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" We have the Honor to be with great Regard, "Your Lordship's Most Obedient "and most humble Servants. "JAMES TILGHMAN. " ANDREW ALLEN.
" WILLIAMSBURG, May 27th, 1774.
" His Excellency The Earl of Dunmore."
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Tuesday, 28th June, 1774.
MEMORANDUM.
The Committee appointed to draw up the Letters agreed on Yes- terday, laid their Draughts before the Governor, which being ap-
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proved by him, were fairly transcribed, and ordered to be dispatched without Delay.
The said Letters follow in these Words, Viz" :
Letter from the Governor to Sir William Johnson.
" PHILADELPHIA, 28th June, 1774.
" Sir :
"By the repeated Accounts which I am daily receiving from Pittsburg, and other Parts of our Western Frontier, there seems little room to doubt but the mutual Hostilities which have un- happily taken Place between some of the Inhabitants of Virginia and the Western Indians, particularly the Shawanese, will end in a general War, unless some prudent Measures are speedily taken to prevent it.
"The occasion of this unfortunate Breach, as well as the particu- lars of the Murders which have been committed on both sides, have no doubt been communicated to you, by the Deputy Agent for In- dian Affairs at Pittsburg. It will therefore be only necessary for me to inform you in general, that a great Part of the Settlers in our back Country have fled from their Habitations, and that the Panic is daily increasing, to such a Degree that there is just Reason to apprehend a total Desertion of that Country.
" I have been induced from a Representation of the Distresses of these People, to Issue Writs to call our Assembly to meet at Phila- delphia on the 18th of next Month, to enable me to afford them the necessary Relief.
" As it is of the utmost Consequence that this Affair should be properly represented to the Six Nations, and that they should, if possible, be induced to become Mediators between us and the Shawa- nese and Delawares, I must request you will take such Measures as you shall think most proper to satisfy them that any Injuries which the Shawanese may have received and may consider as a Provoca- tion for the Hostilities committed on their Part, were by no Means done by the Orders or Consent of this Government, but that on the contrary, we have been ever sincerely disposed to preserve Peace and Friendship with them, and are now very willing, notwithstand- ing what has happened, to listen to Terms of Accommodation, and to renew our Friendship and forget every Thing that is past. Your interposition and influence in this Matter may very possibly have the most salutary Effects. If a Rupture can be prevented, it ap- pears to me it must be through the Six Nations; however, I submit the Matter entirely to your Consideration, and am Sir, with great Regard,
"Your most obedient humble Servant,
"JOHN PENN.
" Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON, Baronet."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
A Letter from the Governor to Lord Dunmore.
" PHILADELPHIA, 28th June, 1774. " My Lord,
" I am very unhappy to find myself under the necessity of wri- ting to your Lordship on so disagreeable a Subject as an Indian War, which is now like to become general, unless the Governments of Virginia and Pennsylvania, by some prudent and timely Inter- position, may happily prevent the further progress of Hostilities which have unhappily taken Place. I have taken the best Mea- sures in my Power to keep the Settlements, from breaking up, and have called the Assembly upon the Occasion, in order that every proper Step may be taken, either to compose the Differences between His Majesty's Subjects and the Indians, or to defend the Frontiers if pacific Measures should fail.
" I have so many Complaints of the Behaviour of Doctor Con- elly, that I am obliged to wish your Lordship to make some en- quiry into his Conduct, which, if my Information be true, is ex- treamely oppressive and tyrannical with respect to our People, and what is still worse, there is a great Reason to fear his Military Operations may have a dangerous tendency to involve the Colonies in general in an Indian War. He seizes upon the Property of the People without reserve, and treats the Persons of our Magistrates with the utmost Insolence and disrespect, and with Menaces not only of imprisoning them, but even of pulling down their Houses, and it is said he has sent out, or is to send out Parties against the In- dians, with orders to destroy all they meet with, whether Friend or Foe. These Matters may be exaggerated, but I cannot doubt but that Mr. Conolly has afforded some Ground for these Complaints, and altho' your Lordship hath been pleased to claim the Jurisdic- tion of Pittsburg and the country thereabouts, I would fain hope that you would not encourage Mr. Conolly in such exhorbitances and Outrages as are laid to his Charge.
"I have the Honor to be, " your Lordship's most Obedient, " humble Servant. "JOHN PENN.
"To the Right Honorable The Earl of Dunmore, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Province of Virginia, Wil- liamsburg.
VOL. X .- 13.
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A Letter from the Governor to Arthur St. Clair, Esquire.
" PHILADELPHIA, 28th June, 1774. "Sir :
" The Accounts which you have transmitted of the Temper of the Indians, and the Murders they have already perpetrated, are truly alarming, and give every Reason to apprehend that we shall not long be exempt from the Calamities of a Savage War. The Desertion of that Country, in consequence of the Panic which has seized the Inhabitants on this Occasion, must be attended with the most mischievous Effects, and prove ruinous to the immediate suf- ferers, and distressing to the Province in general. Every Measure therefore, should be attempted to stop the Progress of this Evil, and to induce those who have already gone off, to return to their Habitations, and I must rely on you to exert all your Prudence and Activity for this Purpose. The Steps which have been already taken appear to me very proper, and I have no doubt but that you will continue your Endeavors to restore the drooping Spirits of the People, and inspire them with a Resolution to stand their Ground, at least 'till they are satisfied of the Intentions of the Indians to- wards this Province. You may assure them that Government sensibly feels the Distresses of their Situation, that it will be at- tentive to their Interests, and afford them every Assistance and Protection in its Power to give. With this Disposition, I have issued Writs for convening the Assembly on the 18th of next month, and shall immediately on their Meeting lay this Matter before them, and have Reason to expect that such Measures will be adopted as may effectually enable the Government to extend to them a Relief adequate to its wishes and their wants. In the mean Time, I shall give orders for such further supply of ammu- nition to be sent up as will be sufficient for the present Occasion.
" I have wrote to Sir William Johnson, informing him of the Intelligence we had received of these Transactions, and requesting his Interposition with the six Nations, to use their Influence with the Shawanese and Delawares, to prevent further Hostilities on their Part, and to assure them of the sincere Intentions of this Govern- ment to continue their pacific Disposition towards all our Indian Brethren. I have also wrote to Lord Dunmore, complaining of Conolly's outragious and tyrannical behaviour at Pittsburg, and re- presenting the dangerous tendency his Military operations may have to involve the Colonies in a general Indian War.
" I am, Sir, your most Obedient humble Servant,
" JOHN PENN.
"To ARTHUR St CLAIR, Esquire,
"at Ligonier, in Westmoreland County.
"P. S. My Commissioners who attended Lord Dunmore, could not induce him to come into any reasonable temporary Line of Ju-
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risdiction, and therefore Things must remain in the disagreeable Situation of Interfering Jurisdictions. In this unhappy Situation, I am satisfied you and the other Magistrates will act a prudent Part. It is impossible in such a Case to give particular Directions. With respect to the keeping up the Rangers you have raised for the Se- curity of the Inhabitants, I shall recommend it to the Assembly to defray the Expence that shall accrue in that necessary Measure ; and I cannot have the least doubt that they will approve of what has been done on this Occasion, as also the continuance of the same Forces, until their Sentiments can be known."
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday, 14th July, 1774.
PRESENT :
The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor. Richard Peters, James Tilghman, Esquires. Benjamin Chew,
The Governor laid before the Board several late Letters from Ar- thur St. Clair, Esquire, at Ligonier, containing very favourable Accounts of the Disposition and Temper of the Indians, as also an Extract of Mr. Alexander Mekee, the Deputy Indian Agent's Jour- nal, of all the Transactions with the Indians at Pittsburg, since the first of May last.
The Governor then acquainted the Board that the Assembly being to meet by Summons, on Monday next, on Occasion of the late Indian Disturbances, he thought it would be necessary that a Message on that Subject should be prepared, to be sent them immediately on their Meeting ; Whereupon Mr. Chew, Mr. Tilgh- man, and Mr. Shippen, were appointed a Committee to prepare a Draught of the same.
Monday, 13th July, 1774.
A Committee of Assembly waited on the Governor with a Ver- bal Message, acquainting him that the House were met pursuant to His Honour's Summons, and desired a Copy of the Writ by which they were convened. The Governor thereupon immediately sent to the House by the Secretary, one of the Writs he had issued for summoning them, and also the following Message, which had been prepared by the Committee of Council appointed to draw the same, together with the several Letters and other Papers of Intelligence he had received relative to the State of Affairs with the Indians, Vizt. :
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A Message from the Governor to the Assembly.
" Gentlemen :
"The Importance of the Matter I have to lay before you will, I am persuaded, make it unnecessary to apologize to you for calling you together at a Season of the Year of all others the mnost incon- venient for you to attend the Public Business.
"I am to inform you that in the latter end of April last, about eleven Delaware and Shawanese Indians were barbarously murdered on the River Ohio, about ninety Miles below Pittsburg, by two Parties of White Men, said to be Virginians. As we were at that Time in a State of perfect Amity with the Western Indians, and it does not appear that those who were killed by the above Parties had given them the least Provocation, I am at a loss to conjecture what could be the Inducement to acts so cruel and inhuman.
" As soon as this unfortunate Affair was known on the Frontiers of this Province, Messages were dispatched to assure the Indians that these outrages had been committed by wicked People without the Knowledge or Countenance of any of the English Governments, and requesting they might not be the means of disturbing the Friendship which subsisted between us. This Step had so far a good Effect as to quiet them for the present, and prevent their com- ing to a Resolution to enter into a general War with us. It did not however, restrain the particular Friends and Relations of the Deceased, who, it seems, contrary to the advice of their Chiefs, in a short Time afterwards took their Revenge by murdering a number of Virginians, settled to the Westward of the River Monongahela. Alarmed at this proceeding, the out Settlers left their Habitations and fled with their Families into the interior Parts, and the Panic soon became so universal that a great Part of the Western Frontier of this Province was totally deserted, and it is impossible to say when the Mischief would have stopped, had not a number of Ran- gers been raised by the Magistrates and others in the County of Westmoreland, who were stationed in proper Places, to protect the Inhabitants, and act defensively in case of an Attack. This Mea- sure I esteemed a very salutary one, supplied the men with Arms and Ammunition, and ordered them to be kept up 'till the Meeting of the Assembly, under a full persuasion that you would chearfully defray the necessary Expence attending it.
" It would be too tedious to relate the several occurrences which have happened from Time to Time since the first Act of Hostility committed, but I refer you for more particular Information thereon to the Letters and Papers I have ordered the Secretary to lay before you. You will thereby perceive that the Delawares and Shawanese repeatedly made the strongest Professions of a pacific Disposition, and their Desire that Matters should be accommodated ; and, as an Earnest of their Sincerity, they not only protected the Persons and Goods of our Traders among them from the Violence of some of
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their young Warriors, but actually escorted many of them back to their Friends near Pittsburg, at the Risque of their own Lives. Hence we had great Reason to believe that, by a just and discreet Conduct a Rupture with them might have been avoided, but I am sorry to inform you that I have received Intelligence that the very Indians who thus generously escorted our Traders home were, Contrary to all Faith, pursued on their Return, attacked, and one of them wounded by a Party of Virginians sent out for the purpose by one Conolly, a Militia Captain, appointed by the Government of Virginia, at Pittsburg, who has lately taken Possession of that Place under pretence of its being out of the Province of Pennsylvania and within the Colony of Virginia. By this unhappy Step, there is great Reason to apprehend it will be difficult to persuade the Indians further to confide in any Over- tures that can be made, or Assurances given them, and that we shall be involved in the Calamities of an Indian War. Nothing in my Power has been neglected, which I thought might have a Ten- dency to avert so great an Evil. I have wrote to Sir William Johnson, requesting he would Interest himself on the Occasion, and use his Influence with the Six Nations to assist in healing the Breach with their Western Brethren ; and have dispatched a Letter to Lord Dunmore, representing the misconduct of Conolly, and the Dangerous Consequences of his unjust and Violent Proceedings. In this dark and uncertain State of things, what will be the Event Time only can discover, but I think it my Duty most earnestly to recommend it to you to make Timely and effectual Provision for the Security of our Frontier Settlements, that in Case of a War with the Savages, they may have that immediate Protection and Assistance which they look for, and have a Right to expect from the Government under which they live, and that you will also pro- vide for the discharging such Expences as have hitherto arisen by my Orders for their Defence, in which I will readily concur with you.
"Could you devise any other probable Method by which this unhappy Difference with the Indians can be accomodated, it would give me infinite Satisfaction, and nothing could afford me more Pleasure than the being instrumental in accomplishing so desirable an End.
"JOHN PENN.
" July 18th, 1774."
A Committee of Assembly presented to the Governor for his Concurrence two Bills, entituled "An Act to continue An Act entituled An Act to amend the Act entituled An Act to prevent the Exportation of Bread and Flour not Merchantable ;'" And
" An Act for lending the sum of eight hundred Pounds to the several.and respective Counties of Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmoreland, for building a Court House and Prison in each of the said Counties."
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MINUTES OF THE
Saturday 23d July, 1774, A. M.
The Governor having considered and approved the two Bills sent up Yesterday by the Assembly, sent them to the House by the Sec- retary with his Assent.
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Eodem die, at Noon.
A Committee of Assembly waited on the Governor, and de- livered him a written Message in answer to His Honor's Message of the 18th Instant, with a Copy of the Resolutions of the House, and at the same Time, acquainted the Governor that the House pro- posed to adjourn to the 19th of September next, if he had no Ob- jection to that Time, and also requested to know when he would be pleased to pass the Bills which he had agreed to. To which The . Governor replied that he had no Objection to their proposed Ad- journment, and would go immediately to the Council Chamber in order to pass the Bills.
Council Chamber, P. M.
The Governor having acquainted the Assembly, by the Secretary, that he was in the Council Chamber, and ready to receive the House, in order to pass the two Bills which had received his Assent ; the whole House waited on him, and the Speaker presented to him the two Bills entituled
" An Act for lending the Sum of eight hundred Pounds to the several and respective Counties of Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmoreland, for building a Court House and Prison in each of the said Counties."
" An Act to continue an Act entituled ' An act to amend the Act entituled An Act to prevent the Exportation of Bread and Flour not Merchantable," which His Honor enacted into Laws, and appointed the Secretary to accompany two members of Assembly to see the Great Seal affixed to them, and to deposite them in the Rolls Office.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday, July 28th, 1774.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor.
Benjamin Chew, Andrew Allen, Esquires.
James Tilghman,
The Secretary having, by direction of the Governor, prepared a Draft of a Proclamation offering a Reward, pursuant to the Re-
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quest of the Assembly, for apprehending the Persons said to have Murdered Joseph Wipey, a Delaware Indian, laid the same before the Board, which was approved and ordered to be published, and printed Copies thereof sent to Westmoreland. The Proclamation follows in these Words, Viz":
"By the Honourable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Coun- ties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware :
"A PROCLAMATION.
" WHEREAS, I have received information that some Time in May last, a certain friendly Indian Man, called Joseph Wipey, was bar- barously murdered in the County of Westmoreland ; And Whereas, there is great Reason to believe that John Hinkson, and James Cooper, of the same County, were concerned in the perpetration of the said Murder; And Whereas, it is at all Times, but more es- pecially in the present Situation of our Affairs with the Western Indian Nations, of the utmost Consequence to the Peace of the Province, that the Perpetrators of such atrocious Offences, not only against the Authority of Government, but in direct Violation of the Treaties with those Indians, should be brought to condign and exemplary Punishment ; I have, therefore, thought fit, with the ad- vice of the Council, to issue this Proclamation, And do hereby strictly charge and Command all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, Consta- bles, and other Officers, as well as all other His Majesty's liege Subjects within this Province, to make diligent Search and Enquiry after the said John Hinkson and James Cooper, and to use all law- ful Means for apprehending and securing them, that they may be proceeded against according to Law. And I do hereby promise and engage, that the Public Reward of one hundred Pounds shall be paid to any Person or Persons who shall apprehend the said John Hinkson and James Cooper, and deliver them into the Cus- tody of the Keeper of the Gaol of either of the Counties of Lan- caster, York, or Cumberland, or the Sum of fifty Pounds for either of them.
"' Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of the said Province, at Philadelphia, the twenty-eighth day of July, in the fourteenth Year of His Majesty's Reign and in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four.
" JOHN PENN.
" By His Honour's Command.
" JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Jun"., Secretary. "GOD SAVE THE KING."
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The Governor laid before the Board a Letter he received from Colonel Guy Johnson, dated 22d July, 1774, which follows in these words, Vizt. :
" GUY PARK, 22d July, 1774.
" Sir :
" Your Dispatch of the 28th Ultº., to Sir Wm. Johnson, arrived when that worthy man was, thro' the Fatigues occasioned by the late general Congress, (which is just ended,) very much indisposed ; he nevertheless continued all that day to do Business with them, but in the Evening was seized with a Relapse, which carried him off in a Fit that night. As it was a very critical Period, and that he had strongly recommended me for his Successor to His Majes- ty's Ministers, I continued to conduct the Business of the Congress, at the earnest entreaty of the Indians, and brought it, I think, to a happy termination ; and I have now received His Excellency Gen- eral Gage's Appointment to the Superintendancy, 'till His Majes- ty's final Pleasure is known; I enlarged during the Conference on the unhappy Situation of your Frontiers, and represented it as the Duty of the Six Nations to bring those they call their Dependants to Reason ; they have accordingly agreed to send Deputies from each Nation to the Southward, who will set out to-morrow, but they complain very much of the ill treatment they receive from the frontier People of Virginia, &cª", and of their Encroachments, and demand Redress. The Hurry in which the late sudden Acci- dent has engaged me, and the number of Dispatches I must now necessarily make up for the Post, who is waiting, will not permit me to be more particular at present, but you may be assured, Sir, that whilst I have anything to do in these Affairs, I shall use my utmost Endeavours for the Peace and Happiness of your Province, and from true personal Regard, shall always be glad to serve or oblige you,
" as I am with real Esteem, Sir, your most Obedient, " and Most humble Servant, " G. JOHNSON.
" I have taken the Liberty to inclose a Letter to Mr. McKee, on occasion of the present Troubles ; as I understand there is no Post to Fort Pitt, and that it might meet with great delay, I shall be glad to have any further Information respecting your Frontiers."
The Council then advised the Governor to write an answer to the above Letter by the next Post, and also to write Lord Dartmouth by the first Packet, informing him of the public Occurrences here since he wrote him last, and transmit him Copies of the Governor's Message to the Assembly, their Answer, Resolves, and the Resolves of the Committee of all the Counties lately met in this City, and also the Instructions drawn up by them to the Assembly respect- ing the Conduct of the Delegates to be named by the House to
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1
attend the General Congress of Delegates from all the Colonies, proposed to be held at this city in September next.
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At a Council held at Philadelphia, on Thursday 4th August, 1774.
PRESENT :
The Honorable JOHN PENN, Esquire, Governor. Benjamin Chew, James Tilghman, & Esquires. Andrew Allen,
The Governor laid before the Board two Letters, which he re- ceived within these three days from Captain St. Clair, at Ligonier, dated the 22d and 26th July, with sundry Papers inclosed relative to Indian and other Affairs in Westmoreland, and the same being read and considered, the Council advised the Governor to order a Town to be immediately laid out in the Proprietary Manor at Kit- tanning, for the accommodation of the Traders and other Inhabi- tants of Pittsburg, whom, by Captain St. Clair's advices, would be under the necessity of removing from that Town on Account of the oppressive Proceedings of the Virginians.
It appearing, also by the Intelligence contained in the above mentioned Letters, that though the Disposition of the Shawanese and Delaware Tribes of Indians, towards the People of this Pro- vince, were entirely pacific, the former Tribe had separated them- selves from the latter, and were removed to the lower Shawanese Towns on the Sciota, in order to prepare themselves for War against the People of Virginia, who seemed determined to pursue Hostile Measures with those Indians, It was the Opinion of the Council that it would be proper for this Government immediately to dis- patch Messages to both those Tribes, expressing our great Con- cern at the late Disturbances, and the friendly Dispositions of this Government towards them, and earnestly advising the Shawanese to a reconciliation with the Virginians; and that a Letter be also wrote to the Earl of Dunmore, recommending it to him to accom- modate the unhappy Differences between the Colony of Virginia and the Indians. Mr. Tilghman and Mr. Allen were appointed a Committee to prepare Draughts of the above Letter and Mes- sages.
MEMORANDUM, 6th August, 1774.
The Governor this day dispatched by the Express from Ligonier, a Letter to Captain St. Clair, and inclosed therein two separate Mes- sages to the Shawanese and Delawares on the Ohio, which had been
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