The History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada Part 7

At a C O U N C I L held at the Proprietor's, the 9th of _July_, P. M.

1742.

P R E S E N T

The Honourable _G E O R G E T H O M A S_, Esq; Lieutenant-Governor.

_James Logan_, } _Samuel Preston_, } Esqrs; _Robert Strettell_, } _Abraham Taylor_, }

The C H I E F S of the _Six Nations_.

_S A S S O O N A N_, and the _Delawares_.

_N U T I M U S_, and the _Fork-Indians_.

_C O N R A D W E I S E R_, Interpreter.

The Governor spoke to the Chiefs of the _Six Nations_, as follows:

'_B R E T H R E N_,

'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 C O U N C I L held _July_ 10, 1742.

P R E S E N T

The Honourable _G E O R G E T H O M A S_, Esq; Lieutenant-Governor.

_James Logan_, } _Clement Plumsted_, } _Thomas Lawrence_, } _Abraham Taylor_, } Esqrs; _Samuel Preston_, } _Samuel Hasell_, } _Robert Strettell_, }

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.

S I R,

_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 Friends.h.i.+p 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 C O U N C I L held at the Great Meeting-House, _July_ 10. _P. M._ 1742.

P R E S E N T

The Honourable _G E O R G E T H O M A S_, Esq; Lieutenant-Governor.

_James Logan_, } _Thomas Lawrence_, } _Abraham Taylor_, } Esqrs; _Samuel Preston_, } _Samuel Hasell_, } _Robert Strettell_, }

_C A N A S S A T E G O_, } _S H I C K C A L A M Y_, } And other _Indian_ Chiefs.

_C O N R A D W E I S E R_, Interpreter.

And a great Number of the Inhabitants of _Philadelphia_.

The Governor spoke to the _Indians_ as follows:

'_B R E T H R E N_,

'This Meeting will be short: It is in order to make you a Present from the Governor, the Council, the a.s.sembly, 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 Friends.h.i.+p 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 Friends.h.i.+p 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, a.s.sembly, 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 Circ.u.mstances.

'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 a.s.sembly, and all the People of _Pensylvania_, the following Goods, _viz_.

24 _Guns_.

600 _Pounds of Lead_.

600 _Pounds of Powder_.

25 _Strowdes_ } 90 _Duffil_ } _Match-Coats_.

30 _Blankets_.

62 _Yards of Half-Thicks_.

60 _Ruffled s.h.i.+rts_.

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 _Cana.s.satego_ 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 C O U N C I L held at the Proprietor's, _July_ 12, 1742.