USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII > Part 15
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VOL. VII .- 9.
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 26th May, 1756.
PRESENT :
Robert Strettle, Richard Peters,
Joseph Turner, Thomas Cadwalader, Esquires.
A Packet arrived at ten o'Clock last night from the Governor, inclosing a message to the Assembly and a letter to the Council, with a Proclamation for Suspension of Hostilities for Twenty days against the Delawares, all which were read and ordered to be En- tered, together with a Message to the Assembly of the twelfth In- stant, which did not come to hand till after the House had adjourned ; and the Secretary was directed to take the said messages to the House.
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
"Since my Message to you of the Ninth Instant I have received letters from Governor Dinwiddie and Governor Sharpe, which the Secretary will lay before you, giving an account of the miserable Situation of their Frontiers, and the dangers they are in from the of Indians and French, that have already penetrated as far as Winchester.
"Upon the receipt of this Intelligence I have sent Orders to the forts and Garrisons on the Western Frontiers to be upon their Guards, and put themselves into the best Posture of Defence they possibly can, & am doing every thing Else in my Power that can Contribute to the better securing that most Exposed part of our Frontiers; but as those Garrisons are but small, and we have no body of Forces on the west side of Sasquehannah, Sufficient to Take the Field, I am fearful they will not be able to maintain their Posts against the numbers of the Enemy, that there is the Greatest Reason to Expect will soon Appear in those parts; & we should, therefore, lose no time in preparing in some more effectual manner for their Defence.
"I have received from the Governor of New York, Copies of an Act for a General Embargo on Provisions & Warlike stores, formerly passed there and Expired, and of an Act passed there the fourth Instant, for reviving it for Twenty-one days, and then from the time that the Legislature of this Province and New Jersey shall respectively pass Laws for those Purposes, and to be of Equal Con- tinuence with those Laws, provided they exceed not three Months, and in his Letter accompanying the Copies of the said Act, desired our Concurrence in laying a General Embargo, which being Agree- able to my Sentiments, as Mentioned in my last message to you. I again recommend it to you Immediately to Prepare and Send me
$
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
a Bill for that purpose. I have ordered the Secretary to lay before you Copies, "ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" Harris' Ferry, May 12th, 1756."
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A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
"I was in Hopes the affairs I am enaaged in here would have been in such Forwardness that I might, without Prejudice to this Important part of the Public Service, have been in Philadelphia by the time of your meeting to-morrow; but all the Despatch I have been able to give them has not brought them so forward as I could wish and as the season of the Year requires; however, I have the Satisfaction to Acquaint you that we have made a Lodgement in a very secure place upon the River beyond the Kittetany Hills, and above the two most difficult Falls, to which place a considerable part of the Provisions and Stores are removed, and the Remainder will be transported thither as fast as a Number of propper Boats can be got ready.
"The Secretary will lay before you a Letter received from Governor Sharpe, with the Extracts of an Act of his Government, for Grant- ing Forty Thousand Pounds for his Majesty's Serviee, by which you will see that it is Expected we shall join in Carrying on an Expe- dition to the Westward, and that Twenty-five Thousand Pounds intended for that Service is Conditional, and not to be employed till Governor Sharpe has undoubted Assurances that Virginia and this Province will Contribute their Reasonable Quotas towards the Sup- porting and Carrying on such Expedition.
" You must be sensible from what has already Happened, that this Province has no Reason to Expect either peace or Safety while the French remain in Possession of the Country they have seized and fortified behind us, and that the most Effectual means of Bringing the Indians back to their Alliance with and Dependence upon us, will be for those Western Colonies Vigorously to unite their strength in making a well Concerted push to Dislodge the French from those their Encroachments, and no time seems so favourable for that pur- pose as while his Majesty's troops & those of the Eastern Provinces are employed against them to the North ward; I must therefore re- commend it to you to take this matters into your immediate Con- sideration, and Enable me to Give Governor Sharpe the Expected Assurances that we will join and Contribute our reasonable Pro- portion towards that Expedition, which, if Successfull, must tend so much to the advantage and Security of this Province.
" By a letter from Commodore Spry, an Extract of which will
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be laid before you, I find that he is in great want of Seamen for his Majesty's Ships under his Command, a Number of which he Desires may be sent him from these Colonies, as the having that Squad- iron manned at this time is a matter of great Importance to his Majesty's Service, and the Safety not only of Nova Scotia, but of
· the rest of the Continent; I therefore recommend it to you, to Enable me by Bounty or, otherwise, to raise and send him as many Seamen as the Trade of the Province can spare, which will be a very Seasonable & acceptable Service.
" I propose to leave this place to-morrow, or on Tuesday at far- therest, and I hope to be with you by the time you can have any Business preparred to lay before me.
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" Camp at Harris' Ferry, May 23, 1756."
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A Letter from Governor Sharpe to 'Governor Morris.
" Sir :
" Mr. Lunen, of Philadelphia, calling on me upon his return from Virginia, I embrace the Opportunity to intimate to you that Our Assembly is still Sitting, but as the Lower House seems ab- solutely determined to grant no Supplies, unless they can at the same time carry certain points, which manifestly tend to Subvert in a Great measure the Constitution, & render it more similar to that of Pennsylvania which I believe, you do not think the most Per- fect, I expect to find myself under a Necessity of Prorogueing them in three or four Days; I am informed by a Letter from Alexandria, that a Ship which left England the Twelfth of February, & arrived at Hampton the sixteenth Instant, brings advice that War was Declared in England two days before she sailed, & that Lord Lou- den & Colonel Abercrombie, with three Regiments, were coming hither. The Indians have lately done a good deal of Mischief on the Frontiers of Virginia ; the Forts that were some time Since Built there for the Protection of the Back Inhabitants, have been many of them attacked, & some reduced & destroyed, & a Detachment of fifty men, from the Virginia Regiment, Captain Mercier, has been Defeated near Cape Capon, about Eighteen miles from Winchester ; the Captain, Lieutenant, three serjeants, & fifteen Private men were killed or Wounded, & left to the Enemy.
"I am, with the Greatest Regard, Sir, Your most Humble & most Obedient Servant,
HORº. SHARPE.
" Annapolis, April 24th, 1756."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Governor Dinwiddie to Governor Morris.
" WILLIAMSBURG, April 30th, 1756.
" Sir :
"This is to Inform you of the miserable Situation of our Affairs on our Frontiers ; the French and Indians have cutt of the Commu- nication from Fort Cumberland to Winchester, have Committed many Cruel Roberies, murders, & Devastation among the poor back Settlers, and by the last Letters they have invested the Town of Winchester with a great number of their People, and they further report that they have beseiged Fort Cumberland with 500 Men, French & Indians.
" This Disagreeable News obliged me to Give Orders for sum- monsing the Militia of Eleven Contiguous, Counties to Winchester, and I hope, when Collected together, they will amount to 4,000 men, who I have ordered to march directly for Winchester, to repel the Fury of the Invaders and protect our back Settlements, which will answer, I hope, my Expectations.
" The Expedition against the Shawonese proved unsuccessfull, after Six Weeks' march in the Woods. The Rivers they were to Cross were much swelled by the Great fall of Rain and Snow ; they lost several Canoes with Provisions & Ammunition, on which they were forced to return in a Starving Condition, killing their Horses for food. The Commissioners are not yet returned from the Cherokees, but write me they were in good Temper & fixed to our Interest, but would not send any more of their Warriors till we built them a Strong Fort to protect their Women and Children when they went to war. I was in hopes this Fort had been built, as the Governor of South Carolina had from me some time since 1,000 st. for that service.
"The French have a fort about six days' Journey from the Cherokee Town ; they have been tampering with them with Great Promises, which they said they must Comply with if we do not build the Fort they desired. The Number of fighting men in their Nation is Computed to be 4,000. On receipt of this Letter I immediately applied to the Assembly to Qualify me to Execute this affair. They readily voted &2,000 for this Service, & I have appointed Major Lewes to over see the Constructing of this Fortress ; have ordered sixty men with him, with proper Tools, &c. I expect the Governor of South Carolina will assist us, as I think it an Affair of the Greatest Consequence to secure the Cherokees to our Interest, made me the more assiduous, and am glad it is Ordered. Lewis left this on Sunday last to Provide all Necessarys for this march.
" We have late accounts from Britain that Lord Louden, Lieu- tenant General, is destined for America, to be Commander-in-Chief
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of the Forces and Governor of this Dominion, in the room of Lord Albermarle, and that Lieutenant General Abercrombie comes with him Second in Command, & that they were to bring with a Bat- talion of the Royal Scotts, Otway's Regiment, the Highland Regi- ment, and some others, to the amount of 3,000 Men, and that Lord Louden is to raise three Regiments here on the British Establish- ment, that the Transports were taken up and Many of the Men Embarked. I presume They will be ordered to New York. I wish one of the Regiments were Ordered here, for we are in a dismal Situation on our Frontier.
" My Letters further say, that every Member of the Assemblies in America must take Oaths, &c. This I suppose is pointed to your Government, and that the Parliament had Voted 115,000 for New England, New York, and the Jerseys, which gives our People Great uneasiness, as they have realy acted with Spirit and Voted £120,000 for the Expedition, and thought themselves entitled to the Royal favour; but no doubt you will have more perfect accounts by the Packet, and Probably the Forces may be at New York by this time. I must therefore leave off, wishing you health and Happiness.
" I remain, Sir, your most Humble Servant,
"ROBT. DINWIDDIE."
A L. from the Governor to the Council.
" Gentlemen :
" Agreeable to your advice I have prepared a Proclamation for the Suspension of Hostilities against ye Delawares Indians for Twenty days, which I send you, and leave it to you, after maturely Considering ye Present State of affairs to Publish it or not as you, shall Judge most Proper.
" The Multiplicity and Great Variety of Business in which I have been Constantly Employed ever since I came here, and the Necessary Intercourse with the commissioners has so Engrossed my time that I could not do myself ye Pleasure of Writing to you as I could have wished.
" Mr. Peters will show you the Message which I have thought Proper to lay before the House for your Perusal & Consideration.
"I cannot Possibly put ye Affairs here in such a posture as to admit of my leaving this place before to-morrow night, and propose to set out on Tuesday morning for Philadelphia, where I hope soon to have the pleasure of seeing & acquainting you fully with ye Pro- gress we have made in our Expedition and the state of the Fron- tiers, and am
" Your most Obedient Humble Servant,
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
"Camp at Harris' Ferry, 23 May, 1756."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
The Council thought it Propper not to Publish the suspension of Hostilities till the Governor's Return.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Monday, 31st May, 1756. PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Benjamin Shoemaker,
Joseph Turner,
William Logan,
Richard Peters, Esquires.
Thomas Cadwalader,
John Mifflin,
. An Application was made by Mr. Samuel Smith, Merchant, for an Order to Clear the - -, Laden with Provisions for Boston, agreeable to a Letter from Governor Phipps, dated the Seventeenth of May Instant, which came by the last Post, and was read in these Words :
"BOSTON, 17th May, 1756.
" Sir :
"I observe by the Publick Prints, that the Government of New York have Passed an act to prevent the Exportation of Provisions to all the British Colonies, excepting Nova Scotia, unless upon ap- plication from the Governors of such Colonies as may want them.
"This Government depending upon the Southern Colonies for their Supplies of this Kind, excepting such as are raised within the same, and application having been made to me upon this Head, I have advised with his Majesty's Council, who agree with me that it would be both reasonable and necessary to permit Vessels to Clar with Provisions for this Province, as well for his Majesty's Service as for the Supply of the Inhabitants, and if any of the like restrictions should take place in Your Government, I should pray Your Honour to Give Orders for Claring the same accordingly.
"I am, with Great Respect, "Your Honour's most obedient Humble Servant,
"S. PHIPPS.
" His Honour ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS."
Then the Act for the more Effectual obstructing the Exportation of Provisions and Warlike Stores from the Province of Pennsylvania lately Passed was read, and the Council were of Opinion that the said Letter from Governor Phipps, and Mr. Smith's Application thereon, cannot be Complied with, as it would be an Express Breach of the said Law, for that it ought to appear in Governor Phipp's Letter what Particular Species of Provisions are wanting, and what Quantitys ; and that they are bona fide no more than necessary to
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MINUTES OF THE
Supply the wants of the People of his Government, and that then this Government will take care to send in their own Vessels such Quantities as they shall want from time to time, and that from Gov- ernor Phipps writing in such General Terms the Council suppose he had not seen our Act, and therefore recommend it to the Gover- nor to send him a Copy of it, which was done, and the following Letter also sent with it:
"PHILADELPHIA, May 31st, 1756.
" Sir :
" I acknowledge the Receit of yours of the Seventeenth of May, and as the like Resolutions take Place here as at New York, I laid your Letter before the Council along with Mr. Smith's application for my Orders on the Collector to clear a vessel in which were Pro- visions for your Province.
"They were unanimously of Opinion that your Letter and Mr. Smith's application thereon could not be complied with, as it would be an express Breach of the Law, for that it ought to appear in every application of a Governor what particular Species of Provi- sions are wanting, and what Quantities, and that they are no more than necessary to supply those wants, and that then this Govern- ment should ship them accordingly ; and they think you will con- cur with them in Opinion when you come to consider the words of the Act, which is, therefore, sent you, being inserted in the Ga- zette.
" In cases where the Embargo is laid by my Warrant to the Col- lector, I shou'd make no Difficulty of relaxing it on any just and proper Occasion, but as the act is binding upon the Collector, and no orders of mine allowed but such as are given in the manner and with the Requisites mentioned in the Act. It gives me concern that I cannnot interfere in Favour of Mr. Smith's application, but when- ever you shall please to send me your Commands, conformable to the Act, I shall take a Pleasure in executing them.
"I am, Sir, Your very humble Servant,
" ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" Governor PHIPPS."
Like applications were made by several Others which were all rejected.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Thursday the 3d June, 1756. PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
John Mifflin, Richard Peters,
Robert Strettell, Esquires. Benjamin Chew,
Indians :
Newcastle, Jagrea,
William Lacquis.
Conrad Weiser, Esquire, Interpreter.
The Governor informed the Indians that he had received their Letter by Express from Bethelehem, and desired the Secretary to tell them so, and that he would hasten to them and bid them wel- come, which was done by String on Wednesday last.
. The Governor and Council expressed their Joy to see them re- turned in good Health, and then the Governor said :
" Brethren :
" Your Return in Safety gives us much Satisfaction. I give you this String to clean Your throats, and desire you will give me an account of what has occurred in your Journey."
A String.
Then Jagrea told the Governor and Council that they were glad to see them in Good Health, and returned the Governor Thanks that they were received with so much Satisfaction, and according to the Forms in use with Indians.
The Indians, by Jagrea, addressing the Interpreter, said they were no Speakers, nor would their Memories serve them to deliver in order the Several matters they have to communicate; but as they had carefully related all to him and he had taken it down in writing, they desired he would read it, and deliver the Strings and Belts at the end of every Speech or Message as delivered to them, which was done in these Words :
" Memorandum, taken 31st day of May, 1756, from New Castle & Satacaroupes, and William Laquis, about their Journey to the Indians on Susquehanna River, with a message from the Gov- ernor of Pennsylvania :
"We arrived at Wyomink after we slept four nights, it being bad weather, by the way from Bethlehem, and found nobody there, so proceeded on till we came to Tiaogon, where we found a Great Number of Indians. We Immediately let them know that we were messengers from the Governor of Pennsylvania to the Dela-
.
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ware Indians & others on Susquehanna, and desired that they would Order a meeting of all their People in that Town and in the Neigh- bourhood.
" Gave a String.
" Messengers were sent out Immediately to the Several little Towns thereabout, in order to Summon the Men to meet at the Town near Tiaogon.
" The Messengers came back next day, and reported that they had met with such & such Chiefs, at such a Town, who desired that the Pennsylvania Messengers would come to their Town, since they had come so far they might as well come a little farther; which the Pennsylvania Messengers refused and said that it was customary to transact matters of Importance and of a Publick Nature in the most publick Places, and that they insisted that the Meeting should be at Tiaogon.
" Their answer came back next midnight, that the Aforesaid Chiefs would come to Tiaogon the next day and hear the Pennsyl- vania Messengers, and they arrived accordingly, and all the Indians met in the afternoon, and Newcastle spoke to them to the follow- ing Purport :
" Here I found that our Messengers had advised with some particular Friends among the Indians, who formed a Speech for them, and Newcastle told me he was Obliged to go of a little from the Governor's Instructions.
"' Brethren :
""' We come to you with a very Important Message from the Governor and People of Pennsylvania, we may say from the King of Great Britain, who is Chiefly concerned and in whose name we shall speak to you. But as Your Case is so that an Evil Spirit of Great Power & Cunning has Blinded you and throwed dust in your Eyes ; We, therefore, in the first Place, by this String of Wampum, rub your Eyes very hardly, that you see where You are and how much you have lost yourself, and what you are about.'
" Gave a String.
""' That evil Spirit also stopped up your throat by some poisonous Stuff or Other, so that you could not speak to Your Brethren the English ; this is to Cleanse it and that the passage from your Heart to your mouth may be opened, that you may speak freely in this meeting.'
" Gave a String.
" ' And as that Evil Spirit got the Better of you at once, he also stopped up your ears that you Could not hear any thing that Come from us the English ; we do hereby bore open your Ears, that you may be able to hear what we are agoing to say to You.'
" Gave a String."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
"Then Newcastle proceeded and spoke in behalf of the Governor & People of Pennsylvania.
"' Brethren :
""' We must let you know that some of you lifted up the Hatchet against me, and killed many of the People of Pennsylvania, both on the Western and Eastern Frontier of this Province [or the Hatchet against me and wounded me on both sides of the Head, so that my Body Bled very much and my seat is covered with Blood], I sat still & Bore it with a Great deal of Patience for a long time, because I and the People of Pennsylvania have been used to peace- able principles, and have no inclination to warr ; but when my case grew more Desperate and I could bear it no longer, I with the Peo- ple of Pennsylvania thought upon means to Defend ourselves; but before we did any thing, Letters arrived from your Uncles the Six- Nations, who let me know by Sir William Johnston that they pre- vailed on you to desist and lay aside the Hatchet, & that there had been a great meeting of your People at Otsininky and the Delegates of the Six Nations, in which it was agreed that Peace should be restored & every thing made up. I thought, therefore, Propper to let you know, that is, the Indians on Susquehanna, by these my Messengers, and this my Belt of Wampum.'
"Gave a Belt.
"P. S .- The old Treaties of Friendship to be renewed & good friendship restored, as good as ever it was.
" ' Brethren, the Delawares & Shawonese :
"' This string of Wampum shall serve you as a safe-guard From Your Towns on Susquehanna to Philadelphia, for the Messengers of Peace. I shall be glad that all the Bushes and other Obstacles in the Sachem's road between us shall be removed, so that the old People and Sachems can Travel with ease from your Towns to ours, to treat on Friendship with me and the People of Pennsylvania. Brethren what I say is from heart, you may depend upon it.'
"Gave a String.
" ' Brethren :
"' I know very well you are a foolish People like little Children, & that it was for want of Understanding that the evil Spirit had Such a Power over you. I promise you that the Blood shall be covered with sand, and we will jointly pull up a large tree by the Roots, & there dig a hole as deep as the Waters below the Earth, & there we will throw in & bury our Hatchets, & so Plant the Tree upon the Hole again so that Neither your Posterity or ours will ever be able to find it, upon which you may depend.'
" Gave a large Belt.
" The Answer. " Paxinosa, the Shawonese Chief, Speaker of the Delawares, be-
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cause Newcastle talks good Shawonese, & Paxinosa talks good Delaware. -
"'Brethren, the Governor and the People of Pennsylvania :
" 'The dark Clouds overspread our Country so suddenly that we have been all at once Separated, & that dark Cloud got in between us; and as it has pleased the most High to dispel them a little so that we can just see one another again, our Eyes are now running with Tears because of the Melancholy Sight; seeing our Country Covered with Blood [we mean yours and ours], give me leave to wipe off the Tears from your Eyes, tho' at the same time my own Eyes run with Tears in Abundance for what has Passed.'
" Gave a String.
" 'Brethren :
"' As you came a great way, & thro' dangerous Places, where evil Spirits reign, who might have put several things in your way to Obstruct your Business, this String serves to Clean your mind & the Passage from your heart to your mouths, that you may Speak freely to us.'
" Gave a String.
"' Brethren :
"' As you will have Occasion to hear as well as to Speak in this meeting, let this String of Wampum serve to Open your Ears, and to Clear them from any evil Matter that on Your Journey might have settled there.'
" Gave a String.
" A Delaware Spoke :
"'Brother Onas & the People of Pennsylvania, our Brethren :
"' We Rejoice to hear from you, and that you are willing to re- new the old good Understanding, and that you call to mind the first treaties of Friendship made by Onas, our great Friend, with our deceased Fore fathers, when himself & his People first came over here. We take hold of them by Treaties with both our hands, & desire you will do the same, that a good Understanding & true Friendship may be established. Let us both take hold of them treaties with all our Strength, we beseech you ; we on our side will Certainly do it.'
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