USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume I > Part 12
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On the second day of the conference the governor informed the Indians of the steps he had taken after the Delawares had commenced hostilities and the preparations that had been made to carry the war into their country. He had been diverted from further war maneuvers by the Six Nations, who had informed him that the Delawares had laid down the hatchet. He in- formed them of several messages he had transmitted to them by Captain Newcastle, also other Indian messengers, and of the answers received assur- ing them that they had acted by his authority. He asserted that both he and his people were disposed to renew the ancient friendship that subsisted between William Penn and the Indians. This he desired to be told to the Six Nations and all Indians near and far, inviting them to meet him at a council-fire, but insisted as an evidence of their sincerity to surrender all of their prisoners, as this was the only terms on which a lasting peace would be concluded.
At the close of the governor's speech, Teedyuscung arose and presented the belt he had received from the Six Nations, explaining to the governor that it bound the Six Nations and four other Indian nations under the direction of two chiefs who were really disposed for peace if their lands could be guaranteed to them. If there was no compliance with these terms the Indians were prepared to commence open hostilities. He further said : "Whoever will make peace, let him lay hold of this belt, and the nations around shall see and know it. I wish the same good spirit that possessed William Penn may inspire the people of the province at this time." The governor accepted the belt, declaring he was in hearty sympathy to effect the meaning of it. He gave the Indian another belt, desiring him to show it everywhere and to make known the disposition of the people of the
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province, also of the treatment he had met with, to his own people. He then joined the two belts, declaring Teedyuscung and Captain Newcastle as agents for the province among the Indians, giving them authority to transact nego- tiations, and wished them success in their project. The two accredited agents exchanged vows of mutual good friendship and said to the best of their ability they would promote the weighty matters entrusted to them. The governor, during the continuance of the conference, was notified of the declara- tion of war between England and France. In consideration of the light attendance at the council, further important business was postponed.
After the conference, Teedyuscung returned to his country and Captain Newcastle was dispatched by the governor to the Six Nations. On his return trip to Philadelphia he contracted smallpox, which caused his death. Teedyuscung sent messengers to the tribes of Indians under his jurisdiction and to the Six Nations, informing them of the reception he had received at the conference, inviting them to another meeting. While making prepara- tions to attend the second conference, Teedyuscung received a message from Fort Johnson advising him against going to Pennsylvania. To this he paid no attention, receiving, while marching to the meeting, another message stating that a plot was laid to ambuscade the Indians when a considerable number of them had been gathered together. He placed no credence on this message, determining, however, to take all necessary precautions to guard against the worst. Sending back the greater part of his women and children, he proceeded with his own and a few other families, leaving his ablest cap- tains and bravest warriors at proper intervals on the frontiers to receive information how he was received and to act in accordance.
Governor Morris had been succeeded by Governor William Denny, and through the interposition of Lord Loudon, then commanding the British forces in America, was placed in a peculiar situation. Lord Loudon had written him, forbidding him or his government to confer or treat with the Indians, further directing that all business in that direction that should arise in the province should be referred to Sir William Johnson, whom his Majesty had appointed sole agent for Indian affairs under his Lordship's direction. On receiving news of Teedyuscung's arrival at Easton, the gov- ernor did not know what steps to take, and appealed for advice to the assembly which was then in session. The assembly decided as the negotia- tions had been commenced before Sir William Johnson's powers were made known, they should not wholly be discontinued, fearing that the Indians might become disgusted and the opportunity lost of a general peace with him and the British colonies. Therefore they advised that the governor should give the Indians an interview, making them customary presents to relieve their necessities on behalf of the government, assure them of their friendship, forgive them their offenses, and make a firm peace with them, subject to the confirmation by Sir William Johnson as his Majesty's representative of Indian affairs in North America. The assembly contended that an interview with the Indians at this time would be of great importance to his Majesty's service and not inconsistent with the intention of Lord Loudon's letter.
In the latter part of October, Teedyuscung, with a number of Delawares, Shawnees and Mohicans and some deputies from the Six Nations, arrived at
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Easton. The second conference was held November 8-15, 1756. There were present Lieutenant-Governor William Denny, William Logan and Richard Peters; Benjamin Franklin, Joseph Fox, William Masters and John Hughes, commissioners; Teedyuscung, four chiefs of the Six Nations, and sixteen Delaware Indians; John Pumpshire, a New Jersey Delaware interpreter ; Colonel Conrad Weiser, interpreter; officers of the Royal Americans; and a number of gentlemen and freeholders from Philadelphia and several counties. Great pomp and ceremony were observed ; several days were spent in formali- ties, and little business accomplished. The governor finally sent Colonel Weiser to Teedyuscung, desiring to know whether he intended to speak first, and if so, when. The Indian chief replied that it was the duty of the governor to open the oratorical program of the conference. That afternoon at three o'clock the governor marched from his lodgings, guarded by the Royal Americans and Colonel Weiser's Provincials, with colors flying, drums beat- ing and music playing, to the meeting place of the conference. At the opening of the session Governor Denny spoke, concluding his remarks as follows: "Brother Teedyuscung, what I am now going to say should have been men- tioned some time ago. I now desire your strict attention to it. You were pleased to tell me the other day that the League of Friendship made by your Forefathers was yet fresh in your memory ; you said that it was made strong, so that a small thing could not easily break it. As we are now met together at a Council Fire kindled by both of us, and have promised on both sides to be free and open to one another, I must ask you how that League of Friend- ship came to be broken? Have we, the Governor of the People of Pennsyl- vania, done you any kind of injury? If you think we have, you should be honest and tell us your Hearts. You should have made complaints before you struck us. for so it was agreed in our ancient League. However, now the Great Spirit has thus happily brought us once more together, speak your Mind plainly on this head, and tell us, if you have any just cause of complaint, what it is. That I may obtain a full answer to this point, I give you this Belt of wampum."
In his answer, Teedyuscung assigned three causes: First, the imprudent conduct of Charles Brodhead; second, the instigations of the French; and lastly, the grievances he and his people suffered from Pennsylvania and Jersey governments. The governor then called upon him to name these grievances. He replied as follows: "I have not far to go for an Instance: this ground that is under me (stamping with his foot) is mine, and has been taken from me by fraud and forgery." The governor asked him what he meant by fraud and forgery. To this he replied: "When one man had formerly Liberty to purchase Lands, and he took a deed from Indians for it, and then dies, if, after his death, his children forge a Deed like the true one with the same Indians' names to it, and thereby take Lands from the Indians which they never sold: This is Fraud. Also when one King has Lands beyond the River, and another has lands on this Side, both bound by Rivers, Creeks and Springs, which cannot be removed, and the Proprietaries, greedy to purchase Lands, buy of one King what belongs to the other : This likewise is Fraud." "Have you," said the governor, "been served so?" "Yes," replied Teedyuscung, "I have been served so on this Province. All
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the Land extending from Tohiccon over the great Mountain as far as Wyoming is mine, of which some has been taken from me by fraud. For when I agreed to sell the Land to the old Proprietary by the Course of the River, the young Proprietaries came and got it run by a straight course by the Compass, and by that means took in double the quantity intended to be sold."
After a nine-day session a treaty of peace was concluded between the Shawnees, Delawares and the English. The commisisoners offered imme- diate satisfaction for their supposed injuries, whether their claim was just or not. Teedyuscung then informed the governor that the main design of his being present at this conference was to re-establish peace, and at a future meeting he would lay open his grievances, that he was not at this time empowered to receive any satisfaction, that several were absent who were concerned in the lands, and that he would endeavor to have them present at the next meeting, when the matter might be further considered and settled. On the last day of the conference word was received of the death at Phila- delphia, by smallpox, of several Indians of prominence; among them was Captain Newcastle. Teedyuscung, in an address of condolence on Captain Newcastle's deatlı, said: "He was a good man, and had promoted the good work of peace with great care; his death would put him in mind of his duty, as it should all of us." He then took a kind leave of the governor and all present.
Messengers were sent by the governor to the various tribes of Indians, requesting them to join the Delawares at the meeting to be held next year at Easton. The governor and George Croghan, deputy Indian agent, requested Sir William Johnson to send a number of the Six Nations to the proposed meeting. Mr. Croghan met the Indians at Harrisburg, March 29, 1757, and was informed that Teedyuscung had gone to the Senecas' country to request the appearance of a number of that tribe. From Harrisburg the party journeyed to Lancaster; here the smallpox broke out among the Indians; messengers were sent to the governor requesting his presence, as Teedyus- cung having failed to appear, they were desirous to return home. The gov- ernor arrived at Lancaster May 9, 1757, and on the twelfth a meeting was held. He advised them of what had passed between him and the Delawares at the previous conference. He desired that they would advise him what measures could be brought about to procure a lasting peace. The Six Nations' speaker assigned four causes that had given rise to the present quarrel between the English and the Delawares and Shawnees: First, the death of the Delaware chief, Weekwely, who, accidentally killing a man, had been hanged in the Jerseys; second, the imprisonment of some Shawnee warriors in Carolina; third, the dispossessing of the Indians of their lands ; fourth, the instigations of the French. The representatives of the Six Nations warmly pressed for the sending of the Senecas. The governor sent a message to Teedyuscung, informing him of the advice of the Six Nations and requesting him to bring as many of the Senecas as was agreeable to him, promising that if it should appear that he had been defrauded of his lands or received any other injuries from the province he would receive satisfaction.
Teedyuscung, on receipt of this message, hastened to Easton, arriving
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about the middle of July, 1757. Governor Denny reached Easton July 20, 1757, and on the following day convened his council, consisting of James Hamilton, Benjamin Chew, Richard Peters, William Logan, Lynford Lard- ner and John Mifflin. There were also present Isaac Norris, speaker of the assembly ; Daniel Roberdean, member of the assembly; William Masters, John Hughes, Joseph Fox and Joseph Galloway, commissioners; Captain Thomas McKee, interpreter for the Crown; Colonel Conrad Weiser, inter- preter for the province; John Pumpshire, interpreter for Teedyuscung ; and a number of gentlemen from Philadelphia, and other inhabitants of the prov- ince. There were present at the beginning of the conference 58 men, 37 women and 64 children, in all 159 of Teedyuscung's party; and 45 men, 35 women and 39 children, in all 119 Senecas and others of the Six Nations.
Before the commencement of the public business, Teedyuscung applied to the governor, to allow him the privilege of appointing a person to take down the minutes of the treaty. He was prompted to this act by the ex- hibition made by Secretary Peters at the previous meeting, when he had thrown down his pen and declared he would not take minutes when com- plaints were made against the proprietaries. He did not know but the same thing might happen again, as the same complaints were to be repeated. The business to be transacted was of the most important nature, and re- quired to be exactly minuted, which he thought could be done by the method he proposed. The governor informed him at the last conference at Lancaster that it had been agreed between him and Mr. Croghan that no one was to take minutes of the proceedings but the secretary appointed by the latter, which was the constant practice of Sir William Johnson. As his precedent had been established to be observed in future treaties, he did not care to make any alteration in this respect. This refusal of a demand so just and reasonable aroused Teedyuscung's suspicions that advantage was to be taken of his ignorance. He therefore demanded as his right what he asked as a favor. It had been agreed upon in his council at home, and he insisted on its being granted, if the governor persisted he determined not to treat and he would return home.
The commissioners, who were mere spectators of the controversy, seeing that the chief men of the Six Nations were disgusted, wrote a message to Governor Denny, requesting information on certain subjects. The governor, a newly imported Englishman, in an imperious manner, forcibly expressed the opinion that their official duties did not extend to the conference with the Indians. This brought from the commissioners that famous document of August 1, 1757, which was probably the first outburst of liberty at the Forks of the Delaware. The governor, beset on all sides, finally allowed the Indian's chief a clerk, declaring it was against his judgment but as a fresh proof of his friendship and regard. Four days had been spent in these de- bates, and the next day Teedyuscung, having nominated Charles Thompson1 as his clerk, the business of the public treaty began.
1 The Delawares adopted Charles Thompson, whose unofficial minutes were often called for, and, in the opinion of the Indians, were true. In respect to this fact they gave him the appropriate name of Wegh-wu-law-no-end. As secretary of Congress during the Revolutionary war his official reports were always looked over to settle doubtful news and flying reports, the investigators always saying on such occasions, "here comes the truth; here is Charles Thompson."
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The governor opened the conference by informing Teedyuscung he was glad to meet him once more with his people and some of the Six Nations, according to the agreement made at the last conference. He informed him that George Croghan represented Sir William Johnson, and was present to inquire into every grievance of the Indians which they had suffered, either from their brethren in Pennsylvania, or the neighboring provinces. The Indians were then addressed by Mr. Croghan, he stating that he would do everything in his power to have all differences amicably adjusted. Teedyus- cung for four or five days had been kept almost continually drunk, and his remarks as they stand on the minutes appear mystifying and confusing. They also so appeared to the governor, which was supplemented by the fact that his interpreter was saturated with liquor and during the delivery of the Indian chief's speech calmly went to sleep. The Indian king, by the inter- position of his council, was restrained from liquor; when sober he called upon Mr. Croghan at the request of the governor, repeated what he had said at the session of the conference, and made the following speech :
The complaints I made last Fall I yet continue. I think some lands have been bought by the Proprietary or his Agents from Indians who had not a right to sell, and to whom the lands did not belong. I think also, when some lands have been sold to the Proprietary by some Indians who had a right to sell to a certain place, whether that purchase was to be measured by miles or hours' walk, that the Proprietaries have, contrary to agreement or bargain, taken more lands than they ought to have done, and lands that belonged to others. I therefore now desire you will produce the Writings and Deeds by which you hold the land, and let them read in public and examine these, that it may be fully known from what Indians you have bought the Lands you hold, and how far your Purchases extend, that copies of the whole may be laid before King George and published to all the Provinces under his Government. What is fairly bought and paid for I make no further demands about, but if any Lands have been bought of Indians to whom these lands did not belong, and who had no right to sell them, I expect a satisfaction for these lands. And if the Proprietaries have taken in more than they bought of the true owners, I expect likewise to be paid for that. But as the persons to whom the Proprietaries may have sold these Lands, which of right belonged to me, have made some Settlements, I do not want to disturb them or to force them to leave them, but I expect a full Satisfaction shall be made to the true owners for these Lands tho' the Proprietaries, as I said before, might have bought them from persons that had no right to sell them. As we intend to settle at Wyoming, we want to have certain Boundaries fixed between you and us, and a certain Tract of Land fixed, which it shall not be lawful for us or our Children ever to sell, nor for you or any of your Children ever to buy. We shall have the boun- daries fixed all around agreeable to the Draught we give you (here he drew a Draught with chalk on the Table) that we may not be pressed on any side, but have certain boundaries of a Country fixed for the use of our Chil- dren forever. And as we intend to make a Settlement at Wyoming and to build different houses from what we have done hitherto, such as may last not only for a little time, but for our Children after us; we desire you will assist us in making our settlements, and send us persons to instruct us in building houses, and in making such necessaries as shall be needful; and that Persons be sent to instruct us in Christian Religion, which may be for our future Welfare, and to instruct our Children in reading and writing; and a fair trade be established between us, and such persons appointed to conduct and manage these affairs as shall be agreeable to us.
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The governor in answering Teedyuscung's speech referred the redress of the Indians' grievances to Sir William Johnson. The lands between the Shamokin and Wyoming the proprietaries had never purchased from the Indians, and he was pleased they had made choice of that place for their residence. He said he would use all his power to have these lands settled upon them and their posterity; as to the other requests they were reason- able; he would recommend them to the assembly and they would most cheerfully be complied with. Upon the delivery of the governor's speech the Indian King and his council withdrew to deliberate upon it. They decided they would not go to Sir William Johnson with their grievances; that the reasons of their refusal might appear in full strength, that they had agreed to follow the example of the governor, and have their speech written, examined in council, then read to the governor at the public confer- ence the next day. Teedyuscung then desired that which had been written in the council be accepted, read and recorded as his speech; to this the gov- ernor and Mr. Croghan joined in opposing. A debate then ensued; the Indian King, not being granted the privilege that the governor had taken, informed them from memory the substance of what had been agreed to at the council, after making pertinent that the governor had told him that George Croghan was Sir William Johnson's authorized deputy, with full power to act, and he now notified him that he had no power at all. He gave the governor to understand he would not go to Sir William Johnson, as he did not know him, and by deferring matters it might again embroil them in war. He further said that he wanted nothing for his lands that was not just, but that the Indian deeds ought to be produced for examination, copies of them taken and put with minutes of the treaty. This done, he offered to confirm a peace treaty immediately. The land affairs he was willing to have decided by the King of England, and would await his decision. In conclu- sion he said: "Let copies of the deeds be sent to the king, and let him judge. I want nothing of the lands till the king has sent letters back, and then if any of the lands be found to belong to me, I expect to be paid for it and not before."
Teedyuscung remaining firm for copies of the deeds, the governor in appearance resolved to comply with his request. However, it was agreed not to deliver up all of the deeds. Colonel Weiser and Mr. Croghan were privately sent to the Indian King to obtain his consent to a delivery of only those deeds relating to his complaint and late purchases. Two days were spent in this wire-pulling, the Indians in the meantime being plied with liquor. The governor again met the Indians, and told them as they so earn- estly desired to see the deeds of the lands mentioned in the last treaty he had brought them with him and would grant Teedyuscung copies of them agreeable to his request. Thereupon some deeds were laid upon the table. When Teedyuscung was convinced the deeds were delivered, he, without examination of them, in the name of ten nations he represented, solemnly concluded peace negotiations.
The reading of the deeds was put off to the next day, and upon examina- tion it was found that very few deeds were delivered, and that none of them threw any light upon the matter in dispute. The deed of 1718 referred to
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in the treaty of 1728 was missing; a paper purporting to be a copy of the last Indian purchase in 1686 was not even attested to as a true copy. Mr. Thompson, as Teedyuscung's secretary, notified the governor by letter that the deed of 1718 was missing. No attention was paid to this communica- tion; it was undoubtedly withheld by the proprietaries' agents because it clearly defined the release of 1737 by virtue of which the Indian walk of 1737 was made, and which included the greater part of the disputed lands taken from the Indians. The non-deliverance of the deed of 1718 led Mr. Thompson to inform Mr. Croghan that if it came to the Indians' ears, that they would consider they were abused, that they might become dissatisfied and break up the conference. The ferment among the Indians, coupled with the resolution to return to their homes in the evening, caused them to blame the delays in the public business to the backwardness of the governor to conclude peace, which was apparent grounds for their fear. The commis- sioners of the assembly, though sensible that the necessary deeds had not been delivered, hoped, however, that on more mature deliberation the governor would furnish the missing links and forward them to the king and council, for a just determination could not be given while papers and deeds of such importance were withheld. The lives of many of His Majesty's subjects, as well as the alliance of many Indian nations, depended on a just decision, and they could not imagine that the governor would join in deceiving the king and council in a matter of so great importance. The Indians' copies of the deeds and papers were placed in the hands of the Speaker of the Assembly by Teedyuscung, requesting that they might be sent to the King of England with the minutes of the treaty, and he hoped the governor and Mr. Croghan would have no objecion to this.
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