Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII, Part 65

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

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" Governor Morris, Nevertheless, determining to issue a Decla- ration of War against the Delawares and Shawnese, many of the People called Quakers residing in Philadelphia met together and presented an Address to him, earnestly beseeching 'that every Measure which had been pursued, and whatever remained possible to be done to prevent so lamentable an Extremity, might be strictly and impartially reviewed and considered; that full Enquiry might be made whether some Apprehensions these Indians had conceived of a Deviation from the Integrity of Conduct towards them, con- spicuous in the first Establishment, might not unhappily have con- tributed in some Degree to the alteration of their Conduct towards Us; that full Time might be allowed for those Indians who re- mained well affected towards us to use and report the Effect of their Endeavours to reconcile our Enemies to Us; and that by the Gov- ernor's Care to guard against involving the Innocent with the guilty such clear Demonstrations of Christian Tenderness might be given as might tend to the engaging other Neighbouring Indians to assist in the desirable Work of restoring Peace and Tranquility ;' and at the same Time offering, tho' a much larger part of their Es- tates shou'd be necessary than the heaviest Taxes of a War cou'd be expected to require by voluntary Grants, chearfully to contri- bute towards the obtaining Peace in the same Manner as the un- happy Experience of several of the most Martial Neighbouring Colonies had, after long and bloody Wars, testified, it must at last if ever be obtained.

" Governor Morris was pleased to give a civil Answer to this Ad- dress, but thought it necessary to proceed immediately to a Declar- ation of War; a few days after which, some of Us having the Opportunity of a free Conference with Conrad Weiser, who had, as Provincial Interpreter, been long concern'd in Publick Transactions with the Indians, we were thereby confirmed in our Apprehensions that some Dissatisfaction respecting their Lands had tended to the alienating their Friendship from Us, and that he thought the only Method to save the Province from ruin, was to endeavour for a Peace with them by pacific Measures; And the next Day a Dela- ware Indian from the Jerseys, was sent to one of Us with a Letter from C. Weiser, recommending him as a Person worthy of some Notice from Us, and fit to be employed on a Message to the Dela- wares, when an Opportunity of sending one cou'd be obtained, and there being at that Time a Number of the Chiefs of the Six Na-

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tion Indians in Town, some of Us thought it necessary to take some. ffriendly Notice of them; but being determined to avoid giving any Occasion of Offence, before we had any Conversation with them, Two of us waited on Governor Morris and informed him that, as he had issued his Declaration of War, we thought it our Duty to ac- quiesce therewith, but as there were some ffriendly Indians in Town, we were disposed to take some Notice of them, and to endeavour, by a ffriendly Conversation, to manifest our good Disposition towards them, and' engage their good Offices on any Occasion which might be emproved for the Public Welfare; and we at the same time as- sured the Governor, if any thing shou'd occur which had a Prospect of tending to the Public Interest, or might be worthy of his Notice, he shou'd be fully acquainted therewith. The Governor expressed his Approbation of our Design, and gave us full Liberty to prosecute our Intentions ; And the next Day some of these Indian Chiefs, with C. Weiser and Andrew Montour, the Provincial Interpreters, and D. Claus, Gen1. Johnson's Secretary, dined at one of our Houses, and after Dinner had some Conversation on the happy State of the first Settlers of this Province and the unhappy rupture which had lately happened. The free and hearty Acknowledgements of Plea- sure and Gratitude from these Indians, fully evidenced their good Disposition towards Us, and induced Conrad Weiser to declare he had not lately heard them express themselves with so much open- ness and earnestness ; to urge our improving this Opportunity, and in Order to it, He advised the calling together as many of our antient Men of the Survivors of the first Settlers as we cou'd collect, and to give the Indians another Meeting, in which the Substance of that Conversation might be repeated, and enforced on their Minds. by presenting them with a Belt of Wampum.

" Governor Morris was immediately informed of what had passed, and as there appeared some Prospect of improving this Disposition of the Indians to the Publick Benefit, he was assured that if he. wou'd advise and direct the Manner of Proceeding, nothing more was desired by Us than under his Direction to proceed therein in such Manner as wou'd be most agreeable to him, most effectually answer the Purpose intended, and demonstrate that we did not act. from Views of private Advantage thereby, and least the Differences then subsisting between. him and the Assembly about the raising Money for Publick Services shou'd discourage or retard his engaging therein, He was told that whatever Sum of Money shou'd be wanting, even to the Amount of Five Thousand Pounds, he shou'd be immediately supplied with, and by every part of our Conduct shou'd find our hearty Concern for the public Welfare to be our principal Motives.

"Our Purposes appearing acceptable to the Governor, about Twenty of Us, with the same Interpreters, had two Conferences with the Indians, And the most material Parts of what they said VOL. VII .- 41.

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were immediately communicated to the Governor, and the Proposal of sending Three Messengers to the Delawares and Shawnese being approved of by him, the necessary Provision was made for their setting out, and proper Company provided for their safe Conduct thro' the improved Part of the Province; and when they were ready to proceed on their Journey, the Governor being waited on for the Passes, and requested to direct what Signal they shou'd give on their Return, to distinguish them from Enemies, While the Passes lay before him ready to be signed, he suddenly appeared to change his Intentions, and signified his resolution to consult his Council on the Occasion.

" The Minutes of our Conversation with these Indians being examin'd and signed by the Three Interpreters, were, immediately after this, delivered to the Governor, and his Council being sum- moned, we were inform'd they soon agreed that as he had so lately declared War, any Offers of Peace from Him wou'd be unseasonable, and that the Method first proposed of the Messengers going with such Instructions as they had received from their own Chiefs, was most fit to be pursued.

" The next Day the Indian Chiefs setting out in the Stage Boat for New York, after they were gone the Messengers refused to per- form the Service they had undertaken; and the Day following, the Governor, in Consequence of some Intelligence received from the Governor of New York, concluded to send the Messengers in his own Name.

" To prevent any Misrepresentations of our Conduct, as well as to engage the Friendship of Gentlemen from whom he hoped to receive more hearty Assistance than we had from those on whom we had hitherto depended, Copies of the Minutes of our Conversa- tion with the Indians, and of their Answers, were immediately sent to the Governor of New York and to General Johnson, And an . earnest Application for their Assistance, in engaging the Indians of the Six Nations to promote the restoration of Peace with an Offer of chearfully defraying the Expences thereof, Governor Hardy was so kind as to send such an Answer as evidenced his hearty Concern for the public Welfare, and layd us under sensible Obligations ; And we have never received the least Hint from General Johnson of his Disapprobation of any Part of our Conduct therein. Under these Circumstances, we had reason to apprehend that our Intention was approved of, and the speedy return of the Messengers with an agreable Answer confirmed us in a resolution to continue our Endeavours to engage as many of our Fellow Sub- jects as possible to concur with Us therein.

" The Messengers being sent a Second Time, on their return brought with them the Indian King, Teedyuscung, and some of his People, and repeatedly inform'd Us of the Necessity of our personally attending there, and manifesting thereby, and by con-

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tributing towards the Expences of a suitable Present, the Sincerity of our Professions of our Regard to them, and were not willing to go back to the Indians without Us.

"We, therefore, being informed that Governor Morris had resolved to meet them at Easton, That the Provincial Treasury was ex- hausted, And that the Proprietarys' Agents refused to contribute towards the necessary Expences, and appeared averse to the Pro- motion of these pacific Measures, a considerable Number of Us thought it necessary to enter into a Subscription towards raising a Fund to supply the Deficiency of what ought in Justice to be con- tributed by the Proprietaries on this Occasion ; and a considerable Sum was immediately subscribed, and Governor Morris informed of our Inclination to attend the Treaty, and to make some addition to the Present provided at the public Expence.

"From the Time of the first Messengers arriving at Teasgon the Hostilities on our Northern Frontiers ceased, and a stop being put to the cruel Devastations that had been committed, an accepta- ble Respite was obtained for our distressed Fellow Subjects, which afforded Us real Pleasure and Satisfaction, so that the malicious Calumnies and aspersions, which then were uttered, were not sufficient to divert us from the steady Prosecution of our Purpose.

"Governor Morris being At Easton some time before Us, im- mediately after our Arrival there, some of Us waited on him, to repeat our Desires of promoting the Public Interest, and contribut- ing any assistance in Our Power, in such Manner as might be most agreable to him. He received Us civilly, and expressed his appro- bation of our Design.

" At the Governor's Lodgings we first saw Teedyuscung, the Delaware Chief, to whom we were before utterly strangers; on our coming in he immediately expressed his regard for and Confidence in the Quakers, and declared he wou'd not proceed to any Business unless we were present, and confirmed it so evidently by his sub- sequent conduct at that and the ensuing Treaty, that we cou'd not without an unjustifiable Neglect of our Duty, decline contributing our utmost Endeavors to improve this Disposition to the Interest of our Country, so far as we might be able to do it consistant, with our respective Stations in Life.

' "Governor Morris was afterwards pleased to accept of the Present provided by Us, and to deliver it in our Name to the Indians.

" After the Conclusion of this Treaty, Gov". Morris thought it Necessary to send Captain Newcastle on a Message to the Indians at or near Fort Johnson; But before he was set out Governor Denny arrived, and succeeded in the Government of this Province, and we always apprehended that in His Name, and by his Authority, Captain Newcastle went on that Message, as we never interfered therein, in any Manner whatever, and were not informed the par- ticular Business he was charged with. On Captain Newcastle's.

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return, we found by conversing with him, he had given some Offence to General Johnson, and we have since had Cause to apprehend that some Gentlemen in higher Stations, have been informed that ' We had sent Newcastle on this Message, and given him Matters in charge to be privately transacted with the Indians, after it was known to Us that the King had by a special Commission authorized Sir William Johnson to negotiate all Matters of a Public Concern with them ;' But as we have not given any Occasion for such a charge, nor were any Way concerned in sending that Message, it affords us a particular Pleasure, that the Governor has given Us so favorable an Opportunity of clearing ourselves from this unjust Censure ; and we hope that this ingenuous Account of our Con- duct, in the Course of this Business before the Governor's Arrival, will fully evince that we proceeded therein on just Motives, and with the Regard due from Us to the Governor of this Province.

" It is well known to the Governor, that on his Arrival here, some of Us waited On him, and One of Us assured him of our sin- cere Desire to proceed in contributing our Assistance towards the restoration of Peace, in a Manner most agreable to him, and con- sistant with our Characters and Stations. He was then pleased to declare his Approbation of our Purpose; and when we waited on him with our Address before the second Treaty at Easton, The Governor by his Answer declared his Approbation of our Proceed- ings, and his being willing to receive the Present we prepared, And invited Us to attend the Treaty. We had reason to conclude, that our Conduct there, had given the Governor no Occasion of Offence ; As after the Business was finished, on our acknowledging his Integ- rity and Candour in the Public Transactions there, He gave us such an Answer as fully expressed his being well pleased with Us. And the Secretary and Provincial Interpreter very liberally declared their Satisfaction and Approbation of our Conduct; and the latter fully testifyed, that We had thereby evidently promoted the Public Interest, and been Instrumental in bringing the Business so far towards the desired Issue.

" From that Time till the late Treaty at Lancaster, We know of no Part of our Proceedings which cou'd displease the Governor, Unless our Application to the Secretary for the Inspection of the Records in his Office had that unexpected Effect. Least that shou'd be the Case, And the Intention and Manner of that Application be misrepresented by any of the Proprietaries' Agents, and others en- gaged with them in the Measures which have contributed to the present unhappy Circumstances of this Province, We think it necessary to inform the Governor, that this Province was settled on Terms very different from most of the other Colonies; The first Adventurers were Men of Substance and Reputation, who purchased the Lands of the Proprietor, And, as he obliged himself and his Heirs, by an express Covenant contained in their Original

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Deeds, 'to clear the Land from all Titles, Claims, or Demands of the Indian Natives, or any other Persons whatsoever,' they agreed to pay an Annual Quit Rent, more than sufficient to enable him to satisfy the Indians, and obtain a peaceable Possession of the Land. And during the Lives of our first Proprietor and the first Settlers, We believe this was faithfully performed; and so large a Ballance remained towards making further Purchases, as the Settlement of the Country increased, that any Attempt to elude the Original In- tention and Agreement of honestly purchasing the Land of the People, who had a Native Right in it, will be ever condemned by all Impartial and honest Men.

" At the second Treaty at Easton, the Governor, by his candid and ingenious Treatment of the Indians (as the Mohawks since aptly expressed it), 'put his Hand into Teedyuscung's Bosom, and was so successfull as to draw out the Secret (which neither Sir William Johnson nor the Six Nations cou'd do) ;' from that Time it was generally known, that one Cause of the Alienation of their Friendship was some Injustice they had receiv'd, or supposed to be done them, in the Purchases and running out of their Lands ; They complained of divers kinds of Frauds which had been com- mitted; repeatedly urged that an impartial Enquiry shou'd be made into the Grounds of their Complaints by searching all our Records, and 'by the strong Motives of a Regard to our Temporal and eternal interest, urged the Governor to give Liberty to all Persons and Friends to search into these Matters.' Thus we thought ourselves under the strongest Obligations to make all the Enquiry in our Power into the true State of the Indian Claims, whether or not such Care had been taken to purchase and pay them for the Lands, as the Proprietary Agents had constantly as- serted ; The Right many of Us who hold large Tracts of Lands under the first Settlers; The Governor's repeated Declarations, both in Public and private, that those Matters shou'd be honestly and fully enquired into; and the Indians' Injunctions that this shou'd be done, not only by the Persons thus complained of, or their agents, but by others likewise interested therein ; united in engaging our particular Attention, and gave us a reasonable Pros- pect of Meeting wth the Governor's Approbation ; And tho' the Secretary refused to permit Us to proceed therein, by inspecting the Records in his Office, We still had Cause to think our farther Application to the necessary and important Concern of regaining Peace was not contrary to the Governor's Inclinations ; as, on our informing him of our Intention to attend the 'Treaty at Lancaster, and our willingness to contribute towards the Expenses of the Present to be given the Indians there, the Governor, with the utmost Ready- ness, expressed his approbation of our Proposal; And we are not con- scious of having, at that Treaty or since, given the least Occasion for the Alteration of his Conduct towards Us, Which, from the Answer now receiv'd and the Conversation consequent thereon, We have Oc-

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casion to observe. We have no Views inconsistent with the Honour of our Gracious King and the Interest of our Country, both wch. we sincerely endeavour to promote. We have heartily desired that Peo- ple of every Denomination in the Province wou'd unite in the same good Purpose, and particularly on this Business, that the same Harmony and good Understanding wch subsisted between the first Settlers of the Province and the Natives might be revived and maintained; And we have happily succeeded with several religious Societies, who have raised Funds and are ready to apply them to- wards restoring Peace ; and if the Complaints of the Indians appear to be just, and the Proprietaries and their Agents shou'd refuse to make them such Satisfaction as in Justice They ought to have, rather than the Lives of our distressed ffellow-Subjects shou'd be sacrificed, their Properties destroyed, and so large a Part of the . King's Dominions be laid waste, they will freely join with us in contributing towards the satisfying such just claims of the Indians, or at least to pacify them till the imediate Authority of the King, of whose Justice and Parental Care we have not the least Doubt can be interposed, and Justice, Equity, and Mercy be again restored & maintained among Us. And if we are now so happy as to con- vince the Governor of the Integrity of our Intentions and Conduct, We shall have Reason to hope he will concurr with us in taking the first Opportunity of convincing the Nobleman he has named, that it must be from some unjust Representations that he was in- duced to think we had ' presumed to treat with fforeign Princes, or by acting as Mediators between the Government and an Independent People, invaded the King's Prerogative royal.' We apprehend our Duty to God and the King have engaged us in this Business ; And some of the good Effects thereof have already appeared. We, therefore, now again offer the Governor to contribute something considerable towards the Present necessary to be made the Indians at the ensuing Treaty; And, by our Personal attendance, to improve the Confidence and good Opinion these People have of us to the · Public Benefit ; shou'd the Governor persist in refusing to accept our Present, We assure him shall not, by any part of our Conduct, give any just Occasion to charge us with a disrespectfull Conduct towards him; And we desire our Attendance at the Treaty may not be considered as such. The Business to be transacted there is of so much Consequence to the Lives, Liberties, and Properties of the People of this Province, that shou'd we omit to attend there, and depend on the Governor and the King's Agent receiving all their Information on this important Occasion from the Proprietarys' Agents and others who have, for some Years past, been concern'd in the transacting Indian Affairs, We shou'd be deficient in our Duty as Christians and English Men, Denominations We hold more dear to us than any other T'itles or Appellations whatsoever.

"Signed on Behalf & by Appointment of the said Trustees Treasurer, the 13th 7 mo., 1757, by

"ABEL JAMES, Clerk."

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On Considering this long Address, the Council were of Opinion that (tho' several Things set forth therein were false, and many others misrepresented) It was better, at this Time, for the Governor to overlook all and be content with repeating his Advice to them, and letting them know that he cou'd not grant their Request; And thereupon Mr. Peters was desired to deliver the following Letter in Answer to the above Address :

" A Letter from the Governor to the Trustees & Treasurer of the ffriendly Association, &ca.

" PHILADELPHIA, 15th July, 1757, 12 O'Clock.

" Gentlemen :

"As you know, I am desired and most strictly enjoined not to suffer any particular Body or Society to concern themselves in Treaties with Indians or, on any Pretence, to give Presents to them. It is out of my Power to prevent y". Presents to be given. I shall once more repeat my Advice : You wou'd do well to decline appear- ing at the ensuing Treaty in a Body ; Your Attendance at Treaties, as a distinct Society, having given great Offence to the Ministry.

"WILLIAM DENNY."

As Mr. Peters was going to deliver the above He met Mr. Pem- berton and the other Deputies at the Governor's Door and gave it to them. After reading it, they desired the Secretary to acquaint the Governor that " they purposed, in Vindication of their Charac- ters, to publish their Address, and shou'd be glad to know if it wou'd be agreable to him that they shou'd publish, at the same Time, the Answer he was pleased to make to their Offer of contri- buting to the Public Expence, which gave Occasion to their Address."

It was observed that they did not ask Leave to publish, but de- clared positively that they purposed to do it, which cou'd be done with no other Design than that the Indians shou'd be made acquainted with It, and their minds thereby inflamed; and therefore the Gov- ernor sent them the following Letter, viz":

" A Letter from the Governor to Mr. Pemberton & the other Deputies of the Friendly Association, &ca. " PHILADELPHIA, 15th July, 1757, 2 o'Clock.

" Gentlemen :

" Your Address, in some Parts of it which relate to Transactions that have passed since my Administration, misrepresents several important Facts, and contains some Reflections on the Conduct of the Proprietaries, and their Agents here, In managing the Affairs of the Indians, which I hope will be found to be without the least Foundation. I cannot, therefore, conceive it seasonable or proper at this Time for you to print it, especially when it is considered that

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the Publishing it may tend to inflame the Minds of the Indians, and obstruct the Business of the ensuing Treaty at Easton, where the Complaints made by them will be fully and impartially heard, and I hope finally accommodated.

"WILLIAM DENNY."

And in the Evening His Honour received from them the following Paper :

" May it please the Governor :

" Nothing less than a regard to the Public Interest wou'd engage us to decline a full Compliance with the Governor's Advice, 'not to attend the ensuing Indian 'Treaty,' tho' we have Reason to believe the Proprietary Instructions to the Governor on this Occasion are grounded on some false and unjust Informations sent from hence.

" Our Application this day, was to desire the Governor wou'd be so kind as to inform Us whether He had any Objections to our printing his Answer, in which the Earl of Halifax is said to have called the Indians ' fforeign Princes, and an Independent People;' but the Answer the Governor has been pleased to send Us relates solely to our Address, and as it is contrary to our Intention to mis- represent any Transaction, before or since the Governor's Adminis- tration, we shall esteem it a Favour to have those parts pointed out which the Governor thinks in any Respect exceptionable.

" What we have said concerning the Proprietaries and their Agents, is grounded on the Public Records.

"The Governor's refusing to consent to accept of our Contribu- tion, or of our offer of attending the Treaty, has given much Encouragement to the Adversaries of the Peace of the Province, to repeat their malevolent Aspersions and Calumnies against us; But to manifest our Regard to the Publick Interest to be greater than to our private Characters, we shall for a few Days suspend the Printing our Address, that there may be no Possibility of charging Us, by the Publication, 'with inflaming the Minds of the Indians.'

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Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII, Part 65

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

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