Soon after the Commissioners and Indians departed from the Court-House Chamber.
In the Court-House Chamber at Lancaster, June 30, 1744, A. M.
PRESENT,
Gachradodow, Speaker for the Indians, in answer to the Commissioners Speech at the last Meeting, with a strong Voice, and proper Action, spoke as follows:
Brother Assaragoa,
The World at the first was made on the other Side of the Great Water different from what it is on this Side, as may be known from the different Colours of our Skin, and of our Flesh, and that which you call Justice may not be so amongst us; you have your Laws and Customs, and so have we. The Great King might send you over to conquer the Indians, but it looks to us that God did not approve of it; if he had, he would not have placed the Sea where it is, as the Limits between us and you.
Brother Assaragoa,
Tho' great Things are well remembered among us, yet we don't remember that we were ever conquered by the Great King, or that we have been employed by that Great King to conquer others; if it was so, it is beyond our Memory. We do remember we were employed by Maryland to conquer the Conestogoes, and that the second time we were at War with them, we carried them all off.
Brother Assaragoa,
You charge us with not acting agreeable to our Peace with the Catawbas, we will repeat to you truly what was done. The Governor of New-York, at Albany, in Behalf of Assaragoa, gave us several Belts of Wampum from the Cherikees and Catawbas, and we agreed to a Peace, if those Nations would send some of their great Men to us to confirm it Face to Face, and that they would trade with us; and desired that they would appoint a Time to meet at Albany for that Purpose, but they never came.
Brother Assaragoa,
We then desired a Letter might be sent to the Catawbas and Cherikees, to desire them to come and confirm the Peace. It was long before an Answer came; but we met the Cherikees, and confirmed the Peace, and sent some of our People to take care of them, until they returned to their own Country.
The Catawbas refused to come, and sent us word, That we were but Women, that they were Men, and double Men, that they could make Women of us, and would be always at War with us. They are a deceitful People. Our Brother Assaragoa is deceived by them; we don't blame him for it, but are sorry he is so deceived.
Brother Assaragoa,
We have confirmed the Peace with the Cherikees, but not with the Catawbas. They have been treacherous, and know it; so that the War must continue till one of us is destroyed. This we think proper to tell you, that you may not be troubled at what we do to the Catawbas.
Brother Assaragoa,
We will now speak to the Point between us. You say you will agree with us as to the Road; we desire that may be the Road which was last made (the Waggon-Road.) It is always, a Custom among Brethren or Strangers to use each other kindly; you have some very ill-natured People living up there; so that we desire the Persons in Power may know that we are to have reasonable Victuals when we are in want.
You know very well, when the white People came first here they were poor; but now they have got our Lands, and are by them become rich, and we are now poor; what little we have had for the Land goes soon away, but the Land lasts for ever. You told us you had brought with you a Chest of Goods, and that you have the Key in your Pockets; but we have never seen the Chest, nor the Goods that are said to be in it; it may be small, and the Goods few; we want to see them, and are desirous to come to some Conclusion. We have been sleeping here these ten Days past, and have not done any thing to the Purpose.
The Commissioners told them they should see the Goods on Monday.
In the Court-House at Lancaster, June 30, 1744, P. M.
PRESENT,
The three Governments entertained the Indians, and all the Gentlemen in Town, with a handsome Dinner. The Six Nations, in their Order, having returned Thanks with the usual Solemnity of Yo-ha-han, the Interpreter informed the Governor and the Commissioners, that as the Lord Proprietor and Governor of Maryland was not known to the Indians by any particular Name, they had agreed, in Council, to take the first Opportunity of a large Company to present him with one; and as this with them is deemed a Matter of great Consequence, and attended with Abundance of Form, the several Nations had drawn Lots for the Performance of the Ceremony, and the Lot falling on the Cayogo Nation, they had chosen Gachradodow, one of their Chiefs, to be their Speaker, and he desired Leave to begin; which being given, he, on an elevated Part of the Court-House, with all the Dignity of a Warrior, the Gesture of an Orator, and in a very graceful Posture, said that:
"As the Governor of Maryland had invited them here to treat about their Lands, and brighten the Chain of Friendship, the united Nations thought themselves so much obliged to them, that they had come to a Resolution in Council to give to the great Man, who is Proprietor of Maryland, a particular Name, by which they might hereafter correspond with him; and as it had fallen to the Cayogoes Lot in Council to consider of a proper Name for that chief Man, they had agreed to give him the Name of Tocarry-hogan, denoting Precedency, Excellency, or living in the middle or honourable Place betwixt Assaragoa and their Brother Onas, by whom their Treaties might be better carried on." And then, addressing himself to his Honour the Governor of Pensylvania, the honourable the Commissioners of Virginia and Maryland, and to the Gentlemen then present, he proceeded:
"As there is a Company of great Men now assembled, we take this Time and Opportunity to publish this Matter, that it may be known Tocarry-hogan is our Friend, and that we are ready to honour him, and that by such Name he may be always called and known among us. And we hope he will ever act towards us according to the Excellency of the Name we have now given him, and enjoy a long and happy Life."
The honourable the Governor and Commissioners, and all the Company present, returned the Compliment with three Huzza's, and, after drinking Healths to our gracious King and the Six Nations, the Commissioners of Maryland proceeded to Business in the Court-House Chamber with the Indians, where Conrad Weiser, the Interpreter, was present.
The honourable the Commissioners ordered Mr. Weiser to tell the Indians, that a Deed, releasing all their Claim and Title to certain Lands lying in the Province of Maryland, which by them was agreed to be given and executed for the Use of the Lord Baron of Baltimore, Lord Proprietary of that Province, was now on the Table, and Seals ready fixed thereto. The Interpreter acquainted them therewith as desired, and then gave the Deed to Canassatego, the Speaker, who made his Mark, and put his Seal, and delivered it; after which, thirteen other Chiefs or Sachems of the Six Nations executed it in the same Manner, in the Presence of the honourable the Commissioners of Virginia, and divers other Gentlemen of that Colony, and of the Provinces of Pensylvania and Maryland.
At the House of Mr. George Sanderson in Lancaster, July 2, 1744, A. M.
PRESENT,
The several Chiefs of the Indians of the Six Nations, who had not signed the Deed of Release of their Claim to some Lands in Maryland, tendered to them on Saturday last, in the Chamber of the Court-House in this Town, did now readily execute the same, and caused Mr. Weiser likewise to sign it, as well with his Indian, as with his own proper Name of Weiser, as a Witness and Interpreter.
In the Court-House at Lancaster, July 2, 1744, A. M.
PRESENT,
CANASSATEGO spoke as follows:
Brother Onas,
The other Day you was pleased to tell us, you were always concerned whenever any thing happened that might give you or us Uneasiness, and that we were mutually engaged to preserve the Road open and clear between us; and you informed us of the Murder of John Armstrong, and his two Men, by some of the Delaware Indians, and of their stealing his Goods to a considerable Value. The Delaware Indians, as you suppose, are under our Power. We join with you in your Concern for such a vile Proceeding; and, to testify that we have the same Inclinations with you to keep the Road clear, free and open, we give you this String of Wampum.
Brother Onas,
These Things happen frequently, and we desire you will consider them well, and not be too much concerned. Three Indians have been killed at different Times at Ohio, and we never mentioned any of them to you, imagining it might have been occasioned by some unfortunate Quarrels, and being unwilling to create a Disturbance. We therefore desire you will consider these Things well, and, to take the Grief from your Heart, we give you this String of Wampum.
Brother Onas,
We have heard of the Murder of John Armstrong, and, in our Journey here, we had Conference with our Cousins the Delawares about it, and reproved them severely for it, and charged them to go down to our Brother Onas, and make him Satisfaction, both for the Men that were killed, and for the Goods. We understood, by them, that the principal Actor in these Murders is in your Prison, and that he had done all the Mischief himself; but that besides him, you had required and demanded two others who were in his Company when the Murders were committed. We promise faithfully, in our Return, to renew our Reproofs, and to charge the Delawares to send down some of their Chiefs with these two young Men (but not as Prisoners) to be examined by you; and as we think, upon Examination, you will not find them guilty, we rely on your Justice not to do them any Harm, but to permit them to return home in Safety.
We likewise understand, that Search has been made for the Goods belonging to the Deceased, and that some have been already returned to your People, but that some are still missing. You may depend upon our giving the strictest Charge to the Delawares to search again with more Diligence for the Goods, and to return them, or the Value of them, in Skins. And, to confirm what we have said, we give you this String of Wampum.
Brother Onas,
The Conoy Indians have informed us, that they sent you a Message, some Time ago, to advise you, that they were ill used by the white People in the Place where they had lived, and that they had come to a Resolution of removing to Shamokin, and requested some small Satisfaction for their Land; and as they never have received any Answer from you, they have desired us to speak for them; we heartily recommend their Case to your Generosity. And, to give Weight to our Recommendation, we present you with this String of Wampum.
The Governor having conferred a little Time with the honourable Commissioners of Virginia and Maryland, made the following Reply:
Brethren,
I am glad to find that you agree with me in the Necessity of keeping the Road between us clear and open, and the Concern you have expressed on account of the barbarous Murders mentioned to you, is a Proof of your Brotherly Affection for us. If Crimes of this Nature be not strictly enquired into, and the Criminals severely punished, there will be an End of all Commerce between us and the Indians, and then you will be altogether in the Power of the French. They will set what Price they please on their own Goods, and give you what they think fit for your Skins; so it is for your own Interest that our Traders should be safe in their Persons and Goods when they travel to your Towns.
Brethren,
I considered this Matter well before I came from Philadelphia, and I advised with the Council there upon it, as I have done here with the honourable the Commissioners of Virginia and Maryland. I never heard before of the Murder of the three Indians at Ohio; had Complaint been made to me of it, and it had appeared to have been committed by any of the People under my Government, they should have been put to Death, as two of them were, some Years ago, for killing two Indians. You are not to take your own Satisfaction, but to apply to me, and I will see that Justice be done you; and should any of the Indians rob or murder any of our People, I do expect that you will deliver them up to be tried and punished in the same Manner as white People are. This is the Way to preserve Friendship between us, and will be for your Benefit as well as ours. I am well pleased with the Steps you have already taken, and the Reproofs you have given to your Cousins the Delawares, and do expect you will lay your Commands upon some of their Chiefs to bring down the two young Men that were present at the Murders; if they are not brought down, I shall look upon it as a Proof of their Guilt.
If, upon Examination, they shall be found not to have been concerned in the bloody Action, they shall be well used, and sent home in Safety: I will take it upon myself to see that they have no Injustice done them. An Inventory is taken of the Goods already restored, and I expect Satisfaction will be made for such as cannot be found, in Skins, according to Promise.
I well remember the coming down of one of the Conoy Indians with a Paper, setting forth, That the Conoys had come to a Resolution to leave the Land reserved for them by the Proprietors, but he made no Complaint to me of ill Usage from the white People. The Reason he gave for their Removal was, That the settling of the white People all round them had made Deer scarce, and that therefore they chose to remove to Juniata for the Benefit of Hunting. I ordered what they said to be entered in the Council-Book. The old Man's Expences were born, and a Blanket given him at his Return home. I have not yet heard from the Proprietors on this Head; but you may be assured, from the Favour and Justice they have always shewn to the Indians, that they will do every thing that may be reasonably expected of them in this Case.
In the Court-House Chamber at Lancaster, July 2, 1744, P. M.
PRESENT,
The Indians being told, by the Interpreter, that their Brother Assaragoa was going to speak to them, the Commissioners spoke as follows:
Sachems and Warriors, our Friends and Brethren,
As we have already said enough to you on the Subject of the Title to the Lands you claim from Virginia, we have no Occasion to say any thing more to you on that head, but come directly to the Point.
We have opened the Chest, and the Goods are now here before you; they cost Two Hundred Pounds Pensylvania Money, and were bought by a Person recommended to us by the Governor of Pensylvania with ready Cash. We ordered them to be good in their Kinds, and we believe they are so. These Goods, and Two Hundred Pounds in Gold, which lie on the Table, we will give you, our Brethren of the Six Nations, upon Condition that you immediately make a Deed recognizing the King's Right to all the Lands that are, or shall be, by his Majesty's Appointment in the Colony of Virginia.
As to the Road, we agree you shall have one, and the Regulation is in Paper, which the Interpreter now has in his Custody to shew you. The People of Virginia shall perform their Part, if you and your Indians perform theirs; we are your Brethren, and will do no Hardships to you, but, on the contrary, all the Kindness we can."
The Indians agreed to what was said, and Canassatego desired they would represent their Case to the King, in order to have a further Consideration when the Settlement increased much further back. To which the Commissioners agreed, and promised they would make such a Representation faithfully and honestly; and, for their further Security that they would do so, they would give them a Writing, under their Hands and Seals, to that Purpose.
They desired that some Rum might be given them to drink on their Way home, which the Commissioners agreed to, and paid them in Gold for that Purpose, and the Carriage of their Goods from Philadelphia, Nine Pounds Thirteen Shillings, and Three-pence, Pensylvania Money.
Canassatego further said, That as their Brother Tocarry-hogan sent them provision on the Road here, which kept them from starving, he hoped their Brother Assaragoa would do the same for them back, and have the Goods he gave them carried to the usual Place; which the Commissioners agreed to, and ordered Provisions and Carriages to be provided accordingly.
After this Conference the Deed was produced, and the Interpreter explained it to them; and they, according to their Rank and Quality, put their Marks and Seals to it in the Presence of several Gentlemen of Maryland, Pensylvania and Virginia; and when they delivered the Deed, Canassatego delivered it for the Use of their Father, the Great King, and hoped he would consider them; on which the Gentlemen and Indians then present gave three Shouts.
In the Court-House at Lancaster, Tuesday, July 3, 1744, A. M.
PRESENT,
Friends and Brethren of the Six Nations,
At a Treaty held with many of the Chiefs of your Nations Two Years ago, the Road between us was made clearer and wider; our Fire was enlarged, and our Friendship confirmed by an Exchange of Presents, and many other mutual good Offices.
We think ourselves happy in having been instrumental to your meeting with our Brethren of Virginia and Maryland; and we persuade ourselves, that you, on your Parts, will always remember it as an instance of our Good-will and Affection for you. This has given us an Opportunity of seeing you sooner than perhaps we should otherwise have done; and, as we are under mutual Obligations by Treaties, we to hear with our Ears for you, and you to hear with your Ears for us, we take this Opportunity to inform you of what very nearly concerns us both.
The great King of England and the French King have declared War against each other. Two Battles have been fought, one by Land, and the other by Sea. The great King of England commanded the Land-Army in Person, and gained a compleat Victory. Numbers of the French were killed and taken Prisoners, and the rest were forced to pass a River with Precipitation to save their Lives. The Great God covered the King's Head in that Battle, so that he did not receive the least Hurt; for which you, as well as we, have Reason to be very thankful.
The Engagement at Sea was likewise to the Advantage of the English. The French and Spaniards joined their Ships together, and came out to fight us. The brave English Admiral burnt one of their largest Ships, and many others were so shattered, that they were glad to take the Opportunity of a very high Wind, and a dark Night, to run away, and to hide themselves again in their own Harbours. Had the Weather proved fair, he would, in all Probability, have taken or destroyed them all.
I need not put you in mind how much William Penn and his Sons have been your Friends, and the Friends of all the Indians. You have long and often experienced their Friendship for you; nor need I repeat to you how kindly you were treated, and what valuable Presents were made to you two Years ago by the Governor, the Council, and the Assembly of Pensylvania. The Sons of William Penn are all now in England, and have left me in their Place, well knowing how much I regard you and all the Indians. As a fresh Proof of this, I have left my House, and am come thus far to see you, to renew our Treaties, to brighten the Covenant-Chain, and to confirm our Friendship with you. In Testimony whereof, I present you with this Belt of Wampum.
As your Nations have engaged themselves by Treaty to assist us, your Brethren of Pensylvania, in case of a War with the French, we do not doubt but you will punctually perform an Engagement so solemnly entered into. A War is now declared, and we expect that you will not suffer the French, or any of the Indians in Alliance with them, to march through your Country to disturb any of our Settlements; and that you will give us the earliest and best Intelligence of any Designs that may be formed by them to our Disadvantage, as we promise to do of any that may be to yours. To enforce what I have now said to you in the strongest Manner, I present you with this Belt of Wampum.
After a little Pause his Honour, the Governor, spoke again:
Friends and Brethren of the Six Nations,
What I have now said to you is in Conformity to Treaties subsisting between the Province of which I am Governor and your Nations. I now proceed, with the Consent of the honourable Commissioners for Virginia and Maryland, to tell you, that all Differences having been adjusted, and the Roads between us and you made quite clear and open, we are ready to confirm our Treaties with your Nations, and establish a Friendship that is not to end, but with the World itself. And, in Behalf of the Province of Pensylvania, I do, by this fine Belt of Wampum, and a Present of Goods, to the Value of three hundred Pounds, confirm and establish the said Treaties of Peace, Union and Friendship, you on your Parts doing the same.
The Governor further added, The Goods bought with the one hundred Pounds Sterling, put into my Hands by the Governor of Virginia, are ready to be delivered when you please. The Goods bought and sent up by the People of the Province of Pensylvania, according to the List which the Interpreter will explain, are laid by themselves, and are likewise ready to be delivered to you at your own time.
After a little Pause the Commissioners of Virginia spoke as follows:
Sachems and Warriors of the Six Nations,
The Way between us being made smooth by what passed Yesterday, we desire now to confirm all former Treaties made between Virginia and you, our Brethren of the Six Nations, and to make our Chain of Union and Friendship as bright as the Sun, that it may not contract any more Rust for ever; that our Childrens Children may rejoice at, and confirm what we have done; and that you and your Children may not forget it, we give you one hundred Pounds in Gold, and this Belt of Wampum.
Friends and Brethren,
Altho' we have been disappointed in our Endeavours to bring about a Peace between you and the Catawbas, yet we desire to speak to you something more about them. We believe they have been unfaithful to you, and spoke of you with a foolish Contempt; but this may be only the Rashness of some of their young Men. In this Time of War with our common Enemies the French and Spaniards, it will be the wisest way to be at Peace among ourselves. They, the Catawbas, are also Children of the great King, and therefore we desire you will agree, that we may endeavour to make a Peace between you and them, that we may be all united by one common Chain of Friendship. We give you this String of Wampum.
Brethren,
Our Friend, Conrad Weiser, when he is old, will go into the other World, as our Fathers have done, our Children will then want such a Friend to go between them and your Children, to reconcile any Differences that may happen to arise between them, that, like him, may have the Ears and Tongues of our Children and yours.
The Way to have such a Friend, is for you to send three or four of your Boys to Virginia, where we have a fine House for them to live in, and a Man on purpose to teach the Children of you, our Friends, the Religion, Language and Customs of the white People. To this Place we kindly invite you to send some of your Children; and we promise you they shall have the same Care taken of them, and be instructed in the same Manner as our own Children, and be returned to you again when you please; and, to confirm this, we give you this String of Wampum.
Then the Commissioners of Maryland spoke as follows:
Friends and Brethren, the Chiefs or Sachems of the Six united Nations,
The Governor of Maryland invited you hither, we have treated you as Friends, and agreed with you as Brethren.
As the Treaty now made concerning the Lands in Maryland will, we hope, prevent effectually every future Misunderstanding between us on that Account, we will now bind faster the Links of our Chain of Friendship, by a Renewal of all our former Treaties; and that they may still be the better secured, we shall present you with one hundred Pounds in Gold.
What we have further to say to you is, Let not our Chain contract any Rust; whenever you perceive the least Speck, tell us of it, and we will make it clean. This we also expect of you, that it may always continue so bright as our Generations may see their Faces in it; and, in Pledge of the Truth of what we have now spoken, and our Affection to you, we give you this Belt of Wampum.
CANASSATEGO, in return, spoke as follows:
Brother Onas, Assaragoa, and Tocarry-hogan,
We return you Thanks for your several Speeches, which are very agreeable to us. They contain Matters of such great Moment, that we propose to give them a very serious Consideration, and to answer them suitably to their Worth and Excellence; and this will take till to-morrow Morning, and when we are ready we will give you due Notice.
You tell us you beat the French; if so, you must have taken a great deal of Rum from them, and can the better spare us some of that Liquor to make us rejoice with you in the Victory.
The Governor and Commissioners ordered a Dram of Rum to be given to each in a small Glass, calling it, A French Glass.
In the Court-House at Lancaster, July 4, 1744, A. M.
PRESENT,
Brother Onas,
Yesterday you expressed your Satisfaction in having been instrumental to our meeting with our Brethren of Virginia and Maryland, we, in return, assure you, that we have great Pleasure in this Meeting, and thank you for the Part you have had in bringing us together, in order to create a good Understanding, and to clear the Road; and, in Token of our Gratitude, we present you with this String of Wampum.
Brother Onas,
You was pleased Yesterday to inform us, "That War had been declared between the great King of England and the French King; that two great Battles had been fought, one by Land, and the other at Sea; with many other Particulars." We are glad to hear the Arms of the King of England were successful, and take part with you in your Joy on this Occasion. You then came nearer Home, and told us, "You had left your House, and were come thus far on Behalf of the whole People of Pensylvania to see us; to renew your Treaties, to brighten the Covenant-Chain, and to confirm your Friendship with us." We approve this Proposition, we thank you for it. We own, with Pleasure, that the Covenant-Chain between us and Pensylvania is of old Standing, and has never contracted any Rust; we wish it may always continue as bright as it has done hitherto; and, in Token of the Sincerity of our Wishes, we present you with this Belt of Wampum.
Brother Onas,
You was pleased Yesterday to remind us of our mutual Obligation to assist each other in case of a War with the French, and to repeat the Substance of what we ought to do by our Treaties with you; and that as a War had been already entered into with the French, you called upon us to assist you, and not to suffer the French to march through our Country to disturb any of your Settlements.
In answer, we assure you we have all these Particulars in our Hearts, they are fresh in our Memory. We shall never forget that you and we have but one Heart, one Head, one Eye, one Ear, and one Hand. We shall have all your Country under our Eye, and take all the Care we can to prevent any Enemy from coming into it; and, in proof of our Care, we must inform you, that before we came here, we told Onandio[7], our Father, as he is called, that neither he, nor any of his People, should come through our Country, to hurt our Brethren the English, or any of the Settlements belonging to them; there was Room enough at Sea to fight, there he might do what he pleased, but he should not come upon our Land to do any Damage to our Brethren. And you may depend upon our using our utmost Care to see this effectually done; and, in Token of our Sincerity, we present you with this Belt of Wampum.
After some little Time the Interpreter said, Canassatego had forgot something material, and desired to mend his Speech, and to do so as often as he should omit any thing of Moment, and thereupon he added:
The Six Nations have a great Authority and Influence over sundry Tribes of Indians in Alliance with the French, and particularly over the Praying Indians, formerly a Part with ourselves, who stand in the very Gates of the French; and, to shew our further Care, we have engaged these very Indians, and other Indian Allies of the French for you. They will not join the French against you. They have agreed with us before we set out. We have put the Spirit of Antipathy against the French in those People. Our Interest is very considerable with them, and many other Nations, and as far as ever it extends, we shall use it for your Service.
The Governor said, Canassatego did well to mend his Speech; he might always do it whenever his Memory should fail him in any Point of Consequence, and he thanked him for the very agreeable Addition.
Brother Assaragoa,
You told us Yesterday, that all Disputes with you being now at an end, you desired to confirm all former Treaties between Virginia and us, and to make our Chain of Union as bright as the Sun.
We agree very heartily with you in these Propositions; we thank you for your good Inclinations; we desire you will pay no Regard to any idle Stories that may be told to our Prejudice. And, as the Dispute about the Land is now intirely over, and we perfectly reconciled, we hope, for the future, we shall not act towards each other but as becomes Brethren and hearty Friends.
We are very willing to renew the Friendship with you, and to make it as firm as possible, for us and our Children with you and your Children to the latest Generation, and we desire you will imprint these Engagements on your Hearts in the strongest Manner; and, in Confirmation that we shall do the same, we give you this Belt of Wampum.
Brother Assaragoa,
You did let us know Yesterday, that tho' you had been disappointed in your Endeavours to bring about a Peace between us and the Catawbas, yet you would still do the best to bring such a Thing about. We are well pleased with your Design, and the more so, as we hear you know what sort of People the Catawbas are, that they are spiteful and offensive, and have treated us contemptuously. We are glad you know these Things of the Catawbas; we believe what you say to be true, that there are, notwithstanding, some amongst them who are wiser and better; and, as you say, they are your Brethren, and belong to the great King over the Water, we shall not be against a Peace on reasonable Terms, provided they will come to the Northward to treat about it. In Confirmation of what we say, and to encourage you in your Undertaking, we give you this String of Wampum.