Regiments arrived at Chegnecto in the Bay of Funda, and on the Second landed and joined His Majesty's regular Forces there near Fort Lawrence ; That the English Troops marched the 4th and invested the French Fort of Beau Sejour (now called Fort Cumberland) in the Evening, And in their Way took Possession of Pont Du Buott, where the French had a Battery of 4 small Pieces of Cannon and a Block House, and had posted 400 men to oppose their Passage, who soon retired when closely attacked, and left their Block House and the sundry adjacent Houses in Flames. Our Forces began to Bombard the French Fort from Batteries advanced within 500 yards of It on the 13th, which by a constant Fire obliged the French to surrender before our Gun Batteries were finished on the 16th Instant. The Fort is a regular Pentagon with 26 Pieces of Cannon mounted chiefly with 12, 9, and 6 Pounders, And one Ten Inch Mortar; Was garrisoned with 150 regular Troops and 400 Peasants, commanded by Mons". Du Chambou ; was plentifully furnished with Provisions, as well as all other kinds of Stores. The regular Troops are to be transported to Louisbourg, and under a Prohibition of bearing Arms in North America for 6 Months. The French Fort on the side of the Bay Verte had accepted the same Terms of Capitulation; And Colon1. Winsloe marched with 500 Men the same Morn" that Major Bourne came away in order to take Possession of it; And that the Forces were soon to sail for St. John's River, where it was not doubted they wou'd have the like Success."
The Governor by the last London Ships received from the Pro- prietaries a Copy of an Address made by the Assembly to Ilis
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Majesty, dated the 7th Day of last January, and the same was read in these Words :
" COPY OF A REPRESENTATION TO HIS MAJESTY MADE BY THE ASSEMBLY, DATED THE 7TH OF JANUARY, 1755 :
" To our Gracious Sovereign George the Second of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, &ca :
" The Humble Address of the Representatives of the Freemen of the Province of Pennsylvania in Assembly met this Seventh Day of the first Month called January, 1755, In all humble Manner Sheweth,
" That the early Settlers of this Province were generally Men of sober Morals & good Estates, who chearfully embarked themselves, their Families, and their Substance under the Protection of the Royal Charter granted by King Charles the Second to our late much Honoured Proprietor William Penn in order to cultivate this Tract of Land at the imminent Hazard of their Lives, and at their own ' Expence.
"That the Inhabitants at that Time besides the Native Indians were few, whose Manner of Living was of little or no Advantage to our Mother Country.
" That upon the Encouragement of the said Charter, and in hopes of enjoying the Liberties and Immunities thereby granted to the Adventurers, a considerable Colony came over hither and made great Improvements in a Wilderness among the Natives and others of Custums, Manners, and Languages widely different or entirely unknown to the generality of those Adventurers; Who, Neverthe- less, under all these Disadvantages by their Hospitality, Benevo- lence, and Justice, soon gained the Esteem of all and the entire Confidence and Love of the Indians, which hath subsisted without the least Interruption to this Day. And we are well assured as well from the Transactions of the late Treaty at Albany as from the large Experience we had during the last War and at all other Times, That the Six Nations of Indians, whatever Dispositions they may entertain towards other English Colonies, entertain for Us in particular a cordial and sincere Affection.
" That thus secured of the Love and Affection of the Indians, tho' at a very considerable Expence, we have under God's Blessing enjoyed uninterrupted Peace, by which Means we are now become a numerous People composed of different Nations widely different in our Religious Sentiments, Yet by the Equity of our Laws & the cqual Toleration and Enjoyment of our civil and religious Liberties, of charitable Sentiments for each other and all united in Support of Them, as granted by our Charter from the King's Royal Pre- decessor.
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" That after the first Settlement was thus laid, and Numbers as well of our own as other Nations imported themselves among us, with the great natural Increase of the Inhabitants very generally frugal and industrious, we now add considerably to the Trade and Wealth of Great Britain, Altho' by that Trade which from the Manufactures and other Necassaries we have from thence the Bal- ance is exceedingly in our Disfavour, and apparently drains us of greatest part of the Money we can procure from the West India Islands and every Other Place to which we export the Produce of our Country.
"But Notwithstanding these and all other Discouragements we have chearfully continued the same Course of Industry under the Sanction of our Charter, well knowing every Thing in our Power is of small Moment in Comparison of our civil and religious Liber- ties granted to us by that truly Royal Charter, which we humbly hope we have never infringed or violated on our Part to this Day. And yet, after trying ineffectually a generous Use of our Money and every other more cligible Method, We are now under the Necessity of submitting our Cause to our gracious Sovereign, Who has been pleased to declare ' That Nothing in this World can give him so much Pleasure as to see [his Subjects] a flourishing and happy People.' And we are embolden'd from these remote Parts of His Dominions to throw ourselves upon his Justice and Clemency towards Us his most loving and Loyal Subjects in this his Infant Colony.
" We are in humble Duty bound to acknowledge, and we do ac- knowledge the King's Royal Orders, signified by the Earl of Hol- derness' Letter to our Governor of the Twenty-Eighth of August, 1753, and Sir Thomas Robinson's several Letters of the 5th of July and the 26th of October last, carry with them such Marks of Justice towards those with whom he is in Amity, and such Paternal Regard and Affection for all his Subjects, however mean or distant from his Royal Person, as must and will distinguish his happy Reign over Us; and therefore in Compliance with those Orders wc readily and chearfully voted a Sum of Money for the King's Use, and with all possible Dispatch in this our present Sessions sent up a Bill to our Governor for Striking Twenty Thousand Pounds in Bills of Credit for that Purpose. Altho' this Province sustains and has for a considerable Time past been under very heavy Charges for Indian Treaties and the Maintenance of a large Number of our Indian Allies from the Ohio who have taken Refuge within this Government, Nevertheless Our Governor after repeated Solicitations has been pleased to refuse his Assent to that Bill, induced thereto as we unanimously presume and believe, principally if not solely by Restrictions he has received from our Proprietaries, wch notwith- standing our Respectful Addresses that he wou'd be pleased to com- municate them to us, so far at least as they related to this our Bill, VOL. VI .- 29.
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he hath absolutely refused to comply with, and thereby has hindered us from demonstrating our chearfull & ready Complyance with the said Royal Orders in the manner we cou'd wish and desire. So far, however, as we have the Means in our own Power, we have thought it incumbent upon Us and we have accordingly taken'effectual Mea- sures on the Credit of this Province to answer the reasonable Com- mands Laid upon Us in Sir Thomas Robinson's last Letter, by pro- curing a Supply of fresh Victuals and other Necessaries for the King's Troops whenever they may arrive among us. And we hope our King will be graciously pleased to accept of this for the present in Lieu of what we have earnestly entreated might be done by our united Legislative Power, and which we presume ought to have been done had our Governor been at Liberty to act unrestrained by Pro- prietary Instruction, which we humbly hope on Examination may appear to be not only an Infraction on our Charter but at this critical Juncture a manifest Injury to the British Interest in North America, and always of dangerous Consequence.
" We, therefore, humbly beseech our King if after hearing us upon these important Heads it should be made to appear that such Proprietary Restrictions are of dangerous Consequence to the Brit- ish Interest or an Infringement of our Charter, that he wou'd be graciously pleased to grant us such Redress as may be agreable to his Princely Compassion and Justice Who have ever been and are his loving and dutiful Subjects.
"Signed by Order of the House.
" ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday the 3d of July, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esqr., Lieu- tenant Governor.
John Penn,
Robert Strettell,
Esquires.
Joseph Turner,
Richard Peters,
The Governor called the Council to consider a Letter he had re- ceived from Governor Shirley, informing him of the Arrival of a French Fleet at Louisburg, and recommending an Embargo to pre- vent their being supplied with Provisions & Warlike Stores for one Month or until the Accounts from the Eastward shall make such Precaution unnecessary.
The Attorney General, the Collector, and the Naval Officer were desired to attend; and it being the Unanimous Opinion of Gov- ernor, Council, and those Gentlemen, that an Embargo on Provisions and Warlike Stores wou'd be very usefull, Orders issued directly
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from the Governor to the Collectors of this and the other Govern- ment not to clear Vessels till further Order that had on board Pro- visions or Warlike Stores.
A Letter from Governor Phipps, of Boston, of the 30th June was read, covering a Letter from Governor Lawrence of the 21st, with the following Intelligence inclosed from Admiral Boscawen of the 17th of June :
An Extract of a Letter from Admiral Boscawen to Lieutent. Governor Lawrence, dated on Board the Torbay, the 17th June, 1755.
" TORBAY, 17th June, 1755, OFF CAPE BRETON. " Sir :
" Herewith I send you a Letter from Sir Thomas Robinson, as also Three others from Sir Thomas Robinson to the Governors of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and Connec- ticut, which I desire you will dispatch to the Governors as directed as soon as possible, and that you will acquaint them all the French have sent into these Parts a strong Detachment of Troops, consist- ing of Six Battallions of old Troops, under the Convoy of three large Men of War and some Frigates. In pursuance of His Majesty's Instructions to me I have seized one Man of War of Sixty-Four the Alcide, and the Lis, pierced for Seventy-four Guns, her lower Battery not mounted, having on Board Eight Companies of Foot, several Engineers, and the military Chest or part of it. Monsieur de Bostange, who was to have commanded the Troops in the second Post, was killed on board the Alcide."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Friday the 4th July, 1755.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor, &ca.
John Penn,
Richard Peters,
Joseph Turner, - Esquires.
The Embargo taking place Yesterday and the Collector refusing to clear any Vessels, Eleven Petitions were presented to the Gov- ernor by the Owners or Factors of Eleven Vessels bound for the West Indies, Hallifax, and other Places, setting forth the Hardships that wou'd attend them by means of the Embargo.
The Case of every particular Vessel was distinctly taken into Consideration, and written Permissions given to the Collector where it was thought just and right, under express Condition of their en- tring into Bonds to unload, &ca., at the respective Places of their Destination, And to go under the Convoy of Ilis Majesty's Ship, the Jamaica Sloop, Captain Hood, now in Port, who promises to
-
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take Care and see them a good way on their Voyages, as he is sta- tion'd at Providence.
The following Letters were read and orderd to be entered on the Minutes, and they accordingly follow in these Words, vizt- :
A Letter from Governor Morris to the Commissioners on the Road, dated Yesterday, directed to Mr. James Burd.
" PHILADA., July 3d, 1755.
"Sir :
" I have by this Post the Honour of a Letter from General Brad- dock, who desires ' that as it is not perfectly understood in what Part your Road is to communicate with that thro' which he is now proceeding to Fort Du Quesne, this may be immediately settled by Me, and an Express sent after him with the most exact Description of it that there may be no Mistake in a Matter of such Importance.
" I cou'd have wished the General had enquired this of You by a special Messenger, but as he has thought proper to write to Me upon the Subject I must refer him to your Judgment, not being able to form any of my own for want of Information.
" I took it for granted by the Report that the Commissioners made on their Return from examining the Country and laying out a Road to Mohongealo in the most convenient places that the Waters or Mountains wou'd admit, that such Road must pass the Turkey Foot or Three Forks of Ohiogany, and that there cou'd be no Road got to the Northward. If I am right in this, then it shou'd, seem to Me that as the General's Road passes thro' the great Crossings of Ohiogany, which is but Three Miles from the Junction of the Three Branches, that from the Turkey Foot the Place where the Two Roads can best meet is at the great Crossings, And that you must open and clear your Road so far as that. But if I am mistaken, and your own Experience with all the Persons of Judgment along with You, You are to Name some other Place to the General, and give him a Draught and exact Description of it, and send it to him by Express, for wch. purpose I have wrote a Letter to Captain Hog to dispatch away one of his Officers, who may at the same Time give a verbal Account to the General, and explain all Matters that may remain doubtfull or want Explanation.
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