USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 71
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EODEM DIE, P. M.
At 4 o'Clock His Honour, the Governor, being attended at his House by the Council, Mayor, Recorder, Alderman, Common Coun- cil, Sheriffs, & his Officers, &cª", proceeded to the Court House, when the declaration of War against Spain was proclaimed, and the Governor's Proclamation read by the Secretary, with the usual So- lemnity, in the presence of a vast concourse of people.
His Majesty's Declaration of War against the King of Spain.
" GEORGE R. :
"The constant Object of our Attention, since our Accession to the Throne, has been, if possible, to put an end to the Calamities of War, & to settle the public Tranquility upon a solid and lasting foundation. To prevent those Calamities from being extended still farther, & because the most perfect Harmony between Great Britain and Spain is at all times the mutual Interest of both Nations; it has been our earnest desire to maintain the strictest Amity with the King of Spain, and to accommodate the Disputes between Us & the Crown in the most amicable manner. This object we have steadily pursued, notwithstanding the many partialities shown by the Spa- niards to our Enemies, the French, during the Course of the pre- sent War, inconsistent with their Neutrality; And most essential Proofs have been given of the Friendship & Regard of the Court of Great Britain for the King of Spain and His Family. After a Conduct so friendly and so full of good Faith on Our part, It was a matter of great surprize to Us to find a Memorial delivered on the Twenty-third day of July last, by Monsieur Bussy, Minister Pleni- potentiary of France, to One of Our principal Secretaries of State,
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expressly relating to the Disputes between Us and the Crown of Spain, and Declaring that If those Objects should bring on a War, the French King would be obliged to take part therein. Our Sur- prize was increased, when afterwards this unprecedented & offensive Step, made by a Power in open War with Us, was avowed by the Spanish Minister to our Ambassador at Madrid, to have been taken with the full approbation and consent of the King of Spain. But as this avowal was accompanied with the most becoming Apologies on the part of the King of Spain, & with Assurances that such Me- morial never would have been delivered, if it had been forseen that We should have looked upon it in an offensive light, & that the King of Spain was at liberty, and ready to adjust all his Differences with Great Britain, without the intervention or knowledge of France. And soon after, We had the Satisfaction to be informed by Our Ambassador at Madrid, that the Spanish Minister, taking notice of the Reports industriously spread of an approaching Rupture, had acquainted him that the King of Spain had at no time been more intent on cultivating a good Correspondence with Us; And as the Spanish Ambassador at our Court made repeated Declarations to the same effect, We thought ourselves bound in Justice and Prudence to forbear coming to Extremities. But the same tender concern for the Welfare of our Subjects, which prevented our accelerating precipi- tately a War with Spain, if it could possibly be avoided, made it neces- sary for us to endeavour to know with certainty what were the Engagements and real Intentions of the Court of Spain. Therefore, as We had Information that Engagements had been lately contracted between the Courts of Madrid and Versailles, and it was soon after industriously spread throughout all Europe by the Ministers of France, that the purport of those Engagements was Hostile to Great Britain, & that Spain was on the point of entering into the War, We directed our Ambassador to desire, in the most Friendly Terms, a Communication of the Treaties lately concluded between France and Spain, or of such articles thereof as immediately related to the Interests of Great Britain, if any such there were, or at least an Assurance that there were none incompatible with the Friendship subsisting between us and the Crown of Spain. Our astonishment & concern was great when we learnt, that so far from giving Satis- faction upon so reasonable an application, the Spanish Minister had declined answering, with reasonings & insinuations of a very hostile Tendency ; and as, at the same time, we had Intelligence that great armaments were making in Spain by Sea & Land, We thought it absolutely necessary to try once more if a Rupture could be avoided. We, therefore, directed our Ambassador to ask in a firm but Friend- ly manner, whether the Court of Madrid intended to join the French, our enemies, to act hostilely against Great Britain, or to depart from its Neutrality ; and if he found the Spanish Minister avoided to give a clear answer, to insinuate in the most decent man- ner, that the refusing or avoiding to answer a Question so reasonable,
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could only arise from the King of Spain's having already engaged, or resolved to take part against us, & must be looked upon as an avowal of such hostile Intention, & equivalent to a Declaration of War, and that he had orders immediately to leave the Court of Madrid. The peremtory refusal by the Court of Spain to give the least Satisfaction with regard to any of those reasonable Demands on our part, and the solemn Declaration at the same time made by the Spanish Minister, that they considered the War as then actually declared, proved to a Demonstration that their resolution to act offensively, was so absolutely & irrevocably taken, that it could not be any longer dissembled or denied. The King of Spain, there- fore, having been induced, without any provocation on our part, to consider the War as already commenced against us, which has in effect been declared at Madrid, We trust that by the Blessing of Almighty God on the Justice of our Cause, & by the assis- tance of our Loving Subjects, we shall be able to defeat the ambitious designs which have formed this union between the two Branches of the House of Bourbon, have now begun new a War, and portend the most dangerous Consequences to all Europe ; Therefore, We have thought fit to declare, and do hereby declare War against the said King of Spain, and We will, in pursuance of such declaration, vigorously prosecute the said War, wherein the Honour of our Crown, the Welfare of our Subjects, & tbe prosperity of this Nation, which we are determined at all times with our utmost power to preserve & support, are so greatly con- cerned. And we do hereby Will and Require our Generals & Com- manders of our Forces, Our Commissioners for executing the Office of Our High Admiral of Great Britain, Our Lieutenants of our several Counties, Governors of our Forts and Garrisons, & all other Officers and Soldiers under them, by Sea & Land, to do and execute all Acts of Hostility in the prosecution of this War, against the. said King of Spain, his Vassals and Subjects, and to oppose their attempts, Willing and Requiring all our Subjects to take notice of the same, whom We henceforth strictly forbid to hold any Corres- pondence or Communication with the said King of Spain or his Subjects ; And we do hereby command our own Subjects, and ad- vertize all other persons of what Nation soever, not to transport or. carry any Soldiers, arms, powder, Ammunition or other contraband Goods, to any of the Territories, Lands, Plantations or Countries of the said King of Spain ; Declaring that whatsoever Ship or Vessel. shall be met withal, transporting or carrying any Soldiers, Arms,, Powder, Ammunition or other Contraband Goods, to any of the Ter- ritories, Lands, Plantations or Countries of the said King of Spain,, the same being taken, shall be condemned as good and lawful prize. And Whereas there may be remaining in Our Kingdoms divers of the Subjects of the King of Spain, We do hereby declare our Royal. Intention to be That all the Spanish Subjects who shall demean them+-
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selves dutifully towards us, shall be safe in their persons and Ef- fects.
" Given at our Court at St. James's, the Second day of January, 1762, in the Second Year of Our Reign.
"GOD SAVE THE KING."
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By the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor & Commander-in-Chief of the province of. Pennsylva- nia, & Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware.
A PROCLAMATION.
" WHEREAS His Majesty, for the most just and indispensable Reasons, hath, by His Declaration dated at St. James's, the 2nd day of January last, declared War against the King of Spain ; And Whereas His Majesty hath been pleased to signify his pleasure to me by one of His principal Secretaries of State that the same should be proclaimed in the province under my Government, in order that His Subjects having notice thereof may take care to prevent any Mischief which otherwise they might suffer from the Enemy, & do their duty in their several Stations to distress and annoy the Sub- jects of Spain, And the said Declaration hath been this day pro- claimed accordingly ; I do, therefore, with the advice of the Coun- cil, issue this proclamation, strictly enjoining and requiring all His Majesty's Subjects in this province capable of bearing Arms, forth- with to provide themselves with all proper Warlike Weapons, to- gether with a sufficient quantity of Ammunition, that they may be prepared not only to defend this his Majesty's province, & their own persons, Families and Estates, but to annoy the Enemy in case it should be thought proper to attack them.
" And Whereas His Majesty hath been pleased to direct that I be very rigorous and severe in preventing any Provisions, Ammu- nition, or Stores of any kind from being carried to the Enemy, I do hereby declare, that in case any of His Majesty's Subjects, under my Government, shall be found carrying or transporting any pro- vision, Ammunition, or Stores of any kind to, or holding any Cor- respondence or Communication with the Subjects of the King of Spain, they shall be most rigorously & severely prosecuted & pun- ished for the same. And the Collectors of his Majesty's Customs, Naval Officers, & all other Officers whatsoever, are hereby required to be very diligent and circumspect in their several Stations, in order to prevent or discover such practices.
" And Whereas His Majesty hath been pleased to order that Letters of Marque or Commissions to privateers be granted in the usual manner, to distress and annoy the Enemy in their Settle ments, Trade & Commerce, I do hereby invite all his Majesty's
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Subjects under my Government, to receive the Benefit of this His Majesty's Order, by fitting out such Privateers, which may not only be greatly for his Majesty's Service, but very advantageous to the adventurers themselves. And I do hereby declare, that I will most readily give all the Encouragement & Assistance that in me lyes, to every such Undertaking.
" Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the Province of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, the fifth day of April, in the Second. Year of his Majesty's Reign, And in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred & sixty two.
"JAMES HAMILTON.
"By his Honour's Command,
JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Jun"., Secretary. " GOD SAVE THE KING."
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At a Conference held with Teedyuscung at Philadelphia, on Monday, the 26 April, 1762, the substance whereof is as follows :
PRESENT.
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Richard Peters,
Joseph Shippen, Jun"., S Esquires.
Teedyuscung, Amos, his Son, Isaac Stille, Interpreter.
Teedyuscung visiting the Governor, when he was last in Town, viz", on the 26 April, the Governor, in the Course of the Conver- sation, told him that he had seen his answer to Sir William John- son, in which he acquainted Sir William that he expected to see him at Philadelphia in two Months, & that he depended solely on him & could trust to nobody else to hear his Complaints against the Proprietors, about the Lands in the Forks; And that this being so contrary to all his former Declarations, in which he had posi- tively refused to go before Sir William, when urged to it by the Governor, or to have the matter heard by him, but still insisted that the Governor should hear it; He therefore desired to know what had given occasion to this change, & seeming inconsistency in his Conduct.
" Teedyuscung answered that he had lately received a Letter from the Governor along with that which Sir William Johnson had written to him. The Governor said that was true, but that his Let- ter had not the least relation to Sir William Johnson's, but was quite of another nature, & was only intended to inform him that Beaver and Shingass had sent him two Messages that they would come and hold a Treaty with him this Summer, to the end that if he thought fit he might be present at the said Treaty. That Sir William John- son's Letter was not sent to him, the Governor, but to Mr. Peters,
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who had forwarded it by David Seisberger, without one single word either from the Governor or Mr. Peters, in relation to the contents of it, it being expected that he would come to Philada. & consult with those friends in whom he confided before he returned an answer to it. Then Teedyuscung's answer to Sir William John- son, sent by Seisberger, was read to him, which he acknowledged . to be true, & seemed sorry for it, but said he had told the Governor before that he had received a Letter above a Year ago from Sir William Johnson, & had sent him an answer by two Indians, but that Sir William happened not to be at home. That this, however, would not make any difference, for that a Belt was sent to him by way of Shamokin, from the Ohio Indians, inviting Sir William to come to the Meeting that was to be held at Philadelphia. He then said that he did not want Sir William Johnson to hear the matter, & desired the Governor to send to him not to come, which the Governor absolutely refused to do.
Then Teedyuscung told the Governor that he was in fault as well as himself, for He had often been desired to hear the matter & give them satisfaction, but he had always declined it, And it had been a long time in agitation.
The Governor then explained the matter to him, and told him how the Proprietaries had been charged with Fraud and Forgery, and cheating the Indians of their Lands ; And further that he, Teedyuscung, had said to the Governor, soon after the last Treaty at Easton " that he did never charge the Proprietaries with fraud, but had only said that the French had informed them that the English had cheated them of their Lands, and his young men de- sired him to mention it at the Treaty at Easton, & that he did it to please them, but that He himself knew nothing of the Proprie- tors cheating them, and was sorry it had reached their Hearts."
The Governor said further if they would publickly own this, he would not be against making them a present in Composition to their Circumstances, but not on account of the Lands which had been long since bought & paid for.
Teedyuscung said he would say the same in publick that he had said to the Governor in private.
Then being asked whether the Indians had ever conferr'd together about the Lands they said were never sold by them to the Proprie- tors, He answered that they had, & that they would be contented with £400; Isaac Stille then said this was a Bustle, indeed, and was all this Bustle about such a Sum as &400 ?
" Then the Governor said that as the matter was to be heard by Sir William Johnson, he desired Teedyuscung to take notice, that if it should appear that the Proprietors had not cheated them, and that the Land was really sold to the Proprietors, he would not think himself obliged to give him one farthing.
Teedyuscung and Isaac Stille talked some time together in In- dian, and then 'Teedyuscung again desired the Governor would
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write to Sir William Johnson not to come, but this the Governor again refused to do.
And so the Governor & Teedyuscung parted.
At a Conference held at Philadelphia the 4th May, 1762, with 3 Delaware Indians from Secaughcung, Relations of the Indian called Doctor John, who was found murdered in February, 1760, near Carlisle.
PRESENT :
The Hon'ble JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor, &cª.
Joseph Fox and Richard Peters, Esquires.
Secongueppe, Naytowhiston, and Willaquontahiccon Indians. " Brother :
"Now please to hear me; it is about two Years ago since I have been sorrowful; when I was grieved I hung my head, and did not look about; When I was in my Grief, I suddenly heard some good news, and felt my heart rejoice, and afterwards I heard bad news, and hung down my head again ; Then I heard good news and was again rejoiced; I took notice whenee that good news came, & found it came from Thomas McKee. Then I looked about towards Phi- ladelphia, at the old Council House, where I saw my Brother sit- ting, and remembered how our Grandfathers used to do on such oc- casions, that when one found himself aggrieved, he used to inform the other of it, & perhaps he gave him something to comfort him. Now, that is the reason that you see me come here and stand before you; I have a mind to know the Truth of it; perhaps you only make a Game of me. It is something better than two Years since I lost my Flesh and Blood near Carlisle, & I heard that a Woman and a Child was alive, and I want to know if it be so.
A String of 8 Rows. " Brother :
" As we came along, we called at Wighalousing, and told the In- dians there what Business we were going upon, & they said it was just and right; since you lost your Flesh and Blood, & you was grieved, we have not seen you disturbed, but you do well to go and search the Truth, & they gave us this String to encourage us.
A White String of 3 Rows.
The Governor acquainted them that he was sorry for the melan- cholly occasion of their coming down, & that he would consider of what they had said, & return them an answer very soon.
MEMORANDUM. The 6th day of May, 1762.
The Assembly having Yesterday accquainted the Governor by two Members that the House being met pursuant to His Honour's
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Summons, were ready to enter upon the Consideration of any Busi- ness he might have to lay before them, & desired a Copy of the Writt by which they were called together. The Governor sent by the Secretary the following Message, & one of his Writs which conven'd them :
A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen : .
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"I am sensible of the Inconvenience you are put to by being called from your Homes at this busy Season of the Year, and that too so shortly after your late very long and fatiguing Session; but the weight and Importance of the several matters which have occa- sioned it, and which I shall now communicate to you, will, I doubt not, satisfy you that both my Duty to the Crown, and a concern for the safety of the People under my Government, render it indispen- sably necessary.
"You will be pleased then to know that, within a few days after your last Adjournment, I had the Honour to receive from the Right Honourable the Earl of Egremont, His Majesty's Declaration of War against the King of Spain, with Orders that I should cause the same to be proclaimed in this Province, to the End that His Majesty's Subjects having notice thereof, might take Care to prevent any Mischief, which otherwise they might suffer from the Enemy, & do their duty in the several Stations to distress and annoy the. Subjects of Spain; which Orders were punctually executed by me on the fifth of the last Month.
"The King (without the least Cause given on his part) being thus necessarily engaged in War with two very formidable Powers, for vindicating & preserving His just Rights & Possessions in Ame- rica, it becomes more than ever our Duty, who are so nearly inter- ested in the Event, to grant to his Majesty as large and ample Sup- plies as our Circumstances will admit of, and particularly to comply in the most effectual manner with his two Requisitions of the 12th of Decem'. last, some time since laid before You, that the Com- mander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Forces may be enabled to employ as great a number as possible of the Regular Troops in these parts, for prosecuting some great and important Enterprize against the Enemy, in order to reduce them to the necessity of accepting a peace on Terms of Glory & advantage to Ilis Majesty's Crown & beneficial in particular to his subjects in America.
" It was likewise, Gentlemen, another principal Inducement to my convening you at this Time, that I might move You, without Loss of Time, to turn your thoughts on the present defenceless State of the Province in General, as well of this City in particular, and thereby afford you an Opportunity of providing for the Safety of both.
" The first care of every Legislature should be to secure the civil Establishment, by a wholesome and well regulated Military Force,
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in order to give Strength and Duration to the Whole ; otherwise, Liberty, property and all that is esteemed valuable amongst Men, must be held by a very precarious and uncertain Tenure, & be liable each Moment to be overturned, or made a prey of by every bold Invader. But as the many instances in which this Province is re- markably deficient in that respect, must frequently have occured to you in the Course of the War, and will again offer themselves on taking this Matter into Your Consideration, there is the least need for my descending to particulars, not doubting, but you will think it incumbent on you to use the best means in your power to guard the Inhabitants against so fatal a Disaster.
"The defenceless state of this City can scarcely be supposed a Secret to our Enemies, & it is much to be apprehended, that, exas- perated by their repeated Losses and Disgraces, & fired both with a Thirst of Revenge, & the Hopes of so opulent and easy a Conquest, they may be induced to form attempts against it ; which, with what- ever Success they may meet with, cannot fail to throw us into the utmost Confusion, & of being attended with the most disagreeable Circumstances ; I must therefore earnestly recommend it to you to provide, in the most effectual manner, for it's protection and Security, as well as for that of it's Commerce, on which the Wealth & flour- ishing state of the Province do, in a great Measure, depend.
" Having thus explained to you, Gentlemen, the reasons of my calling you together before the day of your Adjournment, and set before you the Situation of our Affairs at this dangerous Crisis, I have only to add, that, in my Opinion, the necessity of raising Supplies, not only for the purposes of His Majesty's Requisitions, but for the particular Security and protection of our own Colony, and it's Trade, were never greater, or more urgent, than at present.
" Hence you will allow me again to press upon you, in the most earnest manner, a full and effectual Compliance with the several Services, above pointed out and recommended to you, whereby you cannot fail, as well to entitle yourselves to His Majesty's favour, as to deserve the Thanks & acknowledgments of your Constituents.
" And in doing of this, I would willingly hope that you will care- fully avoid whatever may have the least Tendency to occasion a Disa- greement betwixt us, in respect to the Means by which either the King's Service may be prejudiced, or our good Intentions defeated. "JAMES HAMILTON.
"' May 3rd, 1762."
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At a Conference held at Philadelphia the 6th May, 1762, with the Indians from Secaughcung, Relations of the Indians called Doctor John, who was found murdered in February, 1760, near Carlisle.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Richard Peters, Esqr., Member of the Council.
Joseph Fox, Esqr., Member of Assembly.
Secongueppe, Naytowhisson, & Willaquontahiccon, Indians.
The Governor addressing himself to the Indians spoke as fol- lows :
" Brethren :
" I have taken notice of every thing you said to me the day be- fore Yesterday, and take your visit kindly.
" Brethren :
"The news you heard about the death of your Relation is but too true; Your Relation came with his Family, consisting of a Woman and two Children, in the Winter (two Years ago) into Cumberland County, and lived in an hunting Cabbin on the River Conedogwainet, near the Town of Carlisle, and he and one of the Children, a little Boy, were found murdered not far from the Town, & the woman with the other Child were missing ; As soon as this came to my knowledge, I issued a Proclamation under the Great Seal of the Province, offering a Reward of one hundred Pounds for the discovery of every one who should be concerned in this cruel mur- der, and commanded the Magistrates to make very diligent enquiry after them every where, & in case any of them should be found, to com- mit them to close Goal that they might be brought to their Tryal, & if found Guilty, suffer death in the same manner as if they had killed an Englishman.
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