USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII > Part 7
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"' Brethren : you are more able to acquaint our Brethren the English, why the Delawares deserted their Interest. You know what passed on Monongohela, and from that Time Affairs took an- other Turn. Scarroyady very well knows that from that time the Delawares were turned, and became another People and Strangers to us.'
"' Brethren : you are more able to acquaint our Brethren the English why the Delawares deserted their Interest, you had all along frequent Correspondence with them, especially when Scar- royady was here who is acquainted with every thing that passed since the Defeat of the English at Monongohela, and some of your People (Two we know) went out with them to fight against the English.'"
The Belt, after consulting Aroas, proceeded and gave from him this further account : " that two Delaware Indians, one of them named Yoristagery (in English, cut-finger'd Peter) went from Nescopeckon soon after the Murders were committed on the Borders of Penn- sylvania, to the Seneca Country, and took with them an English Scalp and a Belt of Wampum tied together, and told there that the VOL. VII .- 4.
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English had killed a good many of their People, and that they had revenged themselves of the People of Pennsylvania, in token, whereof, they gave them that Scalp and the Belt of Wampum; but the Senecas were surprised at the Sight thereof and rejected the Belt, and the Delawares having received a disagreeable Answer did not return to Nescopeckon but went to the Ohio."
At a Council held in the State House at Philadelphia, Thurs- day, 26th Feb'y, 1756.
PRESENT :
Janes Hamilton,
Robert Strettle,
Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Esqrs.
Richard Peters,
John Mifflin,
Benjamin Franklin, "
Joseph Fox, John Hughes,
Esquires.
The Indians. Conrad Weiser, Esquire, Interpreter.
John Davison, Assistant.
The Governor went yesterday into Jersey, but before he went he sent for the Indians to dine with him, and acquainted them that he was obliged to go out of Town, but that they might do their busi- ness with the Council, who wou'd meet whenever they shall de- sire it; and the Indians this morning signifying by Mr. Weiser that they wanted to finish what they left unsaid at their last meet- ing, the Council was called, and the Commissioners being in the Committee Room were desired to be present.
Mr. Weiser delivered in a Paper which he said was settled be- tween the Indians, Him, and Davison, in a Conference, and con- tained the true Interpretation of what was said by the Belt at the last Council, and the Minute of Tuesday was settled agreeable thereto.
The Secretary acquainted the Council that he had delivered the Governor's Answer to John Shickcalamy, who was well pleased with it. He was uneasy, as the Enemy Indians were on the De- parture when he came away, for fear least they might hear of his Journey here and in his Absence do his Family some Mischief, and therefore desired he might return to Wyomink immediately, to take care of his Family, and promised to bring them and his Brothers along with him into the Province among his Brethren.
Mr. Weiser informed the Council that Jolin Shickcalamy had been open with him, and that he had committed his Information to writing, which he gave in, and it was read and order'd to be en- ter'd as follows :
the the Si
b D th th
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
" February 22d, 1756.
" MEMORANDUM.
"I invited Tachneckdorus and his Wife to Breakfast with me and to a private Interview. Gave him a String of Wampum and said, 'Cousin, I am very glad to see you once more here in Phila- delphia. I was very much troubled in my Mind about you, not knowing what was become of you and your Two Brothers. I have therefore sent for you in particular, to know how you fared since the Time that the Delawares began to murder the People of Penn- sylvania, and to learn from you what might have been the Reason for their so doing, and where are our Friends, the Six Nation In- dians, scattered about Pennsylvania. I desire you, Cousins, to tell me the whole Truth and hide nothing from me. The Friendship that always subsisted between me and your deceased Father and his Children requires Truth and Openness.'
" Tachneckdorus made answer as follows : 'Uncle: I am also very glad to see you. I will honestly tell you everything I know, and answer every Question you may ask me.' 1st Query : 'Where . did Aroas find you ?' Answer, 'At Wyomink.' 'How came you there ?' Answer, 'I and my Brethren and others of our Friends have been deceived by the Delawares after this manner, to wit : when the Delawares from Ohio proclaim'd War against the English they forewarned all the Indians to come away from the English, and desired them to move up the North East Branch of Sasque- hannah; a Council was called at Shamokin, and it was agreed to by the Indians there present, chiefly Delawares, to move to Nescopecken for Safety.
" The Attack of Thomas McKee and others by the Ohio Indians contributed a great deal to that Resolution. I and my Family in- tended to go to your House, but the Delaware Indians would not let us go, and said the white People would certainly kill us; such and such Language they have made use of on the Frontier that they will kill all the Indians, &ca. I went then to Neshkopeckon with them and took my Family with me. After a while I found that the Neshkopeckon Indians were in the French Interest. I with my Brethren and others then began to be afraid. We would have gladly gone to our Brethren, the English, but we dared not venture, being afraid of the back Inhabitants, and much more afraid of the Delawares, who told us in plain Terms that if we offered to go down the River they wou'd look upon us as Brethren to the English and their Enemies. When the said Delawares began to bring English Scalps we left the Town and went up to Wyomink, and there on the West Side, a few Miles from the River, we gathered to the number of thirty fighting Men of such Indians as would not join the Delawares in murdering the English, among whom were some Six Nations, Shawonese, Chickasaws, and Mohickons; and the
ad ke ers
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Chief of the Shawonese was Paxonosa, of Wyomink, who is very hearty in the English Interest and spoke very bold to the Delawares. They told him at last if he said one word more they would knock him on the head. A certain chief of the Delawares,
by name, used all his Strength of Reason to dissuade the Delaware's from listening to the French, but to no purpose-the Delawares silenced him also.' Query, 'How strong are the Delawares now at Neshkopeckon ?' Answer, 'Neshkopeckon is deserted upon a Rumour that prevailed among them of your coming up with a large Num- ber of Men to cut them off, and they, the Delawares, fled to Assa- rockney and higher up, having there a big Hill on one side and the River Sasquehannah on the other side of their present Town, and are nigher to Tiaoagon, another Delaware Town, who are Enemiesto the English.' 'How strong are they ?' Answer, 'Not much above one hundred, tho' some will have them to be two hundred, but they in- clude the Mohiccons, who they hope will join them.' Query, 'Arc there any white People amongst them ?' Answer, 'There are two or three Deserters from Oswego, who blacken themselves like Indians, and go to fight with them. There are also some Prisoners taken
. from the English, who they give or sell to one another ; I, myself had two given to me, a Boy and a young Woman ; I gladly accept- ed of them in order to save their Lives, and I will by the first Op- portunity deliver them up to this Government.' Query, 'Are there none of the Six Nation Indians with the Delawares, who go to fight against the English ?' Answer, 'Uncle, I will tell you the Truth, let the most high (Supream Being), hearken to what I say, and chastise me if I hide anything from you, or tell you a Lie ; we have been in great Extremity for want of Provisions ; the Delawares told us that a large Country was deserted by the English, on the River Delaware, and the Houses full of good Provisions, Flour, Bacon, Pork, Fat Hogs, &ca. My two Brothers went with the Dela- wares to fetch Provisions from Delaware; the lame one, whom you know very well, could not perform the Journey, but staid by the way ; the younger went on, and after they (his Company) had gath- ered some fat Hogs to drive them away, the English, unexpectedly came upon them, killed one of the Delawares, and put the rest to Flight, and regained everything ; and my Brother came away with- out any thing ; he told me his Heart did bleed to see Indians and English fight, and he assured me he did not fight against the Eng- lish, but gave way.' Query, 'Are the Delawares stout Fellows, and Warriors ?' Answer, 'They are great Cowards. It has been observed by some of them, and one of our Six Nations, the only one among them that I know of, that as soon as any one of the Men was killed by the English, they fled ; and if the English had stood their Ground, they would have put them to Flight in every Engagement they had with them, but it happened that the English fled from them, when at the same time, they (the Delawares) fled with all possible Speed also.' Query, 'How 'did Scarroyady fare
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
among them ?' Answer, ' He was in the utmost Danger of being killed by them ; whilst he was consulting with the eldest of them in the evening, the rest cried out of doors, let us kill the Rogue ; we will hear of no Mediator, much less of a Master ; hold your Tongue and be gone, or you shall live no longer, we will do what we please.'
" Query, '.What is the Reason of their Anger with the English ; have they received any Hurt by us, or what is it ?' 'They give out for a Reason, that from Time to Time the English, from their first settling Pennsylvania, had murdered above one hundred of their People without making Satisfaction for them. That the English had cheated them out of a great deal of Land, and cheated them in Commerce continually.'
" Query, 'And what did Paxonosa and Others of our Friends say to this ?' Answer, 'They told them openly that the Dela- wares had murdered more of Pennsylvania People than Pennsylva- nia People did of the Delawares, and the Delawares never gave Satisfaction. Instances were brought. That if the English or the People of Pennsylvania had cheated them out of any Lands it would have been prudent to have asked or demanded Satisfaction first, and not to have used violent means immediately, That it was altogether the Craftiness, Power, and Bribery of the French that had brought the Delawares over to them; Paxonosa told them so several times. The few Shawonese at Wyomink don't join the Dela- wares but stand neuter.
"' It is thought the Delawares will go out of the Parts ; They are making canoes, and some say they will go by Tiaogon to Ohio in a short time ; they are very much divided in Council; they have scarce any Provisions at all.'
" Query, 'Perhaps they make Canoes in order to come down the River and join those that will come from Ohio to Shamokin in order to invade Pennsylvania ?' Answer, 'I did not hear any thing of this kind, but it may be, as the French are a very crafty People ; they might have such Projects, but I heard nothing of it.' "
Then the Indians were called in, and having taken their Seats the Belt proceeded to finish what he had to say.
He made a long and tedious .Relation using all the Indian Cer- emonies and Phrases of the Arrival of the first English Ship, of the hearty. Welcome given the English by the Indians, of their en- tering into mutual Leagues and Treaties, and living together in the utmost Friendliness and Harmony. He likewise mentioned in a very grateful Manner the constant good Treatment they had re- ceived from the English, and acknowledged that whenever the In- dians were distressed or pinched, the People of this Province were so good as to take Pity of them and supply them with clothes and Provisions. He made honourable Mention of the Abilities and
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Care of the People, concerned from time to time in the Adminis- tration of the Government, and of those who composed the Coun- cils, and of the first and present Proprietors, and the strict Charge Mr. Penn gave to those in whose Hands he left his Affairs, to be just and kind to the Indians, and repeatedly related the good advice that this Government had always given the Indians, and he hoped they would continue to be good to them and not think the worse of the Six Nations or themselves for the Breach of Faith and Mur- ders lately begun to be committed, which grieved the Indians as much as the white People; and concluded his long Speech with ratifying and confirming all the Treaties subsisting between them and this Province, as well on the Part and Behalf of the Old Men and Women, as of the Young Men, Warriors, and Children now pre- sent, who all say they will live and die with their Brethren, run the same Risques they do, and fight either along with them or by them- selves, as they shall order.
A Belt.
Then holding a String he said :
"Brethren :
" The warriors have heard what I have said concerning our Re- solutions to live and die with our Brethren, and fight with and for them. They tell you by this String that it is all good that we have promised for them, and that you may be assured they are your hearty Friends, and will fight for you, or be employed in War or Messages, or in any manner you shall think fit. They are one Flesh and Blood with your Warriors.
" Brethren :
" We advised you, when at Carlisle, immediately to build a Fort at Shamokin; we repeat our Advice, and earnestly entreat you will not delay the doing it. Such Indians as continue true to you want a Place to come to, and to live in Security against your and their Enemies ; And to Shamokin, when made strong, they will come and bring their Wives and Children with them; and it will strengthen your Interest very much to have a strong House there. Indeed, you lose Ground every day till this be done. Pray hasten the work; the Warriors say they will go along with you and assist you in building a Fort there."
The Council being informed by the Interpreter that John Shick Calamy wanted to return to Neskopeckon, in order to bring off his Brothers and Family, and was very uneasy least the Enemy Indians, when they came to go away, should do them a Mischief; they made him a Present of twenty-eight Pieces of Eight, and sent a String of Wampum with a Message to Paxonosa, the Shawonese Chief, by him, to thank him and the other Indians of his Town for the faith- ful Part they had acted, and to assure them that the Government would give them a hearty Welcome if they would come among their Brethren of Pennsylvania.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
The Council ordered fifty-five Pieces of Eight to be given to Aroas and David, thirty to Aroas and twenty-five to David, with which they were well pleased.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 3d March, 1756.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
Robert Strettell,
William Logan,
Richard Peters,
Lynford Lardner, Esquires.
John Mifflin,
Thomas Cadwalader, J
The Minutes of the two last preceding Councils were read and approved.
The Indians made their Speeches, which were immediately laid before the House, and are as follow :
[An out in the Book here. ]
Two Members from the House waited on the Governor with a verbal Message, desiring to know if the Governor had come to any Result upon the Bill for regulating the Indian Trade, and the Bill for dispersing the French Neutrals; to which the Governor made Answer, that he did not think the Indian Trade Bill would be of any Service at this time, but if the House were of a different opinion, he would take it into Consideration, and as to the other Bill, it was before the Council, and thereupon the Bill was read a second Time, and no objection being made thereto, it was returned to the House with the Governor's assent.
Several Petitions were read from the back Inhabitants, complaining that their Crops were lost or destroyed by the Indians, and praying that a Stop might be put to the Exportation of Provisions, least the Province should not have sufficient for its own Consumption, and the following Message sent to the Assembly thereupon : " Gentlemen :
"The Secretary will lay before you Petitions from a Number of the Inhabitants of this and other Counties, setting forth' that the last Year's Crop of Grain was not so plentiful as usual; That great Quantities had been destroyed by the Indians, and that the Back Inhabitants being drove from their Plantations, the Publick would be deprived of the Benefit of the Grain they had put into the Ground. They therefore pray that a Stop may be put to the Exportation of Provisions, in order to prevent a Scar- city, which they are apprehensive there will be, if such a Measure be not taken.
" As you come from the different Parts of the Province, you are
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MINUTES OF THE
the best Judges of the Circumstances of the Country in that Par- ticular ; and I recommend it to you to consider of this Matter; and if you judge it necessary to prevent the Exportation of Provisions, you will prepare a Bill for that Purpose.
"ROBT. H. MORRIS.
" Philadelphia, March 3d, 1756." €
At a Council held at the State House in Philadelphia, Thurs- day 4th March, 1756.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
Robert Strettell, William Logan,
Richard Peters, Lynford Lardner, Esquires.
John Mifflin, Thomas Cadwalader,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Governor's Answer to the Indians was read, approved, and delivered as follows :
" Brethren :
" We have considered the several Matters mentioned in your Speeches, and are now going to return you our answer.
" We thank you for the care you have taken in the Business recommended to you at Carlisle, and are well satisfied with the conduet of the two Messengers.
" By this Belt (here the Governor took the Belt given by the Indians) you put us in Mind of the Chain of Friendship subsist- ing between us and the Six United Nations. You have added fresh Fuel to the Council Fire burning here in Philadelphia. You have desired us, notwithstanding what we have suffered by the Delawares, not to think the worse of you nor of the Six Nations, but to keep up a good correspondence with them, and you promise to join us in any Measures we shall take against our Enemies. " Brethren :
" All that you have said is perfectly agreeable to us, and in Return we assure you, by this Belt, that you will ever find us true to our Engagements ; we on our Part throw in fresh wood into the Council Fire. The Ingratitude and Cruelty of the Delawares cannot but be seen in their true colours by the Six Nations, and they will, we doubt not, inflict proper punishments on them, as they are in Subjection to them. Justice requires that we should distinguish the innocent and friendly Indians from such as are guilty and at War with us. This Distinction, the Indians may rest assured, we shall ever make.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
" We desire you will on your Part hold fast the Chain of Friendship, and not listen to any Stories, or take Offence at the ill Language you may receive from the meaner Sort of our People. There are among you, as well as among us, bad People, whose Words are of no Signification. Consider only as Truth and worthy of your notice what shall be communicated to you from the Government from time to time at this Fire; and you will always find true Information of the State of Publick Affairs."
A Belt.
" Brethren :
" As to the strong House you have frequently desired us to build at Shamokin, you well know that we are ready to do any thing for the Safety of our Friends among the Indians, and our own People. We expect every Day to see Scaroyady and An- drew Montour, with agreeable News from our Brethren the Six Nations; and as soon as they arrive in this Town, you will have 1 Notice immediately, and we shall build the Fort. " Brethren :
" We thank you for the kind offer of your Warriors to assist us; let them be ready at a Moment's Warning."
A String.
" Brethren :
" We think Harris' an inconvenient Place for your Residence, even until the Fort shall be built at Shamokin, and would rather chuse you should live with the Conestogoe Indians, where you may be in greater Security, and better provided with necessaries."
A String.
Then the Goods were laid before them, and the List read over, and the Present delivered, amounting to ££48 19 3. The Indian Chiefs conferred together, and then returned their answer, vist: "That they thankfully accepted the Proposal to live with the Conestogoe Indians ; by this Proposal they saw their Brethren had really at Heart their Safety, and had well considered the danger to which they were exposed at Harris', they took this exceeding kindly. They hoped the Governor would order convenient places to be made for them to live in, that they might be Sheltered from the Weather, and as they had concluded to live there, it would be necessary their Families and Effects should be removed before this Resolution shou'd come to be publickly known, for which purpose they desired a Waggon or two might be immediately provided and dispatched to Harris'."
They further acquainted the Governor that their shoes were worn out, and some of them infirm, antient and unable to travel at so severe a Season, and thereupon prayed that they might be pro- vided with Waggons.
A String.
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The Governor gave them two Strings in return, and promised to grant the things they requested, and assured them they might depend in finding convenient Places made up for them, and recom- mended it to them to go directly for their Wives and Children, and communicate this Removal to all our Friendly Indians, that then they might live altogether in one Place.
A Bill amounting to &57 5 6, being a Present now made to the Indians, was sent by Mr. Neave to the Governor. The Secretary set forth in Writing the Circumstances of that Bill, and the Gov- ernor was pleased to say he would once more recommend it to the House to be paid, which was done by a verbal message.
The Governor informed the Council that two Members from the House had waited on him with a Bill, intituled " An Act for con- tinuing an Act, intituled ' An Act for laying an Excise on Wine, Rum, Brandy, and other Spirits,' " desiring his Concurrence, and at the same time had desired to know when they should wait upon him, in order to pass the Bill for dispersing the French Neutrals, which was ingrossed into a Law, and that he would be pleased to appoint some of his Council to compare the said ingrossed Bill with the Original, with two of the Members of the House, and that his Honour had informed them he should be ready at eleven o'clock to-morrow morning to receive the House in the Council Chamber for that purpose.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Friday the 5th March, 1756. PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
Robert Strettell,
William Logan,
Richard Peters,
Lynford Lardner, Esquires.
John Mifflin,
Thomas Cadwalader,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Secretary waited upon the House with a verbal Message, that the Governor was now in the Council Chamber ready to receive the House to pass the Bill for dispersing the French Neutrals into a Law. And the Speaker, with the whole House, waited on the Governor with the Bill intituled " An Act for dispersing the In- habitants of Nova Scotia, imported into this Province, into the several Counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Lancaster, and the Townships thereof, and making Provision for the same;" and the Governor was pleased to give his Assent by enacting the same into a Law. The great Seal was afterwards affixed to it, and it was deposited in the Roll's Office.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Tuesday the 9th March, 1756, A. M.
PRESENT :
The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.
Robert Strettell,
Joseph Turner,
William Logan,
Richard Peters,
Lynford Lardner, Thomas Cadwalader,
Benjamin Chew,
1 Esquires.
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Secretary informed the Council that as he was this morning taking his leave of the Indians, who were about to set out for Cones- togoe Manor, under the Care of Justice Thomson and Mr. John Ross, he was told by two of the Members of Assembly who lately came from Lancaster, that two Persons wou'd not be sufficient to protect them from being hurt by the People on the Road, who were ex- treamly exasperated against all Indians in general, and partic- ularly these Indians ; That this Information was confirmed by Mr. Galbreath and others who yesterday came from Lancaster ; and that as one of the Indians now here who was lately sent in Search of another of them that was missing, very narrowly es- caped with his Life from a Number of Men who assembled together on the Road near George Aston's, and were with Difficulty re- strained from murdering him, it is highly probable they will also attempt to do some Mischief to these Indians.
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