USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XVI > Part 45
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The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, October 26th, 1790.
PRESENT :
His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President.
Samuel Miles, Zebulun Potts,
James Martin, Amos Gregg, and Esquires.
Lord Butler, Richard Willing,
The following orders were drawn upon the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of Ph. Charles Biddle, Esquire, for the sum of one hundred pounds, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Cornplanter and five Indian Chiefs of the Seneca Nation, who are now in this city, for which sum the Secretary is to account.
In favor of the Honorable Zebulun Potts, Esquire, for the sum of one hundred and thirty-five pounds sixteen shillings, being in full for his attendance in Council from the twentieth of April untill the twenty-sixth of October, 1790, deducting seven days' absence, and for mileage once coming to Philadelphia and going home.
William Graham and Elijah Price were offered and accepted as sureties for Caleb Bennett, who was on the twenty-first instant appointed Coroner of the county of Delaware.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
A letter from the Cornplanter, in excuse for his not meeting Council this morning according to appointment, and requesting further time to prepare the statement he wishes to make to Council, was read.
Two patents were directed to issue to Colonel George Morgan for four city lots, numbered in the general plan of city 1769, 1770, 1776 and 1777, which were purchased from the Common- wealth at a public auction or vendue held on the thirtieth of May, 1782, for the sum of seven hundred and thirty pounds, by Doctor John Morgan, who by his deed dated the twentieth of December, 1784, conveyed the same lots to the said Colonel George Morgan, who on the twenty-second instant paid into the Treasurer the bal- lance of the said purchase money.
Mr. Butler informed Council that Jesse Fell, Esquire, the Sheriff elect of Luzerne county, has not appeared, not knowing that the act of Assembly of the fifth of March last required his attendance in Philadelphia to enter into recognizance, and moved that a com- mission be issued to Colonel Timothy Pickering and Nathan Den- nison; Esquires, to take his recognizance and bond; whereupon it was
Resolved, That a commission be issued to the said Timothy Pickering and Nathan Dennison, authorizing them to take from the Sheriff and Coroner of the county of Luzerne the several re- cognizances and bonds required of them by the said act of Assem- bly ; and that the said Commissioners make a report to Council of their proceedings in the premises.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, October 27th, 1790.
PRESENT :
His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President.
Samuel Miles, Richard Willing,
Amos Gregg, James Martin, and Esquires.
Zebulun Potts,
Lord Butler,
An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honora- ble Christopher Kucher, Esquire, for the sum of thirty-nine pounds, in full for his attendance in Council, from the twentieth of August until the eleventh of November, 1790, inclusively.
On motion, Joseph Lorentz was appointed Coroner of the coun- ty of Northumberland, and George Graff, Coroner of the county of Lancaster.
James Clunie, Esquire, Sheriff of the county of Dauphine, at- tended and requested Council to issue a commission authorizing
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John Kean and John Dentzell, Esquires, to take the recognizance and a bond with sureties, which the act of Assembly of the fifth of March last requires, from Michael Rahm, the Coroner of that coun- ty, who has not appeared before Council to enter into the same; whereupon, it was
Resolved, That a commission be issued to John Kean and John Dentzell, Esquires, authorizing them to take from the said Coro- ner the recognizance and bond aforesaid, and that the said Commis- sioners make a report to Council of their proceedings in the pre- mises.
Colonel Robert Clark and Jacob Rahm were offered and accept- ed as sureties for Michael Rahm, the Coroner of the county of Dauphine.
Upon the second reading of a petition from Thomas Wigton of Luzerne county, who was convicted of assault and battery, and im- prisoning Job Whitcomb and Thomas Coleman contrary to law, and fined by the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the said county, in the sum of five pounds, praying remission of the said fine, and the petitioner being well recommended to Council for the said remission, it was
Resolved, To remit the said fine of five pounds.
A petition from William Dean, Esquire, and others, complaining of irregular proceedings at the last election of Sheriffs in Mont gomery county, was read and referred to Messrs. Gregg, Butler, Martin, Miles and Willing,
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, October 28th, 1790.
PRESENT :
His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President.
The Hon'ble Samuel Miles, James Martin,
Zebulun Potts, Amos Gregg, and Esquires. Richard Willing, Nathaniel Breading, J
The reports of the Comptroller and Register General's reports upon the following accounts, were read and approved, vizt :
Of John Chaloner, Esquire, Auctioneer of the Northern Liber- ties, for the State duty upon sales at auction, from the eighteenth of April, untill the fifth day of July, 1790, amounting to one hun- dred aud seventeen pounds fifteen shillings and seven pence and three farthings.
Of John Craybill, for the time of his servant Michael Dugan, who was inlisted into the Continental army in May, 1776, amounting to thirty pounds, not allowed by the Comptroller General and Reg- ister General.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Of Frederick Hillback, for twenty-two breakfasts furnished to a part of the Cumberland county militia, on the twenty-fourth of December, 1776, while on their march to Camp, amounting to sixteen shillings and six pence.
The committee on the petition from William Dean and others, relative to. the return of Sheriff in Montgomery county, agreed to meet this day.
The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, October 29th, 1790.
PRESENT :
His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President.
Samuel Miles, Amos Gregg, r
Zebulun Potts, Lord Butler, and
Richard Willing,
Nathaniel Breading,
Esquires.
James Martin,
The committee on the complaint of William Dean and Christian Dull, respecting the election of Sheriffs for the county of Mont- gomery, requesting that John Richards, Henry Sheetz and John Pugh, Esquires, in whose hands the boxes containing the talley lists and votes are, be suponaed to attend Council on Tuesday next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, in the Council, with the boxes containing the papers aforesaid.
The Cornplanter and the five Indians who accompanied him at- tended, and made to Council the following representation :
The Fathers of the Quaker State, Obeale or Cornplanter, returns thanks to God for the pleasure he has in meeting you this day with six of his people.
FATHERS :- Six years ago I had the pleasure of making peace with you, and at that time a hole was dug in the earth, and all con- tentions between my nation and you ceased and were buried there.
At a treaty then held at Fort Stanwix between the six nations of Indians and the Thirteen Fires, three friends from the Quaker State came to me and treated with me for the purchase of a large tract of land upon the Northern boundary of Pennsylvania, extending from Tioga to Lake Erie for the use of their warriors. I agreed to the sale of the same, and sold it to them for four thousand dollars. I begged of them to take pity on my nation and not buy it forever. They said they would purchase it forever, but that they would give me further one thousand dollars in goods when the leaves were ready to fall, and when I found that they were determined to have it, I agreed that they should have it. I then requested, as they
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were determined to have the land to permit my people to have the game and hunt upon the same, which request they complied with, and promised me to have it put upon record, that I and my people should have that priviledge.
Fathers :- The six nations then requested that another talk might be held with the Thirteen Fires, which was agreed to, and a talk was afterwards held between them at Muskingum. Myself with three of my chiefs attended punctually, and were much fa- tigued in endeavoring to procure the attendance of the other na- tions, but none of them came to the Council Fire except the Dela- wares and the Wyandots.
Fathers :- At the same treaty the Thirteen Fires asked me on which side I would die, whether on their side, or the side of those nations who did not attend the Council Fire. I replied, listen to me fathers of the Thirteen Fires, I hope you will consider how kind your fathers were treated by our fathers, the six nations, when they first came into this country, since which time you have become strong, insomuch, that I now call you fathers.
In former days when you were young and weak I used to call you brother, but now I call you father. Father, I hope you will take pity on your children, for now I inform you that I'll die on your side. Now father I hope you will make my bed strong.
Fathers of the Quaker State :- I speak but little now, but will speak more when the Thirteen Fires meet, I will only inform you further, that when I had finished my talk with the Thirteen Fires, General Gibson, who was sent by the Quaker State, came to the fire, and said that the Quaker State had bought of the Thirteen Fires a tract of land extending from the Northern boundary of Pennsylva- nia at Connewango river to Buffaloe creek on Lake Erie, and thence along the said Lake to the Northern boundary of Pennsylvania aforesaid. Hearing this I run to my father, and said to him father have you sold this land to the Quaker State, and he said he did not know, it might have been done since he came there. I then disputed with Gibson and Butler, who was with him about the same, and told them I would be satisfied if the line was run from Conewango river thro' Chatochque Lake to Lake Erie, for Gibson and Butler had told me that the Quaker State had purchased the land from the Thirteen Fires, but that notwithstanding the Quaker State had given to me one one thousand dollars in fine prime goods which were ready for me and my people at Fort Pitt, we then agreed that the line should be run from Conewango river thro' Chatoch- que Lake into Lake Erie, and that one-half of the fish in Chatoch- que Lake should be mine and one-half theirs. They then said as the Quaker State had purchased the whole from the 'Thirteen Fires, that the Thirteen Fires must pay back to the Quaker State the value of the remaining land. When I heard this my mind was at ease, and I was satisfied. I then proposed to give a half mile square of land upon the line so agreed upon to a Mr. Hartzhorn who was
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an Ensign in Generals Harmar's army out to a Mr. Britt a cadet who acted as a clerk upon the occasion, and who I well know by the name of Half-Town, for the purpose of their settling there to prevent any mischief being committed in future upon my people's lands, and I hoped that the Quaker State would in addition there- to give them another half mile square on their side of the line so agreed upon for the same purpose, expecting thereby that the line so agreed upon would be known with sufficient certainty, and that no disputes would thereafter arise between my people and the Quaker State concerningit. I then went to my father of the Thirteen Fires and told him I was satisfied, and the coals being covered up I said to my children you must take your course right thro' the woods to Fort Pitt. When I was leaving Muskingum my own son who re- mained a little while behind to warm himself at the fire was robbed of a rifle by one of the white men, who, I believe, to have been a Yankee. Myself with Mr. Joseph Nicholson and a Mr. Morgan then travelled three days together thro' the wilderness, but the weather being very severe they were obliged to separate from me, and I sent some of my own people along with Mr. Nicholson and Mr. Morgan as guides to conduct them on to Wheelen. After I had separated from Mr. Nicholson and Mr. Morgan, I had under my charge one hundred and seventy persons of my own nation con- sisting of men, women and children to conduct thro' the wilderness through heaps of briars, and having lost our way, we, with great difficulty reached Wheelen. When arrived there being out of pro- vision I requested of a Mr. Zanes to furnish me and my people with beacon and flour to the amount of seventeen dollars, to be paid for out of the goods belonging to me and my people at Fort Pitte. Having obtained my request, I proceeded on my journey for Pittsburg, and about ten miles from Wheelen my party were fired upon by three white people, and one of my people in the rear of my party received two shot thro' his blanket.
Fathers :- It was a constant practice with me throughout the whole journey to take great care of my People, and not suffer them to commit any outrages or drink more than what their neces- sities required. During the whole of my journey only one accident happened which was owing to the kindness of the people of the town called Catfish, in the Quaker State, who, while I was talking with the head men of the town, gave to my People more liquor than was proper, and some of them got drunk, which obliged me to continue there with my People all night, and in the night my Peo- ple were robbed of three rifles and one shot gun; and though every endeavour was used by the head men of the town upon complaint made to them to discover the perpetrators of the robery, they could not be found ; and on my People's complaining to me I told them it was their own faults by getting drunk.
Fathers :- Upon my arrival at Fort Pitt I saw the goods which I had been informed of at Muskingum, and one hundred of the
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blankets were all moth eaton and good fornot'g. I was advised not to take the blankets, but the blankets which I and my People then had being all torn by the briars in our passage thro' the wilderness, we were under the necessity of taking them to keep ourselves warm; and what most surprised me, was that after I had received the goods shey extinguished the fire and swept away the ashes, and having no interpreter there I would talk with no one upon the subject .- Feeling myself much hurt upon the occasion, I wrote a letter to you Fathers of the Quaker State, complaining of the injury, but never received any answer. Having waited a considerable time, and having heard that my letter got lost, I wrote a second time to you Fathers of the Quaker State and then I received an answer.
I am very thankfull to have received this answer, and as the an- swer intreated me to come and speak for myself, I thank God that I have this opportunity, I therefore, speak to you as follows. I hope that you, Fathers of the Quaker State, will fix some person at Fort Pitt to take care of me and my People. I wish, and it is the wish of my People if agreeable to you that my present interpreter Joseph Nicholson, may be the person, as I and my People have a confi- dence in him, and are satisfied that he will always exert himself to preserve peace and harmony between you and us. My reasons for wishing an interpreter to be placed there, are that often times when my hunters and People come there, their canoes and other things are stolen, and they can obtain no redress, not having any person there on whom they can rely to interpret for them and see justice done to them.
Fathers of the Quaker State :- About a year ago a young man one of my Tribe who lived among the Shawanese, was one of a party who had committed some outrages and stolen a quantity of skins the property of David Duncan, being at Fort Pitt, was seized by the White People there who would have put him into confine- ment and perhaps to death had not some of the Chiefs of the Seneca Nation, interfered and bound themselves to the said David Duncan, who insisted upon satisfaction, for payment of the sum of five hun- dred and thirty dollars for the said skins so stolen, upon which the young man aforesaid was released an | delivered up to them.
Fathers of the Quaker State :- I wish now to acquaint you with what happened to one of my people about four years ago, four miles above Fort Pitt : A young man who was married to my wife's sister, when he was hunting, was murdered by a white man. There were three reasons for his being killed : In the first place he had a very fine riding horse; secondly, he was very richly drest, and had about him a good deal of silver ; and thirdly, he had with him a very fine rifle. The white man invited him to his house, to light from his horse, and as he was getting off his horse, his head being rather down, the white man struck him with a tomahawk on the head and killed him, and having plundered him dragged him into the river. Upon the discovery of the murder, my people, with Mr.
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Nicholson and Mr. Duncan, had a great deal of trouble, and took a great deal of pains to find out the person who had committed the murder, and after three days' searching, they discovered him.
Fathers of the Quaker State :- About five years ago, one of my Cheifs, named Half Town, was sent to Fort Pitt to deliver up into your hands your own flesh and blood who were taken in the war, and before he returned two horses were stolen from him by the white people. Now, Fathers, I will inform you of another acci- dent which happened to my people last winter, fifteen miles below Fort Pitt. My nephew, with a hunting party, being there, was shot thro' the head in Mr. Nicholson's camp, the particulars of which Mr. Nicholson, who is here present can inform you of.
Well, Fathers, I beg of you once more not to let such bad peo- ple be 'longside of me. And, Fathers, you must not think I or any of my people are bad or wish evil to you or yours, nor must you blame us for mischiefs that have been committed by the other na- tions. Fathers, consider me and my people, and the many inju- ries we have sustained by the repeated robberies, and in the mur- ders & depredations committed by the whites against us.
It is my wish and the wishes of my people to live peaceably and quietly with you and yours, but the losses we have sustained re- quire some compensation. I have, with the consent of my people, agreed to receive from you eight hundred and thirty dollars, as a satisfaction for all losses and injuries I and my people have sus- tained, and this being paid me by you, to enable me to satisfy such of my people as have sustained those losses and suffered those inju- ries, we shall, I hope, in future live peaceable together, and bury in the earth all ill will and enmity to each other.
Fathers of the Quaker State :- I have now had the pleasure to meet you with six of my people. We have come a great way, by your desire, to talk with you and to shew to you the many injuries my nation has sustained. It now remains with you to do with me and my people what you please, on account of the present trouble which I and my people have taken for your satisfaction, and in compliance with your request.
Fathers, having come this great way at your request, and as it is. necessary for some of us to remain here to talk with the Thirteen Fires when they meet, I have concluded to send back four of my people, and to remain here myself with Half Town and my inter- preter, Mr. Nicholson, untill that time, which I hope you will ap- prove of. But should you not approve of it, I must be under the necessity of returning with the whole of my people, which will be attended with a considerable expence.
Fathers of the Quaker State :-- You have now got the most of our lands, and have taken the game upon the same. We have only the privilege of hunting and fishing thereon. I, therefore, would make this further request, that a store may be established at Fort Pitt for the accommodation of my people and the other nations when they go out to hunt ; and where they may purchase goods at
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a reasonable price. For, believe me, Fathers, you yourselves would be frightened were you to know the extravagent prices we are obliged to pay for the goods we purchase.
There is a man (Esquire Wilkie,) in Pittsburg, who has taken a great deal of pains to serve my people, and has pitied them ; my people, when there, are very kindly treated by him, and give him a great deal of trouble, but he thinks notbing of it; he is the man my people wish should have the charge of the store.
Fathers of the Quaker State :- I have heard that you have been pleased to present to me a tract of land, but as yet I have seen no writings for the same ; well, Fathers, if it is true that you have given me this tract of land, I can only thank you for the same, but I hope you will also give me tools and materials for working the same.
Fathers of the Quaker State :- Five years ago, when I used to be with my present interpreter Joseph Nicholson, he took care of me and my people. Considering his services and the difficulties he underwent in his journey from Muskingum to Fort Pitt, the Six Nations wished to have him seated upon a tract of land of six miles square, lying in the Forks of Allegany river, and Broken Straw creek, and accordingly patented the same to him, this being the place where a battle was fought between my people and yours, and where about thirty of my people were beaten by him and twenty-five of your people, and where he was shot thro' the thigh. Now, Fathers, it is my wish, and I tell you it is the wish of the whole six nations, in behalf of whom and myself, I request that you would grant and confirm to our brother and friend, the before named Joseph Nicholson, the aforesaid tract of land, as described in our patent or grant to him.
This, Fathers, is all I have to say to the Quaker State, and I hope you will consider well all I have mentioned.
Philadelphia, October.
his CORNPLANTER, × mark. his HALF TOWN, mark. his BIG TREE, mark. his JAMES HUTCHINS. mark. his SENECA BILLY, mark. his JOHN DECKART, mark.
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The Council met.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, October 30th, 1790.
PRESENT :
His Excellency THOMAS MIFFLIN, Esquire, President.
Mr. Samuel Miles, Lord Butler,
Zebulun Potts, Nathaniel Breading, and
Richard Willing,
Amos Gregg, Esquires.
James Martin,
The Comptroller and Register General's reports upon the accounts of George Wall, Esquire, Agent for the sale of Confiscated Estates in Bucks county, for his commissions and the expences attending the sale of a tract of sixteen acres of land in Bensalem township, in the said county, forfeited by the attainder of Samuel Biles of high treason, which was read approved in Council on the thirtieth day of June last, was this day laid before the Board ; and thereupon, an order was drawn upon the Treasurer for the sum of nine pounds eight shillings and one penny, in favor of the said George Wall, being due to him for the expences aforesaid.
And a certificate for the sum of 22 17 2, was directed to issue to Mr. Wall for his commission upon the said sale.
A draft of a letter to the Cornplanter and the five Indians who accompanied him, in answer to the representation which they made to Council yesterday, was laid before the Board, read and adopted as follows, vizt :
In Council, Philadelphia, October 30th, 1790.
BROTHERS :- Council have seriously considered the several mat- ters which you laid before them yesterday morning, and assure you that it is their sincere desire to have all your complaints examined into and satisfactorily and speedily removed.
But the change which has been made in the government of the State, puts it out of the power of this Council to give special an- swers to the most material parts of your speech.
On the first Tuesday of next December, the Legislature of Penn- sylvania will meet under the new form of Government, and on the twenty-fourth of the same month the new Governor will commence his administration.
When those events take place, your speech, together with such further representation of a public nature, which you may think proper to make to us, shall be faithfully communicated to the new Government for their consideration and decision,
There are, however, two points on which we may with propriety now decide.
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The first, the grant to the Cornplanter of one thousand five hun- dred acres of land by the General Assembly, on the twenty-fourth day of March, 1789.
We would long ago have ordered the survey of the land for the Cornplanter, but being willing to gratify him in his choice of a tract, we instructed General Butler to consult with him on that subject, and have waited to this time for his determination.
If he will inform us in what part of the unlocated lands of the State he wishes his survey to be made, we will order the Surveyor General to have the tract laid out without further delay.
The second point on which we shall decide, is the Cornplanter's request, that Half Town and Mr. Nicholson may remain with him in Philadelphia untill the meeting of the Legislature of the United States, or untill the President shall arrive here.
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