'And now we cannot but congratulate ourselves, that your coming should happen at a Time, when we are in daily Expectation of a War being declared between the King of England, and the French King, well knowing that should such a War happen, it must very sensibly affect you, considering your Situation in the Neighbourhood of Canada. Your coming at this Juncture is particularly fortunate, since it gives us an Opportunity of mentioning several Things that may be necessary to be settled, between People so strictly and closely united as we are.—An Union not to be expressed by any Thing less, than the affectionate Regards which Children of the same Parents bear for each other, as conceiving ourselves to be one Flesh and one People.
'The utmost Care therefore ought mutually to be taken by us on both Sides, that the Road between us be kept perfectly clear and open, and no Lets nor the least Obstruction be suffered to lie in the Way; or if any should by Accident be found, that may hinder our free Intercourse and Correspondence, it must forthwith be removed.
To inforce this, we lay down a String of Wampum.
'In the next Place, we, on our Part, shall inlarge our Fire that burns between us. We shall provide more Fewel to increase it, and make it burn brighter and clearer, and give a stronger and more lasting Light and Warmth.
In Evidence of our sincere Intentions, we lay down this Belt of Wampum.
'In the last Place, considering the Obligations we are mutually under by our several Treaties, "That we should hear with our Ears for you, and you hear with your Ears for us." We shall at Times very willingly give you the earliest and best Intelligence, of any Designs that may be form'd to your Disadvantage.—And if you discover any Preparations that can hurt us, we desire you will immediately dispatch some suitable Person in whom we can place a Confidence, to give us a proper Information.'
To inforce this Request, as well as to brighten the Chain, we lay down this other Belt of Wampum.
On the Governor's concluding the Speech, the solemn Cry by Way of Approbation was repeated by the Indians, as many Times as there were Nations present; and then Canassateego rose up and spoke.
'BRETHREN,
'We thank you for your kind Speech: What you have said is very agreeable to us; and To-morrow when we have deliberated on the several Matters recommended to us, we will give you our Answer. We desire, as our Time will be wholly taken up in Council, you will order the Goods to be carried back to the Proprietaries to prevent their being lost, and that they may continue there till we call for them.'
At a Council held in the Meeting-House, July 7, 1742.
PRESENT,
CANASSATEEGO's Speech on Behalf of the Six Nations.
'BRETHREN, the Governor and Council, and all present,
'According to our Promise we now propose to return you an Answer to the several Things mentioned to us Yesterday, and shall beg Leave to speak to publick Affairs first, tho' they were what you spoke to last. On this Head you Yesterday put us in Mind, first, "Of William Penn's early and constant Care to cultivate Friendship with all the Indians; of the Treaty we held with one of his Sons, about ten Years ago; and of the Necessity there is at this Time of keeping the Roads between us clear and free from all Obstructions." We are all very sensible of the kind Regard that good Man William Penn had for all the Indians, and cannot but be pleased to find that his Children have the same. We well remember the Treaty you mention held with his Son on his Arrival here, by which we confirmed our League of Friendship, that is to last as long as the Sun and Moon endure: In Consequence of this, we, on our Part, shall preserve the Road free from all Incumbrances; in Confirmation whereof we lay down this String of Wampum.
'You in the next Place said you would enlarge the Fire and make it burn brighter, which we are pleased to hear you mention; and assure you, we shall do the same, by adding to it more Fewel, that it may still flame out more strongly than ever: In the last Place, you were pleased to say that we are bound by the strictest Leagues, to watch for each others Preservation; that we should hear with our Ears for you, and you hear with your Ears for us: This is equally agreeable to us; and we shall not fail to give you early Intelligence, whenever any Thing of Consequence comes to our Knowledge: And to encourage you to do the same, and to nourish in your Hearts what you have spoke to us with your Tongues, about the Renewal of our Amity and the Brightening of the Chain of Friendship; we confirm what we have said with another Belt of Wampum.'
'BRETHREN,
'We received from the Proprietors Yesterday, some Goods in Consideration of our Release of the Lands on the West-side of Sasquehannah. It is true, we have the full Quantity according to Agreement; but if the Proprietor had been here himself, we think, in Regard of our Numbers and Poverty, he would have made an Addition to them.—If the Goods were only to be divided amongst the Indians present, a single Person would have but a small Portion; but if you consider what Numbers are left behind, equally entitled with us to a Share, there will be extremely little. We therefore desire, if you have the Keys of the Proprietor's Chest, you will open it, and take out a little more for us.
'We know our Lands are now become more valuable: The white People think we do not know their Value; but we are sensible that the Land is everlasting, and the few Goods we receive for it are soon worn out and gone. For the future, we will sell no Lands but when Brother Onas is in the Country; and we will know beforehand, the Quantity of the Goods we are to receive. Besides, we are not well used with respect to the Lands still unsold by us. Your People daily settle on these Lands, and spoil our Hunting.—We must insist on your removing them, as you know they have no Right to settle to the Northward of Kittochtinny-Hills.—In particular, we renew our Complaints against some People who are settled at Juniata, a Branch of Sasquahannah, and all along the Banks of that River, as far as Mahaniay; and desire they may be forthwith made to go off the Land, for they do great Damage to our Cousins the Delawares.
'We have further to observe, with respect to the Lands lying on the West-side of Sasquahannah, that though Brother Onas (meaning the Proprietor) has paid us for what his People possess, yet some Parts of that Country have been taken up by Persons, whose Place of Residence is to the South of this Province, from whom we have never received any Consideration. This Affair was recommended to you by our Chiefs at our last Treaty; and you then, at our earnest Desire, promised to write a Letter to that Person who has the Authority over those People, and to procure us his Answer: As we have never heard from you on this Head, we want to know what you have done in it. If you have not done any Thing, we now renew our Request, and desire you will inform the Person whose People are seated on our Lands, that that Country belongs to us, in Right of Conquest; we having bought it with our Blood, and taken it from our Enemies in fair War; and we expect, as Owners of that Land, to receive such a Consideration for it as the Land is worth. We desire you will press him to send a positive Answer: Let him say Yes or No: If he says Yes, we will treat with him; if No, we are able to do ourselves Justice; and we will do it, by going to take Payment ourselves.
'It is customary with us to make a Present of Skins, whenever we renew our Treaties. We are ashamed to offer our Brethren so few, but your Horses and Cows have eat the Grass our Deer used to feed on. This has made them scarce, and will, we hope, plead in Excuse for our not bringing a larger Quantity. If we could have spared more, we would have given more; but we are really poor; and desire you'll not consider the Quantity, but few as they are, accept them in Testimony of our Regard.'
Here they gave the Governor a Bundle of Skins.
The Governor immediately replied.
'BRETHREN,
'We thank you for the many Declarations of Respect you have given us, in this solemn Renewal of our Treaties: We receive, and shall keep your String and Belts of Wampum, as Pledges of your Sincerity, and desire those we gave you may be carefully preserved, as Testimonies of ours.
'In Answer to what you say about the Proprietaries.—They are all absent, and have taken the Keys of their Chest with them; so that we cannot, on their Behalf, enlarge the Quantity of Goods: Were they here, they might perhaps, be more generous; but we cannot be liberal for them.—The Government will, however, take your Request into Consideration; and in Regard to your Poverty, may perhaps make you a Present. I but just mention this now, intending to refer this Part of your Speech to be answered at our next Meeting.
'The Number of Guns, as well as every Thing else, answers exactly with the Particulars specified in your Deed of Conveyance, which is more than was agreed to be given you. It was your own Sentiments, that the Lands on the West-side of Sasquahannah, were not so valuable as those on the East; and an Abatement was to be made, proportionable to the Difference in Value: But the Proprietor overlooked this, and ordered the full Quantity to be delivered, which you will look on as a Favour.
'It is very true, that Lands are of late become more valuable; but what raises their Value? Is it not entirely owing to the Industry and Labour used by the white People, in their Cultivation and Improvement? Had not they come amongst you, these Lands would have been of no Use to you, any further than to maintain you. And is there not, now you have sold so much, enough left for all the Purposes of Living?—What you say of the Goods, that they are soon worn out, is applicable to every Thing; but you know very well, that they cost a great deal of Money; and the Value of Land is no more, than it is worth in Money.
'On your former Complaints against People's settling the Lands on Juniata, and from thence all along on the River Sasquahannah as far as Mahaniahy, some Magistrates were sent expresly to remove them, and we thought no Persons would presume to stay after that.'
Here they interrupted the Governor, and said:—
"These Persons who were sent did not do their Duty: So far from removing the People, they made Surveys for themselves, and they are in League with the Trespassers. We desire more effectual Methods may be used, and honester Persons employed."
Which the Governor promised, and then proceeded:
'BRETHREN,
'According to the Promise made at our last Treaty with you, Mr. Logan, who was at that Time President, did write to the Governor of Maryland, that he might make you Satisfaction for such of your Lands as his People had taken up, but did not receive one Word from him upon that Head. I will write to him again, and endeavour to procure you a satisfactory Answer. We do not doubt but he will do you Justice: But we exhort you to be careful not to exercise any Acts of Violence towards his People, as they likewise are our Brethren, and Subjects of the same great King; and therefore Violence towards them, must be productive of very evil Consequences.
'I shall conclude what I have to say at this Time, with Acknowledgments for your Present; which is very agreeable to us, from the Expressions of Regard used by you in presenting it: Gifts of this Nature receiving their Value from the Affection of the Giver, and not from the Quantity or Price of the Thing given.'
At a COUNCIL held at Philadelphia, July 8, 1742.
PRESENT,
The Board taking into Consideration, whether it be proper or not at this Time, to make a Present to the Indians of the Six Nations now in Town, in Return for their Present to this Government at Yesterday's Treaty;
Resolved,
That it is highly fit and proper that a Present be made to the said Indians at this Time.
And it is the Opinion of this Board, that the said Present should be of the Value of 500 l. or at least 300 l.
And it is recommended to Mr. Logan, Mr. Preston, and Mr. Lawrence, to acquaint Mr. Kinsey, the Speaker of the Assembly, with the Opinion of this Board; and that they request him to confer with such other Members of Assembly as are in Town, and report their Sentiments thereupon.
The Board taking into Consideration the Threats expressed by the Indians, at the Treaty Yesterday, against the Inhabitants of Maryland, settled on certain Lands on the West-side of Sasquahannah, which the Indians claim, and for which they require Satisfaction; and considering, that should those Threats, in any Sort be put in Execution, not only the Inhabitants of Maryland, but of this Government, and all his Majesty's Subjects on the Northern Continent of America, may thereby be involved in much Trouble: It is the Opinion of this Board, that the Governor write to the Governor of Maryland without Delay, to inform him of the Indians Complaints and Threats, and to request a satisfactory Answer; and that his Letter be sent by a special Messenger, at the publick Expence.
At a COUNCIL held July 9, 1742.
PRESENT,
The Governor informed the Board, that the Indian Chiefs dining with him Yesterday, after Dinner delivered their Answer to two Affairs of Consequence:
The first related to the violent Battery committed on William Webb, in the Forks of Delaware, whereby his Jaw-bone was broke, and his Life greatly endangered, by an unknown Indian. Canassatego repeating the Message delivered to the Six Nations by Shickcalamy, in the Year 1740, with a String of Wampum, said in Answer: 'The Six Nations had made diligent Enquiry into the Affair, and had found out the Indian who had committed the Fact; he lived near Asopus, and had been examined and severely reprov'd: And they hoped, as William Webb was recovered, the Governor would not expect any further Punishment; and therefore they returned the String of Wampum received from their Brethren, by the Hand of Shickcalamy, in Token that they had fully complied with their Request.'
I thank'd them, said he, for their Care; but reminded them, that though the Man did not die, yet he lay a long Time in extreme Misery, and would never recover the free Use of his Speech, and was rendered less able to get his Livelihood; and in such Cases the English Laws obliged the Assailant to make good all Damages, besides paying for the Pain endured.—But as the Indian was, in all Probability, poor and unable to make Satisfaction, I told them, that for their Sake I would forgive him; adding, had Webb died, I make no Doubt but you would have put the Indian to Death, just as we did two of our People who had killed an Indian; we caused them to be hung on a Gallows, in the Presence of many Hundreds of our People, to deter all others from doing the like. Canassatego made me this Reply: 'The Indians know no Punishment but Death; they have no such Thing as pecuniary Mulcts; if a Man be guilty of a Crime, he is either put to Death, or the Fault is overlook'd. We have often heard of your Hanging-up those two Persons; but as none of our Indians saw the Men die, many believe they were not hanged, but transported to some other Colony: And it would be satisfactory to the Indians, if, for the future, some of them be sent for, to be Witnesses of such Executions.' I assured them, that whoever gave them that Information, abused them; for the Persons certainly suffered Death, and in the Presence of all the People.
Canassatego then proceeded to give an Answer to what was said to them the 2d Instant, relating to Le Tort's Letter: 'That they had, in Council, considered in what Manner the Matter recommended to them ought to be conducted; and they were of Opinion, that as the Shawanese, not the Twightwys (for they knew so much of it, that the People were of the Twightwy Nation in whose Bags the Scalps were found) had sent me a Present of Skins, I should in return, send them a Blanket or a Kettle, and with it a very sharp Message, that tho' they had done well in sweeping the Road from Blood, yet that was but a small Part of their Duty; they ought not to have suffered the Twightwys, after their Lye and the Discovery of the Scalps, to have left them, 'till they had given a full and true Account how they came by them, whose Scalps they were, and in what Place, and for what Reason the Men were kill'd; and when they had been fully satisfied of all these Particulars, then it was their Duty to have given Information to the Government where the white People lived, that the Murderers might be complained against, and punished by the Nation they belonged to: And as the Shawanese had omitted to perform the Part of Brethren, that I should reprove them for it, and charge them to make Amends for their Neglect, by using all possible Expedition to come at the Knowledge of these Things, and to aid their Brethren the white People in obtaining Justice.'
The Minutes of the preceding Council being read, Mr. Logan, in pursuance of the Board's Direction of Yesterday, reported, on behalf of himself, and the other Gentlemen to whom it was recommended, that they had confer'd with Mr. Kinsey, and requested him to consult the other Members of the Assembly concerning the making a Present to the Indians; and that Mr. Kinsey having collected the Sentiments of several Members of the Assembly in Town, whom he had confer'd with on that Subject, found them generally of Opinion, that a Present should at this Time be made; but that they had declined nominating any Sum: However, that Mr. Kinsey had given it as his own Opinion, that the Governor and Council might go as far as three hundred Pounds.
And accordingly it is refer'd to Mr. Logan, Mr. Preston, and Mr. Lawrence, to consider of, and prepare a proper List of the Goods whereof the Present should be composed, to the Value of three hundred Pounds, as aforesaid; advising with the Interpreter as to the Quantity and Quality.
At a COUNCIL held at the Proprietor's, the 9th of July, P. M. 1742.
PRESENT
The Governor spoke to the Chiefs of the Six Nations, as follows:
'BRETHREN,
'The last Time the Chiefs of the Six Nations were here, they were informed, that your Cousins, a Branch of the Delawares, gave this Province some Disturbance about the Lands the Proprietor purchased from them, and for which their Ancestors had received a valuable Consideration above fifty-five Years ago, as appears by a Deed now lying on the Table.—Sometime after this, Conrad Weiser delivered to your Brother Thomas Penn your Letter, wherein you request of him, and James Logan, that they would not buy Land, &c.—This has been shewn to them and interpreted; notwithstanding which they have continued their former Disturbances, and have had the Insolence to write Letters to some of the Magistrates of this Government, wherein they have abused your good Brethren, our worthy Proprietaries, and treated them with the utmost Rudeness and Ill-Manners. Being loth, from our Regard to you, to punish them as they deserve, I sent two Messengers to inform them that you were expected here, and should be acquainted with their Behaviour.—As you, on all Occasions, apply to us to remove all white People that are settled on Lands before they are purchased from you, and we do our Endeavours to turn such People off; we now expect from you, that you will cause these Indians to remove from the Lands in the Forks of Delaware, and not give any further Disturbance to the Persons who are now in Possession.'
To inforce this we lay down a String of Wampum.
Then were read the several Conveyances, the Paragraph of the Letter wrote by the Chiefs of the Six Nations relating to the Delawares; the Letters of the Fork-Indians to the Governor and Mr. Langhorne, and a Draught of the Land; these were then delivered to Conrad Weiser, who was desired to interpret them to the Chiefs, when they should take this Affair into their Consideration.
At a COUNCIL held July 10, 1742.
PRESENT
The Governor laid before the Board an Extract from the Treaty held here the 7th Instant with the Indians of the Six Nations, so far as it related to the Inhabitants of Maryland; as also a Letter he had prepared for the Governor of Maryland upon that Subject; both of which being approved, were ordered to be transcribed fair, in order to be dispatch'd the following Morning. The Letter was as follows:
Philadelphia, July 10, 1742.
SIR,The inclosed Extract of the Speech made by the Chiefs of the Six Nations, before a very numerous Audience, in this Place, with my Answer to it, is of so great Importance to all his Majesty's Colonies in this Part of his Dominions, and to your Government in particular, that I have employ'd a special Messenger to deliver it you. I hope you will enable me to send them a satisfactory Answer. It would be impertinent in me to say more to one so well informed as you are of those Nations, and of their absolute Authority over all the Indians bordering upon us, or of the Advantages of maintaining a strict Friendship with them at all Times, but more especially at this critical Juncture.
I am, Yours, &c.
An Account exhibited by Conrad Weiser of his Expences upon the Indians, and Indian Affairs, from February last to July 1, 1742, amounting to 36 l. 18 s. 3 d. was laid before the Board, and examin'd, and allow'd to be a just and very moderate Account.
And the Board taking into Consideration the many signal Services performed by the said Conrad Weiser to this Government, his Diligence and Labour in the Service thereof, and his Skill in the Indian Languages and Methods of Business, are of Opinion, that the said Conrad should be allowed, as a Reward from the Province at this Time, the Sum of Thirty Pounds, at least, besides Payment of his said Account.
At a COUNCIL held at the Great Meeting-House, July 10. P. M. 1742.
PRESENT
And a great Number of the Inhabitants of Philadelphia.
The Governor spoke to the Indians as follows:
'BRETHREN,
'This Meeting will be short: It is in order to make you a Present from the Governor, the Council, the Assembly, and all our People. William Penn was known to you to be a good and faithful Friend to all the Indians: He made a League of Friendship with you, by which we became one People. This League has often since been renew'd by friendly Treaties; and as you have declared that the Friendship shall always last on your Parts, so we would have you believe that it shall remain inviolable on ours while the Sun and Moon endure.
'I gave you some Expectation of a Present, and we have it now ready to deliver to you. This Present is made you by the Governor, Council, Assembly, and all our People, in Consideration of the great Miseries and Distresses which you our good Friends have lately suffered. This will be some Relief to you for the present, and it's to be hoped your own Industry will soon retrieve your Circumstances.
'It has sometimes happened, and may happen again, that idle and untrue Stories are carried to you concerning us your Brethren; but our Desire is, and we expect it from you, that you will give no Credit to them; for we are, and always will be, your steady and sincere Friends.
'It is a Custom when we renew our Treaties with our good Friends the Indians, to clear the Road, and make our Fire burn bright: We have done so upon this Occasion; and, in Token of our Sincerity, we deliver you, as a Present from the Governor, the Council, the Assembly, and all the People of Pensylvania, the following Goods, viz.
600 Pounds of Lead.
600 Pounds of Powder.
25 Strowdes }
90 Duffil } Match-Coats.
30 Blankets.
62 Yards of Half-Thicks.
60 Ruffled Shirts.
25 Hats.
1000 Flints.
50 Hoes.
50 Hatchets.
5 Pounds of Vermilion.
10 Dozen of Knives.
8 Dozen of Gimblets.
2 Dozen of Tobacco-Tongs.
25 Pair of Shoes.
25 Pair of Stockings.
25 Pair of Buckles.
Whereupon the Chiefs, and all the Indians, returned their solemn Thanks; and Canassatego said, 'They had no more to say as to publick Business at present; but they had somewhat under Deliberation, which, when they had duly considered, they would communicate.'
At a COUNCIL held at the Proprietor's, July 12, 1742.
PRESENT
'BRETHREN, the Governor and Council,
'The other Day you informed us of the Misbehaviour of our Cousins the Delawares, with respect to their continuing to claim, and refusing to remove from some Land on the River Delaware, notwithstanding their Ancestors had sold it by a Deed under their Hands and Seals to the Proprietaries, for a valuable Consideration, upwards of fifty Years ago; and notwithstanding that, they themselves had also not many Years ago, after a long and full Examination, ratified that Deed of their Ancestors, and given a fresh one under their Hands and Seals; and then you requested us to remove them, inforcing your Request with a String of Wampum.—Afterwards we laid on the Table our own Letters by Conrad Weiser; some of our Cousins Letters, and the several Writings to prove the Charge against our Cousins, with a Draught of the Land in Dispute.—We now tell you, we have perused all these several Papers: We see with our own Eyes, that they have been a very unruly People, and are altogether in the Wrong in their Dealings with you.—We have concluded to remove them, and oblige them to go over the River Delaware, and quit all Claim to any Lands on this Side for the future, since they have received Pay for them, and it is gone thro' their Guts long ago.—To confirm to you that we will see your Request executed, we lay down this String of Wampum in return for yours.'
Then turning to the Delawares, holding a Belt of Wampum in his Hand, he spoke to them as follows: