USA > Pennsylvania > Pennsylvania, colonial and federal : a history, 1608-1903, Volume One > Part 33
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After many conferences with the Speaker and Franklin, Denny felt compelled to agree to the Assembly's bill for raising 30,000l. by an excise ; the only point he gained was the striking
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out of the clause appropriating the fines usually paid to him and to the City Corporation. The King repealed the two laws relat- ing to the militia. Denny having ordered Fort Shirley to be evacuated as untenable, and decided to demolish many of the
Old Block House at Pittsburgh
Built 1764; restored by the Pittsburgh Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution
little forts, and to concentrate the garrisons at the stronger ones, asked the new Assembly for a suitable militia law, and one was duly agreed upon and enacted on November 3.
Captain Newcastle, sent by Denny to ascertain whether Teedyuscung had any authority from the Six Nations, reported
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Pennsylvania Colonial and Federal
that Canyase, one of their principal councillors, a Mohawk chief, had explained to Teedyuscung that, while the Mohawks were men, made so from above, the Delawares were women, but since they had taken up the tomahawk, of which the Six Nations did not approve, the latter had made them men, but did not allow them to carry a tomahawk. Sir William Johnson took some offense at Captain Newcastle, and disliked the conference at Easton, as an encroachment upon his exclusive right conferred by the King to treat with the Five Nations and their allies : so he induced the Earl of Loudoun to forbid by letter of September 22 anything further of the kind. The Pennsylvania officials, however, in view of the Proprietaries' chartered rights, and the interview with him at Easton, Samuel Preston Moore, Abraham Dawes, Jonathan Mifflin, Israel Pemberton, and other Quakers at their own expense furnished winter clothing to the Indians attending. Several Quakers were present. Denny, by his candid language, did, as the Mohawks afterwards said, "put his hand into Teedyuscung's bosom, and was so successful as to draw out the secret," viz. : that he and others felt that they had been de- frauded in the matter of land : the Proprietaries had purchased land cheap and sold it off dear, and would not allow the Indians to cut a little wood, or hunt, which was their only means of liveli- hood; and then he made his complaints as to the Walking Purchase. As to this last, Denny offering to inquire thoroughly, the com- missioners suggested that, as more goods had been brought than was proper for so few Indians, it would be better to give imme- diate satisfaction, whether the claim was just or unjust; and to this Denny agreed, and asked Teedyuscung what would satisfy them, and explained that a large part of the 400l. worth of goods for their relief had been furnished by the Quakers, the descend- ants of those who came over with William Penn. Teedyuscung said that he must bring to the next meeting the people to whom the land had belonged, and a meeting in the spring was agreed to. Croghan, who had been appointed by Sir William Johnson
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to take charge of Indian affairs in Pennsylvania, consented to this meeting, and, at the Assembly's expense, dispatched messengers to the Shawanees and Delawares on the Ohio to induce them to take part. The Friendly Association, headed by Israel Pember- ton, William Callender, Jeremiah Warder, and William Fisher, contributed 100l. Callendar and Pemberton applied for permis- sion to search the minutes of the Governor's Council to satisfy themselves and their friends as to the true state of the Indian claims on the lands in this Province, they having raised a con- siderable sum for amicably adjusting the same. This permission was refused, and they were notified that the Governor could not allow any business to be transacted with the Indians except by those immediately empowered by the King's authority or his own.
A battalion of the Royal American Regiment with Bouquet in command and two independent companies being ordered to the city of Philadelphia for the winter, a part arrived in December. The Assembly extended to the Province the act of Parliament authorizing the quartering of troops in the public houses by the mayor and Corporation, Governor Denny protesting that this would not be sufficient ; the Assembly, on the other hand, conclud- ed that 117 public houses could take care of 100 men, and was unwilling to subject private citizens to having soldiers, some of them perhaps their former servants, introduced into their households. The mayor, Attwood Shute, the recorder, Benjamin Chew, and several aldermen, among them Strettell and Mifflin of the Governor's Council, remonstrated to the Assembly, saying that the keepers of the public houses were many of them so poor that it was impossible to provide for such numbers. The condi- tion of those who arrived became more and more wretched as the weather became colder, 124 having to sleep on straw on the floor of rooms without fire, and the smallpox increasing, whereas no hospital had been provided, nor any store house nor guard room. Then Denny, after remonstrating with various members of the Assembly, sent for the sheriff, and made out a warrant requiring
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him to provide quarters for those who could not be accommo- dated in the public houses, and, besides these quarters, a hospital or a number of contiguous houses to serve as such. This war- rant was handed to Bouquet to fill up with the number of soldiers not able to be cared for in public houses; meanwhile not to be considered as issued. The sheriff, borrowing it from Bouquet, showed it to Israel Pemberton and some Quakers and to the Assembly. The House, much perturbed, recommended to the commissioners for spending the 30,000l. the establishment of a hospital, and addressed the Governor, asking him to cause the magistrates and officers of the City to make an inspection of the quarters in public houses, and oblige the keepers of public houses to receive the officers and soldiers billeted upon them, either in said houses or such others as they could procure, and so quiet the minds of the people, expressing surprise at a report of his ordering the sheriff to quarter soldiers in private houses. Denny wrote a short note to the Assembly that the troops must be quar- tered. The Assembly sat all Saturday afternoon and Sunday, and sent a long message to him, while the people were going to church, asking for a conference; this took place the next day, and was a long wrangle, the assemblymen pointing out that there was plenty of room in the public houses of the suburbs and other towns of the Province, and the Governor saying it was his duty to execute the General's orders, which specified quarters in the city ; the assemblymen saying there was no necessity for this, the Governor maintaining that the General was the proper judge as to the necessity, the assemblymen replying that if that were so, military officers might say it was necessary to quarter a whole army in one square in one street. Denny sent that night to the mayor, demanding a prompt inspection and report. While this was being made, and the mayor's representation being verified, the Earl of Loudoun wrote that if the quarters were not pro- vided, he would, if necessary, march enough troops to Phila- delphia to enforce the securing of them, and he sent Major-
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BENJAMIN WEST
Etchel tür the wack by Alber Rosenthal from the painting by Gilbert Stuart Inthe V-too. 1 Gallery, Lunilon, Enghin I Ponnyivani Colon if and Federal
Bin to provide quarters un ilnie wins could not be accommo- Hatol in the pathilie moises wol. besides these quarters, a. hospital or a munter nf compos Bouses to sirve da sich. This war- mot ba4 Togated To Boorpies to fill up with the number of solliers tor dile in De cansi for bi public houses; meanwhile not to be con vlered as issoxl The sheriff, borrowing it from Bouquet, -loved It po ssel Temberton dro some Quakers and to the Assembly The House, touel perturbed, recommended to the commissioners sur Spending the 30.000%. The establishment of a hospital and addrissol the Governor, asking Him to cause the Imagistrates and officers of the City to make an inspection of the quarters in public boules, and oblige the keepers of public houses por receive the officers and soldiers billeted upon them, either in said houses or sovs others as they could procure, and so quiet the mods of the pode, expressing surprise at a report of his on lering the sheriff lo quarter soldiers in private houses. Denny wrote a short non so the Assembly that the troops must be quar- Tered. The AssimMy sat All Saturday afternoon and Sunday, Anel sertt a long unge to hitu, while the people were going to church asking for a conferences this took place the next day. and was a lone smugle, In assemblymen pointing out that there was plenty se room in the public houses of the suburbs and odbier towne of far Province and the Governor saying it was his city to execute the General's onders, which specified quarters in the city | the assembly men sayme there was no necessity for this. the Governor nowyilating that the General was the proper judge as to the steressily die assemblymen replying that if that were so, midry officers might say it was necessary to quarter a whole army af one squite in one street. Denny sent that night to the mayor, demanding a prompt inspection and report. While this Was being made, and the mayor's representation being verified, the Earl of Loudoun wrote that if the quarters were not pro- vided he wsodd, if necessary, march enough troops to Phila- delphia to enforce the securing of theny, and he sent Major-
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Gilbert Stuart, Pino.
Bichod by Albert Rosenthal.
Copyright by The Pennsylvania Historical Publishing:kan. Theles 1903
Revolt of the Delawares
General Webb to take command. Denny then obtained from the commissioners to spend the 30,000l., an assurance that the quar- ters would be provided, and the hospital furnished in a week.
The Assembly on January 22 passed an act for raising 100,000l. for defence by a tax on all estates, real and personal, and disregarded the Proprietary instructions as to exempting the quit rents and the vast estate in unimproved lands, and as to regulating the procedure of the assessors. Probably with inward glee they complied with the requirement that the money should be raised in one year ; for, as so great a part of the 100,000l. was to be paid by the Penns, the latter would suffer by being obliged to hand over such an amount at once. On Denny's refusal to transgress any instructions, the Assembly sent a remonstrance that the necessity for so large a sum, founded on the Governor's own estimate, had obliged them to an effort beyond their strength ; hundreds of families must be distressed to pay the tax, and the bill as closely followed the laws of the Mother Country as the different circumstances permitted. Denny decided to lay the bill before the King, with his reasons for not passing it, and the Assembly, deciding to do the same, nevertheless sent to Denny a bill entitled "a supplement to the act entitled 'an act for granting the sum of 60,000l. to the King's use for striking 55,000l. thereof in bills of credit and to provide a fund for sinking the same,' and for granting to His Majesty the additional sum of 100,000l." This bill exempted the Proprietaries' quit rents and their unim- proved estates, but the Governor rejected it, chiefly as contraven- ing the instruction against such an increase of paper money, it allowing 45,000l. to be immediately struck in bills of credit, and as establishing a tax for four years. Denny suggested that if on trial a tax for one year were insufficient, it could be made to embrace luxuries. The Assembly said that if every detail of the instructions were to be implicitly followed, the real and personal estate taxable did not exceed 20,000 houses, with the improved land annexed to them, averaging, including the personal estate
I-30
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of those inhabiting them, 250/. each, altogether 5,000,000/. prin- cipal, having 150,000/. as the yearly value at three per cent., on which a tax of 4s. per /. would produce only 30,000l. As to making up the deficiency by taxing luxuries, such a tax in New York, including duties on wine, distilled liquors, negroes, cocoa, and drygoods, during the last fiscal year had produced 3,204l. 19s. 2d., the people there, moreover, being generally richer than those in Pennsylvania, and nearly all the gold and silver of neighboring colonies going there to support the troops. "Our chief luxury," the committee on the subject said, "if it can be called a luxury, is rum ;" and this, with wine, etc., was already subject to a tax for ten years to come. By the middle of March, the pay of the Pro- vincial forces was six months in arrear, and a mutiny was feared. Lord Loudoun came to Philadelphia for a meeting with the Gov- ernors of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, at which it was decided that Pennsylvania should furnish 1,400 men, of whom 200 should serve in the defence of South Carolina. Denny explained to him the difficulty with the Assembly, and at his request made certain propositions for Loudoun to lay before the members of the Assembly, indicating how far the Lieutenant- Governor, in the face of the instructions, could go towards a compromise ; whereupon Norris and Franklin presented the reply of the Assembly. A part of this was as follows: "The Proprie- taries are hereditary Governors of this Province; they have a noble support in the quit rents; they ought therefore to govern the Province in person; but they live in England, make private estate of the quit rents, and send deputies to govern in their stead. Their deputies have also a support which we have established by law in the money issuing from licenses, etc., supposed to be near £1,000 sterling per annum. Thus we actually pay two supports, and yet have not the full benefit of one Governor; for the Pro- prietaries live at a great distance, and can not readily be applied to on any emergency of government, and their Deputy is so re- strained that he can not use his own judgment. When our .
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THIRD
STREET
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SECOND
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FERRY
FIRST
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PENN
BOAT YARD
P. NEVILLE
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MARKET
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RIVER
PLAN Of Lots in PITTSBURGH~1764. By Col. John Campbell
Engraved especially for this work from a copy in possession of Dr. W. J. Holland
Revolt of the Delawares
Lieutenant-Governors were at liberty to act as Governors, and pass such laws as they found for the benefit of the people, they have always received from the Assembly additional yearly marks of the People's gratitude and respect. Above 30,000l. have been given by the Assembly within these thirty years to Governors out of the funds of which by law the Assemblies had the sole dispo- sition. The Assembly have great respect for their present Gov- ernor"-this seems hardly mere propriety of speech or flattery -- "and if he would think fit himself to hear and answer their com- plaints, it might probably be very agreeable to the Assembly to have an opportunity of laying them before him; but, as there are some of his Council who are suspected to be the advisers of all the measures, and even procurers of the instructions to be com- plained of as grievances, men who are looked upon as enemies to the House and to the People, attached to the Proprietaries by profitable offices held during pleasure, it seems as if it would answer no good end, but rather tend to continue and increase con- tention, if the Council are to consider the complaints and advise the answers." Of the Council at that time, Peters was Secretary of the Land Office, Chew Attorney-General, and Lardner ( brother of Richard Penn's wife) Receiver-General of the Land Office; but ex-Governor Hamilton, rather than the last named, joined Peters and Chew as leaders. The remaining members were Logan, whose father had been higher than Peters in the Proprie- taries' confidence, and Strettell, Shoemaker, Cadwalader, and Mifflin, in no way affiliated with the Penns, except by their mem- bership of such a body. On March 21, report came from Indians on their way to the expected treaty that 800 French and Indians were at the head of the west branch of the Susquehanna, getting ready their canoes to come against Fort Augusta. Part of the Provincial troops ordered to re-enforce it refused until they should be paid. Loudoun thereupon requested Denny to waive the in- structions, and pass the bill, which was accordingly done on the 23rd. By May the attack on Fort Augusta had not taken place,
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the term of enlistment of the troops had expired, and they, dis- couraged at the slowness of pay, had not re-enlisted; 500 men were being raised through bounties, and the 45,000l. issued under the last act had been exhausted. The Lieutenant-Governor could do nothing less than consent to an act for issuing bills of credit for the balance of the 100,000l.
Teedyuscung's return being delayed, and a great many of the Six Nations who had come to meet him being anxious to get home, the Governor and Croghan, in the presence of John Stan- wix, a lieutenant-colonel of the Royal American Regiment, and attended by the committee of the Assembly and others, met those chiefs at Lancaster, in May. Their spokesman said con- cerning any frauds upon the Delawares : "They lived among you, brothers, but upon some difference between you and them we thought proper to remove them, giving them lands to plant and hunt on at Wyoming and Juniata on Susquehanna. But you, covetous of land, made plantations there, and spoiled their hunt- ing grounds : they then complained to us, and we looked over those lands, and found their complaints to be true. . . .. The French became acquainted with all the causes of complaint they had against you; and as your people were daily increasing their settlements, by this means you drove them back into the arms of the French, and they took the advantage of spiriting them up against you by telling them: 'Children, you see, and we have often told you, how the English, your brethren, would serve; they plant all the country, and drive you back; so that in a little time you will have no land. It is not so with us; though we build trading houses on your land, we do not plant it; we have our provisions from over the great waters.'" The chiefs advised that part of the fields of the Delawares be given back to them rather than there be any difference with them, and promised to make the Delawares and Shawanees bring back their prisoners, and urged a further invitation to Teedyuscung to come and bring some Senecas with him to have the question of the land fully
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settled. Denny sent accordingly, notifying Teedyuscung also that the Proprietaries had written to have the complaints of the Indians fully heard and settled as soon as possible. Some of the Six Nations agreed to stay in the Province, and assist in protect- ing the frontier. A band of Cherokees, whom Colonel Arm- strong met as the representative of the Governor of Pennsyl- vania, and to whom the Six Nations consented that presents be sent, roamed almost to Fort Duquesne, killing Indians and Frenchmen. Yet the ravages by the enemy continued. Even Broadhead's house within sight of Fort Hamilton was burnt.
On July 7, 1757, the Lieutenant-Governor declared to the Council that in his opinion the government could not be carried on without the presence of one of the Proprietaries, and asked the members to consider the question of immediately addressing them on the subject. Some thought that, as the question between the Proprietaries and the Assembly was before the British govern- ment, and would keep the former in England, it would be better to wait. Shoemaker thought not. Others suggested that per- haps the Proprietaries would consent to relax their instructions. The Lieutenant-Governor then determined to write at once, and also to send a letter to the Secretary of State by a ship ready to sail.
When Teedyuscung arrived, the Lieutenant-Governor had received a letter from the Proprietaries forbidding the Quakers or any other particular body to concern themselves in any treaty with the Indians, or on any pretence to give presents to the In- dians, or join in the public presents. The Earl of Halifax, the letter said, had communicated to them a treaty with Indians held by the Quakers in Philadelphia, which he deemed the highest invasion of His Majesty's prerogative. Therefore, when the Friendly Association asked to be allowed to make presents at the coming interview, and attend it, the Lieutenant-Governor could only announce this new instruction, and say that it would be prudent in the Association to decline going in a body. The Asso-
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ciation answered with a long narration of the connection of Friends with the late treaties, closing with these words: "The business to be transacted there is of so much consequence to the
ALLEGHANY RIVER.
PENN
MONONGAHELA
Redoubt ES
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LIBERTY ST
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Fort Pitt, 1766
The dotted outline in the extreme end of the point shows position and shape of Fort Duquesne; the dotted outline in the lower centre the first Fort Pitt. Revised from plan made in 1763, the original of which is in the British Museum, the location of modern streets being indicated
lives, liberties, and properties of the people of this Province that should we omit to attend there, and depend on the Governor and the King's agent receiving all their information on this important
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occasion from the Proprietaries' agents and others who have for some years past been concerned in the transacting of Indian. affairs, we should be deficient in our duty as Christians and Englishmen, denominations we hold more dear to us than any other titles or appellations whatsoever." When the treaty took place, July 21, 1757, Teedyuscung, instigated it was alleged by Israel Pemberton, asked for a clerk, and seemed at first satisfied with the arrangement, explained by Denny, that Croghan, as the King's representative, should take the minutes, but two days afterwards told Joseph Galloway and other Provincial Commis- sioners that he would go home if the Governor persisted in refus- ing it. Denny, not disposed to jeopardize the treaty, yielded, and Teedyuscung appointed Charles Thomson, then master of the Friends' School in Philadelphia, who took minutes as such clerk, Croghan taking his own minutes as agent under Sir William Johnson, Duche taking some for the Governor.' Teedyuscung's company included fifty-eight men. Two principal men deputed by the Senecas came with forty-three other men of that tribe or other tribes of the Six Nations. Women and children accom- panied both bands. Teedyuscung, speaking for ten nations, Lenâpé, Wename, Minisinks, Mohicans, Nanticokes, and the orig- inal Five of the Six Nations, viz. : Senecas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Oneidas, and Mohawks, began by asking that, as one of his mes- sengers had been dangerously wounded by the shot of a white man, justice should be done according to English laws, and, if the wounded Indian died, the guilty man should be put to death in the presence of some of the Indians. This the Governor promised, informing Teedyuscung that the suspected person was in jail, and that it was well settled by the treaties that if either an Englishman or Indian killed one of the other race, he should be tried by the English laws, and that the most skillful doctor in the colony had been sent to take care of the wounded man. Then Teedyuscung proceeded : "The land is the cause of our differences; that is. oui being unhappily turned out is the cause, and though the first
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settlers might purchase the land fairly, yet they did not act well nor do the Indians justice, for they ought to have reserved some place for the Indians. Had that been done, these differences would not have happened. . . . This I ask, that I may have some place for a settlement, and for other good purposes in which we both agree, but as I am a free agent as well as you, I must not be bound up, but have liberty to settle where I please." Croghan, at a private meeting with Teedyuscung and seven of his counsellors, elicited this explanation : "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 Indians who had a right to sell to a certain place, whether that purchase was to be measured by miles or hours' walk, the Proprietaries have, contrary to agreement or bargain, taken in more lands than they ought to have done, and lands that belonged to others. I there- fore now desire that you will produce the writings and deeds by which you hold the land, and let them be read in public and exam- ined, 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 lands than they bought of 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 force them to leave them, but I expect a full satisfaction shall be made to the true owners. We intend to settle at Wyoming, and we want to have certain boundaries fixed between you and us,
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