'BRETHREN,
'I thank you for this Piece of News; you have taken this Matter perfectly right. All Bargaining for Land within this Province, is, to be sure, a manifest Breach of your Contract with the Proprietors, and what we know you will not countenance. We have hitherto found the Six Nations faithful to their Engagements, and this is a fresh Instance of their Punctuality. You could not help these Mistakes of your young Men; they were not done in your Presence: But as several Inconveniencies may arise from these kind of clandestine Sales, or from any such loose Sales of Land by your People, we desire you will, on your Return home, give publick Notice to all your Warriors not to bargain for any Land; or if they do, that you will not confirm such Bargains; and that this very Affair, together with what you have done therein, may be particularly reported to all your Nation assembled in Council.'
The Onondago Chief promised to give such publick Notice; and desiring Liberty to mend his former Speech, he proceeded:
'BRETHREN,
'I forgot one Circumstance: Our People, who pretended to sell the Land, demanded a Belt of Wampum of the Buyers to carry to their Chiefs; and on their declaring they had no Wampum, our Warriors said, they would not answer that their Chiefs would confirm this Bargain, since they never did any thing of this Nature without Wampum.'
The Governor, after a short Pause, spoke:
'BRETHREN of the Six Nations,
'I take this Opportunity to relate to you a Piece of disagreeable News I received some Days ago in a Letter from Le Tort, the Indian Trader, at Allegheny, who says, "That in May last some Indians of the Taway Nation, supposed by us to be the Twightwees, in their Return from War, called and staid some Time with the Shawanese; who being asked, and denying they had brought either Scalps or Prisoners, the Shawanese suspecting them, had the Curiosity to search their Bags, and finding two Scalps in them, that by the Softness of the Hair did not feel like Indian Scalps, they wash'd them clean, and found them to be the Scalps of some Christians. On this Discovery, the Twightwees were so much ashamed, that they stole away from their Town in the Night-time; and coming, as they afterwards understood, to a little Village belonging to the Shawanese, they told our People that their Hearts were full of Grief; for, as they came along the Road, they found it all bloody; and having good Cause to believe it was made bloody with the Blood of some of the white Brethren, they had very sorrowfully swept the Road; and desired them to inform the Governor of Pensilvania of their (the Twightwees) Grief; and how they had swept the Road clean." 'Le Tort adds, on Behalf of the Shawanese,' "That they were much grieved at this unfortunate Accident; and prayed, as they had no Concern in it, more than by being Instruments to discover it, their Brethren would not blame them, nor suffer a Misunderstanding to arise between them on this Account: They would sweep the Road clean, and wipe all the Blood away; and desired their Brethren would be satisfied with this, and not weep too much for a Misfortune that might not happen again as long as the Sun and Moon shone."
'The Person who delivered me Le Tort's Letter, brought this Bundle of Skins as a Present to me; but I told the Messenger, I would not meddle with it; he might leave it if he pleased: The Affair appear'd to me in a bad Light, and I would represent it to the Six Nations, who were expected in Town every Day. This is the Fact, as I have it from Le Tort: I desire to be inform'd if you know any thing of this Matter; and if you do not, that you will make diligent Enquiry who committed the Murder, and who are the unhappy Sufferers, and assist us to obtain Satisfaction, if it shall appear to be any, of our Fellow-Subjects that have been treated in this Manner.'
To inforce this Request, I present you with this String of Wampum.
The Onondago Chief, in Reply, said:
BRETHREN,
'We take this Information kindly at your Hands; we will take this String of Wampum home with us to our Lodgings, and there consult about the most regular and proper Steps to be taken by us to answer your Expectations, and when we have duly considered the Matter, we will return you an Answer.'
Upon this the Governor put an End to the Conference; and calling for Wine, and other Liquors, according to the Indian Custom, after a decent and chearful Entertainment, the Indians withdrew.
At a COUNCIL held at the Proprietor's House, July 5, 1742.
PRESENT
With several Gentlemen of the Town.
The Chiefs of the Six Nations.
It being judg'd proper, at this critical Time, when we are in daily Expectation of a French War, to sound the Indians, and discover what Dependance we might have on them, in case their Aid should be wanted, an handsome Dinner was provided for their Chiefs; and after they had made an hearty Meal, and drank his Majesty's Health, the Proprietors, and the Health of the Six Nations, the Chiefs gave the solemn Cry, in Testimony of their Thanks for the Honour done them. And soon after the Governor began, in a free Way, to enquire for what Reason the Senecas were not come down, since they had an equal Share of the Goods with the other Nations.——Canassateego, their Speaker, said, 'The Senecas were in great Distress, on Account of a Famine that raged in their Country, which had reduced them to such Want, that a Father had been obliged to kill two of his Children to preserve his own, and the rest of his Family's Lives; and they could not now come down, but had given Directions about their Share of the Goods.'——The Governor express'd his Concern for the unhappy Circumstances of their Brethren of the Seneca Nation; and, after a short Respite, enquired if any of their Deputies were then at Canada, and whether the French Governor was making any warlike Preparations. And on their answering Yes, the Governor said, with a smiling, pleasant Countenance, 'I suppose, if the French should go to War with us, you will join them.' The Indians conferr'd together for some Time, and then Canassateego, in a chearful lively Manner, made answer.——'We assure you, the Governor of Canada pays our Nations great Court at this Time, well knowing of what Consequence we are to the French Interest: He has already told us, he was uncovering the Hatchet, and sharpening it, and hoped, if he should be obliged to lift it up against the English, our Nations would remain neuter, and assist neither Side.——But we will now speak plainly to our Brethren: Why should we, who are one Flesh with you, refuse to help you, whenever you want our Assistance?——We have continued a long Time in the strictest League of Amity and Friendship with you, and we shall always be faithful and true to you our old and good Allies.——The Governor of Canada talks a great deal, but ten of his Words do not go so far as one of yours.——We do not look towards them; we look towards you; and you may depend on our Assistance.' Whilst the Onondago Chief made this open and hearty Declaration, all the other Indians made frequently that particular Kind of Noise which is known to be a Mark of Approbation.——The Governor bid the Interpreter tell Canassateego, 'He did not set on foot this Enquiry from any Suspicion he had of the Six Nations wanting a due Regard for the English.—Our Experience of their Honour and Faith, said he, would not permit us to think any other of them, than that they would esteem our Friends their Friends, and our Enemies their Enemies, agreeable to the strict Union which had ever subsisted between us.—As to the Governor of Canada, he told them they need not mind what he said.—The English, on equal Terms, had beat the French, and could beat them again: And were they but to consider the Advantages which the English have, by possessing so many large and populous Countries, and so many good Ports on the Continent of America, they would soon see who had most Reason to fear a War, the French or the English.'
Here the Conversation dropped; and after another Glass of Wine, the Indians resumed the Discourse, by asking whether their Brethren had not been for some Time engaged in a War with the King of Spain, and what Successes they had met with.
The Governor told them, the King of Great-Britain lived in an Island, and being surrounded with the Sea, his chief Strength lay in his Ships; in which he was so much superior to his Enemies, that they were seldom to be met with on the broad Ocean, but sculk'd and hid themselves, only venturing out now and then; and whenever they did, they were almost sure to be taken; and that the King of Great-Britain had with his Ships, beat down, or taken several of the Spaniards great Forts in America.—The Indians said, they were pleased to hear their Brethren were an Over-match for their Enemies, and wish'd them good Success.
The Governor then enquired into the State and Condition of the Nations to the Westward of the Great Lakes, and whether they had any Warriors then in those Countries? Whether they had concluded Peace with the Southern Indians? And whether they had heard what their Deputies had done at Albany?
They made Answer: That they had always Abundance of their Men out amongst the Nations situate to the West of their Lakes.—That they had kindled a Fire with a vast many Nations, some whereof were Tributaries, and they had a good Understanding with all.—They set out from their own Country in Company with two Sets of Deputies, one going to hold a Treaty with the Southern Indians, and they believed a Peace would be concluded: The other going to meet the Governor of New-York, at Albany; but they could not tell what had been done at either Place.—On their return, they were to hold a General Council, and would inform their Brethren of these Particulars.
Then the Governor put an End to the Conference, by telling the Indians the Goods would be delivered to them at a Council to be held To-morrow Afternoon at the Meeting-House.
At a Council held in the Meeting House, Philadelphia, July 6, 1742.
PRESENT,
The Governor having commanded Silence, spoke as follows:
'Friends and Brethren of the Six Nations,
'Six Years ago a Number of your Chiefs obliged us with a Visit, when they agreed on Behalf of your Nations, to the Release of certain Lands on both Sides the River Sasquehannah, to the Southward of the Endless-Mountains, and within the Limits and Bounds of the King's Grant of this Province. In Consideration of which, a certain Quantity of Goods was agreed on, and delivered as a full Satisfaction for the said Lands, lying on the Eastern Side of the said River: And for the Lands on the Western Side of the said River, you desired the Payment should be deferr'd till another Opportunity. These Goods, which are exactly the same in Quantity, as those you received the last Time the Chiefs of your Nations were here, have been ready a considerable Time, and kept in Expectation of your coming for them: And now you are come down, fully impowered by your respective Councils to receive them, we are well pleased to deliver them; leaving it to you to make a fair and equal Division of them amongst yourselves. We are sorry for the Absence of our Brethren the Senecas, and much more so, that it should be owing to their Distress at Home by a Famine that rages in their Country:—A Famine so great, that you tell us a Father has been obliged to sacrifice one Part of his Family, even his own Children, for the Support and Preservation of himself, and the other Part.—We heartily commiserate their Condition, and do not doubt but you will do them fair and ample Justice in the Disposal of their Part of the Goods, in such Manner as they have instructed you. You shall now hear the List of the Goods read to you.'
Here, by the Governor's Order, the List of the Goods was read over, viz.
500 Pounds of Powder.
600 Pounds of Lead.
45 Guns.
60 Strowd-Matchcoats.
100 Blankets.
100 Duffil Matchcoats.
200 Yards Half-thick.
100 Shirts.
40 Hats.
40 Pair Shoes & Buckles.
40 Pair Stockings.
100 Hatchets.
500 Knives.
100 Hoes.
60 Kettles.
100 Tobacco-Tongs.
100 Scissars.
500 Awl-Blades.
120 Combs.
2000 Needles.
1000 Flints.
24 Looking-Glasses.
2 Pounds of Vermilion.
100 Tin-Pots.
1000 Tobacco-Pipes.
200 Pounds of Tobacco.
24 Dozen of Gartering, and
25 Gallons of Rum.
Then the Governor told them that the Goods, of which the Particulars had been just read to them, were in the Meeting-House, and would be sent to whatever Place they would direct.
The Governor then proceeded:
BRETHREN,
'You have often heard of the Care that your great and good Friend and Brother William Penn, took at all Times to cultivate a perfect good Harmony with all the Indians: Of these your Nations have ever been fully sensible; but more especially a Number of your Chiefs, about ten Years ago, when on the Arrival of a Son of your said great Friend William Penn, large and valuable Presents were exchanged by us with you; a new Road was made and clear'd; a new Fire kindled; and the Chain of Friendship made stronger, so as to last while the Sun and Moon endure.