USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII > Part 53
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" Gave a String."
The Indian Chiefs being, by their forms, to wait on the Gover- nor this Morning, it was agreed that after having taken them by the Hand, the Governor shou'd speak to them as follows : " Brethren :
" I give you a very hearty welcome, agreable to my Message by Mr. Logan. I have waited all this Time at Philadelphia, expecting the Arrival of Teedyuscung, as the principal Business to be trans- acted at this Meeting is between this Government and your Cousens, the Delawares and Shawonese, but receiving your kind Invitation, I have hastened here, and am glad to see You."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
It was then considered by whom the Minutes were to be taken at the ensuing Conferences. Mr. Croghan recommended it to the Governor that there shou'd be only one Secretary, and proposed Mr. William Trent, which was agreed to.
A Messenger was dispatched to Colonel Weiser.
The Indians returned thanks, gave the Governor a Name, and were entertained with Wine, &ca., And then by a String acquainted the Governor that they had been a long Time from home, were many of them ill of the small Pox, and were afraid of its spreading, and therefore desired all possible Dispatch might be used in the Business to be done. The Governor assured them it shou'd, and that he wou'd acquaint them to-morrow Morning of the time when he wou'd speak to them.
The Governor sent a Message to the Indians, with a String of . Wampum, to desire that all their future Speeches, when prepared, might, before they were deliver'd in publick, be given to the Inter- preters, that they might understand their Meaning before they were to deliver them.
Gave a String.
At a Council held at Lancaster, on Wednesday the 11th of May, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
James Hamilton,
William Logan,
Lynford Lardner, ) Benjamin Chew,
Richard Peters,
John Mifflin,
Esquires.
and George Croghan,
The Substance of what was deemed proper to be said was agreed to, being dictated principally by Mr. Croghan, and it was recom- mended to Mr. Chew, Mr. Logan, Mr. Mifflin and Mr. Peters, to put it in Order against Four o'clock in the Afternoon, at which time a Conference was appointed.
The Committee on considering the Heads of the Speech, and on consulting with Mr. Weiser, were of Opinion that the Manner of speaking of the Delawares was too harsh, & might provok them ; and likewise, that it seemed like making them the Arbitrators of the Matters in difference between the Delawares and Proprietors, which wou'd not be agreable to Teedyuscung, and might alienate him from the Government, after all the Pains taken to gain his Friendship, and therefore drew up another Speech more mild, and presented it to the Governor and the absent Members who approved it at first ; but on its being shew'd to Mr. Croghan, and he disliking
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it and approving the first, it was rejected, and the first, with a few Alterations, agreed to, and given to Mr. Weiser to carry to the In- terpreters, but he making the same Objections to Mr. Croghan's Draught as were made by the Members of Council, it was again altered by Mr. Weiser & Mr. Croghan, and brought by him to the Governor and Council, who approved it.
The two Chiefs appointed by the Indians to be the Speakers for them in the ensuing Conferences, waited on the Governor and ac- quainted him that the Indians not receiving Notice before the middle of the day of the Governor's having appointed them to meet him at 4 O'clock, and it soon after begining to rain, their Young Men who were scattered about in the Woods, cou'd not be collected together, and desired the Council might be put off till To-morrow Morning. They added, that the Indians never chose to do Business at the Close of the day. The Governor received their Message kindly, and appointed Ten o'clock in the Morning at the Court House, of which the Sheriff was to have Notice, and the Officer of the Guard was to take Care that no Persons might be admitted in. till the Governor, his Company, and the Indians had taken their Seats, and then none but such as were Freeholders.
The Indians then produced a String and said, they had received by that String a Message from the Governor, proposing that when any Matter was prepared to be said by the Governor to the Indians, it might beforehand be communicated to the Interpreters, that they might know what was to be said before it shou'd be delivered in public, and that this being perfectly agreable to them, they returned the String, which Mr. Croghan received and kept, as it was his own Wampum.
At a Conference held at Lancaster, in the Court House, On Thursday the 12th of May, 1757, P. M.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esq'-, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
James Hamilton, 7 William Logan, Richard Peters,
Benjamin Chew,
Esquires, Members of the Governor's Council.
Lynford Lardner, John Mifflin,
Isaac Norris, Esqr., Speaker, with
Joseph Galloway, John Baynton, George Ashbridge, William Masters, William West,
Esquires, the Committee of the House of Representatives.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
The Magistrates of the Borough, with a Number of other Gen- ยท tlemen.
The Deputies of the Mohawks, Oneidoes, Tuscaroras, Ononda- goes, Cayugas, with some Senecas, Nanticokes, & Delawares.
Little Abraham and Thomas King, Speakers for the Indians.
William Prentup, Interpreter for the Crown.
Mr. William Trent, Secretary
Conrad Weiser, Esq"", Interpreter for the Province.
The Governor deliver'd the following Speech, and then gave it to Mr. Peters to repeat, Paragraph by Paragraph, that it might be interpreted to the Indians, which ended, they were entertained with a Glass of Wine.
" Brethren of the united Nations :
" You are sensible of the unhappy Differences that have sub- sisted for some Time past between us, the People of Pennsylvania, the English in the several Colonies, and our Brethren and Coun- trymen, the Delawares and Shawonese, your Nephews and Brothers.
" By the Mediation of Sir William Johnson, His Majesty's Sole Agent and Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Northern Dis- trict of America, a Cessation of Arms was agreed upon, and they, at a Conference held in Otsaningo, promised to lay down their Hatchet; which Agreement they since ratified and confirmed in another Conference with that Gentleman in your Presence, at which time Sir William desired to know what was the Cause of their committing Hostilities on their Brethren, the English, which Question they did not then give a full Answer to. But at a sub- sequent Treaty with me at Easton, in November last, the same Question being put to Teedyuscung, he frankly acknowledged that their foolish Young Men being deluded by our Enemy, the false- hearted French King, were persuaded to take up the Hatchet against us. This, he said, was the first and principal Cause ; but that one Reason why the Blow fell heavier on us was, that their Brother Onas had fraudulently possessed himself of some of their Land without having first purchased, or given any Consideration for them."
Gave a Belt of. Wampum of 9 Rows.
" Being very desirous that all Causes of Discontent shou'd be . removed, I proposed that the Matter shou'd then be finally accom- modated; but Teedyuscung declaring that he was not sufficiently empowered to finish that Business, declined it, & desired another Meeting this Spring, when he engaged to bring with him those Indians to whom the said Lands belonged, at which Time this Com- plaint might be fully heard, and amicably adjusted."
Gave a Belt of Wampum of 9 Rows.
.
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" Having the greatest Confidence in the Friendship and Justice of our Brethren, the Six Nations, I immediately acquainted Sir William Johnson with these Proceedings, and requested that he wou'd be pleased to send some of the wise Men of those Nations to be present and assist at the proposed Meeting. I expected Teedy- uscung wou'd have been here before this Time, and am greatly con- cerned at his Stay. It wou'd afford me great Satisfaction if it had suited your Conveniency to wait his Arrival; but as you have in- formed me Your Business will not admit of being longer absent. from your Country, if you can Now think of any Measure that may be likely to promote the good Work in which we are engaged, and establish a firm and lasting Friendship between us and your Nephews; You shall find me sincerely disposed to join with you in doing every thing in my Power conducive to so desireable an End. In Confirmation whereof I give you this Belt of Thirteen Rows."
Gave the Belt.
At a Conference held at Lancaster, On Friday the 13th of May, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honble. WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
The Council.
The Committee of the Assembly.
The Magistrates of the Borough and a Number of other Gentle- men.
The same Indians.
Thomas King, an Oneidoe Sachem, - Speakers for the Indians. Little Abraham, a Mohawk Sachem,
William Prentup, Interpreter for the Crown.
Conrad Weiser, Esq., Interpreter for the Province.
The Indians acquainted the Governor that they were ready with their Answer to his Speech of Yesterday, & Little Abraham, ad- dressing himself to the Governor, spoke as follows: " Brother :
" After you had done speaking to us Yesterday, you left the Ap- pointing the Time for the next Meeting to us. We are now met in Council, and desire you to listen to what we are going to say.
Thomas King then arose and repeated over the two first Speeches made to them by the Governor Yesterday, and returned his Honour Thanks, for acquainting them with the particular Circumstances that happened during the Course of the Conference at Easton last Fall, between his Honour and the Delawares and Shawanese ; and
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
expressed the great Satisfaction it gave them, to hear that their Brother Onas was so fortunate as to find out the true Causes whence the Differences arose between their Brethren, the English, and their Nephews, the Delawares, and their Brothers, the Shawanese, for that they had taken a great deal of Pains to find it out, without Suc- cess.
Gave a Belt of Wampum.
Thomas King then addressed himself to the Governor, and said he hoped that if they shou'd make any Blunders, or have forgot any part of the Speech, he wou'd excuse them, as they cou'd not write, therefore, were obliged to keep every thing in their Memory.
Gave a Belt of Wampum.
Little Abraam then desired the Governor to give Attention, as they were going to return an Answer to His Honour's last Speech ; and after he had repeated over the last Speech delivered them by the Governor Yesterday, he spoke as follows :
"Brother :
"You desired our Advice in regard to the Differences that arose between you and our Nephews, the Delawares, and Brothers, the Shawanese; and you desired us to give you our Opinion, which wou'd be the best Method now to pursue, to bring about an Ac- commodation. We have considered what you required of us. Brothers, We are disapointed by Heads of our Relations not coming to this Meeting ; it was on their Account that we met our Brothers at this Time. If they had come here at this Time we shou'd have sat still, and heard the Complaints on each side ; then we shou'd have been the better able to judge who was in the Fault, and wou'd have given our Opinion freely. However, as things now stand, we must inform You, our Brothers, That in the Time of our Great Grandfathers, and when the Six Nations first united, it was agreed that the Seneca Country shou'd be the Door to the Six Na- tions, into which all Messengers shou'd pass in Time of War, and there deliver their Messages ; and the Senecas, our Brothers, were to forward the Messages to all the United Nations. But in the Differences subsisting at present, between You and our Nephews and Brothers, we have heard nothing from that Quarter, tho' we are sensible that Messengers arrived there upon this Affair. And as we, the Mohawks, are a Door to the Eastward of the Six Na- tion Country, established at the same with that to the Westward, finding that they neglected their Offices, we took the Affair in Hands, and sent Messenger to Otsaningo ; and there a Council was held, and the Deputies we sent charged them to get sober, as we looked upon their Actions as the Actions of Drunken Men. This was the Substance of the Speeches sent to them. They re- turned for Answer, That they looked upon themselves as. Men, and wou'd acknowledge no Superiority that any other Nation had over
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them. 'We are Men, and are determined not to be ruled any longer by you as Women; And we are determined to cut off all the Eng- lish, except those that may make their Escape from us in Ships ; So say no more to us on that Head, lest we cut off your private Parts and make Women of you, as you have done of us. . In the mean Time, tho' they did not any longer acknowledge the Six Na- tions as their Uncles, yet they wou'd listen to what Anugh Kary Tany Tionen Hokorowy shou'd say to them-Him only they acknowledged as their Uncle.' Notwithstanding this rash Speech, they afterwards, at the Instance of Sir William Johnson, agreed to a Cessation of Arms, to come to an Interview with him and their Brother Onas.
" Now, Brother, Our Advice to you is, that you send proper Messengers, immediately, to the Senecas, to invite them, with our Nephews, the Delawares, and Brothers, the Shawanese, to a Meeting with you here; and when they come, be very carefull in your Pro- ceedings with them, and do not be rash, and it will be in yr. Power to settle all the Differences subsisting between You and them. And we assure you, Brethren, by this Belt of Wampum, that we will continue our good Offices till this Affair is brought to a happy Conclusion."
Gave a Belt marked G. R.
At a Council held at Lancaster, On Friday Evening the 13th of May, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
William Logan, Richard Peters,
John Mifflin, Benjamin Chew, - Esquires.
Mr. Mifflin and Mr. Chew declaring their Business called them home, & that they intended to set off early in the Morning, the Council was called, and the Governor desired the Members to take into Consideration the Minutes of the Speeches made to-day by the Indians, and particularly that part wherein they advised him to invite the Senecas, with the Delawares and Shawanese, to a Meet- ing. He informed the Council that he had just received a Letter from Lord Loudoun, in Answer to One wrote by him on the 27th Ultimo, which he thought came very seasonably ; It was wrote at the Instance of the Provincial Commissioners, wherein he ac- quainted his Lordship " that at the last Treaty at Easton, the In- dians, not having finished their Business, desired another Confer- ence, which was granted, and they were accordingly expected at Philadelphia, and a large Number of Six Nation Indians had like-
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
wise been invited by Sir William Johnson to attend the Meeting; That the Governmt was very willing to bear the Expences of the Entertainment and Presents necessary to be given to Teedyuscung and his Party, but They hoped his Lordship wou'd, on the Part of the Crown, defray the Expences attending those other Indians en- camped near Lancaster, under the Care of Mr. Croghan. And the Governor further told his Lordship, That being pressed very hard on this Subject by the Commissioners, he waited with Impa- tience for his Answer, and in Justice to them He mentioned that they had already made the Six Nations some handsome Presents of Condolence, and as they came almost naked, they had ordered a Supply for their immediate Cloathing, which wou'd amount to a considerable Sum." The Letter was read in these words :
A Letter from Lord Loudoun to Governor Denny of the 5th Ins".
[Indian Affairs. ]. " NEW YORK, 5th May, 1757. " Sir :
" As to the Demand for the Maintainance of the Indians, it is totaly out of my Province; the fair State of that Affair is this : The King has seen that the Indian Interest has been lost in a great Measure by the Management of the different Provinces in whose hands it was originally placed ; therefore, has appointed two Persons with large Sallaries for the Management of all Indian Affairs-one for the Northern Indians and the other for the Southern, with Or- ders to the Commander-in-Chief to supply them with Money, to inspect into their Conduct, and give proper Directions to them, by wch. Means I have seen the immense Expence the Crown is put to in this Article.
"Notwithstanding the King's Intentions in the Management of his Indian Affairs, and the Letters writ on that Subject last Summer, both by Sir William Johnson and by me, to you, the People of your Province have obstinately insisted in carrying on Negotiations with the Indians, and have even sent to Negotiate with them sepe- rately in the King's Agent's own House; And that the Case of the Indians that are now with You is, that on the great Eagerness your People have expressed for having a seperate Meeting with those In- dians, Sir William Johnson has for the present acquiesced in it, with my Approbation, till I shall receive further Directions, in con- sequence of Letters writ both by Sir William Johnson and me, stating the Method in which your Province were proceeding in rela- tion to Indian Affairs.
" In this Situation of Things I did not expect that the most san- guine of the People cou'd have imagined that I cou'd give any Countenance to putting the Crown to any Expence for a Meeting with the Indians, insisted on by your People, and only acquiesced in by the King's Servants, till they receive further Instructions. I
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am sure you will see that I am in the right not to interfere in this Expence, and I hope a little Consideration will bring your People to the same Opinion, and I cannot help thinking that the Expence will at last open their Eyes, and that they will see that it is their Interest, as well as their Duty, to pay Obedience to the King's Com- mands, & not to interfere with his Prerogative of making Peace and War.
"I am, with great Regard, Sir, Your most obedient humble Ser- vant,
"LOUDOUN.
" The Honble. WILLIAM DENNY, Esqr."
And then the Governor requested the Advice of the Council if after having received Lord Loudoun's Letter he cou'd comply with the Advice of the Indians to invite the Delawares and Shawanese to a Meeting in this Province. His Honour said he had communi- cated this Letter to Mr. Croghan since the Conference of this Af- ternoon, and desired his Advice, which he said he wou'd give him To-morrow Morning. Some of the Members advised the Governor to send an Express to Sir William Johnson and leave it to him to make the Invitation of the Senecas with the Delawares and Shawa- nese or not, as he shou'd think proper, and either to his House or to some Place in this Province. The Governor inclined to desire Sir William Johnson to invite and treat with them himself, and. that an End shou'd be entirely put to any further Treaties in this Government-Our Conduct having already given so much Offence, and it being likely that on the Representation made of us to the King he will be displeased. One of the Members thought that these Indians shou'd not be disobliged, nor their Advice slighted ; that Mr. Croghan representing Sir William Johnson at this Treaty might make the Invitation and manage the Affair so as not to give any further Umbrage to Sir William or Lord Loudoun. The Gov- ernor thought otherwise, and declared he wou'd not invite nor suffer them to be invited, but the whole shou'd be referred to Sir William Johnson, and everything in future be done by him. Mr. Croghan is to be consulted in the Morning.
Then was read a Circular Letter from Lord Loudoun in these Words :
[Circular. ] " NEW YORK, 6th May, 1757.
" Sir :
" As I have received a Copy of a Letter from One of His Majesty's Principal Secretary's of State to you, Signifying his Majesty's Pleasure that you shou'd apply to your Council and As- sembly in the strongest manner to raise with the utmost Expedition as large a number of Provincial Troops as may be for the Service
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
of the ensuing Campaign, over and above what they shall judge Necessary for the immediate Defence of their own Province.
" And as I am now preparing, agreable to His Majesty's Orders to me, to leave this Province with the Transports, in order to join the Fleet and Succours from Europe, it is necessary to acquaint you that I shall leave Major-General Webb to Command at Albany and the Forts with a Body of his Majesty's regular Forces, together with the Troops raised by the Northern Colonies, who will have the principal Command during my Absence.
" And that in Consequence of the Plan settled at the Meeting I had with the Governors of the Southern Provinces at Philadelphia, I leave Colon1. Stanwix with five Companies `of the first Battalion of the royal American Regiment to take Post in the back Parts of Pennsylvania, and to have the Command of the remaining Part of the Pennsylvania Troops, the Troops raised in Mrryland, and the remaining part of the Troops raised in Virginia.
" And that I detach Lieutenant Colonel Bouquet with the other five Companies of that Battalion to South Carolina, who carries with him Two Hundred of the Pennsylvania Troops, Four Hundred of the Virginia Troops, and have ordered Two Hundred of the Troops raised by North Carolina to meet him at South Carolina, where he is to take the Command of His Majesty's Three Independent Com- panies, and likewise of the Troops raised by the Province of South Carolina for the Security of that and the most Southerly Provinces.
" And in Order to prevent any Dispute hereafter, it will be ne- cessary here to remind you that at that Meeting it was settled, and is agreable to his Majesty's Orders from the Principal Secretary of State, that I shou'd supply the Provincial Troops detached from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina, to South Carolina, but that the Provincial Troops who remain and are employed for the Defence of their respective Provinces shou'd be entirely supported and maintained by the Provinces by whom they are raised.
" As the Plan we had settled before the Arrival of his Majesty's Orders by His Principal Secretary of State, I hope, if punctually and speedily executed on your part, will prevent any immediate danger, I must recommend it to you in the most earnest Manner that you will immediately, in Consequence of His Majesty's Orders signified to you, sett about raising and getting in readiness a con- siderable Force to be ready to join and support the Troops already agreed upon to be raised for the Publick Service.
" And that you will in the meantime give Orders that the Militia of your Province shou'd be properly armed and furnished with Ammunition, and have a standing Order to march to the Aid and Assistance of the Forces already appointed on the requisition of the Commander of them; and that this Order shou'd be more par- ticularly given & enforced in such Parts of your Province as are
1
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most nearly situated to those Forces or the Passes thro' which the Enemy can enter without waiting for any further Orders from You.
" From your Zeal for the publick Service, I cannot doubt of your complying with this Recommendation, and hope, if the necessary Orders are given and strictly obeyed by them, to receive the same Benefit from your Militia that we did lately on the Enemy's At- tempt on Fort William Henry from the Militia in the upper part of this Country.
" I shall send a Copy of this to Colonel Stanwix, to whom, by Philadelphia, I desire you will communicate the Orders you give, and to whom, that he may know what Officers of your Militia to call upon on any Emergency, And that you will likewise transmit a Copy to me at New York.
" The above is my Circular Letter, but as we can benefit Nothing by the Militia of your Province, it is necessary to add, that as the Constitution of Pennsylvania differs so widely from all other Pro -. vinces, and in particular in having no Militia Law in Force by which either the Service can be benefitted in the meantime or the Province protected in case of any sudden Attack, I must beg that you will, in Compliance with His Majesty's Commands, apply in the most earnest Manner to your Assembly to Collect at least Five Hundred Men, to be added to those already agreed on, to supply the want of a Militia, which every other Province has wisely pro- vided for their Defence.
" I am sorry to be obliged to mention, that I am informed that the Two Hundred Men that are to be furnished by Pennsylvania for the Publick Service in South Carolina are not ready to embark along with Lieutenant Colonel Bouquet, from the Delays you have met with in that Article, wch. has obliged me to give Colonel Stan- wix Orders to remain with the Troops at Philadelphia, to assist you in getting those Two Hundred Men forwarded to South Carolina, by which Means they deprive themselves of the Assistance of the regular Troops under him, who wou'd otherwise now have been in their back Country for their Protection.
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