Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI, Part 71

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814

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" Your vigorous and hearty Compliance may be a means of re- storing Quiet to our poor Back Settlers, who are daily calling out for that protection from us which is justly due to them. But if thro' refusal these Indians should be obliged not only to leave us but to act against us, all the dreadful Consequences of it must be left at your door ; for I am ready and desirous to do any thing consistent with any duty to the Crown for the protection & Assis- tance, as well of these our Allies as of the Inhabitants of this Province in general.

" Upon this important affair, Gentlemen, and at the pressing Instances of these Indians, I have put off my Journey to the back Settlements, altho' I conceive my presence among them at this time to be extremely necessary. Let me, therefore, recommend Dispatch to you as these Indians are so pressing to be gone, in order to see after their Families and Friends, declaring in the strongest manner that they have not a moment to lose, and must take their Measures immediately.

" ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS.

" Philadelphia, November 10, 1755."

At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday, November 12th, 1755.

PRESENT :

" The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esqr., Lieu- tenant Governor, &ca.

Robert Strettel,

Benjamin Shoemaker,

Joseph Turner,

Richard Peters, Esquires.

Lynford Lardner, John Mifflin,

" The Governor informed the Council that the Message agreed to on Sunday was delivered by the Secretary immediately on the Meeting of the House, and notwithstands. the Importance of the Affair it was only last night that he received their Answer, & that a negative one, which was read in these words :

A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.

" May it please the Governor :

" We have considered the Governor's Message of Yesterday,

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relating to the application and pressing Instances of the Indians, and are glad to find that he is at length prevailed on to declare himself "ready and desirous to do any thing consistent with his Duty to the Crown for the Protection & Assistance as well of our Allies as of the Inhabitants of the Province in general." We never have, and we hope never shall desire him to do any thing inconsistent with that Duty. He has it now in his power to do what he think the Exigence requires for the Service of the Crown, the protection of ourselves and of the Inhabitants of the Province. As Captain General, he has by the Royal Charter full authority to raise men, and the Bill now in his Hands granting Sixty Thousand Pounds will enable him to pay the Expenses. We grant the Money chear- fully, tho' the Tax to sink it will be a heavy one, and we hope the Bill will receive his assent immediately.

"Signed by order of the House, " ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker.

" November 11th, 1755."

The Council astonished to see the obstinacy of the Assembly carry them such Lengths as not to enable the Governor to give a Satisfactory answer to the Indians, after their making so solemn and peremtory a Demand, considered what answer to make to Scar- rooyady, and after a long Consultation it was thought best to tell him the truth ; and being sent for, he was accordingly told by the Governor that the Assembly not having agreed to raise Money in such manner as it could be accepted of, he was laid under the ne- cessity of acquainting him with it, and that as their Concurrence was necessary in raising Money, and he had none at his own Dis- posal, he did not know what to do in this pressing Exigency. Scar- rooyady received the answer with amazement, saying it would occasion the absolute Defection of the Delawares, who by proper Encouragements might even now be secured in our Interest, but notwithstanding this the Chief still offered his own Services, and desired the Governor not to be cast down, but take time and enter cooly into the Consideration of what could be done, in which he would give his assistance heartily.

The Governor likewise received Yesterday the Assembly's answer to his Message of the Eighth Instant, together with a Bill entitled " An Act for the supply of the Western and Northern Indians, Friends and Allies of Great Britain with goods at more easy rates, supporting an Agent or Agents among them and preventing abuses in the Indian trade," which were both read :

A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.

" May it please the Governor :

" The House came together at this time with the sincerest Dispo- sitions to avoid if possible all the Disputes with the Governor on

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any account whatever, and being deeply affected with the present distressful Circumstances of the Frontier Counties, determined to do for the Publick safety and Welfare everything that could reason- ably be expected from them either as dutiful subjects to the Crown or Lovers of their Country.

" Accordingly, on reading the Governor's Message of the third Instant, with the Papers accompanying the same, a Bill was imedi- ately proposed for raising a large sum for the King's Service, and to strike the same in Paper Bills, and providing a Fund for sinking the whole in Five Years as recommended by the Governor.

"In the mean time, as this Colony has been founded on Maxims of Peace, & had hitherto maintained an uninterrupted Friendship with the Natives by a strict observation of Treaties conferring bene- fits on them from time to time, as well as doing them Justice on all Occasions, it could not but surprize us to hear that our old Friends were on a sudden become our cruel Enemies. And as the Governor was pleased to tell us 'the French had gained the Delawares and Shawanese to their Interests under the ensnaring pretence of re- storing them to their Country,' it seemed natural & proper for us to enquire on this Occasion whether the Indians complained of any Injury from this Province either in regard to their Lands or on any other account, and to express our readiness to do them Justice (in case such complaints were well founded) before Hostilities were re- turned & the Mischief grew more extensive. For our better infor- mation of this matter, & without intending the least offence to the Governor, we requested he would be pleased to lay before us the last Treaty held with them in September. Our Message to this effect was sent upon the second day after our entering upon Busi- ness, But the Governor vouchsafed us no answer till now, and seems exceedingly displeased with the Application.

"From the Governor's immediate refusal of his assent to a Bill of so much Importance when he had but ' just received it' from us, and his saying it is 'of the same kind with one he had before re- fused his assent to,' we apprehend his refusal arises from his not having allowed himself time to consider it. Indeed all Bills for raising Money for publick use are so far of the same kind ; but this differs greatly from every former Bill that has been offered to him, and all the Amendments (of any Consequence) which he proposed to the bill he last refused are in this Bill admitted, save that for totally exempting the Proprietary Estate. And we being as desirous as the Governor to avoid any dispute on that head, have so framed the Bill as to submit it entirely to his Majesty's Royal Determina- tion whether that Estate has or has not a right to such Exemption. There is so much time allowed by the Bill that the King's pleasure may possibly be known even before the first Assessment; but it is moreover provided that if at any time during the continuance of the Act the Crown should think fit to declare that the Estates of the

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Proprietaries in this Province ought to be exempted, in such case the tax tho' assessed shall not be levied, or if any part has been levied the same shall be refunded to the Proprietaries, and an Ad- ditional Tax laid on the People to supply the Deficiency. We can- not conceive any thing more fair and reasonable than this, nor could we possibly imagine that the Governor would object to it, or what he could object to it, since the words in his Commission which he pleased to suppose contain an express prohibition of his passing such a Bill as this, do not appear to us to have any such meaning, and we presume will not to any others who may be thought more im- partial. If it be one of the 'just Rights of Government' that the Proprietary Estates should be exempted in a Tax for the common Defence of all Estates in the Province, those just rights are well understood in England; the Proprietaries are there upon the spot, and so can the more easily sollicit their own cause and make their right of Exemption appear, if such a right there be; and were they at as great a distance as we are they might nevertheless safely confide in his Majesty's known Wisdom and impartial Justice that all their just rights would be duly preserved. The Equity of their being taxed on this Occasion for their Estate in this Province has appeared so plain even to their best Friends here that they entered into a Voluntary subscription to pay for them what they supposed the Tax might amount to, being assured, as they said, that if the Proprietaries were present it would be altogether unnecessary, and that they would freely repay what should be thus advanced for them, which Subscription was put into the Governor's hands for his Secu- rity. If the Proprietaries should chuse to shew their good will to the Service, this Bill if passed might give them a happy opportunity of doing it, by generously soliciting the King's approbation to the Law, and refusing to Petition for the exemption. And since this right of Exemption contended for in their Behalf is never like to be settled here between the Governor and Assembly, the Bill puts it in the proper Train to be finally determined, and all future disputes about it effectually prevented.

"Our Assemblies have of late had so many Supply Bills & of such different Kinds rejected on various Pretences, some for not complying with obsolete occasional Instructions (tho' other acts ex- actly of the same Tenor had been passed since those Instructions and received the Royal assent), some for being inconsistent with the supposed Spirit of an Act of Parliament when the Act itself did not any way affect us, being made expressly for other Colonies. Some for being as the Governor was pleased to say, "of an extra- ordinary nature," without informing us wherein that extraordinary Nature consisted, & others for disagreeing with new discovered meanings and forced constructions of a Clause in the Proprietary Commission, that we are now really at a loss to Divine what Bill can possibly pass.

"The Proprietary Instructions are secrets to us, and we may spend

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much time and much of the publick Money in preparing and framing Bills for Supply, which after all must from those Instructions prove abortive. If we are thus to be driven from Bill to Bill without one solid Reason afforded us, and can raise no money for the King's Service and relief or Security of our Country till we fortunately hit on the only Bill the Governor is allowed to Pass, or till we con- sent to make such as the Governor or Proprietaries directs us to make, we see little use of Assemblies in this particular, and think we might as well leave it to the Governor or Proprietaries to make for us what Supply Laws they please, and save ourselves and the Country the Expence and Trouble. All debates and all reasonings are vain, where Proprietary Instructions, just or unjust, right or wrong, must inviolably be observed. We have only to find out, if we can, what they are and then submit and obey. But surely the Proprietaries conduct, whether as Fathers of their Country or Sub- jects to their King, must appear extraordinary when it is considered that they have not only formally refused to bear any part of our Yearly heavy Expence in Cultivating and maintaining Friendship with the Indians, tho' they reap such immense advantages by the Friendship, but they now by their Lieutenant refuse to contribute any part towards resisting an Invasion of the King's Colony com- mitted to their Care, or to submit their Claim of Exemption to the Decision of their Sovereign.

"In fine, we have the most Sensible concern for the poor dis- tressed Inhabitants of the Frontiers. We have taken every step in our power consistent with the just rights of the Freemen of Penn- sylvania for their relief, and we have reason to believe that in the midst of their Distresses they themselves do not wish us to go farther. Those who would give up essential Liberty to purchase a Little Temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Such as were inclined to defend themselves but unable to purchase Arms and Ammunition, have, as we are informed, been supplied with both as far as Arms could be procured out of Monies given by the last Assembly for the King's use, and the large supply of money offered by this Bill might enable the Governor to do every thing else that should be judged necessary for their farther security, if he shall think fit to accept it. Whether he could as he supposes, 'if his Hands had been properly strengthened, Have put the Province into such a posture of Defence as might have prevented the present mischiefs,' seems to us uncertain, since late Experience in our neighboring Colony of Virginia (which had every advantage for that purpose that could be desired ), shows clearly that it is next to impossible to guard effectually an extended Frontier, settled by scattered single Families at two or three miles Distance, so as to secure them from the insiduous attacks of small parties of skulking Murderers. But thus much is certain, that by refusing our Bills from time to time by which great sums were seasonably offered, he has rejected all the strength that money could afford him, and if

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his Hands are still weak or unable he ought only to blame himself or those who have tied him.

" If the Governor proceeds on his Journey and takes a Quorum of his Council with him, we hope, since he retains our Bill, that it will be seriously and duly considered by them, & that the same re- gard for the publick welfare which induced them unanimously to advise his intended Journey will induce them as unanimously to advise his assent. We agree, therefore, to his keeping the Bill, earnestly requesting he would reconsider it attentively, and shall be ready at any time to meet him for the purpose of enacting it. into a Law.

" Signed by order of the House. "ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker.

"November 11th, 1755."

The Bill for striking the sum of £60,000 was read and com- pared Paragraph by Paragraph, but it growing late before proper Conclusions could be agreed upon, the Council adjourned to the Afternoon.

At a Council held on the 12th November, 1755, P. M.

PRESENT :

The Governor and the same Members as in the forenoon.

The proviso in the Governor's Commission prohibiting him from doing any Act to encumber the Proprietary Estate was read and considered, and the Governor declaring he did not think he had power to pass the Bill, he desired the Council would give him their advice upon the present state and Circumstances of the Province, assuring them he was ready to come into any measures on the pre- sent situation of Affairs consistent with his powers and the trust reposed in him.

The Council resumed the Consideration of the said Bill, and several matters, together with the state of the Province, and several matters were proposed, but nothing determined.

At a Council the fourteenth of November, 1755.

PRESENT :

The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor, &ca.

Benjamin Shoemaker

Thomas Cadwalader,

Joseph Turner,

Richard Peters, Esquires.

John Mifflin,

Robert Strettell, 2

The Act intituled "An Act for supplying the Western and

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Northern Indians, Friends and Allies of Great Britain, with Goods at more easy rates, supporting an Agent or Agents among them, and preventing Abuses in the Indian Trade.

The Governor acquainted the Council, that having recommended it to Mr. Peters and Mr. Weiser to confer with Scarroyady about what he may think necessary to be done at this time in order to bring back the revolted Indians, they reported that they had had several Conversations with Scarroyady, who appeared to them not to have lost his Affection for us, tho' he spoke with great Contempt on our measures, & that after long Consultations he gave it as his Opinion that the best Intelligence should be obtained that could be got of the further Designs of the Delawares, and that their Conduct should be immediately laid before the Six Nations, and likewise before Sir William Johnson. Scarroyady kindly undertook to go in Company with Mr. Montour quite up to the heads of the Sasque- hannah in order to see and obtain full Intelligence of what was doing among the Indians, & then to proceed with all possible Expe- dition to the Six Nations and lay before them the Intelligence as well as the Conduct of the revolted Indians. The Governor said . further, that thereupon a set of Instructions had been drawn for Scarroyady and approved by him, which were read as follows :

" Instructions of the Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &ca,

" To Scarroyady, one of the Chiefs of the Oneido Nation, and Mr. Andrew Montour, of the County of Cumberland :

"Our former Friends the Delawares residing at Ohio, having fallen upon our back Inhabitants in a most cruel manner without giving us the least notice of it, I have thought it necessary to send an account thereof with all possible Dispatch to the Six Nations, & as you have kindly offered to undertake this Journey by the way of Sasquehanna, I instruct you to make all the haste possible, & as you travel along apprize all our friendly Indians of this unexpected Treatment of the Ohio Delawares, and where you think it right apply on the part of this Government for Assistance ; and that you may observe the Indian Ceremonies necessary on these Occasions, I have entrusted to your care a Quantity of Belts and Strings of Wampum, confiding in your prudence and Judgment the Distribution of them.

" When you arrive among the Six Nations, you are first to tell them the Condolences of this Government for the Deaths of the several Warriors who joined General Shirley and General Johnson and fell in Battle. Remove sorrow & grief from their hearts, & wipe away the Tears from their Eyes.

" When this is done they can see you and hear what you have to say. Let them know that you are Messengers sent by the Govern- ment of Pennsylvania to the Six United Nations on a very extra-

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ordinary matter that has happened there, and pray them to hearken to what you say and give it the strictest attention, and then make the following Specch in my name :

" Brethren :

" Your Cousins the Delawares, who live at Ohio, whom we have hitherto looked upon as our own Children, whom we nursed and cherished in our Bosoms, whom we have supported, and with whom we have lived from our Infancy in perfect Love & Tenderness, have in a most cruel manner fallen upon & murdered our Inhabitants, People whose Houses were always open to them, and who had given them every kind thing they asked.

" Brethren :

" It was but the very last Year they gave us a kind and a friendly Meeting, and at their own Instance the Treaties subsisting between us were mutually renewed; and when they parted with us they gave us assurances of their continuing our Friends whilst the Waters should run down the Rivers. And on our part, in token of the sincere Love we bore them, we then told them that the Times were Stormy, that they were much exposed where they lived to Danger, and were but few in number, & consequently a very unequal Match for Onontio's People; & therefore in Tenderness to their Lives, & to prevent Evil befalling them, we desired them not to engage but to continue quiet till they should hear further from us. They acknowledged this as kind advice & thanked us, & promised to do so, and confirmed all by Belts of Wampum. " Brethren :

" All this passed between us but the very last Year, and we never dreamed that their Hearts could be poisoned by the Enemy, or the Flame of Love so soon extinguished in their Breasts; but the Truth is, that without giving us any notice these Indians have entered our Province in Arms and killed the poor People that were settled on our Borders. Innocent Persons who were resting Peace- ably in their beds and expecting no harm ! they struck the Toma- hawk in their Brains ; Their Houses and Stacks of Corn & Hay were set on Fire ; Their Cattle stabbed and their Carcases they left weltering in their Blood exposed to The Wild Beasts-no friendly hand daring to put them under the earth.

"Our People lived without arms-they thought there was no need of Arms, being secure of the Friendship of the Indians. The Warriors of all Nations passed and re-passed and never hurt them, but partook of what they had. Your Cousins knew this, and yet they have not only fallen upon our Inhabitants and killed them, but have exercised greater Cruelties than the French Indians ever did in all the last War.

"Brethren of the Six United Nations :

"These Delawares are your Cousins & under your Direction.

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We therefore acquaint You that they have thus treated us as Ene- mies and broke thro' the Chain of Friendship. Let us know whether this was done with your knowledge and Consent or by your order, & whether you will correct your Cousins and stop their Proceedings.

" We expect something will be done by you immediately in virtue of the Treaties subsisting between us. What you do must be done quickly for they are even now destroying all before them."

Here he gave a Black Belt.

After which Scarrooyady with Henry Montour and Mr. Weiser came into Council, and the Governor said :

" Brethren :

"You have been kind enough to undertake a Journey to the Six Nations. You so well understand what you are going about yet tho' there was little occasion for it. I have given you Instructions in writing with a pass [which he delivered wth. the Belt & strings]. " Brethren :

"In behalf of this Government I thank you for undertaking this Journey to us, and thank the Six Nations for the friendly Message, and hope it is sincere. The People have been sitting ever since they came to Town, But cannot agree with them. They want to break open the Key of the Proprietaries Chest, but they not having entrusted me with the Key I cannot permit them to break it open. But tho' we differ in other matters, and don't at present agree about paying our own people, yet we all agree in this to preserve our Friendship with them the Indians of Six Nations, & to accommo- date them with every thing necessary.

" As to building a Fort at Shamokin or other proper place I doubt not we shall agree to do it, but till we are agreed on it I can- not give them positive Assurances of it, but shall as soon as we have agreed.

" As to necessarys, they are to apply to Mr. Weiser's, where every thing will be lodged fitting for them.

" In return for your friendly Offices in doing what we have & shall do, we desire they will keep a good Look-out and strike & op- pose any that might attempt to hurt us, and from time to time give us timely and early notice of such attempts; That there are many idle people that make no Distinction between Friends and Enemy Indians, & therefore recommends it to them to keep together and avoid going into places where they may be in danger of being hurt; That he expected them back with the Answer from the Six Nations, Yt they may apply to Mr. Weiser for Advice. Wishes them a good Journey, & that his good wishes shall always be im- ployed for them."

The Governor laid before the Council a Letter from Mr. Croghan & another from Mr. Francis Campbell, of Shippensburgh, out of

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which he made the following Extracts, which were inclosed in the following Letter to General Johnson :

Extract of a Letter from Mr. Francis Campbell, of Shippensburg.

" The Five Nations are determined to harrass us. They are very industrious in getting Shawanese, Delawares, & Cherokees, and every other nation they can have access to, in a scheme of giving all the adjacient Colonies such Diversion, in conjunction wth, the French on the Ohio, or rather at their request, as will if they are able to execute it oblige us to come upon Terms with them. I mean the Indians, for they find before this Expedition is finished if they are neuter that the Lands on the Ohio will be in the hands of the Eng- lish or French, and that now or never is their time to put in for a share. The Shawonese and Delawares have accepted the proposal, and are the People that have committed the Cruelties on the Branches of Patowmec Cove and Conegocheege, and if they are permitted to distress as they intend to strike Lines with us, and afterwards to fall foul of the French and drive them out from that part of the Country. The Five Nations intend to be Neuter as to annoying our Inhabitants until they see what success their Allies have. I fear next Spring we shall have a melancholly time."

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Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI, Part 71

Author: Publication date: 1838 Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State Number of Pages: 814

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814