USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 7
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"I am, Sir, Your very humble Servant, "ANDREW MONTOUR.
" RICHARD PETERS, Esquire."
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MEMORANDUM.
On the Thirtieth Day of May the Governor sign'd the following Commission for John Penn, Richard Peters, Benjamin Franklin, and Isaac Norris, Esquires, to hold a Treaty with the Six United Nations of Indians at Albany in Conjunction with the Lieutenant Governor of New York and the Commissioners of the other Gov- ernments :
[L. s.] " George the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Bri- tain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, To Our Trusty and well-beloved John Penn, Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Benjamin Franklin, of the City of Philadelphia, Esquires, Greeting :
" Whereas, the Honourable James De Lancy, Esquire, Our Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Our Province of New York, has received Our Directions to hold an Interview with our loving and good Allies the Six United Nations of Indians at the City of Albany within Our said Province for delivering to them Our Presents and for renewing the Covenant Chain with them, and has fixed upon the Fourteenth Day of June ensuing for this Pur- pose; and it has been usual when an Interview has been held with these Indians for all his Majestie's Colonies whose Interest and Se- curity is connected with and depends upon them to join in such an Interview, and it appears to us that the present Disposition of those Indians, and the attempts which have been made to withdraw them from our Interest do make such a general Interview more particu- larly necessary at this Time, when the Subjects of the French King have actually marched into and erected Forts and committed Hostilities within the known Limits of our Dominions ; Know Ye, that Reposing Special Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Abilities, and Prudence, We have thought fit to nominate and ap- point You the said John Penn, Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Benjamin Franklin, and Every of You, our Commissioners on Be- half of Our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid, in Conjunction with Our Lieutenant Governor of New York and with the Commissioners of the other Governments, to treat with the said Six United Nations of Indians at Albany, or with their or any or every of their Chiefs of Delegates, and with them to renew, ratify, and confirm the Leagues of. Amity subsisting between Us and the said Nations of Indians, and to make them the Presents that have been provided for them by the Governor and Assembly of Our said Province of Pennsylvania; and further, to do, act, transact, and finally to conclude and agree with the Indians aforesaid all and every other Matter and Thing which to You shall appear necessary for the engaging them heartily in our Interest, and for frustrating any Attempts which have been made to withdraw them from it, as
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fully and amply to all Intents, Constructions, and Purposes, as Our Governor of Our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid might or could do being Personally present : Hereby ratifying, confirming, and holding for firm and effectual whatsoever You the said John Penn, Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Benjamin Franklin, or any of You, shall lawfully do in and about the Premises. In Testimony whereof We have caused the Great Seal of Our said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness, JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire (by Vertue of a Commission from Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Es- quires, true and absolute Proprietaries of the said Province, and with Our Royal Approbation), Lieutenant Governor and Com- mander-in-Chief of the Province aforesaid, and Counties of New- castle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware, at Philadelphia the Thirtieth Day of May, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty-four, and in the Twenty-Seventh Year of Our Reign."
The Governor wrote the following Letter and sent it by the Com- missioners to Mr. De Lancy :
"PHILADELPHIA, June 2d, 1754.
" Sir :
" In obedience to his Majestie's Order I now send Commissioners to the Interview which the King has been pleased to direct You to . hold with the Six Nations at Albany for the Purposes set forth in the Letter from the Lords of Trade. The Gentlemen I have nom- inated are Mr. Penn, Mr. Peters, Mr. Norris, and Mr. Franklin ; the Two first are of the Council here, the others of the Assembly, of which Mr. Norris is Speaker. I am in hopes they will be found to answer in every Respect the Character their Lordships have pointed out to us in the Choice of Commissioners, and by a candid and ingenious Behaviour entitle themselves to your particular No- tice and Civilities, to which I beg leave to recommend them.
'" It would have given me the greatest Satisfaction could I have sent these Gentlemen to you under Instructions agreable to your own Plan, which I am convinced is extremely well calculated for his Majestie's Service and the Interest and Security of these Colo- nies, and this I have not failed frequently to represent to the lead- ing Men of our Assembly in private as well as to the whole in Publick. But from the particular Views of Some and the Igno- rance and Jealousy of Others, I have not been able to obtain from them any specific Powers or Advices in relation to this Affair; and have, therefore, been obliged to content myself with giving them a general Commission to renew the Covenant Chain with the Six Nations, and to frustrate as much as lies in their Power any At- tempts that have been made to withdraw them from the British Interest. I am in hopes, nevertheless, with you, that upon a full and free Discussion of the State of the Colonies at the Treaty,
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something of general Utility may be agreed upon, or that a candid Representation of our Condition may be made to his Majesty, and his Interposition implored for our Protection ; since unless some proper Measures be speedily taken, I can see nothing to prevent this very fine Province, owing to the Absurdity of its Constitution and the Principles of the governing Parts of its Inhabitants, from being an easy Prey to the Attempts of the Common Enemy.
" Our Assembly after having met three several Times to deliberate on the Subject of the Expedition to Ohio, at length presented me a Bill for granting to his Majesty an Aid of Ten Thousand Pounds and entrusted me with the Disposal of it, and I pleased myself with the hopes of being able to employ it in such manner as might have been servicable to the general Interest as well as to our own Safety; but on Perusal of the Bill I found it so crowded with ad- vantages to themselves and so entirely calculated to render them independant of the Governor for a Long Term of Time, that I could not consistent with my Honour or the Trust reposed in me give my assent to it; and as, notwithstanding all I could say to them, they continued obstinately to adhere to the Bill, I was to my great Mor- tification obliged to reject it, so that Mr. Dinwiddie is not like to receive any Assistance from Us for this Year. Hence I am in- clined to think they were more concerned to save Appearances in regard to what his Majesty had been pleased to recommend to them than to consult either the King's Interest or the Safety of the Pro- vince ; and further, that the Progress of the French in possessing themselves of his Majestie's Lands will never be effectually opposed but by means of an act of Parliament compelling the Colonies to contribute their respective Quotas for that Service independant of Assemblies, some of which in this Part of the World are either so ignorant as not to foresee Danger at the smallest distance, or so ob- stinate as to pay no Regard to it but upon Terms incompatible with all Government.
"I have, agreeable to your Desire, sent Mr. Weiser with the Commissioners, and directed him to do You all the Service in his Power, which he professes most willingly to do, and only requests that He may not be made Use of as a principal Interpreter, inas- much as from a Disuse of the Language He is no longer Master of that Fluency he formerly had, and finding himself at a Loss for proper Terms to express himself is frequently obliged to make Use of Circumlocution, which would picque his Pride in the View of so considerable an Audience. He says he understands the Language perfectly when he hears it spoken, and will at all Times attend and Use his Endeavour that whatever is said by the Indians be truly interpreted to the Gentlemen; and in this Respect I really think You may securely rely on his good Sense and Integrity.
" I beg Leave to acquaint You that the Proprietor has been for some time past desirous of giving Encouragement to People for the VOL. VI .- 4.
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Settlement of his Frontiers, but for Want of an Indian Purchase has not been able to do it. I have, therefore, directed Mr. Penn and Mr. Peters, when other Business will permit, to make Use of the Opportunity of sounding the Indians upon that Subject, to which should they seem enclined You will confer a particular Obligation both on the Proprietors and me by assisting with your good offices.
"I have only to wish You a pleasant Journey to Albany, and an happy and successful Issue to your Negociations, and to assure You that I am,
Sir, You most obedient and most humble Servant,
"JAMES HAMILTON.
" Governor DE LANCEY."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Saturday, 20th July, 1754. PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Robert Strettell, William Till, Joseph Turner,
Esquires.
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Governor laid before the Board the following Letter and In- telligence received by Express from Col. James Innes of Virginia, containing an Account of the Defeat of the English Forces under the Command of Col. Washington, by a Body of French Troops commanded by Monsieur De Villier, at a Place called the Great Flats or Meadows, about Forty Miles on this Side the River Ohio, with other Advices of great Importance to his Majestie's Service, and informed the Council that he thought it absolutely necessary to convene the Assembly before the Time to which they now stand adjourned ; and the Council concurring with his Honour in this Opinion, Writs issued for their Meeting on Tuesday the Sixth day of August next.
A Letter to Governor Hamilton from Col. Innes.
" Honour'd Sir :
" Having Notice of a Person going to your Province immediately, I thought it proper on this Occasion to give You a short Detail of what has lately happened.
" After having regulated the March and the Transportation of the North Carolina Regiments, I immediately proceeded to Wil-
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liamsburg, and by my Commission from Governor Dinwiddie as Commander-in-Chief of this Expedition, I proceeded to Winchester where I arrived the thirtieth of June, in order to take the Com- mand upon me and to bring up the New York Two Independant Companies with those of the North Carolina Regiments then upon their March from Alexandria for this Town.
" Col. Washington with the Virginia Regiment and Cap". McKay with the South Carolina Independant Company, together did consist but of Four Hundred Men, of which a good many were sick and out of Order. On the Third of July the French, with about nine Hundred Men and a considerable Body of Indians, came down upon our Encampment, and continued to fire from all Quarters from eleven in the morning till night, when the French called out to our Peo- ple they would give them good Conditions if they would capitulate, a Copy of which I hear enclose You.
"After the Capitulation the French demolished the Works, and in some time after retir'd to the Ohio, taking Two Captains as Hostages along with them. We all know the French are a People that never pay any Regard to Treaties longer than they find them consistent with their Interest, and this Treaty they broke immedi- ately by letting the Indians demolish and destroy every Thing our People had, especially the Doctor's Box, that our Wounded should meet with no Relief. In this action it is said We had about one hundred killed and wounded, a Third whereof is supposed to be killed : it is reported We killed double the Number of the French. If this does not alarm the neighbouring Governments, nothing can, and I make no doubt but the French will soon claim this fine Body of Land as their Right by Conquest, if We do not immediately raise a sufficient Force to convince them of the contrary. What I can learn of their Forces is, that they had Seven Hundred in their First Division, Eight Hundred in their next, and Five Hundred in the last, not as yet joined, which with their Indians makes a consider- able Body.
" Col. Washington and Capt. McKay told me there were many of our Friend Indians along with the French, sundry of which came up and spoke to them, told them they were their Brothers, and asked them how they did, particularly Sasquehannah Jack, and others that distinguished themselves by their Names; it is also reported there were sundry of the Delawares there. We had not one Indian to assist when the Action commenced or ended.
" It is my real Opinion that nothing will secure to Us the Indians now in our Friendship if we allow ourselves to be baffled by the French, as it is very natural and common for a more polite People than the Indians to side with the strongest, so there is a Necessity either to go into the case in Dispute heartily at once or to give it up entirely. We all may see the unlimited Encroachments of the French, who in time will very modestly look on every Part of
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America as their Right, if they can worm the unhappy, unthinking People out of it by degrees, which at last must happen by the same Rule ; Witness Hispianola from the Spaniards and St. Lucia from Us. Many more Instances might be given to which You are no Stranger.
" I am, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant,
" JAMES INNES.
" Winchester, 12th July, 1754."
" Capitulation accordee par Monsieur De Villier, Capitaine d' Infan- terie, Commandant des Troupes de sa Majeste tres Chretienne, a celuy des Troupes Angloises actuellement dans le Fort de Ne- cessite, qui avoit ete construit sur les Terres du Domain du Roi, ce 3 Juillet, a huit Heures du Soir scavoir.
" Comme notre Intention n'a jamais ete de troubler la Paix et la bonne Harmonie qui regnoit entre les deux Princes amis, mais seulement de vanger l'assassin qui a ete fait sur un de nos officiers, porteurs d'Une Somation, et sur son Escort, comme aussi d'em- pecher aucun Etablissement sur les Terres du Domain du Roi mon maitre, a ces Considerations, nous voulons bien accorder Grace a tous les Anglois qui sont dans le dit Fort, aux Conditions apres.
" ARTICLE 1.
"Nous accordons au Commandant Anglois de se retirer avec toute Sa Garrison, pour s'en retourner paisiblement dans son Pays ; et lui promettons d'empecher qu'il luy soit fait aucune Insulte par nos Francois, et do maintenir, autant qu'il sera en notre pouvoir, tous les Sauvages qui sont avec nous.
"2.
" Il lui sera permis de sortir, et demporter tout ce qui leur appar- tiendra a l'exception de l'Artillerie, que nous nous reservons.
"3.
" Que nous leurs accordons les honneurs de la Guerre, qu'ils sortiront tembour batant, avec une Piece de petit Canon, voulant bien par la, leur prouver que nous les traitons en Amis.
"4.
" Que sitot les Articles signer de Part et d'autre, ils ameneront le Pavillon Anglois.
"5.
" Que demain a la Pointe du jour un Detachement Francois ira pour faire defiler la Garrison, et prendre Possession du dit Fort.
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“6.
" Que comme les Anglois n'ont presqua plus de Chevaux ni Bœufs, ils seront libres de mettre leurs Effets en cache, pour venir les chercher, quand ils auront rejoints des Chevaux, ils pourront a cette fin y laisser des Gardiens en tel nombre qu'ils voudront, aux Conditions qu'ils doneront Parole d'Honneur de ne plus travailler a aucun Etablissement dans ce bien, ni en de ca la Hauteur des Terres pendant une Annee a Compter de ce Jour.
"7
" Que comme les Anglois ont en leur pouvoit un Officier, deux Cadets, et generalement les Prisoniers qu'ils nous ont fait dans l'Assassinat du Sr. de Jumonville, et qu'ils promettent de les ren- voyer avec Sauvegarde jusqu'au Fort du Quesne, situe sur la Belle Riviere ; et que pour Surete de cet Article, ainsi que de ce Trait Mr. Jacob Vambram, et Robert Stobo tous deux Capitaines, nous Seront remis en Otage jusqu'a l'Arrivee de nos Canadiens et Francois c'y dessus mentionez, nous nous obligeons de notre cote a donner Escorte pour ramener en Surete ces deux Officiers qui nous promettent nos Francois dans deux Mois et demi pour lc plus tard.
" Fait double sur un des Postes de notre Blocus ce jour et an que dessus.
" COULON VILLIER."
Then was read a Letter from Governor Shirley, enclosing a Copy af Peter Frank's Deposition taken before him, which are as fol- lows :
" BOSTON, May 20, 1754.
" Sir :
"I am obliged to your Honour for the Favour of your Letter and the enclosed Papers in it by the last Post. I am in hopes the late Stroke of the French may produce an happy Effect for raising a proper Spirit in the Colonics and elsewhere.
"I enclose you a Copy of a Deposition, which, if the French execute the Design enclosed in it, will greatly affect the Security of the neighbouring Colonies to Crown Point.
" Governor Wentworth informs me by the last Post that the In- dians have begun Hostilities within his Government.
" I congratulate You upon what an article of the publick Print mentions, that your Honour hath carried the Point You have been labouring with your Government of contributing to the Support of the Common Cause. I hope all your Endeavours for the publiek Service will be crowned with the like Success, tho' in a perverse Assembly, and that You have perfectly recovered your Health.
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"I am obliged to You for your Design of answering the Re- mainder of my last Letter, and am with a very real Esteem and Respect,
" Sir, Your Honour's most humble and most obedient Servant,
"W. SHIRLEY.
" Honourable Governor HAMILTON."
Copy of Peter Frank's Deposition taken before Governor Shirley.
" Peter Frank, Native of Luxembourg, in the Emperor's Do- minions, upon Oath declares, That in the Year 1751 he was sent from Quebec with a Company in which he was Serjeant to Fort Saint Frederick, at Crown Point, where he arrived in the Month of August the same Year, and remained till November following; That during his Continuance at said Fort an Engineer and the Commis- sary from Montreal came there, and this Deponent saw them mea- sure and mark out a Place for a New Fort upon a rocky Eminence where there is a fine Spring of Water, about Three Hundred Paces from Fort Saint Frederick, which Eminence overlooks said Fort, and he heard the Commanding Officer at said Fort say they would begin to build the new Fort the year following, and to encourage the Soldiers said officer told them they would get Money next Year, for they would all be employed about the Work; That after this Deponent had deserted from Crown Point, and during his Stay at Albany, the People of this last-mentioned Place told him the afore- said Eminence was exactly the Spot from whence Fort St. Frederick ought to be attack'd.
" This Deponent further declares, that in the Month of Novem- ber, 1751, he deserted from Crown Point and escaped to Albany, where he remained Two Months, from thence he went to New York, where he married a Wife, and remained there about Two Years, and then came to Boston, from whence in about Seven Days he departed in Order to live on a Settlement at Swan Island in Kennebeck River ; that he dwelt on said Island from August, 1753, till May 2d, 1754, when he came off from said Island for fear of being taken by the Indians and carried to Quebec, as he had been often thircat- ned by them and the Priest himself, who resides among the Indians, particularly the Day before he left Swan Islands Two Indians came to the House where he dwelt and said, take care of yourself, perhaps in about Fifteen Days We shall begin the Dance, and a great many French Soldiers will come with Us.
" This Deponent further declares that he is a Lutheran, and chooses to live from the French on account of his Religion.
his " PETER M FRANK. mark
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" Boston, May 11th, 1754. The above written Peter Frank made Solemn Oath to the Truth of the foreging Declaration.
" Before me, W. SHIRLEY, Governor.
" A true Copy. Examined
"THO". CLARKE, Dpty. Secry."
And then the following Letter from Governor Dinwiddie was read :
"WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia, June 21st, 1754. " Sir :
"Your Favour of the twenty-second of May I received after my Return from Winchester. The Chiefs of the Indians did not meet me at Winchester; they sent an Express that in their present Situation they could not leave their young People, but intended to join our Forces under the Command of Col. Washington, and de- sired me to send them some of the Present, which was done.
" On the 27th of May the Half King sent Col. Washington No- tice that a Party from the French Army was hankering about his Camp, if he would march some of his People to join them he did not doubt of cutting them off. Col. Washington marched that Night and came up to the Indians, one of the Indian Runners tracked the French Men's Feet and came up to their Lodgment ; they discovered our People about one hundred Yards distant, flew to their Arms, and a small Engagement ensued. We lost one Man and another wounded; the French had Twelve killed and Twenty- One taken Prisoners, who are now in our Prison; the Indians scalped many of the dead French, took up the Hatchet against them, sent their Scalps and a String of black Wampum to several other Tribes of Indians, with desire that they should also take up the Hatchet against the French, which I hope they have done.
" Before I left Winchester I received three Strings of Wampum from the Owendats and some other Tribes, assuring me they would not only take up the Hatchet, but were in hopes of bringing over those Indians that had joined the French. Therefore, if your Colony and the others had granted proper Supplies 'tis probable by this time We should have been able to dislodge them from the Fort I ordered to be built and they unjustly took from Us, as my Orders to our Commander-in-Chief was to be on the defensive; this small Skirmish was begun by the Indians and supported by our Men.
"I am sorry your Assembly is so obstinate and disobedient to his Majestie's Commands. I had thorow Dependence on You for a Supply of bread, the Want of which puts me to great Difficulties. I wish the Bill for £10,000 Supply had passed your Upper House in any Shape, as the Exigency of our Affairs so much want it, but You are the best Judge of the Cloggs on the Bill, and the Incon- sistency thereof in regard to your Instructions, which probably at
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this Time You could have got passed with a saving Clause to pre- vent its being a President for the future, would have been of infinite Service.
"I hope You have represented the affair properly Home, that they may see what little Dependence there is on Assemblies in this Part of the World, and really I hope the Ministry will take some proper Course to bring all the Colonies into a proper Sense of their Duty.
" The Accounts You have in your Place is without Foundation. We have raised money on the Credit of our Funds, but the small Sum given is but a Trifle to the Duty to be performed; but my great Dependance was on You for a Supply of Flower. I saw Mr. Croghan at Winchester, who told me he had your Orders to pur- chase a large Quantity of Flower, which I was in hopes was for the Expedition till I received your Letter; I employed him to go to our Camp to be Interpreter. And I gave Mr. Montour a Captain's Commission to head a Select Company of friendly Indians as Scouts from our small Army.
" I am surprized that any Person should report that I had given up the Expedition and disbandoned the Men. It is undertaken by the King's Command, and I will not give it up till the last Extremity, which I hope will not happen. Two Independant Companies are arrived from New York; one from South Carolina; the North Carolina Forces are on their March; when all are col- lected into a Body I think We shall have Nine Hundred Men, besides our friendly Indians; and if our neighbouring Colonies had, consistent with their Duty to their King, and their own Preservation, given us a proper Supply, I think it wou'd have been an Easy Matter to have dislodged the French from that Fort and built some others to take full Possession of the Ohio River, and prevented their Encroachments for the future. All I could wish from You at present is a Supply of Flower to be carried out to our Camp at the Meadows near Red Stone Creek.
" I shall be glad to hear the Result of the Meeting at Albany, and hope the Six Nations have taken up the Hatchet against the French, which will put a Spirit into the other Nations of Indians. With the little I have I am determined with Vigor to prosecute the Plan of Operation already begun.
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