The History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada Part 14

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 t.i.tle 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 _Cana.s.satego_, 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._

P R E S E N T,

The Honourable the Commissioners of _Maryland_.

The Deputies of the _Six Nations_.

_Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.

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 _Sat.u.r.day_ 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 C o u r t-H o u s e at _Lancaster, July_ 2, 1744, _A. M._

P R E S E N T,

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

The Honourable the Commissioners of _Virginia_.

The Honourable the Commissioners of _Maryland_.

The Deputies of the _Six Nations_.

_Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.

_C A N A S S A T E G O 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.

_Which was received with the usual Ceremony_.

_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.

_Which was received with the usual Ceremonies_.

_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 princ.i.p.al 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.

_Which was received with the usual Ceremonies_.

_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.

_Which was received with the usual Ceremony_.

_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 b.l.o.o.d.y 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 a.s.sured, 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 C o u r t-H o u s e Chamber at _Lancaster_, _July_ 2, 1744, _P. M._

P R E S E N T,

The Honourable the Commissioners of _Virginia_.

The Deputies of the _Six Nations_.

_Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.

_The_ Indians _being told, by the Interpreter, that their Brother_ a.s.saragoa _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 t.i.tle 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 _Cana.s.satego_ 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.

_Cana.s.satego_ further said, That as their Brother _Tocarry-hogan_ sent them provision on the Road here, which kept them from starving, he hoped their Brother _a.s.saragoa_ 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, _Cana.s.satego_ 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.