USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII > Part 64
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" Your settling a Post once a Week will be very usefull, and shall, as often as anything material happens, trouble you with par- ticulars.
" I am throwing up some Works round our Camp, and if it may have no other Use, it keeps our Soldiers properly employed, tho' I apprehend I have undertaken too much ; but as it is supposed to be a Camp of Continuance, either now or hereafter, I cou'd not make the Lines less.
"I answer'd ST. John St. Clair's Letter and sent it this Morning to York Town. Your ordering your Lower County Militia to march on any Emergency, may be very usefull, as it will allow the Provincials to joyn Me more forceably. Am concern'd the Province will not come into such Measures as I am sure the Exigency of affairs requires. And shou'd Lord Loudoun meet with any Check, they will be found much wanting to themselves. Beg you will believe that I am, with great Truth,
"Dear Sir, Your most obedt humble Servant, "JOHN STANWIX.
"P. S .- I was much surprized when ordered on this Allarm, Colon1. Armstrong to march with part of his Provincials, that he told me he had no Money for Waggons or other Contingencies, so · that I was obliged to find him Waggons, Ammunition, Provisions, Blanketts, Kettles, &cª., and find that the Seven Hundred and Fifty Pounds promised by the Commission's was a promise only; and tho' trusted with the Command of a Battalion, not to be trusted with a single Shilling of ready Money, a New Doctrine in Service.
" I send you the enclosd from Mr. Croghan, for your Perusal, and . to take a Copy if you chuse it.
" Governor DENNY."
A Letter from Mr. Croghan to Col. John Armstrong.
FORT LOUDOUN, June the 28th, 1757.
" Sir :
" Last Night I got here from Winchester with 55 Cherokees, all Warriors, and this Day I am to deliver them the Present from this Government.
"You will see by Mr. Smith the Interpreter's Instructions, that they can not be sent out on any Service without your Directions, as Mr. Atkin prohibits every One from speaking to them, even my-
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self, tho' I am employed by Sir William Johnson, in the same Service and Duty that he himself is.
" These Indians have been above Four Months in the Service in Virginia, and were going home dissatisfied, having received but a- very trifling Present from Mr. Atkin, which indeed was all he had to give, and he tells me he has no Power to give the Indians any Presents from the Crown, but such as the Southern Colonies will enable him to do. He says he will send Parties of Indians to you, provided those Two Governments, Pennsylvania & Maryland, will put their Quotas into his Hands, to pay them for their Services. I told him in Answer to that, I was of Opinion, as those Two Pro- vinces were in the Northern Department, that if those Governments wou'd purchase a Quantity of Goods, and put it into my Hands to pay the Indians for their Services, with Your Approbation, agreable to his Contracts with such Parties of Indians as he shod. send, It might answer the same End or a better. Their sending the Presents of those Provinces to him to give them, as I know Indians always expect to be paid for their Services, in the Places where they do their Duty, and as soon as they return off Duty. But Mr. Atkin seems very tena- cious of his Power, tho' I can't see, as I am appointed by Sir William Johnson, for the Northern District, that my speaking, Treating, or paying the Southern Indians for any Services done in this District, can be looked upon as interfering with him, or predjudicial to His Majesty's Service ; of this you will be a Judge, for tho' he pro- hibits me from talking wth. the Indians, he desires his Interpreter to apply to your Honour or me, for a Reward for them (these are the Indians that took the French Ensign, and think their Services have not been sufficiently rewarded by the Government of Virginia). I will do every thing in my Power to give them Satisfaction. There is a fresh Party of Twenty-Seven Men come to Winchester, which I am certain will be soon in this Province, and offer their Service to you ; And those here, I think will go out if You desire them ; And if you think it not interfering with Mr. Atkin to employ Par- ties of Indians here, I am convinced You may soon have Two or Three Hundred on these Frontiers, and make no doubt, if you de- sire the Governments of Pennsylvania and Maryland, to enable me to pay those Indians for their Services, agreable to Mr. Atkin's Contract with them, they will readily comply. I think it my Duty to inform You that the Indians should be paid where they do the Services ; and I think the sooner you order those Governments to provide for the paying the Indians to be employed, the better ; and they shou'd consult me on the things to be purchased, that there may be nothing bought, but such Things as are suitable and of real Service to them.
" This Morning a Man came from Fort Lyttleton, and brought a Letter from Lieutent Potter to his Father here. He writes that Ensign Hays was return'd from Juniata, where he had been to see
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if he cou'd discover any of the Enemy ; he says he discover'd a great many Indian Tracks, and heard several Guns fired there. Another Party return'd, who say they saw Two Indians fishing in Juniata at the Ford; He writes the Troops were to march from Fort Lyttleton this Morning, in Quest of the Enemy.
"Thursday last, there were three young Lads taken by the In- dians, from a Settlement about 15 Miles this Side of Winchester, and 4 Miles North of the Great Waggon Road ; And Friday Eve- ning, there was one Miller killed Near Henry Paulins, and Two of his Children taken away. The same Evening there was a Young Lad fired on by 7 Indians, from whom he made his Escape, wounded in Th'ee Places ; the same Day, a Daughter of Gerrard Pendergrass was killed and scalped, in sight of Fort Lyttleton.
"I have seen some of both Parties of Indians that brought the Intelligence of the March of the French Army, and upon examin- ing them, I find that Captain Dagworthy has been at a Loss for an Interpreter. The Accounts of the Indians are these, the first Party say that they saw the French a Work before the Fort mounting their Cannon upon Wheels, And that they saw a large Body of French and Indians march from the Fort, with a great many Bag- gage Horses; And that when they got to where General Braddock was defeated, They heard the Cannon fired at the Fort. The last Party say that they saw about 80 Indians in one Company, and a Body of French, a great Number of Baggage Horses, and large Tracks of several Parties of Indians on both Sides the Road, the Number they think cannot be less than between Five and Seven Hundred; They took the old Pennsylvania Trading Road, but they saw no Carriages, or Tracks of Carriages, the Road they went. I am, Sir,
"Your most obedient humb. Servt.,
" GEO. CROGHAN.
"Colonel ARMSTRONG."
A Letter from Captain Dagworthy, Comander at Fort Cumber- land, of the 17th June, enclosed in Colonel Stanwix', was read in these Words :
" FORT CUMBERLAND, June 17th, 1757.
" Sir :
"Yesterday in the Evening, Six Indians from Fort DuQuesne who left that Place last Sunday, and brought with them two Scalps which they took within a Hundred Yards of the Fort. I learn from them that the ffiring of the Canon and small Arms, which I mentioned in my last, was occasion'd by a large scouting Party leaving that Place to come this Way ; They say the Indians who came in before made a false Report as to their bringing Waggons & Artillery, and account for it by their being Young Warriors and
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much frightened ; this last Party lay some time in Sight of the Fort, but cou'd not discover either Waggons or. Horses, and but few Men.
" I have enclosed a Return of our Strength, by which You will see we have had no reinforcement.
"I am, Sir, Yrs., &ca.,
" JOHN DAGWORTHY. "To Colonel STANWIX."
And likewise a Letter from Captain Dagworthy of the 29th June, to Colonel Stanwix, in these Words, vizt:
"FORT CUMBERLAND, June 29th, 1757. "Sir :
"I am favour'd with Your's of the 18th and 22nd, And shall do my Endeavours to give you all possible Intelligence, tho' it will be attended with Difficulty, as I have it not in my Power to give pro- per Encouragement to Men that must run such risque and undergo such Fatigue. Mr. Kidd, Ensign of my Company, has been out with Two Men as far as the Great Crossing of Yoxhiogeni, which Place he left Yesterday Morning, and cou'd discover no Signs of the Enemy.
" I heard from Captain Hamilton this Day from Ray's Town, who has made no Discoveries that Way as yet. I am, Sir,
" Your most obedient humble Servant,
" JNº. DAGWORTHY. " Col. STANWIX."
The Governor observed to the Council that Matters of Govern- ment grew worse every Day, and it appearing to him that they cou'd not be carried on without the Presence of one of the Pro- prietors, he desired the Members wou'd consider if it was not proper immediately to address them to come over. Some of the Members were of Opinion that the Affairs now depending between the Proprietaries and the Assembly wou'd require their Presence and personal Attendance in England, at least this Year; And that if it was at all proper for ye Council to give them their Advice, it might without any Inconvenience be deferred to the Fall, or till such Time as it shou'd be seen what wou'd be the End of the Matters now in Dispute between them and the Assembly. Mr. Shoemaker was of opinion that it wod be better to let the Proprie- taries know immediately the Sentiments of the Governor and Council on this Point, and they wou'd the better judge at what Time their Affairs wou'd let one of them come over. The Members observed that it might be inconvenient for the Proprietaries at this Juncture to come over, and perhaps wou'd they consent to relax their Instructions, the Presence of One of them might not be so
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immediately Necessary, but as it was a Matter of Importance, and required to be well considered, they thought it wou'd be best to take further Time. The Governor said he cou'd not but think it wou'd be the better the sooner the Proprietaries were told that the Presence of one of them was absolutely necessary ; And that there- fore he wou'd immediately let them know that these were his Sen- timents ; And likewise the Secretary of State, to whom he proposed to write by a Ship that was ready to sail for Ireland.
It was recommended to the Governor to write to Governor Belcher, on Account of the Behaviour of the People of Jersey, opposite to Easton, at the last Treaty there; And to desire an Order on the Commanding Officer of the Militia to post a Number of them in Philipsburgh to keep their own People in Order, and likewise to be subject to the order of Governor Denny if wanted, wch. was done accordingly.
And the following Letter was wrote to inform Mr. Croghan of Teedyuscung's Arrival at Fort Allen :
A. Lre. from the Governor to George Croghan, Esquire. " PHILADELPHIA, 7th July, 1757. "Sir :
"This Morning, arrived an Express from Bethlehem, with a Letter, acquainting me that Teedyuscung is arrived at Fort Allen, where are now Two Hundred Indians, old and Young; and One Hundred Senecas are still expected. When these arrive, Teedyus- cung will proceed to Easton ; and there, it seems, I must meet him and hold the Treaty. This Express is sent on Purpose to hasten your Coming. I leave it to you, either to go to Easton, or come here, as You incline.
" I have some late Accounts from Sir William Johnson, with a Letter from him, which I shall communicate to you when I have the pleasure to see you.
" I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant, "WILLIAM DENNY."
The Governor inform'd the Council, that he had receiv'd a Letter from the Proprietaries, of the 10th [March, purporting, " that the Earl of Halifax had communicated to them, with very strong Ex- pressions of Dissatisfaction, a Treaty held with Indians at Phila- delphia by the People called Quakers; which his Lordship was pleased to think the most extraordinary Procedure he had ever seen, In Persons, who were on the same Footing, only, with all others of the King's private Subjects, to presume to Treat with Foreign Princes; And further, that as the Suffering any One Part of the King's Subjects, whether of a different Profession of Religion, or however else distinguished, to Treat as Media- tors between a Province, in which they live, and any Indepen-
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dent People, is the highest Invasion of His Majesty's Preroga- tive Royal, and of the worst Consequence, as It must tend to divide the King's Subjects into different Parties and Interests ; And by how much more These, or any other Body of People, are suffer'd to attack the Indians to their own particular Interest, By so much less must their Regard to People of other Professions be; & That the Proprietaries had, therefore, directed him not to suffer those People, or any other particular Body or Society, in Pennsyl- vania, to concern themselves in any Treaty with the Indians; Or, on any Pretence, to suffer Presents from such Persons to be given to the Indians, or to be joined with the Public Present at any such Treaty ;" And that, as he expected the Quakers wou'd incline to make Presents to the Indians at the ensuing Treaty wth. Teedyus- cung, and wou'd apply to have them joined with the Public Pre- sent, and deliver'd in the same Manner as was done by Governor Morris and himself At the late Treaties at Easton and Lancaster, he thought it proper to consult the Council on the Proprietaries' Letter, that he might be prepared with an Answer in Case of their renewing their Application.
The Matter was taken into Consideration, And it was the unani- mous Opinion of the Council that if Application shou'd be made by them as heretofore their offers shou'd be refused, And such an Answer given to them as is directed by the Proprietors in their Letter.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, On Wednesday the 13th of July, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutent Gov- ernour.
James Hamilton,
William Logan,
Joseph Turner,
Benjamin Chew, and Esquires.
Richard Peters,
Mr. Peters informed the Governor and Council that Mr. Gallo- way, Mr. Masters, Mr. Leech, Mr. Fox, Mr. York, and Mr. West, came to his House, and sayd they waited on him as a Committee of Assembly, in Pursuance of an Order of the House, to inspect the Minutes of Council relating to Indian Purchases, particularly those made in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred, of the To- hiccon Lands, And the. Minutes about the confirming Purchase of those Lands, In the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty- Seven ; Those relating to the Purchase of the Brandywine Lands, Juniata, Conedogwainet, and Albany, And to demand Copies of them; That Mr. Chew happened to be with Mr. Peters when these Gentlemen came, And that he gave them for Answer, "that the Minutes of the Council were at the Governor's and subject to his
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Order, And that he wou'd acquaint the Governor with their Appli- cation and deliver them His Honour's Answer." Mr. Galloway replied, " that had they known the Minutes of Council were with the Governor they wou'd have applied to him directly."
The Board not inclining to consider the Thing till their Applica- tion was reduced to writing, At Mr. Peters' Request Mr. Galloway and Mr. Fox gave him the Application of the Committee in Writing, as follows, viz* :
A Letter from the Committee of Assembly to Richard Peters, Esq". " Sir :
"The Application of the Committee of Assembly to You Yester- day was made in Pursuance of an Order of the House, which was to inspect the Minutes of Council respecting Indian Purchases. They are desirous of seeing and having fair Transcripts of all the Minutes that relate to the Purchase made by William Penn about the Year 1700, of the Lands on Tohiccon, Neshaminey, the Lehigh, and the Forks of Delaware, or any of them, The Minutes relating to the confirmatory Purchase of the same Lands in 1737, The Minutes relating to the Purchase of the Lands on Brandywine, The Minutes relating to the Purchase of the Juniata and Conedaguinet Lands, And Those relating to the Purchase made at Albany.
" We are, Sir, Your humble Servants, "JOSEPH FOX, "WILLIAM MASTERS, " THOS. LEECH, "WILLIAM WEST, " JOSEPH GALLOWAY, " THOS. YORKE.
"July 13th, 1757."
After some Time spent in deliberating upon the Demand, Mr. Peters was directed to give the following Answer, to wit :
Mr. Peters' Lre. to the Committee :
" Gentlemen :
" I have laid before His Honour the Governor your Application for an Inspection and fair Transcripts of the Minutes of Council, respecting the several Indian Purchases mentioned in your Letter of this Date. In Answer to which His Honour has ordered me to let you know That he will not permit you to inspect the Council Books ; That he is now too much engaged in Publick Business, and in pre- paring for his Journey to Easton, to admit of Time for my search- ing the Council Books for the minutes you apply for, but that on his Return he will take Care you shall be furnished with fair Tran- scripts of them.
" This he presumes will not be attended with any Inconvenience
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to You, as a Committee of Assembly, as the House does not meet by their Adjournment till the Eighth Day of August next.
"I am, Gentlemen, Your most humble Servant,
"RICHARD PETERS.
" Philadelphia, July 13th, 1757."
The Resignation of the Justices of Cumberland County was again considered, And the following List of Persons agreed to as proper to be put into a New Commission :
A List of the Justices for Cumberland County.
James Hamilton, William Till,
Robert Strettell,
Benjamin Shoemaker, Lawrence Growden, Joseph Turner,
William Logan, Richard Peters, Lynford Lardner, &
Benjamin Chew, John Mifflin, Thomas Cadwallader,
Members of the Proprietary and Governor's Council, Esquires, And
Francis West, John Armstrong,
Joseph Armstrong,
John Smith, John Potter,
Hugh Mercer, .
William Smith, John McNaught, John Byards, &
David Wilson, James Caruthers, Hermanus Alricks,
Of the County of Cumberland, Esquires.
New Commissions of the Peace are to be considered and made out for All the Counties in which they have not been renewed by the present Governor.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, On Friday the 15th July, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieuten". Gov- ernor.
Benjamin Chew, Richard Peters, Thomas Cadwallader, Esquires.
and
The Governor inform'd the Members that On Monday Mr. Israel Pemberton, William Callender, Joseph Morris, and Jeremiah War- der had waited on him, in the Name of the ffriendly Association, desiring they might be allowed, as in some former Treaties, to make Presents to the Indians, and to attend the ensuing Treaty at Easton ; and that he had given them such an Answer as was agreed to in Council, after considering the Proprietaries' Letter of the 10th March, and follows in these Words, to wit:
" The Governor's Answer to a Deputation of the ffriendly Society. " Gentlemen :
" The Proprietaries have acquainted me ' that the Earl of Halifax
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has communicated to them, with very strong Expressions of Dissatis- faction, a Treaty held with Indians at Philadelphia by the People calld. Quakers, which His Lordship was pleased to think the most extra- ordinary procedure he had ever seen in Persons who were on the same Footing only with all others of the King's private Subjects to presume to Treat with fforeign Princes. And, further, that as the suffering any one Part of the King's Subjects, whether of a different Profession of Religion, or however else distinguished, to treat as Mediators between a Province in which they live and any Indepen- dent People, is the highest Invasion of His Majesty's Prerogative Royal, and of the worst Consequence, as it must tend to divide the King's Subjects into different Parties and Interests ; and by how much more These or any other Body of People are suffered to attach the Indians to their own particular Interests, by so much less must their regard to People of other Professions be.' The Proprietors have, therefore, directed Me not to suffer those People, or any other particulary Body or Society in Pennsylvania, to concern themselves in any Treaty with the Indians, or on any Pretence to suffer Presents from such persons to be given to the Indians, or to be joined with the Public Present at any such Treaty. These Directions I shall conform to, and my regard for you, as well as Mess" Penn's Instruc- tions, lead me to observe that your Attendance at Treaties, as a dis- tinct Society, having given great Offence to the Ministers, it wou'd be prudent in You to decline going in a Body.
"July 11th, 1757."
"WILLIAM DENNY.
And that on Wednesday, in the Afternoon, he had received from the same Persons, Abel James being with them, a long Address, which was read in these Words, to wit :
" To WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, &ca.,
" The Address of the Trustees and Treasurer of the ffriendly Asso- ciation for regaining and preserving Peace with the Indians by pacific Measures :
" Respectfully sheweth :
" That on Consideration of the Answer given by the Governor to our Offer of contributing towards the Expences of the ensuing Treaty with the Indians, We apprehend it to be necessary to lay before Him a true Statement of the Motives which induced Us to use our Endeavours to promote a Reconciliation with them, of the Manner in which we proceeded before and Since the Governor's Arrival in this Province, And of some Reasons we have for desir- ing to see that the Grounds of their Complaints are carefully and impartially enquired into and considered, and such Measures pur- sued for satisfying them, as the present melancholy Circumstances
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of this Province immediately require; and we doubt not, if the Governor will be pleased to attend to and impartially consider what we shall offer, He will be fully convinced our Conduct hath been consistent with the Profession we make of acting on these Princi- ples, of fearing God, honouring the King, and promoting Peace among Men.
"We, therefore, beg leave to inform the Governor that soon after the first Accounts were brought of the Mischief done by the In- dians on the Frontiers of Virginia, some of the People called Qua- kers, residing in Philadelphia, seriously considering the fatal Con- sequences of losing that Interest and Friendship our Predecessors had obtained by their upright dealing and hospitable Treatment of the Indians in the first Settlement of this Province, And appre- hending the too general Neglect of them, which had for some time been obvious, wou'd terminate to the public Disadvantage, deter- mined to improve every future Opportunity of manifesting some Regard to them ; And several Companies of Indians of different Tribes, coming to this City on divers Occasions, They were visited by some of Us and invited to our Houses, And on their going away presented with some small Matters necessary for them in their way of living; And the gratefull Manner in which they received, these Instances of regard, and the lively remembrance they appear'd to retain of the Friendship which subsisted between their Ances- tors and the first Settlers of this Province, afforded us real Satis- faction, and some Grounds to hope our good Intentions wou'd not be disappointed.
" During the following Winter the frequent Melancholy Accounts of the barbarous Murders committed by the Indians on the Western and Northern Frontiers of this Province filled the Minds of the People in general with a Spirit of Indignation and resentment against them, and no Opportunity presented of publicly manifesting the earnest Concern we had to use our utmost Endeavours in a Manner consistent with our peaceable Principles to prevent the im- pending Desolation. The Calamity became general, and every one was deeply interested in the Measures taken for enquiring into the Causes which have induced our antient steady Friends to become our Enemies. Yet this being the proper Business of those then concerned in the Administration of the Government, we waited the Event of their proceedings, having just Grounds to hope that the Knowledge some of them had of several Matters which might probably have contributed to this unhappy Rupture, together with the repeated Applications of the Assembly of the Province wou'd have incited them to pursue every rational Method of making such an Enquiry, and obtaining an amicable Adjustment of all Differ- ences with these Indians, and thereby averting the melancholy Con- sequences of continuing to expose them immediately to the Artifices of the French, who wou'd not fail to take Advantage of our Mis-
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understandings with them. But the Spring of another Year returned, and the Public remained unacquainted with such Measures being pursued. Great Military Preparations were indeed made, and Forts erected in many Parts of the Frontiers; but the Desola- tion and Distress of the Province increased, and the sanguine Expectations of the People, who had at first hoped by these Means to defend themselves, were remarkably disappointed.
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