THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Minutes of the Provincial
Council of Pennsylvania
(April 24, 1752)
In: Pennsylvania Provincial
Council
Minutes, Colonial Records,
Vol. V, pp. 568-571.
(page 568) he had reason to believe he should be applied to by the Government of Virginia to interpret for them at the ensuing Treaty to be held at Ohio, and desired his Honour's Leave and Advice how to act. The Governor thought it best to give it him in Writing, and that it should be enter'd in the Council Books, being as follows:
Mr. Andrew Montour-
You have signified to me that you are to be employed for the Governmt. of Virginia as Interpreter at the ensuing Treaty to be held with the Ohio Indians, and that from something which passed in Conversation amongst the Indians whilst you was with them in the Winter you are assured they will expect to know my Sentiments and to hear from me on this occasion, Be pleased to let them know that as his Majesty has been pleased to give these Indians such a Specimen of his tenders Care of them as to order them a Present, it is my advice that they give a very cordial Reception to the Virginia Commissioners, accept the King's Present with all becoming Thankfulness, and cultivate an affectionate Friendship with his Majestie's Subjects of that Colony. These are my Sentiments, which I give you in Charge to communicate to the Six Nations and all the other Indians residing at Ohio in such a manner as you shall think will make the deepest Impression on them, telling them that the kinder they are to the Virginia People, and particularly to those who are minded to trade with them, the more agreeable it will be to me, that I wish the Indians all manner of Happiness, and shall be glad at all times to give them the amplest Proofs of my Regards for them. I wish you health, and am
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Your assured Friend, |
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JAMES HAMILTON. |
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Philadelphia, 18th April, 1752.
___
MEMORANDUM.
The Governor having received by Mr. Hugh Crawford a Letter from George Croghan, Esquire, dated the eighth of February last, enclosing a Message to his Honour from the Shawonese, order'd them both to be enter'd in the Council Books with his answers, all which are as follows:
A Letter to the Governor from Mr. George Croghan.
May it please Your Honour:
The enclos'd is address'd to you by the Chiefs of the Shawonese, and as far as I can understand it is to assure You that they with the Rest of the Nations in those Parts are determined to be revenged on the French for the thirty Men of the Twightwees that the French have killed this Winter, and they wou'd not undertake (page 569) such a Proceeding without acquainting you and having your advice, which I take to be as if they wanted to be assured of your Friendship if they engaged in a War with the French, for by having Your Friendship they would be sure of always having Plenty of Goods and Ammunition amongst them.
I am Your Honour's most dutiful and most obedient humble Servant,
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GEO. CROGHAN. |
February 8th, 1752.
A Message to the Governor from the Shawonese.
|
February the 8th, 1752. |
Brother:
It is a great while ago since You, our Brothers the English, and We, Your Brothers the Indians, were both made by one God that made all things; and when he made you white and Us black he placed You on the Ground beyond the Great Sea and us on the Ground on this side that Sea, and then he was pleased to order you to make Ships and come over the Great water to visit us your poor Brothers, and as soon as we saw your Ship we took hold of her and was glad to see you our eldest Brothers; and soon after you gave us Books, and told us we should pray, and we thought we would do so, but in a short time we got in debt and the Traders told us we must pay them, so we quitted praying and fell to hunting, and the God that made us gave us all the Beasts of the Field for our Food and the Water for our Drink and the Wood for our Fire, and threw down Fire from Heaven to kindle our wood, and since you our Brothers came and settled on the sea Side we were obliged to come back on account of Game, as our Food grew scarce, and we are come to a Place where we are always in fear, and do not know how soon we will be obliged to you for Succour; and notwithstanding our many Failings, we have that Faith in you our eldest Brothers that you will take care of us and advise us for the best. All the Nations settled on this River Ohio and on this side the Lakes are in Friendship and live as one People; but the French, who are directed by the Evil Spirit and not God, trouble us much; they have often cheated us with their advice, and as we won't listen to them any more they threaten to cut us off, and have killed thirty of our Brothers the Twightwees; and we now acquaint you that we intend to strike the French, and not suffer ourselves to be insulted any more by our deceitful Fathers and Brothers. We remember that our old men have told us from generation to generation that when God spoke first to us that he gave six things and told us we must believe what he said, so we always council in that way, and we hope when you speak to us you will speak by Six Strings of Wampum and then we will be sure it is you that speak to us, and that you don't (page 570) speak for nothing, as we assure you our hearty Inclinations to believe and hear you when you speak, and we assure you we will be directed by you and no other; and in Confirmation of what we have said we send you those Six Strings of Wampum.
Present:
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Hugh Crawford, |
Misemeathaquatha, |
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John Grey, |
Loapeckaway, |
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John Findley, |
Nickiphock, |
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Dd. Hendricks, |
Loawaghcomico. |
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Aaron Price, |
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___
The Governor's Answer to George Croghan, Esquire.
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PHILADELPHIA, April 24th, 1752. |
Sir:
I have received your Letter of the eighth of February, enclosing one from the Chiefs of the Shawonese, with Six Strings of Wampum, And I now enclose to you an answer to the said Letter of the Shawonese, which I desire you will deliver and explain to them in the best manner, to which Purpose I have sent Six Strings by Hugh Crawford, which you will please to receive from him.
You cannot but be sensible that Application from the Indians to this Governmt. for assistance towards carrying on a War with the French or any others must be very disagreeable, because you well know the Principles of the People here who have the disposition of the Publick Money are entirely averse to any such measures; and therefore it lays me under the necessity of either evading the Demand or of promising what it is not in my Power to perform, which I should by no means chuse to do.
These People and all others in our Alliance may be assured of our Friendship upon all occasions where it is in our Power to shew it consistently with the Circumstances of the Province, but to encourage them to go to War and engage to assist them therein in what I cannot by any means agree to for the Reason before mentioned, namely, that I should not be able to fulfil my engagements in case any such Promise should be made to them.
What I have, therefore, to request of you is, that upon delivery of my answer you will give it the most favourable turn for us that is in your Power, and if I have omitted any things that would have been proper to be said that you will supply it in the best manner you are able. I am glad to hear of the recovery of your health, and am,
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Sir, Your most humble Servant, |
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JAMES HAMILTON. |
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The Governor's Answer to the Shawonese.
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PHILADELPHIA, 24th April, 1752. |
Brethren:
Every opportunity you give me of hearing from you affords me great satisfaction. Your's of the eighth of February, written in the Hand of Mr. George Croghan, and witnessed by Five Indian Traders, was delivered to me last week by Mr. Hugh Crawford, and its contents have been carefully observed, by which you give me to understand 'that you will be faithful to Us of this Province, your true Friends, that the French are prefidious and have of late as well by their Threatnings as actions rendered you very uneasy, having killed, as you say, Thirty Twightwees.'
We hope you are sincere in your Professions of Fidelity and Amity to Us. We always conceiv'd of the French in the Light you represent them, and that they will never be at rest nor suffer you to be so till they have made Slaves of the Indians and taken from them all their Lands.
The Circumstances and real Inclinations of the other Indian Nations among whom you live, with regard to these bad men the subjects of the King of France, are not so well known to me as to enable me to give you proper advice, but since I understand that his Majesty our great King over the Waters had invited you and the other Indian Nations to a Council to be held at Logg's Town this next month, and Mr. Crawford tells me all the Indians are determined to be present at this Juncture at the meeting, I think the Counsellors and Commissioners for Virginia will be better enabled on the spot to judge of what shall be proper for you and the other Indian Nations to do, and will, I doubt not, give you good and faithful advice.
Brethren- These People and We are all subjects of one Great King, and have the same Interests and the same affections for the Indians, our faithful and good Friends, so that I am perswaded they will pay a just attention to what you shall be pleased to communicate to them, and give you such Council as they shall judge most for your real Interest and for the Benefit of all his Majestie's Colonies.
I for my Part shall ever retain an affectionate tenderness for the Shawonese, and at all times be ready to relieve their wants and do them my best offices.
This my answer will be delivered you with six Strings of Wampum, according to your Request, whereby you shall know that it comes from me, and receive them and what I write as a Testimony of the sincere Love of
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Brethren Your true and assured Friend, |
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JAMES HAMILTON. |
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