USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII > Part 34
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Gave a Belt of twelve Rows.
" Brother :
" When I was here at the last Treaty I did according to what I promised. I took the Belt I received from this Government and held it up to all the Nations I undertook to go to, and I took them all by the Hand (meaning I invited them to the Council Fire). One of the Delaware Nations, meaning the Minisink Indians, now about Fort Allen, gave me this Belt, saying he was glad to hear what I said, and laid hold of the same, meaning he accepted the Invitation, but said he wou'd only go part of the Way, no farther than a Cer- tain place, and there he would stay, but that I might proceed, for he wou'd agree to whatever I did, being led by the same Hand, and giving me authority to act for him at this Council."
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Then deliverd the Belt of ten Rows, given him by those Indians who he said were Minisinks.
" Brother :
" By this string I also let you know that I wou'd not have you think I have finished every thing at this Meeting, though what I have done now is of great Moment; if we are spared till another day, that is until next Spring, I will let you know. something fur- ther in another Meeting, for you must be sensible we cannot at one time finish a thing of so great Moment. In the mean time I will use my faithful endeavours to accomplish every thing for the good of both of us."
Gave a String.
Then pausing awhile, he said he had forgot something, and tak- ing up the String again, he proceeded :
" I will let you know fully and freely my mind, and what is my determination to do. When I return into my Country, I will look about me, I will see and hear for you. If I hear of any Enemy going towards you, I will send a suitable Messenger to give you Notice, though it shou'd be at Midnight. I will also take every prudent measure to prevent any Danger that may befal you ; perhaps, if the Enemy be but few, I may not come to know of it, but if the Number be great, I shall be the likelier to know it; However, be they more or less, I will let you know it."
Then laid down the String again.
Then the Governor desired of Teedyuscung, as he had mentioned Grievances received by the Indians from this and other Govern- ments, to let him know what they were, and to speak his mind freely and fully without any reserve; upon which Teedyuscung spoke as follows :
" Brother :
" You have not so much knowledge of things done in this Coun- try as others who have lived longer in it, being but lately come among us. I have not far to go for an Instance ; this very Ground that is under me (striking it with his Foot) was my Land and In- heritance, and is taken from me by fraud. When I say this Ground, I mean all the Land lying between Tohiccon Creek and Wioming, on the River Susquahannah. I have not only been served so in this Government, but the same thing has been done to me as to several Tracts in New Jersey over the River. When I have sold Lands fairly, I look upon them to be really sold. A bargain is a bargain. Tho' I have sometimes had nothing for the Lands I have sold but broken Pipes or such Triffles, yet when I have sold them, tho' for such Triffles, I look upon the bargain to be good. Yet I think I should not be ill used on this account by those very people who have had such an Advantage in their Pur- chases, nor be called a Fool for it. Indians are not such Fools as
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to bear this in their minds. The Proprietaries who have purchased their Lands from us cheap, have sold them to dear to poor People, and the Indians have suffered for it. It would have been more prudent in the Proprietaries to have sold their Lands cheaper, and have given it in Charge to those who brought from them, to use the Indians with kindness on that Account.
" Now, Brother, hear me; supposing you had a Pipe in your mouth smoaking a little value, I come and take it frem you; by and by, when you see me again, you remember it, and take a Re- venge ; I had forgot and wonder at the Cause, and ask you, Brother, why you have done so? This makes me remember the Injury I did you, and more careful for the future. Now, altho' you have purchased our Lands from our Forefathers on so reasonable terms, yet now, at length, you will not allow us to cut a Little wood to make a Fire; nay, hinder us from hunting, the only means left us of getting our Livelihood.
" Now, Brother, I am pleased you asked me this question, having hereby given me an Opportunity of Speaking my mind freely, as to any uneasiness I was under; you are wise enough to see these things, and to provide a remedy for them."
Then Teedyuscung produced a Receipt from William Parsons for a Bundle of Deer Skins he had sent from Fort Allen as a present to Governor Morris, and desired Mr. Peters to let him know if he had received them for the Governor, which he said he had.
He then asked Mr. Peters what was done with the Memorandum he gave to Governor Morris, when he was in Philadelphia, in April 1755, containing a claim to a small Pine Tract, in New Jersey ; to which Mr. Peters said, that Governor Morris had promised to en- quire into the matter, and the Memorandum wou'd be returned to him at any time, with Governor Morris' report on it.
The Governor then asked him what he meant by Fraud, having said his Lands were taken from him by Fraud, what it meant ?
To which Teedyuscung replied : "When one Man had formerly Liberty to purchase Lands, and he took the Deed from the Indians for it, and then dies; after his death, the Children forge a Deed like the true one, with the same Indian Names to it, and thereby take Lands from the Indians they never sold, this is fraud. Also, when one King has Land beyond the River, and another King has Land on this side River, both bounded by Rivers, Mountains and Springs, which cannot be moved, and the Proprietaries greedy to purchase Lands, buy of one King what belongs to the other-This likewise is fraud."
The Governor then asked Teedyuscung, whether he had ever been used in that manner ?
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He answered, "Yes, I have been served so in this Province ; all the Land extending from Tohiccon, over the great Mountain, to Wioming, has been taken from me by fraud; for when I had agreed to sell the Land to the old Proprietary, by the course of the River, the Young Proprietaries came and got it run by a straight Course by the Compass, and by, that means took in double the Quantity intended to be sold.
"Brother :
" As you desired me to be very particular, I have told you the Truth, and have opened my mind fully. I did not intend to speak thus, but I have done it at this Time, at your request ; not that I desire now you shou'd purchase these Lands, but that you shou'd look into your own Hearts, and consider what is right, and that do."
The Governor thanked him for the freedom and openness he had used with him, and told him when he was ready to speak to him, he wou'd let him know it.
At a Council held at Easton, November 14, 1756. PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
William Logan, Richard Peters, Esquires.
Mr. Weiser, by the Governor's Order, attended the Council. The Minutes of Yesterday's Conference were read over, and then each Paragraph by it self. Mr. Weiser said, he apprehended Teedy- uscung's relations, of what passed between him and Charles Broad- head, in a light something different from what was set down in the Minutes, viz :- That Charles Broadhead had, in the Name of the Governor, charged on Teedyuscung the Murders committed on the Inhabitants of this Province, and demanded satisfaction for them ; that the King denied the Charge, and sent a Message by him, with a Bundle of Wampum, to the Governor of Pennsylvania, to assure him of his not having committed Hostilities. And further desired he might receive orders from the Governor what to do, promising to Execute them faithfully ; and if it shou'd be judged, he wou'd even go Colonel Johnson and the Six Nation Countre with any Message the Governor wou'd please to send there by him, but desired it might be sent in a Certain Number of Days, after which, if it did not come, he wou'd take it for granted the Governor believed the Stories told of him.
The Governor enquired of Mr. Weiser into the foundation of the Complaint made by the Indians, as to the frauds said to be commit- ted in purchases of Land made of them by the Proprietaries; and
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he told the Governor That few or none of the Delawares present, as he could recollect, originally owned any of these Lands, or any Land in this Province ; that if any injury was done, it was done to others who were either dead or gone, some to the Ohio, and some to other places. That as to the Land particularly instanced bye Teedy- uscung, he heard that they were sold to, and the Consideration Money paid by, the first Proprietary, William Penn. That when Mr. John Penn and Mr. Thomas Penn were here, a Meeting was then had with some of the principal Indians living on those Lands, and the former agreement renewed, and the limits again settled be- tween the Proprietaries and those Chiefs of the Delawares; and ac- cordingly a Line was soon After Run by Indians and Surveyors. That the Delawares complained afterwards ; their complaint was heard in a great Council of the Six Nations, held at Philada in the Year 1742, in which several Deeds, executed by. the Delawares to the Propriet", were read and interpreted; and the signers' names and marks examined, and after a long hearing, the Six Nations declared the Complaints of their Cousins, the Delawares, to be unreasona- ble, and were very angry with them for complaining without cause.
Mr. Peters, being asked by the Governor, said, he had likewise heared things to the same Effect, and was present at the Council when the Delawares' Complaints were heard and settled by the Six Nations; that it was a very large Council, consisting of the prin- cipal Chiefs of the Delawares. And added, he believed when the matter shou'd come to be well examined into, the Proprietaries would not be found to have done Injustice to the Delawares, or to hold any of their Lands, for which those Indians had not given Deeds truly interpreted to them, and received a Consideration.
But as neither Mr. Weiser nor he was concerned in this Trans- action, and the Papers to prove it where at Philadelphia, this Mat- ter might, on the Governor's Return, be thoroughly enquired into, and if it shou'd appear that injustice has been done the Delawares in this or any other of their Sales, they ought to receive Satisfac- tion. After which the Governor proposed to let the Indians know that as their particular grievances they had mentioned, they shou'd be thoroughly examined into, well considered, and, if Justly founded, amply redressed as quickly as the nature of the Business wou'd admit.
But upon conferring with the Commissioners he was told by them that such Promises had been frequently made the Indians by the Governors of other Provinces and not performed, and these people might consider them as now made with a Design to evade giving them redress.
The Commissioners said further, as more goods were brought than were proper at this Time to be given to the small number of Indians come down, it wou'd be better, whether the claim was just or unjust, to offer them immediate satisfaction, which they, on the
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part of the publick, with the Governor's Approbation, were willing to do; judging this wou'd effectually remove all their uneasiness. The Governor concurring with them in Sentiments, an answer to their complaint was framed accordingly.
At a Conference held on Monday, November 15, 1756.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
.William Logan, Esquires. Richard Peters,
The Commissioners. Gentlemen. Officers.
Indians as before.
The Governor Spoke as follows :
" Brother :
"You expressed your concern for what had happened, wiped the Tears from our Eyes and the blood from our bodies, and having made clean the Council Seat; I heartily thank you for it. I do likewise wipe your Eyes, I wash away the Blood from your Bodies and from the Council Seat, that there may not remain the least defilcment."
A Belt.
" Brother :
"I make you my acknowledgements for your having searched our Wounds to the bottom, and the good remedies you have applied for their Cure; and I pray the great Creator may bless our mutual endeavours, that they may be so effectually healed as not to leave behind them the least scar, or ever break out again whilst the Rivers Run or the Sun and Moon give light to the Earth."
A Belt.
" Brother :
" As to what you say of the Message delivered to you at Wioming by Charles Broadhead, the Governor did send him, and I cou'd have wished you had sent some of your own People to me on so weighty an occasion; and for the future I must caution you not to hearken to any Messages as from this Government unless the Per- sons charged with them are known to be publick Officers usually employed for such Purposes, and the Papers they produce are Sealed with the Seal of the Government."
A String.
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"Brother :
"I thank you for the openness with which you have expressed yourself as to the causes why you struck us. The French practice every Artifice they are Masters of to deceive the Indians, and I am sorry your Young Men shou'd have been so foolish as to have harkened to them. I hope they have sufficiently seen their Errors, and will not hereafter suffer themselves to be so deluded by that deceitful People."
A String.
The Governor taking the Belt given by the Minisink Indians, repeated what Teedyuscung said on it, and then answered it :
" Brother :
" As I conceive this Belt to be your authority for acting at this Council Fire in behalf of the Minisink Indians, who only came part of the way, I will keep it and put it into the Council Bag, being glad to hear they have put their Hand to the Belt I sent, tho' I shou'd have been better pleased to have seen them here.
" Brother :
"You gave me hopes of another visit. Assure your self it always gave me pleasure to receive you, and any other of our Indian Friends with you. Your kind offer of giving me timely notice of the approach of an Enemy, is an incontestable proof of the Warmth of your Heart for me, and as you have so freely offered it, I shall ever have an entire dependance upon you; and whatever persons are sent with Intelligence of this sort shall be handsomely rewarded. I expect and desire you will give the same Intelligence to any other Governor whose Country you apprehend to be in Danger, as all the English are of the same flesh and blood, and subjects of the same King."
Gave a large String.
"Brother :
"I am very glad you have been as good as your word in coming down to the Council Fire, which was kindled on this particular occasion. I believe you have used your best endeavours, with great faithfulness, to effect everything you undertook. I heartily agree to the peace as you have proposed it, provided all the English Colonies be included in it. But we cannot agree to make peace for this Government alone, and leave you at Liberty to continue the war with our Brethren of the Neighbouring Colonies, for we, the English, are all subjects of one great King, and we must, for the future, be all at peace or all at war with other Nations at the same time."
A Belt.
" Brother :
"You may remember it was stipulated in the Conferences, last
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330
summer, that all the Prisoners you had taken shou'd be brought to this Council fire and there delivered up; and as you have only de- livered up five Prisoners, and I am sure more have been taken, I desire to know why they have not been brought; they are our own flesh and blood, and we cannot be easy whilst they are kept in Cap- tivity."
A String.
" Brother :
" You have opened your Heart, and shewn us the reasons you thought you had for differing with us; You have done well in Speaking so plainly on that head, but you shou'd have made your Complaint to us before you lifted your Hand to strike, and that might have prevented the mischief. When the Great Creator made Man he gave him a Tongue to complain of wrongs, two Ears to hear a Brother's, Complaints, and two Hands to do him Justice by removing the Cause ; All these were made before the Hatchet, and shou'd be first used. Had the Man, in your Comparison, whose Pipe was taken from him, said, 'Brother, you took my Pipe from me at such a time, and I must have Satisfaction,' his Brother . might have answered, ' I did not think you valued a Pipe so much ; do not let us differ about a small matter; here, Brother, take two of mine. That this method, agreable to our ancient Treaties, may be remembered, and Complaints always made by you to us, or by us to you, in a Publick Manner, and Justice demanded before we 'strike, I give you this String."
A String.
" Brother :
"I am but lately come among you; the Grievances you men- tion are of Old Date. If former Indian Kings have, as you say, sometimes sold more land than they had a right to sell, and in so doing they injured us, and we as well as you have cause to complain of them ; But sometimes, tho' they sold more than their own, they sold it fairly, and it was honestly paid for by the Eng- lish ; yet when the Indian Children grow up they may forget that their Fathers sold the Lands and divided the Goods, and some evil Spirit, or bad Man, that Loves to make mischief, may tell them the Land is still yours, your Fathers never sold it, the Writings are false. Moreover, many People, both English and Indians, con- cerned in the former purchases of Lands are now dead, and as you do not understand Writings and Records, it may be hard for me to satisfy you of the Truth, tho' my predecessors dealt ever so up- rightly; therefore, to shew our sincere desire to heal the present differences and live in eternal peace with our Brethren, tell me what will satisfy you for the Injustice you suppose has been done you in the purchase of Lands in this Province, and if it be in my power you shall have immediate Satisfaction, whether it be justly
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due to you or not. The Good People of this Province are ready and willing to open their Hands and help me by contributing freely to this good work; Or, if you are not impowered to receive such Satisfaction at this Time, or have not the Convenience to carry away the goods that may be given you on that Account, then I will lodge the goods in such Hands as you shall appoint till you bring to our next meeting your old Men of the several Nations who may have a right to share in the division of those Goods, where they shall be ready to be delivered to them and you. This may be done at a Council Fire to be rekindled at Philadelphia for you and us, or here, as you shall chuse, when we expect and insist that you bring down all the Prisoners that still remain in your Country.
" And as you mention Grievances from the neighbouring Gov- ernments, I make no doubt, but on proper Application, you will have the utmost Justice done you ; and if I can be of any Service to you in making the application, it will give me great pleasure. In testimony whereof I give you this
" Belt. 1
" Brother :
" You told us last Summer that formerly there were many Indian Chiefs who made Treaties, some in one place and some in another, from whence misunderstandings had often arose. It was so for- merly with the English Governments, each made War or Peace with the Indians for it self; they were not united in these great Affairs as subjects of the same King ought to be, and so were much weaker ; Our wise King has now ordered things better and put all Indian Affairs under one general direction. I shall send a full Account of all that has passed between this Government and the Indians on this present occasion to Sir William Johnson, to whom his Majesty has been pleased to commit the General Management of Indian Affairs, for his Approbation and Ratification; and as this Gentle- man in Quality of being the King's general Agent in this part of America, has, in Conjunction with your Uncles the Six Nations and all the Allies, kindled a great Council Fire at his House on the Mohawks River, I must insist upon it That Teedyuscung and a Deputation of your Chief Men shall go to this Council Fire, and there communicate every thing to obtain Confirmation, and take advice as to your future conduct, that there may be a perfect Union both of Council and measures, as well on the part of all the Indians as others his Majesty's Subjects, without which the great work of Peace will never be brought to its just perfection."
A Belt.
" Brother :
"The good People of this Province affected with the distresses which their Brethren the Indians must needs suffer in this severe
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season for want of Cloaths and other necessaries, have furnished me witli a quantity of Goods, to the value of Four Hundred Pounds . to supply their wants; a large part of them is given by the People called Quakers, who are the Descendants of those who came over with William Penn, as a particular Testimony of their regard and affection for the Indians, and their earnest desire to promote this good work of Peace."
At a Conference held at Easton, November 16th, 1756.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
William Logan,
Richard Peters, S Esquires. The same Commissioners.
Officers.
Gentlemen.
Indians as before.
The Governor acquainted Teedyuscung that he was ready to hear him.
Then Teedyuscung, taking a string of Wampum, Spoke in these Words :
" Brother :
"I desire you will hear me a few Words with Patience. You may remember I often desired you to endeavour to apprehend me aright when I am speaking of matters of importance.
" Brother :
" Hear me with Patience; I am going to use a Comparison in order to represent to you the better what we ought to do.
" When you chuse a spot of Ground for Planting you first pre- pare the Ground, then you put the seed into the Earth, but if you don't take pains afterwards you will not obtain fruit. To Instance, in the Indian Corn, which is mine (meaning a Native plant of this Country), I, as is customary, put seven grains in one Hill, yet without further care it will come to nothing, tho' the Ground be good ; tho' at the beginning I take prudent Steps, yet if I neglect it afterwards, tho' it may grow up to ,stalks and leaves, and there may be the appearance of Ears, there will be only Leaves and Cobs. In like manner in the present Business, tho' we have begun well, yet we hereafter use not prudent means we shall not have success answerable to our Expectations. God that is above hath furnished us both with powers and abilities. As for my own part, I must confess to my shame I have not made such Improvements of the
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
power given me as I ought, but as I look on you to be more highly favoured from above than I am I wou'd desire you that we would join our endeavours to promote the good Work, and that the cause of our uneasiness, begun in the times of our Forefathers, may be removed; and if you look into your Hearts, and act according to the Abilities given you, you will know the Grounds of our Uneasi- ness in some measure from what I said before in the Comparison of the Fire; tho' I was but a Boy, yet I wou'd according to my Abili- ties bring a few Chips; so with regard to the Corn; I can do but little ; you may a great deal ; therefore, let all of us, Men, Women, and Children, assist in pulling up the Weeds, that nothing may hinder the Corn from growing to Perfection. When this is done, tho' we may not live to enjoy the Fruit ourselves, yet we shou'd remember our Children may live and enjoy the Good fruit, and it is our Duty to act for their good."
A String.
" Brother :
" I desire you will attend to these few words, and I will, with all Diligence, endeavour to tell you the Truth ; the great Log you men- tioned when kindled will make a great flame, but it will not kindle of itself nor continue flaming unless their be Air and Leaves, as well as Coals, to make it kindle. I desire we may use our utmost endeavours to make it kindle, tho' what I have told you may relate to matters disagreable to you, yet if we exert ourselves and act ac- cording to the abilities given from above, the Event will be agreable and pleasing to ourselves and of service to our Children. " Brother :
" I take pains, therefore, and tho' you are a Governor, do not put off these Things from time to time as our forefathers did."
The Interpreter was desired to tell, in other words, what was the meaning of what was said in the two last Articles; and having re- quested leave of Teedyuscung, he said : he alluded to the beginning of the War; the Quarrels between the King of France and the King of England, and their People on both sides, and that their Young men were deluded by the French ; this was the first and principal cause of, tho' other things helped to make the Blow fall quicker and heavier.
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