USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 62
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" April 22nd, 1761."
"JAMES HAMILTON.
VOL. VIII .- 39.
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Amendments to the Bill Entituled " An Act for granting to his Ma- jesty the Sum of Thirty thousand Pounds, and for striking the same in Bills of Credit, and for providing a Fund for sinking the said Bills of Credit."
"Page 4, Line 5. Dele the words [John Serjeant] and insert the words [David Barclay, junior, and John Barclay].
"Page 5, Line the last. After the word [house] add as follows [countersigned by the Governor & Commander-in-Chief of this Pro- vince for the time being, and not otherwise ].
"Page 6, Line first. Dele the name [John Sergeant ] and insert. [David Barclay, j'., and Jnº: Barclay].
" Same page, Line 4. After the word [same] add as follows [together with all the Gain, Profits, Interest, or Emoluments, thereon arising or accruing, or that may or shall by any Ways or Means, whatsoever, be made thereof ].
"Same pa. Line 6. Dele the name [John Sergeant] and insert [David Barclay, j'., & Jnº Barclay].
"Same pa. Line 14. After the word [being] insert [By a resolve of the House of Assembly, countersigned by the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of this Province for the time being, and not otherwise].
"Page 7, Line 3. After the word [Colony] add [and all the Profits, Interest, or Emoluments, that shall or may arise thereon as aforesaid].
"Same pa. Line 8. Dele the words [so much of the] and in- stead thereof insert the words [all and every, the Sum and Sums of ]
" Same page. Dele from the word [as] in the 12th Line, to the word [use] inclusive in the penult Line.
"Same pa., last Line. After the word [for] add [in manner aforesaid] ..
"Page 9, Line 1. Dele the words [Residue of the].
"Page 9th, Line 8. After the word [Destroy] insert the follow- ing Clause, viz' : [Provided always, and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if the said Benjamin Franklin, Robert Charles, David Barclay, Jun"., and John Barclay, or the Survivors or Survivor of them, shall not have received within the aforesaid Term of two Years after the passing this Act, or within Six Months after a peace between the Crowns of Great Britain and France shall be proclaimed within this province, the whole Money which is or shall be allotted to this Colony, as the Distributive Share and pro- portion of the Sum or Sums of Money granted or to be granted as aforesaid, Then, and in such Case, the Residue of the said Sum and Sums of Money, with the Interest, Profits, & Emoluments thereof, if any, shall be drawn for in manner aforesaid, within the Term of Six Months after the respective Receipts of the same by them, or the Survivors or Survivor of them; and the said Trustees,
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towards sinking the said several Sums of Money heretofore granted to his Majesty's Use, & in abatment of the Taxes laid for that purpose, shall pay all the Money arising by the sale of such Bills or Draughts in Bills of Credit, into the hands of the Committe of Assembly aforesaid, who shall burn, sink, and destroy the same, in manner herein before directed].
"Page 15, Line 9. After the word [whatsoever] add [Rents re- served, or Debts due, or to become due, and payable in Stirling Money to the Proprietors of this Province, only excepted and fore- prized ].
"Same pa., penult Line. After the word [received] add [except as before excepted].
" Page 22, Line 7. Dele the words [John Sergeant] and instead thereof insert the words [David Barclay, junior, and John Bar- clay]
" 22d April, 1761."
The two Bills to which the Governor gave his Assent, the one Entituled "A Supplement to the Act entituled 'An Act for laying a Duty on Nogroes and Mulattoe Slaves imported into this Province ;'" the other "A Supplement to the Act intitled 'An Act to prevent Exportation of bad & unmerchantable Staves, Heading, Boards, and Timber,'" having been compared with the engrossed Copies, and the House, with their Speaker, attending in the Council Chamber, they were enacted into Laws and the Great Seal affixed to them, and they were afterwards lodged in the Roll's Office.
On the 23rd of April, the following Message, in answer to the Governor's of yesterday, was delivered by two Members, who ac- quainted the Governor that the House inclined to adjourn to the 7th of September next, to which he made no other objection than that it would be more agreeable to him, if they could agree to frame a new Bill, or accede to his Amedments of the one rejected.
A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
" May it please your Honour :
" We have taken into Consideration Your Message which atten- ded the Bill for granting Supplies to the Crown, in pursuance of his Majesty's gracious Requisition, and cannot, consistent with the Rights of Assembly, and that Duty we owe the people we repre- sent, admit of the Amendments proposed therein ; nor can we think of framing a new Bill for this Purpose, as we have already pre- pared, and presented to your Honour, a Bill similar in its Essen- tials to one which hath received the Approbation of his Majesty, and, as we apprehend, reasonable and just in all its parts ; besides, we know of no other method, consistent with our Rights, but may be liable to objections of equal Weight with those made by your Honour to the said Bill.
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"The House being very much fatigued with the great length of time spent in the publick Business at this inconvenient Season of the Year, are obliged to content themselves for the present with this general answer; but, as your two last Messages contain mat- ters which we think it our indispensable duty to answer in a more particular manner, we have appointed a Committee to report more fully thereon to the House at their next meeting.
" Signed by order of the House; "ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker.
" April 23rd, 1761."
MEMORANDUM.
The Governor having received Intelligence that the Connecticut people were still at Cushietunck, and that others were designing to come from Connecticut, in order to settle the Indians' Lands up to the very Susquehannah, He sent Capt". James Hyndshaw to ob- serve what was doing there, or likely to be done, and on his return, Mr. Hyndshaw delivered in the following Report, to which he made Oath :
The Oath of Captn. James Hyndshaw taken before the Govr.
" Pennsylvania, ss:
"On the twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-one, before the Honourable James Hamilton, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor, and Commander-in- Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware, Personally appeared James Hyndshaw, of the County of Northampton, in the said Province, Gentleman, and made Oath on the Holy Evangelists, that he being lately employed and desired by the said Governor Hamilton, to take a Journey to Cushietunck, in the back part of the said County of Northampton, to observe what progress the Connecticut people were making in their new settlement there, this Deponent sat out on the said Journey on the sixteenth day of this Instant April, and got, the next day, to a Tavern kept by peter Kuykendale, on or near the River Delaware, at Mackhackamack, in Sussex County, West New Jersey, and there saw and talked with one Hal- bert, who told this Deponent that he came from Connecticut, & was going with his Family to live at the said new settlement at Cushietunck, under a Connecticut Right ; That this Deponent also enquired of the said Peter Kuykendale concerning the said Settle- ment, & in a Conversation they had on that subject the said Kuy- kendale informed him that about two days before some of the In- dians who lived on Delaware, at or near Cushietunck (of whom the Connecticut People had made their pretended purchase of those
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Lands), had been at his House, and acquainted him that they, the said Indians, had sent two of their Chief Men to Teedyuscung and the Indians of Wyomink, with two Belts of Wampum, one White and the other Black, in order to know their Determination with re- spect to the Connecticut People's new intended settlements at Cushie- tunck and Wyomink, and that the design of the Indians sending the Black Belt (as this Deponant understood from the said Kuyken- dale & from his own knowledge of the Indian Customs), was to Denounce or signify to Teedyuscung and the other Indians at Wyo- mink and Susquehanna, that if they should give an unfavourable Answer and intend to give any Opposition to the Connecticut peo- ple settling at Cushietunck or Wyomink, then they, the said Indians, who sent the said Belts, were resolved to join with the Connecticut People, and settle them there by force and in spite of such opposi- tion of Teedyuscung & his Indians. That he, this Deponent, pro- ceeded on his Journey the same day from Kuykendale's, and over- took on the Road to Cushietunck Three men armed with Gunns, leading each a horse loaden with Provisions, who acquainted him that they were going to settle at Cushietunck under a Connecticut Right; That he stop'd in the Evening at a place about thirteen miles on this side of Cushietunck, where he fell in with two other of the Settlers who came from Cushietunck in pursuit of a tired Ox that they had left behind, and they having lighted up a fire stayed with them all night, and the next Morning, crossing Delaware, he went on to Cushietunck, and there put up at the house of Moses Thomas, one of the principal Men of the Settlement, and saw over the Door an Advertizement, signed Moses Thomas, giving notice to all the Inhabitants of the Settlement that they were to meet at his, the said Thomas's house on the Monday following, in order to chuse a Magistrate and their other Officers for the ensuing Year, and also to consult on other Affairs relating to the Settlement ; That the said Moses Thomas not being at home, this Deponent went and found him at Work at a new erected Mill for grinding Corn, and entering into a Conversation with him about the Settlement, the said Thomas told this Deponent that he wondered the Lord Penn should send up there a Proclamation threatning them with the Indians ; that he was settled there under a Connecticut right, which he thought a good one, but if it should [prove otherwise he would take and hold his Land under the Lord Penn, it being all one to him ; That he this Deponent found also at the said Mill three In- dians, one of them called Madolene, whom this deponent had seen and known at Easton, and who, speaking pretty good English, ask'd this deponent in a very earnest manner, what his Business was there, and told him that the Indians at Susquehannah were much dissatisfied with the Connecticut people's settling at Cushie- tunck, and were resolved, if the Governor of Pennsylvania would not send them away, that they, the said Indians, would drive them away by force, and acquainted this Deponent that he had heard
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that Three hundred men were also to come from Connecticut to settle at Sasquehannah; That this Deponent saw four Houses which the said settlers had built at Cushietunck, and they told him there were other Houses which he did not see, and he observed that there were a great many Families in the said Moses Thomas's house, the Beds lying as thick on the Floors as they commonly do in an Hospital ; and that he also saw there a large Block House, which the said settlers were building, designed as they told this Deponent for a defence against the Indians, and that they intended to get some Swivel Guns for it; That in his return home he met with three other men armed with Guns, and each leading a Horse laden with Provisions who told this Deponent that they came from Connecticut, and were going to settle at Cushietunck ; That on his coming back to the said Kuykendale's he found eleven men more, also, armed with Guns, who told him that they were going with Captain Tracey, one of their head men, to settle at Cushietunck ; and also acquainted this Deponent that the Proprietors (as they called them) of another Settlement proposed to be made by the Connecticut people on Susquehannah had voted or appointed four hundred men to go to settle there ; and also that they had laid out another Town at about eight miles Westward from the Cushietunck Settlement, and nearer to Sasquehannah ; and saith that he was in- formed by the said Indians, whom he saw at Cushietunck, that the Connecticut People had been marking Trees for Twenty miles from Delaware in the way towards Susquehannah; and that he was told by Nathan Parks, one of the New settlers at Cushietunck, that they had also laid out Lots for a Town, at a place called Leigh- wackson, within a Tract of Land purchased of the Indians by the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, and surveyed for them in the Year one thousand seven hundred and forty-nine, and that they intended to settle it in like manner under the Connecticut Right.
" JAMES HYNDSHAW.
"Taken and sworn before me the day and year above said.
"JAMES HAMILTON."
At a Conference with Three Nantycoke Indians, named Jemmy, Jacob, and John White, from Chenango on the river Susquehannah, the 5th May, 1761.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esq"., Lieutenant Gov- ernor, &ca.
Richard Peters, Esqr.,
Andrew M'Nair.
Jemmy was the Speaker, and pulling out a Belt he spoke in tolerable good English, as follows :
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Brother :
" We three Indians live at Chenango, We are of the Nantycoke Nation ; We received this Belt from the Seven Nations to whom it was delivered by an Indian by whom they only understood that it came from the Governor of Philada., but could not tell what Message was sent along with it. The seven nations, thereupon, sent some of their people to us, requesting that we would take the belt to the Governor and carry a Message to. him in the name of the seven Nations ; This is our Errand; and now Brother hear what the seven Nations say ; We speak their words, not our own.
" Brother :
" It is about twelve months since, we, the Seven Nations, re- ceived this Belt, and as it was interpreted to us, We understood by it, that the Governor of Pennsylvania took hold of our hand and invited us to come to the Council Fire at Philadelphia ; We under- stood further, that the Governor 'had something to say to us, but on what subject we could not learn ; We have not a right under- standing of this Belt. The Governor, we suppose, has something to discourse with us upon, and he sees an Indian and asks him to take a Belt for him to the seven Nations. The Indian carries it to his Town and there sees another Indian and gives it to him to carry, this other Indian, likewise, carries it as far as his Town, and when he sees an Indian coming there from some other place nearer the seven Nations, he gives him the Belt, & so it goes thro' many hands, and at last reaches the Seven Nations, but the last man knows not what was intended to be said to them with the Belt. We think whatever it is that it could not come from the Governor's heart, or he would not have sent it by Indians comming accident- ally to him.
" We, therefore, send three of our Nations who live at Chenango to our Brother, the Governor, to acquaint him with our Notions of this matter.
" We tell him that there is a Council Fire at Onondago with the seven Nations, and anether Council Fire at Philadelphia, both which were Kindled of old by our Forefathers, & at the same time they made a large and good Road from one place to the other.
" Therefore, Brother, when the Seven Nations want to say any thing to you, they send some of their own Indians, and they travel in this old and great Road. We would have you, likewise, when you want any thing of us send some of your own people with the Message, and we will be glad to receive them, and hear what you have to say, and let them come directly to us, and make use of the known Road. If they think they cannot travel that Road safely, We, or any of the Indians will go along with them, and conduct them to the Seven Nations. But we desire that the Governor wou'd not send his Messages by Indians, as we run the risque of not understanding them, & think that the Governor is not much . concerned for any thing sent in such a manner .;
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" This is all that the seven Nations desired us to say, and to give you the Belt."
He delivered over the Belt.
Being asked if they were desired to receive and carry any Mes- sage from the Governor, either that supposed to be sent by the Belt or any other, they said no; and that the Governor should send now and at all times by his own people.
There being no Interpreter, and the Governor thinking he did not clearly understand what was said, Stephen Caloin and Jos. Mickty were sent for, and the above is according to their Interpre- tation.
At a Conference held at the State House the 15th May, 1761, with three Nantycoke Indians, named Jemmy, Jacob, & John White, from Chenango, on the River Susquehannah.
PRESENT :
The Governor. Israel Pemberton.
Joseph Fox.
. The Governor spoke as follows in answer to the Message deliver'd' to him by the said Indians on the 5 instant :
"Brothers :
" Whatever occasion calls you or any of our Indian Friends to Philadelphia, I and the good people of this Province are always glad to see you; and accordingly we now take you by the hand, and bid you heartily Welcome. You tell me you were sent by the Seven Nations to know the meaning of a Belt from this Province, that has been passing about among those Nations for near a Year past, without their being able to understand what the meaning or inten- tion of it might be; And you have brought back the Belt to me, to, know what was intended by it.
" Brothers :
" I desire you will hearken to what I am about to say, for I shall now explain myself upon that head, in a Message directed to the seven Nations, which I desire you will distinctly remember, and deliver to those who sent you as soon as you return to your own homes. The Message is as follows, viz":
" Brethren of the United Nations :
" Every opportunity of confirming the Friendship which hath so long subsisted between you and the People of this Province gives me pleasure. I, therefore, consider your care in sending Messengers to enquire the meaning of the Belt you sent back to me, as an in-
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stance of your Friendship; Your care therein, and your practice of sending Your Messages by some of your own people is certainly right, and what I likewise observe.
"That Belt was last Year given by me to Robert White and some other Nanticoke and Conoy Indians, who made us a friendly visit. I gave it to assure them that I, and the people of this Pro- vince, would keep the Road clear for them, and all our Indian Friends, to travel freely to us, and back again to their own habita- tions.
"I must now speak to another point.
"Brethren :
"I and the people of this Province have, in consequence of the Promise made by your Councellors and headmen at Easton more than two Years ago, been ever since waiting to see our Flesh and Blood that still remain Prisoners in some parts of the Indian Country returned to us.
"We do not believe there are many of them at or near Ononda- go, but among divers Nations of Indians in Alliance with You we know there are many, and we cannot be easy till we see them brought back to us.
" And as I gave that Belt to assure all our Indian Friends who might see it of our keeping the Road clear, and of our friendly intentions towards them, So I now take this opportunity of re- minding you of your promise, and to tell you that whenever you, or any of the Indians in alliance with you, will come with, or send us home our people who have been long kep't prisoners, We shall be glad to see you; and we are assured that by your Assistance this good work may be soon perfected, which will be the greatest proof you can give us of your ffriendship.
"Your Messengers have been kindly entertained, and, we hope, leave us well satisfied ; and as a confirmation of what I have said , to you, I give you this String of Wampum."
Gave a long string of black & white Wampum.
The Indian Speaker, Jemmy, being asked by the Governor whether he desired to have back again the Belt he brought down, answered that since the meaning of it now was understood, he thought it might be very proper for him to take it back, to which the Governor agreed, & in an hour after sent the belt to Mr. Fox to be given to him.
The same Indian then acquainted the Governor that there was at Chenango one Samuel Roots, a German Soldier, who had deserted from Oswego, & had lived with the Indians two Years, but was afraid to come to his ffriends in York County least he should be taken up and punished, and therefore prayed the Governor's pro- tection; which the Governor immediately granted without restric- tion if he belonged to the provincials, and in case he belonged to the Regulars, promised to use his endeavors with the commanding
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Officer of his regiment to screen him from punishment; and then signed a paper to that purpose, to be delivered to the said Samuel Roots by the said Indian. (And then the Conference ended).
At a Council at the State house the 22nd May, 1761.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov"., &cª.
Benjamin Chew,
Lynford Lardner, Esq™
Joseph Turner,
Some Members of Assembly and divers other Inhabitants of Philadelphia.
Indians.
Greyeyes, alias Sir William Johnson, alias Coquetakeghton, Winghynunt; both Indians.
Isaac Stille,
Nicholas Tittamy,
Andrew Montour,
Interpreters.
The Governor desired the Interpreter to let the Indians know that he is ready to receive their Message, and hear what they have to say.
Greyeyes spoke as follows, (interpreted by Isaac Stille). " Brother :
"I will shew you a token by which you may know that I am sent to you by my Chief men at Allegheny, namely, Tomaqui or King Beaver, and Netalwalemut."
[Produces a large Belt of Wampum mark't G. R., and a smaller mark't T. K].
Then proceeds. "I am glad, Brother, to see so many of you ; I was chosen to come and see you, our Brethren, here; I was ordered to come and see those here who have our Friendship.
" Brother :
"Now I will tell you what my Chief men say to you; I assure you I am very well pleased that you have finished the good work of Friendship that was begun at Easton, and which your Warriors and head Men at Pittsburgh have seconded so well.
" Brother :
" This peace has a good Face, and seems to be as well established as that made by William Penn and Lappawinza at Pensberry, at the first Settlement of the Province.
" Brother :
" Iam well pleased that you have made the Road clear from where you sit to where my Chief men sit; You spoke the Truth
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when you promised to clear that Road, because in travelling I found it so."
[Gave a Belt of Seven Rows].
" Now, Brother, we come here on purpose to view the place of your Council Fire, where your old men and ours used to meet, and formerly sat and agreed together as brothers. I am very glad to find those Council Seats very clean, and the Fire burning clear; They look as they formerly did ; Our old men are now preparing to come again to visit you, and take their Seats with you at this Coun- cil Fire as they used to do."
[Gave a Belt of 10 Rows].
" Brother :
"This is all I have in charge to say to you at present."
The Governor then ask't what time their Chief men proposed to come here ?
Greyeyes answered. "They have fix't no certain Time, but are preparing to come as soon as they can, and they will sett a time and send a Messenger to acquaint you with it; and how many Nations are coming."
At a Council at the State House, the 25th May, 1761.
PRESENT :
His Honour the Governor.
Benjamin Chew, Esq".
Some Members of Assembly, and other Inhabitants of Phila- delphia.
Indians and Interpreters, Same as at the first Conference.
The Governor desired the Interpreters to let the Indians know that he was ready to speak to them, and give them an answer to their Message delivered to him on Saturday, And then made the following Speech, interpreted to the Indians by Isaac Stille and Andrew Montour, viz4 :
" Brethren : King Beaver, and all the Indians at Allegheny :
" The dark Clouds which were raised between us by the Evil Spirit being now happily removed and dispersed by the peace made at Easton, I am glad to hear from you again, our old Friends and Brethren.
"The Road that leads from your Country to us, is again open ; The blood that was spilt upon it is buried under ground; We shall take care to keep it clean, that we may pass safely along it to visit and talk to one another, face to face, as our fore-Fathers did of old,
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and lay open our hearts to each other, that nothing may hereafter arise to disturb our Friendship, or that of our Children, as long as the Sun shall Shine.
" Brethren :
"I am very much pleased to hear you intend soon to come to our Council Fire, where your Wisemen and ours used to sit and smoak together, as Children of the same Father. We, on our part, did never let this Fire burn quite out, tho' a great deal of Water did, some time ago, fall upon it; But we have again kindled it up, and made it burn as bright as ever, and have rub'd the Seats about it clean to receive you ; By this Belt, therefore, I take you by the hand, and lead you down, either to Lancaster or Reading, as shall be most agreeable to you, to one of which places I will remove the Fire, when you will let me know you are upon the Road, to save you the trouble of travelling too far."
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