USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 51
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" The Troops being formed, and the Light Artillery brought up, the Army lay on their Arms the night of the 6th.
" On the 7th, in the morning, two Officers came to an Advanced Post, with a Letter from the Marquis de Vaudreuil, referring me to
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what One of them, Colonel Boquinville, had to say. The Conver- sation ended with a Cessation of Arms till twelve o'Clock, When the proposals were brought in; soon after, I returned them, with the terms I was willing to grant, which both the Marquis de Vau- dreuil and Monst. de Levis, the French General, were very Stren- uous to have softned ; this Occasioned Sundry Letters to pass be- tween us during the day, as well as the Night, (when the Army again lay on their Arms), but as I would not, on any Account, deviate in the Least from my Original Conditions, and Insisted on an Imme- diate and Catagorical Answer, Mons" de Vaudreuil, soon after day break, notified to me that he had determined to Accept of them, and two Setts of them were accordingly signed by him and me, and Ex- changed yesterday, when Colonel William Haldiman, with the Gre- nadiers and Light Infantry of the Army, took possession of one of the Gates of the Town, and is this day to proceed in fulfilling the Articles of the Capitulation, by which the French Troops are all to lay down their Arms, and not to serve during the Continuance of the present War, and are to be sent back to old France, as are also, the Governor and principal Officers of the Legislature of the Whole Country, which I have now the Satisfaction to Inform you, is entirely yielded to the dominion of His Majesty, on which Interesting and happy Event I most sincerely Congratulate you.
" Governor Murray, with the Troops from Quebec, landed below the Town on Sunday last, and Colonel Haviland with his Corps (that took possession of the Isle au Noix, abandoned by the Enemy on the 28th), Arrived yesterday at the South Shore opposite to my Camp.
"I am with great Regard, Sir, "Your most Obedt Hume. Servt., "JEFF. AMHERST."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Friday the 3d of October, 1760.
" PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Benjamin Shoemaker,
Richard Peters,
Benjamin Chew, Esquires.
The returns of the Sheriffs and Coroners for the several Counties were read, and the following persons were elected by the Governor, and Commissions made out for them.
Samuel Morris, Sheriff,
Peter Robison, Coroner, Philada. City & County.
Joseph Thornton, Sheriff,
William Buckanon, Coroner, Bucks County.
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Benjamin Davis, Sheriff,
Chester County.
Joshua Thompson, Coroner,
William Smith, Sheriff,
Laner. ditto.
Matthias Slough, Coroner,
Zachariah Shugart, Sheriff, William King, Coroner,
York ditto.
Ezekiel Smith, Sheriff,
Cumberland ditto.
Robert Rob, Coroner,
Jacob Weaver, Sheriff,
Berks County.
Jacob Kern, Coroner,
Jnº. Moore, Sheriff,
Jnº- Vanetton, Coroner,
Tho5. Dunn, Sheriff,
New Castle.
James Walker Coroner,
William Rhodes, Sheriff,
Jabez Jenkins, Coroner,
Joseph Shankland, Sheriff,
David Shankland, Coroner, S
Sussex.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday 15th October, 1760.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Richard Peters, Esquire.
A Message was deliver'd to the Governor yesterday by Eight Members, acquainting him that a Quorum of the House was met and had chosen their Speaker, and the Governor by the Secretary having the Attendance of the House in order to present him, the whole House attended and presented Isaac Norris, Esqr-, as their Speaker, who was approved by the Governor, and made the usual Claims and requests for Privileges, &ca., which were granted.
A Return of the Proceedings of a Court of Oyer and terminer, held at this City on the 23d of September last by William Allen, Lawrence Growden, and William Coleman, Esquires, the Judges of the Supreme Court, was read, whereby it appeared that Jnº. Brule- man, Jeweller, was tryed and convicted for the Murder of Robert Scull, and sentence of death pronounced against him. The Attorney General related the particulars that were given in evidence on the tryal, and Nothing having been represented either by the Judges or the Attorney General in his favour, a Warrant issued for his Execution on Wednesday next.
The Governor laid before the House a Letter of General Monck- ton's, of the 26th September last, with a Message which should. have been enter'd here, but are entered in the next Leaf.
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[This is enter'd here by mistake. ]
At a Conference with Teedyuscung on the 13th day of Novem- ber, 1760.
PRESENT :
The . Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Richard Peters, Esquire.
Teedyuscung waited on the Governor and produced a Letter from Sir William Johnson to him, dated Fort Johnson, Ist March, 1760, in these words :
" FORT JOHNSON, March 1st, 1760. " Brother Teedyuscung :
" His Majesty, King George, having, in consequence of what passed at the Conferences in July and August, 1757, at Easton, taken into Consideration your Complaint, then made, Concerning Lands which you alledge you have been deprived of without your consent, or satisfaction made you for the same, and out of bis Great Goodness and regard to Justice, which he is remarkable for, as well as his Love for his Children, the Indians, has ordered me to examine thoroughly into the said Affair, and when I have made a full and particular Enquiry into the Circumstances of the case, and hear what all partys may have to offer, to transmit to him my proceedings in this Business.
"In obedience, therefore, to his Majesty's Command, I do now take the earliest opportunity by your Son, who is the Bearer of this, acquainting you with his pleasure, and I desire to know when a Meeting with you and such Delawares or others as are concerned in the affair may be had for that purpose ; also where it may be most convenient for you and them to meet me. The sooner I know this the better, that I may give notice to the Proprietaries' Commissioners to attend, and that it may not interfere with my Military Duty the ensuing Campaign, in which I hope and expect you and your Nation will, in return for his Majesty's Kind Intentions towards you, be ready to act a Brother-like part against his enemies when called upon.
" I am your well-wisher and Sincere Brother, " WILLIAM JOHNSON.
" To TEEDYUSCUNG, Chief of the Delawares."
He told the Governor that this Letter was brought to him by his son, just as he was setting out for Citsintsing, and in an Angry kind of a Tone, said he would have nothing to do with Sir William Johnson ; he did not incline that the matter should be heard by him, but desired it might be heard by the Governor. The Governor
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made answer that it was referred to Sir William Johnson by the King, on his petition preferr'd to his Majesty by the Assembly. Teedyuscung replied, that he knew it to be so, but for all that he should not chuse Sir William Johnson should have any thing to do with it, and repeated his request to the Governor to hear it himself ; to which the Governor made Answer, that since this was his. request, and he was so very earnest in it, he would take it into Considera- tion ; but then as he was informed that the Lands about which the Complaint was made, did belong formerly to distant Indians, some living on the Sasquehannah, and others to the Westward of the Ohio, he did insist with Teedyuscung that all these Indians should be informed of, and agree to his proposal, and attend the Treaty. Teedyuscung replied, that this was right, and assured the Governor that this Matter had been talked of at the Ohio, with Chingas and other Indians who were interested in these Lands, who thought as he did, and promised to be at Philadelphia in the spring.
After a Short pause, he took some Wampum out of his Pocket, consisting of Four Strings, two White and two Black.
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And then acquainted the Governor that the White part was sent from Secaughceeny, to inform him that a party of Indians came there to Council, and produced in Council a Belt from the French, desiring their Assistance against the English, who had beat them, but they declined having any thing to do with it, and sent the French Belt forward to Teedyuscung, and thereupon he came down to inform the Governor about it ; he added that the Governor was his Ear at Philadelphia, and he was the Governor's Ear at Wyo- mink, and it was all one as if the Governor himself was there.
A string.
Teedyuscung enquired earnestly of the Governor what he had done about the settlement of the New England People that he had informed him of the last time he was in Town. The Governor acquainted him that the Sheriff and Magistrates of Northampton County were returned from Cushatunk, and had made their report to him that they found about Twenty Families from Connicticut there, who said they had good Deeds from some Jersey Delaware Indians for those Lands, and would settle them, but he would not suffer it, and take the best measures in his power to have them re- moved. Teedyuscung replied, that the Indians were very uneasy, and would certainly turn them away if he would not; as to Deeds from Jersey Indians, that must be a pretence; those Indians would not give deeds.
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, the 15th October, 1760.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Richard Peters, Esquire.
The Governor laid before the Council a Letter from General Monckton, together with a Message he had prepared to send to the Assembly, which were accordingly sent by the Secretary, and are as follows :
A Letter from General Monckton to the Governor.
"FORT PITT, September 26th, 1760. " Sir :
"I was honoured with your Letter of the Eighteenth Inst yester- day evening, and have been favoured from Mr. Peters, with Copies of your Message to the Assembly, and their answer.
"By the Letter I am sorry to find that there is a likelyhood of my, so necessary a Requisition, meeting with so much difficulty, but as I had the honour, in my former Letter, Sir, of acquainting you with the urgent necessity there will be for keeping up at least a Body of Four Hundred of the Pennsylvania Troops, to assist in Gar- risoning the forts in this department for the ensuing Winter; and as the great and near concearn the Province of Pennsylvania hasin the preserving these posts, must be so clearly evident to every Member of your Assembly, any thing further on my part must be needless to induce them to Comply with it, if their own Interest will not Sufficiently point out to them the necessity.
"I am, therefore, Sir, hopeful that upon a mature Consideration of your Message, which so fully sets forth the publick and their own Interest for such a Measure, that the new Assembly will enable you to raise the Men required.
" I have the honour to be, Sir, with much Esteem, " Your obedient and Huble Servt., "ROBERT MONCKTON."
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A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" Pursuant to the requisition of his Excellency General Monck- ton, I applied to the late House of Representatives at their last meeting, That Four Hundred of our Provincial Soldiers, with Of- ficers in proportion, might be Immediately re-inlisted at the Charge of the Province, to serve for Winter Garrisons at the several Posts
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he had thought necessary to be taken for supporting his Majesty's right on Lake Erie and the River Ohio, and also, at the Forts Au- gusta and Allen.
" But the said late House of Representatives being then on the Point of Dissolution, did decline acceding to the proposed Measure at that Time, and referred the Consideration of it to the next suc- ceeding Assembly.
" As, therefore, you Gentlemen are now met in Consequence of a new Election, and consist nearly of the same Members as before, it is my Duty, and I do accordingly press it upon you to reconsider this Matter with the Attention it deserves, and enable me to comply with the General's Requisition, still lying before you; And I do this with the greater Confidence of Success, as you are sensible that our Levies of Men for the present Campaign, fell greatly short of the Number provided for by the late Act for granting a supply to his Majesty.
" You will permit me further to recommend to you the greatest dispatch in your Deliberations on this subject, that the General may no longer remain in a State of Uncertainty, but be advised as soon as possible of what he hath to depend upon from us, the ne- cessity of which will evidently appear when you call to mind that the Time of Service of the Troops in the pay of this Province will determine on the Twenty-fifth of the next Month, a period full short either for re-enlisting the Men, should you consent to that Measure, or providing by any other Means for this important Ser- vice, in case you should refuse it, which I am in hopes is far from your thoughts.
"I herewith lay before you a Second Letter I have received from General Monckton on the same subject.
"JAMES HAMILTON.
"October 15th, 1760."
On the 17th October, the Assembly's Answer to the above Message was deliver'd by two Members in these words :
A Message from the Assembly to the Governor.
" May it please your Honour :
" When we take a view of the favourable Change of Circum- stances in the Military Operations in this part of America since the date of General Monckton's first Letter, we apprehend, however necessary and reasonable his requisition of four Hundred Men, to Garrison the Western Fortifications, might appear at that Juncture when the reduction of Canada was uncertain, and a Draught of the Regulars from that Quarter might be dangerous, that necessity and reason by such change must be in a Great Measure diminished if they subsist at all ; all Canada is now reduced, her subjects have submitted, and taken the Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity to the
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English Government; Her regular Forces either are or will soon be transported to Old France; And there remains no employment that we can perceive, or are made acquainted with, for the Regular Troops in the pay of the Nation, but to Garrison during the Winter the Forts and Posts that may be necessary to preserve his Majesty's Rights, for which purpose we have reason to Conclude from these Circumstances, there is a very sufficient Number without laying an unnecessary Burthen on this Colony ; Besides, our predicessors in Assembly having exerted to the utmost the Abilities of this young Colony in order to Comply with his Majesty's requisition at the Commencement of the Year, from the terms of which We had no reason to believe new aids would be required until another Year; We think it cannot be reasonably expected that we Should at this unusual Season for granting supplies, accede to the Measure pro- posed by General Monckton, for without Striking a further Sum in Bills of Credit, and new Impositions of Taxes on the people to sink them, this requisition cannot be complied with as we have been taught by the Experience of several preceding Years, and the Load of debts they have left on the Publick that the Sum of Money now remaining in the Treasury undisposed of will Scarcely be sufficient to pay the Troops and defray the usual and Common Exigencies of the present Year.
" But were We convinced of the Expediency of the Measure proposed, and was there a Sufficient Sum of the Bills of Credit lately Struck in the hands of the Trustees, yet we have very preva- lent Motives to dissuade and indeed deter us from a Compliance at this time. The Two last Assemblies, zealous to show their Loyalty to the Crown, and their sincere Attachment to their Mother Coun- try, in pursuance of his Majesty's Gracious Requisition, did grant the most generous Aids that could be justly expected from them.
"These Supplies were directed by the Laws to be levied in the most equitable and easy manner to every person concerned, and in Order to answer the present Emergencies of the Crown, Bills of Credit were Struck to the Amount of Two Hundred Thousand Pounds. These Bills have since been received by the Servants of the Crown, and by them passed to the people for their full and le- gal Value, and yet we have received good Information that by an Opposition given to the Value of the Bills of Credit, entirely de- pend, it is with many other reasonable Laws reported against by the Lords of Trade, as a proper Object for our most Gracious Sovereign to exercise his Royal prerogative of Repeal upon; Should this be the Case with the first, we have no Reason to believe a better Fate will attend the Last, as they are conceived in very much the same Terms. And should his majesty be pleased, in Pursuance of this Report, to repeal them both, not only the Bills of Credit now in Public Fund, but the Whole Sum of Two Hundred Thousand Pounds, will be render'd of No Value, the Consequences of which would be too fatal and distressing to the people we represent, for
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us to think of involving them in new difficulties untill the fate of those Bills shall be determined.
"Signed by Order of the House.
"ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker. " October 17th, 1760."
And at the same time they acquainted the Governor that the House inclin'd to adjourn to the 5th Instant, to which he had no Objection.
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Mr. Charles Moore, Clerk of the house, laid before the Gover- nor, by Order, as he said, of the House, Copies of certain Resolves of Assembly, appointing Benjamin Franklin and Robert Charles, Esquires, Agents of this Province for the ensuing Year, and re- quested that the same and his Oath to the truth thereof might be Certified under the Great seal. The Governor having read the Copies, objected to their being Certified by him, and told the Clerk he should put down his Objections in writing, and send them to the House, and thereupon drew up the following Message, which was Sent immediately by the Secretary to the House :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
" The Clerk of your House having presented to me by your Order, Certain Resolves of the House of Representatives for Con- tinuing and appointing Benjamin Franklin and Robert Charles, Esquires, Agents for this Province, to sollicit and transact the Affairs thereof in Great Britain, in pursuance of the powers and Instructions given to the said Benjamin Franklin by the last As- sembly, and of such further Instructions as may hereafter be given him by your House, and desired that I would be pleased to certify the same under the great Seal of the Province, I have declined to comply with his request and think it necessary to acquaint you with my Motives for so doing.
" I am entirely ignorant, Gentlemen, and have not any desire to know what Instructions the last or present Assembly may have given to their Agents, nor have I the least Intention to deprive you of the Means or Opportunity of appointing as often as you think fit, one or more Agents to sollicit or transact your Affairs in Great Britain.
" But as I likewise know not but you may have given Instruc- tions to your Agents to apply for and receive from the Lords of the Treasury under these General Powers of Agency the distribu- tive Share of the Money allotted to this Province in Virtue of the late Parlimentary Grants, and as I am sensible that my right both in respect for receiveing and disposing of the said Money is, equal to and concurrent with yours, I am not satisfied by any Act of
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mine to enable Persons merely of your Appointment to transact that Business without joining to them an equal Number of my own Nomination.
"If, nevertheless, you will consent that your Powers of Agency shall contain an express prohibition to the said Benjamin Franklin and Robert Charles, or either of them to receive the said Money, or any part of it from the Lords of the Treasury, or elsewhere, or in any manner to intermeddle with it without a Law being first made for that purpose, or without the Consent and Approbation of the Governor of this Province for the time being, signed in writing, I shall then be ready and willing to certify your powers of Agency agreable to your request.
"JAMES HAMILTON.
" October 18th, 1760."
November 13th, 1760. A Conference was held with Teedyus- cung, which by mistake, is entered three leaves before.
MEMORANDUM.
6th January, 1761. A Message from the Assembly to the Gov- ernor, that the House was met according to Adjournment, and ready to go on Business.
January 8th, 1761. The Governor sent the following Message to the House by the Secretary :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
"The Troops raised by this province for the Service of the last Campaign, have for the most part been paid off and discharged, pursuant to the Law by which they were levied, and that as nearly agreeable to the time limited by the Act as from my best Informa- tion the Circumstances of his Majesty's Service would permit.
"Of the whole Number that was raised, there yet remain near One hundred and Fifty men undischarged, of which, about One-half were employed in transporting provisions from Niagara, and in Gar- risoning the Forts at Presque Isle and La Beuf, till they could be. relieved by Detachments from the Royal Americans, which, from the thinness of that Regiment and Extensiveness of the Duty, not. having been done so soon as was expected, they could not therefore march down at the same time with the rest of the Provincials.
"I am now in daily Expectation of hearing of their Arrival in the Settled parts of the Province, in Order to their being paid off VOL. VIII .- 33.
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and discharged; and, as from the Necessities of the Campaign they have been detained by the Commander-in-Chief longer than the Act of Assembly makes provision for, I am in hopes you will agree with me in thinking it not unreasonable that they should receive a recompense for their Additional Service, and be paid up to the Time of their Actual Arrival at the place appointed for their discharge, provided that no Negligence or dilatoriness on their March, or other Default, shall appear to have been Committed by them.
"With respect to the remainder, who are still in Garrison at the Forts, Augusta and Allen, I thought it would be most agreeable to you, as Well as benificial to the publick, that They should not be disbanded before the time of your meeting, when, on taking into Consideration the Situation and Circumstances of the Province, you might come to some certain Determination with regard to the Num- ber of Troops that may be proper to be kept up at one or both of those Posts ; For I am perswaded, Gentlemen, that notwithstand- ing the happy Event of the Reduction of Canada to his Majesty's Obedience, you will scarcely think it expedient to slight or abandon the important Fortress of Augusta, at least during the Continuance of the War.
" I am therefore, Gentlemen, to request that you will take the Matters now mentioned to you into serious Deliberation, and impart to me, as soon as with Convenience you can, the Resolution you shall come to thereupon.
" January 8th, 1761."
"JAMES HAMILTON.
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January 9th, 1761.
The Governor laid before the House a Letter received on Mun- day last from Mr. Jnº Pownall, Secretary to the Lords of Trade, dated 29th October last, wherein he acquaints the Governor that in Consequence of the melancholy Event of the King's death, on the 25th of that Month, he was directed by the Lords of Trade to take the Opportunity by the Packet of acquainting him that the neces- sary Forms for proclaiming his present Majesty in the Colonies, together with Warrants for using the old Seals, proclamations for Continuing Officers in their Employments, Orders for Alteration of the Litergy, &e., were preparing, and would be transmitted to himself and the other Governors in America in a few days.
The same day the Governor received from the Assembly the fol- lowing Answer to his Message of yesterday, with a Verbal Message, that as it might be some time before the Forms mentioned in Mr. Pownall's Letter for Proclamaing the King might arrive, they were Inclined to adjourn to the 28th Instant, to which the Governor made no objection :
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A Message from the Assembly to the Governor.
" May it Please your Honour :
" We return you our hearty Thanks for the Care you have taken in disbanding the Troops raised by this Province for the Service of the last Campaign, in pursuance of the Law by which they were levied.
" We have seriously deliberated on your Proposals that We should pay the Troops detained at Fortes Presque Isle and La Beuf longer than the time limited by Law, and that of keeping up Garrisons at Augusta and Allen ; but when we consider the great Opposition which has been lately given to the most generous and loyal Aids, granted by our predecessors for the Defence of the British Colonies in America, that those aids were granted to his late most gracious Majesty at his special Instance by his Secretary of State, when we reflect. on the Success which that Opposition has met with, and the precarious Circumstances to which the Bills of Credit struck made Current, and in a great Measure issued by the last supply Bill passed by your Honour, are thereby reduced, we cannot think of entering into any new Engagements which may oblige us to strike more Bills of Credit, or even to issue more of those in the Fund than are absolutely necessary, and thereby involve the people we represent in still greater Difficulties.
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