USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 66
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Addressing himself to the Governor, he said :
" Brother :
" I am really very glad to hear you say the wound is healed up ; we are all pleased at it ; since this is the case, we expect you will pay us for the Lands we have been complaining about. It was left to King George. You told me as soon as ever you heard from the King, you would let me know of it, but I have not heard you say any thing about it since. Now, Brother, as there are some here present who have never been paid for some of their Lands, we de- sire you would pay them now ; but as for the Munsies, & some others at Allegheny, who also claim Lands near this place, they will agree with you when they see you."
The Governor replied, that he would take into Consideration what he had said, & would answer him in the Morning.
Being asked what Lands he desired to be paid for, he answered, that the Lands are where we now stand, betwixt the Mountains & Tohicon Creek, but acknowledged that some Lands about Durham, four miles square, were paid for.
Tokabaio then stood up and spoke.
" Brother Onas :
" We, the seven Nations, especially the Nanticokes & Conoys, speak to you. About seven Years ago we went down to Maryland, with a Belt of Wampum, to fetch our Flesh and Blood, which we shewed to some Englishmen there, who told us they did not under- stand Belts, but if we had brought any order in writing from the Governor of Pennsylvania, they would let our Flesh and Blood then come away with us; but as this was not done, they would not let them come; Now, we desire you would give us an order for that purpose."
A White String of 5 Rows.
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"Brother Onas :
"We would have you make some satisfaction to our Cousins here, the Delawares, for their Lands, as we suppose they desire it. Some of them are now present, who claim some Lands here, and are often thinking of it, particularly one (pointing to Joseph Pepy)."
At a Private Conference, on Wednesday the 12th of August, 1761.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant GovT., &c., &ca.
Richard Peters, Esq1.
Lewis Gordon,
The Chief of the Onondagoes, Ashenoch, Speaker.
James Sherlock, Interpreter.
"Brother Onas:
"It is a long time since we last met together, & we are now glad to see you. Brother, we request it of you that you would give us a Duplicate of this Deed (shewing a Deed of Release from Richard Peters and Conrad Weiser, Esquires, Proprietary Attornies to them at the last Treaty), because it is the desire of Jenochryada, and in order that the Mohawks may have the original, and we keep the Copy."
A chequered String of three Rows.
To which request the Governor assented, and desired Lewis Gor- don, Esq'", to prepare an exemplified Copy of the above mentioned release for them.
Jeoquanta then spoke to the Governor.
" Brother Onas : '
" My old Mother and Children, who are here at present, are not able to walk; I desire, therefore, that my Brother would help me to a Horse, as I have a great way to go home, and cannot make a Canoe at this time of the Year."
A black belt of Seven Rows.
" Brother Onas :
" I have come a great way, and have brought with me a pack of Beaver ; Our Brother, General Johnson, and those who live near him, sell their Goods very dear, & give us nothing for our Skins; but as I have heard our Brother of this Province gave better prices for our Skins, I have brought them here, and hope my Brother will see Justice done me in the Sale of them ; And if my Brother thinks I can get a better price for them by carrying them to Philadelphia, I should be obliged to him for his Information."
A chequered String of three Rows.
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At a public Conference the same Day.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, &c., &c., as at the former publick Conferences.
The Governor, addressing himself to Teedyuscung, spoke as fol- lows :
"Brother :
" As to the Lands lying between the Kittochtinny Hills and Tou- hickon Creek, which you say you have never been paid for, you know the Proprietaries of this Province have always insisted that they were fairly purchased of the Delawares before you were born, who received the Consideration Money for them ; you know, also, that the Dispute between you and the Proprietaries about these Lands was, by your own particular desire, referred to our Great King over the Water, who, from his Love of Justice and regard to you, has taken upon himself to settle it, and has ordered General Johnson to hear your Complaint, & enquire into the truth of it, and make report to him, that he might direct what is right to be done; of this, General Johnson gave you notice by a Letter, about a Year and an half ago, and desired you to appoint a proper Time and place to meet him on this Occasion, that the affair might be speedily settled. I have waited ever since, in expectation that you would comply with General Johnson's request, & I now inform you that Iam, and at all time shall be ready, on my part, to send the Proprietary Commissioners to support their Claim, when ever you shall appoint the time and place of meeting; It is, therefore, your own Fault if the matter is delayed any longer."
Addressing himself to the Seven Nations, he said, Brethren of the Seven United Nations :
" I have considered what you said to me on behalf of the Conoys and Nanticokes, who have some of their Brethren still remaining in the Province of Maryland; As I am not Governor of that Province, I have no power to order the People there to suffer their Relations to come away; I will, however, afford them all the Assistance I can, and will not only give the Messenger they send to Maryland, a passport, or safe Conduct, but will write to the Governor & request him to permit their Brethren to come away without Interruption. " Brethren :
" You desire me to make Satisfaction to your Cousins, the Dela- wares, for these Lands which they claim, as they often think of it; had you known, as well as I do, how groundless and Unjust this Claim of theirs was, I am sure you would not have taken any no- tice of it. Your old men must remember that at a full Council held with the Six Nations at Philadelphia, in the Year 1742, the Claim the Delawares now make for these very Lands, was laid before them, and the Deeds from them to the Proprietaries, perused and
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considered by the Six Nations, who, upon a full hearing of the matter then, were convinced that the Proprietaries had fairly pur- chased them of the Delawares, and paid for them; Whereupon the Six Nations ordered the Delawares to remove off from them, & go to Wyomink, which they accordingly did. Teedyuscung, some time ago, referred his Complaint about these Lands, to our Great King, who has ordered General Johnson to enquire into the whole matter, and let him know how it is circumstanced, that Justice may be done,. as well to the Delawares as to us; and I am ready to send my Com- missioners to General Johnson, to lay before him the Proprietaries' Deeds for, and right to, these Lands, whenever Tegdyuscung will appoint a time and place for this purpose."
Tokahaio addressed the Governor in behalf of the Tuteloes, as follows :
" Brother Onas :
"We desire our Brother will be so good as to furnish us with three Wagons to carry home our sick, who are not able to walk, as we intend to go home as soon as we can ;" which request the Gover- nor granted, and left the number of Waggons to be provided for them, to the Direction of Joseph Fox, Esq".
Tokahaio then added :
" Brother Onas :
" We have been here at this Council Fire, and heard what good words you have spoke to us; We have no more to say at present, & we see likewise that you have nothing more to say to us; we are, therefore, going to part. When we return home, we will acquaint all our people with what we have heard. We heartily thank you for the good usage we have received from you."
The Governor informed them that he had brought up with him a present from the Government to them, which Mr. Fox would dis- tribute amongst them to-morrow; & then concluded the Treaty by shaking hands with the Chiefs of the Indians.
In the afternoon the Governor and his Company set out for Philadelphia.
THE END.
MEMORANDUM :
Philadelphia, Friday, August 21st 1761.
Teedyuscung and his Interpreter, Isaac Stille, coming to Town before the Governor arrived, they applied to Mr. Fox, and Teedy- uscung gave him this String to be delivered to the Governor, with the following Message :
" Brother :
" I give You this String to present to the Governor, to wipe. his Eyes, open his Ears, and clear his Throat, that we may speak freely together from our Hearts."
A String of Black and White Wampum of 4 Rows.
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Then Teedyuscung took the two belts the Governor had lately given him at Easton by way of condoling with him for the death of Thomas Hickman, and several other Indians that had unfortu- nately been killed or murdered since the Peace by some of our White People, and delivering them, said : " Brother :
" 'These Belts ought to be sent to the Ohio, to King Beaver. I intended to have sent them myself, but cannot get any body to go by whom I may send them. I am poor and you are rich. My Son Amos would go, but he would want a great deal to fit him out." And then delivering a White Belt of Seven rows with three Dia- monds, he desired it might be joined to the other two.
He then delivered a White Belt of seven Rows with Three Bars upon red Strings which he said he had from King Beaver, and which he desired might be sent with the others ; & that upon pro- ducing this last Belt to King Beaver, he would know that the other Belts came from him Teedyuscung, whom he would also know to be easy, and satisfied that the Governor had done all that was in his power on these sorrowful Occasions. J. H.
Taken from Mr. Fox, 23rd August, 7161.
At a Conference with the Indians on Wednesday the 26th August, 1761, at the State House in Philadelphia.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esq"., Lietenant Gover- nor of the Province of Pennsylvania.
Thomas Cadwalader, one of the Council of the Province. Joseph Fox,
John Hughs, Esq's. of the Assembly of the Province,
with several other Gentlemen of the City.
Teedyuscung and five other Delawares.
Last Night and two others of the Conoys.
Robert White & three others of the Nanticokes.
Seneca George of the Senecas.
One of the Cayugas.
Ten of the Wapings.
One of the Onondagoes.
One of the Mohickons.
Isaac Stille, Interpreter.
The Governor having had a visit yesterday from the above Indians they requested that they might be heard to day, and the Governor ac- quainted them that he was ready to hear any thing they had to say.
Seneca George then stood up and spoke, as follows, (last night interpreting what he said into the Delaware Language) : " Brother :
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" Listen to what we are going to say. When we met at Easton we did not fully understand one another, we are therefore come here now, that we may understand each other more clearly. You may remember we told you at Easton, that when you sent Messages to the Six Nations by straggling Indians, they often lost them by the way ; to remedy which, we had pitched upon certain persons to convey our Messages safely to one another. Now we desire that you would place Joe Peepy and Isaac Stille at Wyomink, where Teedyuscung lives; that, whenever you would speak with the Six Nations, said Joseph Peepy and Isaac Stille may accompany the Messenger you send and see him safe there; and likewise, when your Brethren the Six Nations would speak with you, they may come to Wyomink with their Messenger, that Joseph Peepy and Isaac Stille may also accompany him safe here. We the rather chose Joseph Peepy and Isaac Stille, because they are not apt to drink strong Liquors and will always conduct the Messengers safe."
Three Strings.
Last Night then spoke.
" Brother :
"I would acquaint You that the Chief of the Mohickons & Opies have settled with the Six Nations, at a place called Chenango, where you may always find them if you should have occasion to speak to them."
T p CO he
Four Strings.
Seneca George then spoke.
"Brother :
"It is many years since I left my Country and settled myself at Susquehanna, where I got my living very well till the French Wars broke out. When that happened I left all my Livelyhood there and came to my Brethren the English. After some time General Johnson sent for me; when I came to him he sent me against the French. I accordingly attended him several times, & fought against the French. Nevertheless, I still remained very poor, and had not for all my trouble so much as a Knife, a Kettle, or any Cloaths. Now I beg the Governor to take pity on me, and perhaps he will furnish me with these necessaries, together also with a dutch ax. As I am settled with the Nanticokes & Conoys at Cheningo, I shall be able to give the Governor an account of any thing that is transacted in the Council of the Six Nations.
" I likewise hope the Governor will look upon my Son, whom I shall Commission to supply my place after my death. You will always find him with Last night, to whose care I shall leave him." A String. " Brother :
" Please to listen to what I am going to say. It is now some Years since the French first raised these Mischiefs amongst us. Your Brethren here have been endeavoring to make up the Breaches which the French made in our Friendships; for we have been
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striving to keep those Indians sure to your Interest which the French had been tampering with. This has occasioned a great number of Messages and a great Consumption of Wampum. When the French Indians spoke to us, they spoke by pipes and Quills, but we returned answers with Wampum, whereby all our Wampum is expended, so that we have no more left to speak with them again. Now we desire the Governor would give us some Strings of Wampum and put them in our pouch, that we may still be able to carry on this good work."
A White Belt of 7 Rows, three Bars.
" Brother :
"We that are now in your presence all return You thanks. You have kept us alive these two Months by furnishing us with provisions. By this String we express our gratitude for the good usage you have given us."
A String.
Being asked whether or no they had any thing more to say, they re- plied that they had not. The Governor then informed them, he would take into Consideration what they had now said, & would return them an answer at a nother time, whereof they should have pro- per notice.
The Governor then told them that he was now going to speak to Teedyuscung and the Delawares, & that he desired all the Indians present to attend to what he was about to say, as it might likewise concern them. Whereupon, addressing himself to Teedyuscung, he spoke as follows, vizt :
"Brother Teedyuscung :
" I give you this String to wipe your Eyes, open your Ears, and clean your Throats, that you may listen attentively to what I am going to say to you."
A String.
"I am very much grieved at the frequent occasions I have had, since the making of the peace betwixt us, to condole with you on the unfortunate death of your Country men by wicked or unlucky accidents.
"I received Yesterday an account from Easton, that about a Week ago, an Indian Man, one of your Nation, whose name I do not know, was killed by a white man, one of our people. This man, who does not deny the Fact, says in justification of himself, that what he did, was in defence of his Wife and Children, whom the Indian was about to murder with this scalping knife, after coming several times to his House in the night time, disturbing him & using him very ill.
" Brother :
" If this were certainly true, I believe you yourselves would be of opinion that the White man was not to blame; since no man is obliged to sit still and see his Wife and Children murdered before VOL. VIII .- 42.
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his Face, without striving to prevent it, even by killing the person who attempts it.
" But as the English Laws are deservedly very strict in matters of bloodshed, and do not allow for truth every thing that a Criminal says in his own defence, I have directed that this man shall be taken up and put into prison, in order that the matter may be more particu- larly enquired into. After which, he shall be fairly tryed in the King's Courts, as if he had spilt the Blood of a white man ; and if he be found guilty of having committed this murder maliciously, or otherwise than in his own defence, or that of his Wife and Children, he shall suffer the same punishment as if he had killed one of us, Which punishment, by our Laws, is Death; and I further promise you, that, if you desire it, I will send you notice of the time & place where he shall be tryed, that some of your wise men may attend, and be satisfied that the Indians are fairly dealt with, and have Justice done them in the Tryal."
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A Belt.
" Brother :
" You may remember I lately put you in mind, at Easton, that there are many wicked people in the world, as well among the Eng- lish as among the Indians, and that as long as it should continue to be so, private mischiefs, and even murders, would now and then be committed; and that whenever this should happen, we should do well to let one another know it, and join in taking proper meas- ures to detect and punish the Evil doers, to which you assented with great satisfaction; I, therefore, now acquaint You, Brothers, that I am pursuing the Rule then agreed upon betwixt us, by first ac- quainting you with the accident, and in the next place endeavour- ing to punish the Evil Doer, in case he shall be found deserving of it."
A Belt.
"Brother :
" This accident neither ought, nor I hope, will have any effect to disturb the peace made betwixt us; Accidents of this kind are full as grievous to me as to you ; and as I have the greatest desire to live in strict Amity and friendship with you, You may be assured of having the same Justice administered to you, on all occasions, as is done to our own people. More than which, I am persuaded you neither expect or desire."
A Belt.
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At a Conference held at the Governor's House on Thursday the 27th August, P. M.
PRESENT:
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor, &ca.
Richard Peters, Esqr.,
Joseph Fox, Esq"., One of the provincial Commissioners.
The same Indians as on Yesterday.
The Governor addressing himself to Seneca George spoke as fol- lows :
" Brother :
" I have considered the several things you mentioned to me Yes- terday, & am now going to return You an answer thereto. " Brother :
" You propose to me that in order to prevent the Miscarriage of any Messages we may have occasion to send to one another, they should be sent by way of Wyomink, and the Messengers conducted by some persons living in that town to the place where their Busi- ness lies, and for that purpose you desire me to place Jo peepy and Isaac Stille there, whom you say you have pitched upon as being sober & discreet persons. Brother, I have not the least objection in the world to these two persons living at Wyomink, nor to your employing them in any Character you think proper, and whenever they or any other Indians come to me charged with any Business from you, I shall give them a kind reception, but I cannot think it expedient that this Government should either be confined to send their Messengers by way of Wyomink or by any particular persons whatsoever. You may be assured I shall always take care to send the best men I can get on the publick business, or to have them safely conducted to the place where the business lies, and as I must be left to my own liberty on these Occasions, I shall leave you like- wise to act as you please."
A String.
" Brother (Last Night) :
"I am pleased with the Mchickons & Opies settling along with You, the six Nations, at Chenango; there I should send to them. whenever I have any Business to transmit with them."
A string.
" Brother (speaking to Seneca George) :
"I am sorry to hear you are left in such indigent Circumstances .. You have always been considered as an hearty Friend to the Eng- lish, & therefore, as a Testimony of their regard for you, I have. ordered you the things you are in want of.
" Brother :
"The Chiefs who live at Chenango will always have occasion for. Wampum, on account of the Messages they may want to send or?
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that may be sent to them ; & as you tell me that your wampum is entirely expended, I have provided some for you. There is no White Wampum in Town, or you should have had some. The Black, however, is more Valuable, and may always be readily ex- changed for White, if you should light of any in the places thro' which you shall pass.
" Brethren of all the Tribes now present:
" We are glad to hear you express yourselves in such a thankful manner for the kind treatment you have received of us since you came. We give you this Belt to assure you that we bear you a sincere affection; & whilst you behave yourself well, we shall, on all proper occasions, never fail to give you testimonies of our regard."
A Belt.
After the Governor had done speaking there was a short Consul- tation among the Chiefs of the Indians, After which the Conoy Chief, Last Night, spoke as follows, with a Belt in his hand :
" Brother :
"Please to hear what we, the Senecas, Cayugas, Nanticokes, Conoys, Mohickons, Delawares, & Opies, have to say to you.
"Brother :
" We had a Council at Easton a few days ago, after you left us, where several things were talked of that were not settled in the public Council. One point in particular related to the Lands at Wyomink. We desire a Deed may be drawn for those Lands to Jo Peepy and Isaac Stille, not for themselves, but for the Delawares, that they may take it and get it signed by the Six Nations; for we are afraid these Lands may be taken from us by the New England people, lately come to Cushietunk."
The Governor desired Isaac Stille, the Interpreter, to ask them to speak this over again, for he did not understand what sort of a Deed they wanted; which Isaac Stille did, and they said a Deed to be signed by the Six Nations; but it was to be made to Jo Peepy & Isaac Stille, who were to keep it for the other Indians, & they desired the Governor would get such a Deed drawn for the Dela- wares, for Jo Peepy and Isaac Stille to get signed, & to keep for them.
The Governor desired the Interpreter to acquaint them that these Lands belonged to the Six Nations, who might sell or give them to the Indians, as they pleased, and he should be well satisfied with whatever disposition they should think proper to make of these Lands, to the Indians ; They could not, indeed, sell them to any other White people than to the proprietors, the Six Nations having entered into Covenants not to sell Lands within the Province, to any other Persons.
He desired them to be informed that these Lands were not pur- chased from the Six Nations, & that therefore he could not meddle with them at all, nor Draw any Deed about them, because the six
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Nations might take offence at it, & he might thereby draw on him their Resentment, which he would not do, & therefore would draw no Deed, nor meddle at all with those Lands.
It was not the practice of the Six Nations to make Deeds for Lands to Indians, and the Six Nations positively told Teedyuscung in open Council, that they would not make him a Deed for those Lands.
At the instance of the Nanticokes, the Governor wrote a Letter to Governor Sharpe, recommending Robert White to him and his assistance in his Business, and delivered it to him, with a Passport for the 4 following Indians, vizt: Jacob Yockum, Dewaatyhunck (an Onondago), & young Robert White.
Isaac Stille, being asked by the Governor if he remembered what Teedyuscung said to him about the Lands in the Forks, answered that he did, very well, & then, being asked what it was, he said Teedyuscung declared he did himself not know anything of the Proprietors having cheated the Indians of their Land. That when the French & English broke out into War, the French put into the heads of their foolish Young men, that the English had cheated them of their Lands, & at the Treaty held with Governor Morris, at Easton, the foolish Young men obliged him to mention it, but for his part he knew nothing of it; he had found that it has pricked his Brother's Heart, & was sorry for it, but he must not be angry with him, but the French, who were the cause of it.
After which Jo Peepy stood up and said : " Brother :
"I am very sorry that they have scandalized Thomas Penn, the Proprietor, in saying that he had cheated the Indians of that Land. Tho' I have a part in them, I never said anything at all about the Land since the mischief began. I am sensible that neither my re- lations nor I ever received satisfaction for the little piece that I claim as my share of those Lands. My Aunt, who is an old Wo- man, and knows all about the matter, is now alive & would be glad if the Governor would take pity on her, and make her some Satis- faction for her piece of Land, would be very glad. She knows the Land is dear, nobody desires to have that settled more than she, & whenever the People who own the Land will come and speak to the Governor about it, she will be glad to settle the matter in a friendly way. It is very possible, next Spring or next Year, if not this fall, we may have a Treaty with all the Delaware Indians, & we will endeavour to accommodate matters in the best manner we can.''
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