USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 10
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
This, Gentlemen, is indeed a short Way of settling Accounts, and is One of the boldest Impositions that perhaps was ever offered to a Governor. From your Obstinacy, and the hard Necessity of the Times, I am reduced to this Dilemma; I must subscribe my Name to a falshood. Shelter these Men under an Act of Assem- bly, and preclude myself and the Publick from calling them to a future Account, or Suffer all the Measures concerted for your Safety to stand still, the numerous Body of Indians come to our Assistance to return Home, and the present Campaign to be as in- active as the former,-so far, at least, as regards the Parts these Southern Colonies are to act .- and how fatal that might prove to the grand Cause of Liberty and Religion, which ought to be so dear to us, is but too obvious. The expence of the Mother Coun- try and the Neighbour Colonies to strike a decisive Blow now is too great to be continued; and if the present Opportunity is neglected, we may wish in vain to recal it when it will be too late.
" Wherefore, under these Considerations, and to shew my Regard for his Majesty's Service, I do agree to pass your Bill as it stands, if you think proper still to adhere to it, and shall be ready to attend you for that purpose in the Council Chamber, at any Time you will appoint this Day, in order that there may be no further Delays. But, I must do it with a Solemn Protestation to all the World, that it is Contrary to my Conscience, and in Violation of Truth, that I am obliged to say that the former Hundred Thousand Pounds is Expended with my Consent; not to mention the Ob- scurity of the Bill, and other material Objections, which I waved for the sake of Dispatch.
" April 22d, 1758."
"WILLIAM DENNY.
The Governor laid before the Council a Letter from Brigadier General Forbes, which was read in these words :
" PHILADELPHIA, April 21st, 1758.
" Sir :
"I am extremely sorry that any just request of mine to you, as first Majestrate, should meet with obstructions that I neither could forsee nor suppose ; particularly as I had signed a receipt for the Arms I had demanded, according to your desire ; and by which re .. ceipt of mine, I certainly showed the Necessity that I was under for such an application, in order to support His Majesty's Measures for the general welfare of North America, and for the immediate protection of this Province in Particular. Such a refusal of what is the undoubted Right of the King to demand, or the Officer Com- manding his Majesty's Subjects under Arms in the Province, is what I am astonished at; and as the Service is pressing, and will admit of no delay, I must beg, Sir, you will send me an answer in
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MINUTES OF THE
writing, as soon as possible, whether you are to deliver to my orders the Fuzees demanded, or not.
" I have the Honour to be, with the greatest regard,
" Sir, Your most obedient and most hum. Servant,
"JO. FORBES."
Thomas Janvier was immediately sent for, and declared that Mr. Hughes, Mr. Galloway, Mr. Baynton, and Mr. Masters, forbid him to deliver the two hundred and Eighteen Fuzees on the Governor's Order and the receipt Indorsed. He was ordered preremptorily to deliver the Fuzees directly, and the Governor would indemnify him.
The following Letter from Mr. Horsfield, by Mr. Spangenberg, was delivered in Council and read in these Words :
" May it Please Your Honour :
1
"Sir : I received a Letter from Robert Strettell, Esquire, ad- vising that when Teedyuscung was Informed of the Murders lately committed he engaged to send a Party of his Young Men to Join a Party of Captain Ornd's Soldiers to range on the Frontiers, and, if possible, to take some of them or Retake some of our People the Enemy had carried off; Desiring I would hurry Teedyuscung's Party to Fort Allen, I went to him and reminded him of his promise, and desired he would send his Young Men to the Fort as quick as pos- sible, which he promised he would do, but that he must first keep a Council with his People to make out who to send. He spoke something of the Last Messengers that came down, and seemed dis- satisfied with them, in particular Daniel, the last that Came. 'I don't know (says he) what this is; they say they bring good News; all is well and at Peace; and now I hear they kill White People. I don't know how this is.' Tuesday morning Last he came to my House with a Company of Indians, having several Belts and Strings of Wampum, which he spread on a Table and began to deliver his Message, and he appointed Five Indians to go to the Allegheny, Vizt., Hans Jacob, his own son, who he made Captain, Amos, an- other of his Sons, Christian, Isaac, and John.
" He then took some Strings of Wampum in his hand and spoke in the Indian Language, which Augustus Interpreted :
"'This String of Wampum I now send with my Son to Allegheny. I want to know what is to be done, and what you are doing ?
"' Now, you Three Nations at Allegheny, Delawares, Shawanes, and Qusnaweesawes, and you, Kastaruga, the Captain, you know all the News at Allegheny, and how matters stand there. Two times I received good news from you that all was well and in good Peace, but now lately I hear that certain Indians have killed many
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
white People, which I can't see through. I want to know how this is Circumstanced.'
" He then took a Belt,
" Saying, 'Now, this, my Son, the Captain, shall go and tell all the Captains at Allegheny, that they shall sit down and be still, and shall not do any mischief, nor murder any of the English or White People, for here amongst the English are many Indians Living, and if you are not still you will break the Peace and do much Mischief amongst us; you must hear the words he brings and take good Notice.'
" He then took the second Belt.
""'Give Ear you three Nations and take notice ; I have heard good News from you, which you sent, that we should take hold of the Belt at both ends and keep it fast; we have taken hold and held it fast, you say we must take hold in the Middle, and the English must take hold in the Middle with me and hold fast ; we did so, I and the English with me, and we held fast and was glad for it was good News.'
" He then took the third Belt.
" This Belt I send to Allegheny to the three Nations. My Friends all of you I tell you, you must move further off; if you live near the French, go away, live further off, and then I will reach out my hand to you to come down. By this Belt I further tell you, you shall not let the French know what words I sent, they shall not hear or know what Words I sent; you must keep it Private and come away and stop their Ears and Eyes that they neither Hear nor see, nor know what we are doing or what passes amongst us;' he then desired they might be supplied with some necessaries, which was done; I wrote to Captain Orndt desiring him to let them have some Powder, Lead, and Provisions. One of them having a very poor Shirt on Teedyuscung took his own new one from off his Back and gave it him, he also gave each of his Sons a Dollar and sent them away in high Spirits.
" I do assure your Honour I never was so much convinced of Teedyuscung's Zeal for the English Interest before ; he charged me to write to the Governor and let him know what he had done; he sends his Compliments to your Honour, to your Council, and to the Gentlemen Commissioners, and says he will do all in his Power to keep the Peace. There is a rumour bro't by an Indian, Two or 3 Days past from Fort Allen, who says an Indian came out of the Woods and reported the 30 French Men was coming down to Mur- der; but as Capt Orndt takes no notice of it in his Letter to me Dated Yesterday, I imagine it is groundless.
" I am your Honour's most Humble Servt.
"TIMOTHY HORSFIELD.
"Bethlehem, April 19th, 1758."
1
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MINUTES OF THE
A Message was delivered to the Governor by two Members from the House that as the Supply Bill underwent no Corrections, and was a fair Copy ; if the Governor pleased it might have the Great Seal affixed to it, without being copied, and that the like has been done at other Times, where Dispatch was necessary. The Gover- nor and Council went immediately into the Council Chamber and the Secretary was sent to the House with a Verbal Message, that the Governor desired the Attendance of the Speaker and the House in the Council Chamber; they accordingly waited on the Governor and the Bill Entituled "an Act for granting the Sum of One Hun- dred Thousand Pounds to his Majesty's Use, and for striking the same in Bills of Credit, and for continuing the several Acts of Assembly of this Province herein after mentioned for sinking the Bills of Credit so to be struck, at the Times and in the manner herein after directed and appointed," was enacted into a Law.
Mr. Lardner desired an Entry might be made that he would not consent, on any Account, to be a Commissioner.
Mr. Peters and Mr. Lardner, with Two Members of the House, saw the Seal affixed to the Bill, and it was lodged in the Roll's Office to be recorded.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 26th of April, 1758.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Robert Strettell, Lawrence Growden, Esquires.
Benjamin Chew,
Thomas Cadwalader, S
Teedyuscung coming to town on Monday, the tenth Instant, with a Messenger dispatched from the Council of the Indians at Seekaughkoonta, after the Governor had set out to meet the Assembly of the Three Lower Counties, the Council had a Con- ference with the Indians, which was read, and ordered to be entered as follows :
" At a Conference with the Indians in the Council Chamber, Philadelphia, April 12th, 1758.
" PRESENT :
" ROBERT STRETTELL, Esquire, President.
" William Logan, Lawrence Growdon,
"Benjamin Shoemaker, Benjamin Chew,
"Joseph Turner,
Thomas Cadwalader,
Esquires.
"Lynford Lardner,
"Several Inhabitants of the City.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
" Indians :
" Teedyuscung, King of the Delawares.
"Essoweyoualund, alias Daniel, a Messenger of the Wanami Nation.
" Tepiscahung and one other Indian.
" Isaac Still, Interpreter.
" Mr. William Peters, Secretary for the Province.
" Charles Thompson, Secretary for Teedyuscung.
" The President, addressing Teedyuscung, said :
"'Brother Teedyuscung :
"'The Day before yesterday I received a Letter from Timothy Horsefield, of Bethlehem, informing me you were coming down here, with some other Indians, on Business of Importance with this Government, and having heard yesterday you were in Town, as the Governor is gone to Newcastle, I immediately called these Gentle- men, together, who are now present, and who are of his Council, to acquaint them of it. On which we desired William Logan to see if he could find you, and know on what Business these Indians were come. He told us he could not meet with you, but that the Indian Messenger, Daniel, had informed him he was come from the Indian Country on Publick Business, and desired to be dispatched. I must, therefore, let you know, that as the Governor is absent, he has left us to Act in his place, and we are now ready to hear what you have to say to us.'
" A String.
" Then Teedyuscung, arising, said :
" 'Brother :
""'I desire you and all my Brethren present would hear me.
"'You may remember, Brother, when we held a Council at Easton you desired me to hear you. I did hear you, and, therefore, I gave a Halloo, and after I had given One Halloo all the Indians heard it and turned about and saw me, Teedyuscung, and my Breth- ren, the English, holding our Heads together in Council.
"'Brother : now these Indians back desire us both, Vizt., Eng- lish and Indians, to press on heartily, and they said we will clear your Eyes that you may see clearly. There are many sorts of Wind come and blow dust in the Eyes. We wipe the Eyes both of Teedy- uscung and the English, that you may see our Wives and Children. We Clean your Ears that you may hear us who live back, and we have made One Messenger to do our Business. Now, here he is. The Reason of this Second Messenger's coming is because the other staid a long Time.'
" A String.
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MINUTES OF THE
"' Brother, and all you, my Brethren, hear me.
"'You may remember at Easton when Governor Morris was here, you said to me, 'Brother, I am able-you are weak. I would have you, tho' you are weak, to do all in your Power, and as I told you I am strong, I will always help you in promoting this Good Work.' Now, Brother, I have done the utmost in my Power, and have helped you, and all the Indians far back have heard me. I, therefore, desire you, as you are strong, to press on in promoting this good Work, so that we may build this Peace on a firm Founda- tion, as it has been formerly, and let us look up to God for a Bless- ing, so that this Peace may always stand firm.'
" A String.
"'Brother, and all you, my Brethren, hearken to what I am going to say.
"'I desire, you, Brother, to press on in this good Work we have undertaken; you know I am weak; this Business is very heavy ;. without you help me I cannot do it. But if we both lay our hands to it and join heartily we can easily perform it. All the Indians round about from Sun rise to Sun set look to us, and are ready to join in the Good Work and help us. You see all these Nations of Indians have heard me when I gave the Halloo, and have turned their Eyes, and are now ready to join Hands with us and help in the Good Work.'
" A String.
"' Hear me Brother, and all you my Brothers.
" ' Brother :
" ' I tell you, you and I are about a very good Work. Now, Brother, all the Indians a great way off have seen us about that good Work; But yet I see you look towards the Westward and keep your Eyes to the Westward. I desire you, Brother, you would leave that peice of Meat for me. You see I have it between my Arms and betwixt my Legs. Leave it for me to eat it and I shall take it Bit by Bit, and I hope I shall in a Little Time eat it all. It is not only I that tell you this ; all the Nations I mentioned before say the same.
" Being asked what he meant by the Peice of meat Teedyuscung replied : ' I desire you and the rest of the English not to trouble yourselves to go against the Ohio; I will do it myself. They are all within my Dish ; Leave them for me. I will give them one Blow, and if any escape that I will drive them to the Sea for You.'
" A Belt of 7 Rows.
" 'Brother and all you my Brothers hearken :
"' I have looked above me, and then all over the World. What makes me look is to see from whence so much Mischief sprung from ; and I will take Notice of all those that pretend to join us,
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
and if I find they do not do right I will run my Hand down their Throat and bring up their Heart and lay it before you, for may be it was they that did this Mischief. I dont tell you so myself, but all the Nations I mentioned before tell you the same.'
" A String.
" ' Brother :
"' I have told you all that I intended at present to say to you. I would have you consider it, and if you find any part of it wrong, I hope, as we are Brothers, you will speak out and tell me what does not please you that I may also consider it; and I desire you would dispatch us as soon as possible.
"' I hope, Brother, you will take notice of this Messenger, and I beg you would dispatch him as soon as possible that he may re- turn quickly ; the other Messenger was detained too long.'
" The President said :
"' Brother Teedyuscung :
"'What you have said is very agreeable to us, and gives us Pleasure. The Council will immediately take it into Consideration and give you an answer as soon as we have considered it, and dis- patch you as soon as possible.'
" Then Teedyuscung said :
"' Brother :
""' The next Time we meet I shall talk freely about our private Affairs, namely, about our Building and settling at Wioming.'"
-
" At a Conference with the Indians in the Council Chamber, Philadelphia, April 13th, 1758.
" PRESENT :
"ROBERT STRETTELL, Esquire, President.
" Benjamin Shoemaker, Lynford Lardner,
" William Logan, Thomas Cadwalader, - Esquires.
" A Number of Inhabitants of the City.
"Indians :
" Teedyuscung, King of the Delawares.
"Essoweyaualund, alias Daniel Tepiscahung.
" Teedyuscung's Two Sons and Nephew.
" Isaac Still, interpreter.
" Secretaries as before.
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MINUTES OF THE
" The President, addressing Teedyuscung, said :
" 'Brother :
"' You desired us yesterday to consider what you then said to us, and if we thought any thing wrong, as we were Brethren, to speak out freely, and tell you so; Your advice is very good; This is the Way one Brother ought to treat another ; our Hearts should be laid open to each other, that no Doubts or Suspicions may lurk there to disturb our Friendship ; We will on this and every other Occasion Act with Openness and Sincerity towards you and all our Brethren, the Indians.
"''Brother :
"' Agreeable to your Advice, we now freely tell you, that we do not well understand your Meaning in desiring us not to turn our Eyes to the Westward, nor trouble ourselves to go against the Ohio, but leave it for you to do, and that you will strike One Blow, and drive them into the Sea. We must inform you that we shall be Obliged to follow the Orders of our great King in carrying on the affair, and as we are his Servants, we dare not disobey his Commands. Besides, Brethren, we do not desire you, who are one Flesh and Blood with us, to engage in any Dangers in which we do not Share with you; The Work can be more easily and safely accomplished by both of us than by one without the other. Our Enemies are now murdering our Brethren on our Borders, and while we are men we cannot sit still with our Hands tied, and let them cut our Throats. We, therefore, desire you will fully explain yourself on that Head before we give you an Answer to what you said to us yesterday.'
" A String.
" To which Teedyuscung replied :
"' Well, Brother, I hope you will hear me, and you, my Brothers, take Notice of what I am going to say.
"' Brother :
"' You may remember at Easton I told you I put out my hand, and took hold of you by one Hand, and that the Mohock took hold of you by the other, and that you were in the middle between us. Now I am sorry to hear Mischief has been done back. I can neither see nor hear who has done it, tho' I have still hold of your Hand all this Time. Now I tell you, Brother, as I have taken hold of your Hand heartily, I will look and search diligently who has done it, and I will stand by you and go with you wherever you go, and where your Bones lie, there mine shall also lie; for we are Brothers, and I will always stand by you and die by you. I don't tell you this from my lips, but from my Heart, and my Actions shall shew it.'
"The President taking Notice that Teedyuskung had not given
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
an answer to that part respecting the going against the Ohio, where- upon Teedyuskung arose and said :
"'Brother :
" When I came from Home I thought we should have been able to have done that Work by ourselves, but now I see so much Mis- chief done, I do not think it prudent to undertake it myself, nor would I by any means hinder you from going, but I will heartily join with you, and we will go together.
"'Brother :
"'Now I have told you I will die with you, and where your Bones lie there my Bones shall lie also ; I further tell you, as soon as I go home this my Messenger shall carry the News to all the Indian Na- tions that we will join with our Brothers the English, and go with them, and where their Bones lie there ours shall lie also.'
" Then the President said :
""'Brother Teedyuscung, and our Brethren the Indians : what you have now said sufficiently explains what you said yesterday on this Head, and I am much pleased with it and thank you for so favourable an Explanation ; we will now immediately proceed to Consider a full Answer to what you said yesterday, and will let you know when we are ready and hope it will not take up much Time.'
" Teedyuscung being asked whether it would be agreeable to him to receive an Answer this afternoon, replied, 'as the Business is weighty and requires haste, I shall be ready to hear you whenever you please.'"
-
"EODEM DIE .- P. M.
" The Conference continued.
" Present the same as in the Morning.
"The President addressing himself to Teedyuscung said :
"' Brother Teedyuscung, and our Brethren the other Indians : I desire you will now attend to what I am going to say to you, and consider it as if it came from the Governor's Mouth.
"' Brother Teedyuscung, and our Brethren the other Indians :
" ' Yesterday, you told me that you had, agreeable to your Pro- mise at Easton, given an Halloo; that the Indians all around us had heard you; that they had seen you and me sitting together in Council ; that they approve of what we are about, and desire us both to press heartily on, in prosecuting the Business we are en- gaged in ; that they will do all they can to keep our Eyes clear, that we may see their Wives and Children, and our Ears open, that we may hear what they, who live back, have to say to us. That they have appointed one Messenger to do our Business, and that it
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MINUTES OF THE
1
is our Friend Daniel, who is come Down; that the reason of his being sent was on Account of the other Messenger staying so long.
" ' Brother :
""'It gives me and the rest of my Brethren great Pleasure to hear that you had performed what you undertook at Easton, and that what passed there was agreeable to the Indians, and that they approved of our Proceedings. You may assure all the Indians, nothing shall be wanting on my part to accomplish the good Work begun, and hope you will continue your good Resolutions to give me your assistance. I look on your Wives and Children with Com- passion and Pitty, as I well know they must live very uneasy, untill the great and good Work we are now engaged in be fully compleated. It, therefore, highly concerns us both to leave no stone unturned till it be so. I am sorry the Messenger was detained so long on his Journey. You know he met with many Difficulties in coming down, by the Deep Snows and bad weather, that he could scarce travel. Their sending this Second Messenger on the same Account, is a Proof of their good Disposition; and I desire you, by this String of Wampum, to thank them for their care.'
" A String.
"'Brother :
""'By this String, you put me in mind that you were told, in Governor Morris' Time, that you were weak, and that I were strong; that altho' you were weak, yet I would have you do all that was in your Power, and that, as I was strong, I would always help you in promoting this good Work. You told me, also, that you had used your utmost Endeavours to assist me, and that all the Indians back heard you, and now desire that I would press on and build this Peace on a firm Foundation, as it had been formerly, and Look up to God for a Blessing, that the Peace might stand for ever.
1
" ' Brother :
""I remember well what was told you by Governor Morris respecting my Ability, and the Promises that were made you of doing all that was in my Power towards promoting this good Work; and I now assure you I continue in the same Resolution, and am determined to assist you to the utmost of my Abilities, and shall always depend upon the Assistance of my Brethren, the In- dians, in joining me in fixing the Foundation of this peace we are so happily engaged in on so secure a Rock, that it will last as long as the Sun continues to give its Light; and in order to do this more effectually, as you have told me that you are poor, I shall take an opportunity seriously to Consider in what Particulars I can be of most Service to you.'
" A String.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
"''Brother :
"' You repeat your desire that I would press on this good Work, and inform me that you are weak, that the Work is heavy, and that unless I help you you cannot lift it; you tell me I can do it, and that if you join me in it, it can easily be done ; that all the Indians from the Sun rise to the Sun set have heard your Halloo, and have their Eyes upon us, and are ready to join us to lift it up. "'Brother :
"' I am very sensible the good Work we are engaged in is a very weighty one, and of the greatest Importance to you and us, and that it requires us to join our utmost Strength to carry it on, and accom- plish it in the happy manner we both desire.
"' It gives me great Satisfaction to hear you say the most distant Indians are ready and willing to join us in it. This Account gives me fresh Encouragement to continue my Resolutions of acting to the utmost of my Abilities, and you may be assured I shall do every thing in my Power to bring this good Work to a happy Issue. I desire you will join me in Prayers to the Almighty God to give a Blessing to our Endeavours. Let us in all our Proceedings have our Eyes fixed upon him. Let us act honestly and sincerely with each other, that we may have some Ground to hope for his Assist- ance, for without it all we can do will be in vain.'
" A String.
"'Brother :
"' By this Belt you told me yesterday that the Work we engaged in is good, that all the Indians afar off have seen us about it, but that you yet perceive we keep our Eyes looking to the Westward on the Expedition formed against the Ohio, and desired us not to trouble ourselves about that affair, but to leave it to you, and that you would do it for us; that you had it in your Power to do it, and that you would give them one Blow, and that whoever shall Escape you would drive them into the Sea. And by this Belt you told me to-day that when you came from Home you thought you should be able to have performed what you yesterday proposed, but that you have since you come to Town heard there were Enemies doing us Mischief at this Time on our Frontiers, and that you judged it not prudent for you to undertake it yourself, but that you would join the English heartily in it, and would die with us in the Undertaking, and wherever our Bones lay your's should also lie with them, And that you would immediately send Word back by Daniel to let all the Indians know this was your Resolution. "' Brother :
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