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
(November 14, 1753)
(Due to length divided here into three parts)
In: Minutes of the Provincial Council
of Pennsylvania, Colonial
Records, Vol. V,
pp. 665-689.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 14th November, 1753.
PRESENT:
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
|
John Penn, |
Benjamin Shoemaker, |
|
|
Joseph Turner, |
Richard Peters, |
} Esquires. |
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Commissioners appointed to hold a treaty with the Ohio Indians at Carlisle made their Report to the Governor, which was read, approved, and ordered to be entered:
To the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware,
The Report of Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Benjamin Franklyn, Esquires, Commissioners appointed to treat with some Chiefs of the Ohio Indians at Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland, by a Commission bearing Date the twenty-second Day of September, 1753.
May it please the Governor:
Not knowing but the Indians might be waiting at Carlisle, We made all the Dispatch possible as soon as We had received our Commission, and arrived there on the Twenty-Sixth, but were agreeably surprized to find that they came there only that Day.
Immediately on our Arrival We conferred with Andrew Montour and George Croghan, in order to know from them what had occasioned the present coming of the Indians, that We might by their Intelligence regulate our first Intercourse with them; and were informed that tho' their principal Design when they left Ohio was to hold a Treaty with the Government of Virginia at Winchester, where they had accordingly been, yet they intended a visit to this Province, to which they had been frequently encouraged by Andrew Montour, who told them he had the Governor's repeated Orders to invite them to come and see him, and assured them of an hearty Welcome; and that they had moreover some important matters to propose and transact with this Government.
The Commissioners finding this to be the Case, and that these Indians were some of the most considerable Persons of the Six Nations, Delawares, Shawonese, with Deputies from the Twightwees and Owendats, met them in Council, in which the Commissioners declared the Contents of their Commission, acknowledged the Governor's Invitation, and bid them heartily welcome among their Brethren of Pennsylvania, to whom their visit was extremely agreeable, Conrad Weiser and Andrew Montour interpreting between the (page 666) Commissioners and Indians and several Magistrates and Others of the principal Inhabitants of the County favouring them with their Presence.
The Twightwees and Delawares having had several of their great Men cut off by the French and their Indians, and all the Chiefs of the Owendats being lately dead, it became necessary to condole their Loss, and no Business could be begun agreeable to the Indian Customs till the Condolances were passed, and as these could not be made with the usual Ceremonies for want of the Goods, which were not arrived, and it was uncertain when they would, the Commissioners were put to some Difficulties and ordered the Interpreters to apply to Scarrowyady, an Oneido Chief, who had the Conduct of the Treaty in Virginia and was a Person of great Weight in their Councils, and to ask his Opinion whether the Condolances would be accepted by Belts and Strings and Lists of the particular Goods intended to be given, with Assurances of their Delivery as soon as they should come. Scarrowyady was pleased with their Application, but frankly declared that the Indians could not proceed to Business while the Blood remained on their Garments, and that the Condolances could not be accepted unless the Goods intended to cover the Graves were actually spread on the Ground before them. A Messenger was therefore forthwith sent to meet and hasten the Waggoners, since every Thing must stop till the Goods came.
It was then agreed to confer with Scarrowyady and some others of the Chiefs of the Shawonese and Delawares of the State of Affairs at Ohio, and from them the Commissioners learned in sundry Conferences the following Particulars vizt.:
That when the Governor of Pennsylvania's Express arrived at Ohio with the Account of the March of a large French Army to the Heads of Ohio, with Intent to take Possession of that Country, it alarmed the Indians so much that the Delawares at Weningo, an Indian Town situate high up on Ohio River, went agreeable to a Custom established among the Indians and forbad by a formal Notice the Commander of that Armament then advanced to the Straits between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie to continue his March, at least not to presume to come farther than Niagara. This had not, however, any Effect; but notwithstanding this Notice the French continued their March, which being afterwards taken into Consideration by the Council at Log's Town, they ordered some of their principal Indians to give the French a second Notice to leave their Country and return home; who meeting them on a River running into Lake Erie a little above Weningo, addressed the Commander in these Words:
The Second Notice delivered to
the Commander of the French
Army then near Weningo.
Father Onontio-
Your Children on Ohio are alarmed to hear of your coming so (page 667) far this Way. We at first heard You came to destroy Us; our Women left off planting and our Warriors prepared for War. We have since heard You came to visit Us as Friends, without Design to hurt Us, but then we wondered You came with so strong a Body. If you have had any Cause of Complaint You might have spoke to Onas or Corlaer (meaning the Governors of Pennsylvania and New York) and not come to disturb Us here. We have a Fire at Log's Town, where are the Delawares and Shawonese, and Brother Onas; You might have sent Deputies there and said openly what you came about if you had thought amiss of the English being there; and We invite You to do it now, before you proceed any further.
The French Officer's Answer.
Children:
I find you come to give me an Invitation to your Council Fire, with a Design, as I suppose, to call me to Account for coming here. I must let you know that my heart is good to you; I mean no hurt to you; I am come by the great King's Command to do you, my Children, Good; You seem to think I carry my Hatchet under my Coat; I alway carry it openly, not to strike you but those that shall oppose me. I cannot come to your Council Fire, nor can I return or stay here; I am so heavy a Body that the Stream will carry me down, and down I shall go unless you pull off my arm. But this I will tell you, I am commanded to build Four Strong Houses, vizt.: at Weningo, Monogialo Forks, Log's Town, and Beaver Creek, and this I will do. As to what concerns Onas and Assaragoa (meaning the Governors of Pennsylvania and Virginia) I have spoke to them and let them know they must go off the Land and I shall speak to them again; if they will not hear me it is their own Fault, I will take them by the arm and throw them over the Hills; All the Land and Waters on this side Allegheny Hills are mine, on the other side their's; this is agreed on between the two Crowns over the great Waters. I do not like your selling your Lands to the English, they shall draw you into no more foolish Bargains. I will take care of your Lands for you, and of you. The English give you no Goods but for Land. We give you our Goods for nothing.
We were further told by Scarrooyady that when the Answer to this Message was brought to Log's Town, another Council was held consisting of the Six Nations, Delawares, and Shawonese, who unanimously agreed to divide themselves into Two Parties, One to go to Virginia and Pennsylvania with Scarrooyady, and the other to go with the Half King to the French Commander, who had it in Charge to make the following Declaration as their Third and last Notice:
The Third Notice delivered by the
Half King to the
Commander of the French Forces.
Father:
You say you cannot come to our Council Fire at Log's Town, (page 668) we therefore now come to You to know what is in your Heart. You remember when You were tired with the War (meaning Queen Ann's War) You of your own Accord sent for Us, desiring to make Peace with Us. When We came You said to Us, Children We make a Council Fire for You- We want to talk with You, but We must first eat all with one Spoon out of this Silver Bowl, and all drink out of this Silver Cup- Let Us exchange Hatchets- Let Us bury our Hatchets in this bottomless Hole- and now We will make a plain Road to all your Countries so clear that Onontio may sit here and see You all eat and drink out of the Bowl and Cup which he has provided for You. Upon this Application of yours We consented to make Peace, and when the Peace was concluded on both Sides You made a Solemn Declaration, saying, Whoever shall hereafter transgress this Peace, let the Transgressor be chastised with a Rod, even tho' it be I your Father.
Now, Father, notwithstanding this solemn Declaration of Yours, You have whipped several of your Children; You know best why. Of late You have chastised the Twightwees very severely without telling Us the Reason, and now you are come with a strong Band on our Land, and have contrary to your Engagement taken up the Hatchet without any previous Parley. These things are a Breach of the Peace; they are contrary to your own Declarations. Therefore now I come to forbid You. I will strike over all this Land with my Rod, let it hurt who it will. I tell you in plain Words You must go off this Land. You say You have a strong Body, a strong Neck, and a strong Voice, that when you speak all the Indians must hear You. It is true You are a strong Body and ours is but weak, yet We are not afraid of You. We forbid you to come any further; turn back to the Place from whence you came.
Scarrooyady, who was the speaker in these Conferences, when he had finished this Relation gave his Reason for setting forth these three Messages to the French in so distinct a manner; "because," said he, "the great Being who lives above, has ordered Us to send Three Messages of Peace before We make War; And as the Half King has before this Time delivered the third and last Message, We have nothing now to do but to strike the French."
The Commissioners were likewise informed by Mr. Croghan that the Ohio Indians had received from the Virginia Government at large number of Arms in the Spring, and that at their pressing Instances a suitable Quantity of Ammunition was ordered in the Treaty at Winchester to be lodged for them in a Place of Security on this Side the Ohio, which was committed to the Care of three Persons, vizt,: ____________ Guest, William Trent, and Andrew Montour, who were impowered to distribute them to the Indians as their Occasions and Behaviour should require. That all the Tribes settled at or near Allegheny would take their Measures from the Encouragement which these Indians should find in the Province of (page 669) Virginia, and that the kind Intentions of this Government in the Appropriation of a large Sum of Money for the Use of these Indians, in case they should be distressed by their Enemies and their Hunting and Planting prevented, were well known to them by the repeated Informations of Andrew Montour and the Traders.
Conrad Weiser, to whom it was earnestly recommended by the Commissioners to procure all Information possible from the Indians of his Acquaintance touching their Condition and Disposition, and the real Designs of the French, did likewise acquaint Us that all Persons at Ohio would have their Eyes on the Reception of those Indians now at Carlisle, and judge of the Affection of this Province by their Treatment of them; and that as the intended Present was no Secret to those Indians, it was his Opinion that the Whole should at this time be distributed, for if anything can such a generous Donation must needs attach the Indians entirely to the English.
These several Matters being taken into Consideration by the Commissioners, and the Governor having given them express Directions to accommodate themselves to the Circumstances of the Indians, as they should appear in examining them at the Place of Treaty, We were unanimously of opinion that an addition should be made to the Goods bought at Philadelphia, in which a Regard should be had to such articles as were omitted or supplied in less Quantities than was suitable to the present Wants of the Indians. On this Resolution the Lists of Goods were examined, and an additional Quantity bought of John Carson at the Philadelphia Price and usual Rate of Carriage.
During these Consultations it was rumoured that the Half King was returned to Log's Town, and had received an unsatisfactory answer, which was confirmed, but not in such manner as could be positively relied on by a Brother of Andrew Montour and another Person who came directly from Allegheny. This alarmed the Commissioners, and made them willing postpone Business till they shou'd know the certainty thereof, judging that if the Half King was returned he would certainly send a Messenger Express to Carlisle with an Account of what was done by him, and from this the Commissioners might take their Measures in the Distribution of the Present.
A Letter wrote by Taaf and Callender, two Indian Traders, dated the twenty-eight Day of September, from a Place situate a little on this side Allegheny River, directed to William Buchannan, was given him in the morning of the first Day of October, and he immediately laid it before the Commissioners for their Perusal. In this Letter an Account is given that the Half King was returned, and had been received in a very contemptuous manner by the French Commander, who was then preparing with his Forces to come down the River, and that the Half King on his Return shed Tears, and had actually warned the English Traders not to pass the Ohio, nor to (page 670) venture either their Persons or their Goods, for the French would certainly hurt them. On this news the Conferences with Scarrooyady and the Chiefs of the Six Nations, Delawares and Shawonese, were renewed, and the Letter read to them, at which they appeared greatly alarmed, but after a short pause Scarrooyady addressing himself to the Delawares and Shawonese spoke in these words:
Brethren and Cousins:
I look on this Letter as if it had been a Message from the Half King himself. We may expect no other Account of the Result of his Journey; However I advise You to be still, and neither say nor do anything till We get home and I see my Friend and Brother the Half King, and then We shall know what is to be done.
The Forms of the Condolances, which depend entirely on Indian Customs, were settled in Conferences with Scarrooyady; and Cayanguileguoa, a sensible Indian of the Mohock Nation, and a Person intimate with and much consulted by Scarrooyady, in which it was agreed to take the Six Nations along with Us in these Condolances; and accordingly the proper Belts and Strings were made ready, and Scarrooyady prepared himself to express the Sentiments of both in the Indian Manner. And as the Goods arrived this Morning before Break of Day the several Sorts used on those Occasions were laid out, and the Indians were told that the Commissioners would speak to them at eleven a'Clock.
___
At a Meeting of the Commissioners and Indians at Carlisle the 1st October, 1753.
PRESENT:
|
Richard Peters, |
|
|
Isaac Norris, |
} Esquires, Commissioners. |
|
Benjamin Franklyn, |
|
The Deputies of the Six Nations, Delawares, Shawonese, Twightwees, and Owendats.
|
Conrad Weiser, |
|
|
Andrew Montour, |
} Interpreters. |
|
James Wright, |
|
|
John Armstrong, |
} Esquires, Members of Assembly. |
The Magistrates and several other Gentlemen and Freeholders of the County of Cumberland.
The Speech of the Commissioners.
Brethren- Six Nations, Delawares, Shawonese, Twightwees, and Owendats:
Though the city of Philadelphia be the Place where all In- (page 671) dians should go who have Business to transact with this Government, yet at your Request signified to Col. Fairfax at Winchester, and by him communicated to our Governor by an Express to Philadelphia, he has been pleased on this particular Occasion to dispense with your coming there, and has done Us the Honour to depute Us to receive and treat with You at this Town in his Place and Stead. This is set forth in his Commission, which We now produce to You under the Great Seal of this Province, the authentick Sign and Testimony of all Acts of Government.
Brethren:
By this String We acquaint You that the Six Nations do, at our Request, join with Us in condoling the Losses You have of late sustained by the Deaths of several of your Chiefs and principal Men, and that that Scarrooyady is to be deliver for both what has been agreed to be said on this melancholy occasion.
Here the Commissioners gave a String of Wampum.
Then Scarryooyady spoke as follows:
Brethren the Twightwees and Shawonese:
It has pleased Him who is above that We shall meet here today and see one another. I and my Brother Onas join together to speak to You, as We know that your Seats at home are bloody. We wipe away the Blood and set your Seats in Order at your Council Fire, that You may sit and consult again in Peace and Comfort as formerly, that You may hold the antient Union and strengthen it, and continue your old friendly Correspondence.
Here a String was given.
Brethren Twightwees and Shawonese:
We suppose that the Blood is now washed off. We jointly with our Brother Onas dig a Grave for your Warriors killed in your country, and we bury their Bones decently, wrapping them up in these Blankets, and with these we cover their Graves.
Here the Goods were given to the Twightwees and Shawonese.
Brethren Twightwees and Shawonese:
I and my Brother Onas jointly condole with the Chiefs of your Towns, your Women and Children, for the loss you have sustained. We partake of your Grief and mix our Tears with yours. We wipe your Tears from your Eyes that you may see the Sun, and that every thing may become clear and pleasant to your Sight, and We desire you would mourn no more.
Here a Belt was given.
The same was said to the Delawares, mutatis mutandis.
And then he spoke to the Owendats in these Words:
Our Children and Brethren the Owendats:
You have heard what I and my Brother Onas have jointly said (page 672) to the Twightwees, Shawonese, and Delawares. We now come to speak to you. We are informed that your good old wise men are all dead, and you have no more left.
We must let You know that there was a Friendship established by our and your Grandfathers, and a mutual Council Fire was kindled. In this Friendship all those then under the Ground, who had not yet obtained Eyes or Faces (that is, those unborn), were included, and it was then mutually promised to tell the same to their Children and Children's Children. But so many great Men of your Nation have died in so short a time that none but Youths are left, and this makes Us afraid lest that Treaty so solemnly established by your Ancestors should be forgotten by you. We therefore now come to remind you of it and renew it. We rekindle the old Fire and put on Fresh Fuel.
Here a String was given.
The other Speeches of burying the Dead, &ca/, were the same as those to the Twightwees, &ca.
After each had been spoken to, Scarrooyady proceeded thus:
Brethren Delawares, Shawonese, Twightwees, and Owendats:
We the English and Six Nations do now exhort every one of you to do your utmost to preserve this Union and Friendship which has so long and happily continued among Us- Let us keep the Chain from rusting and prevent every thing that may hurt or break it, from what Quarter soever it may come.
Then the Goods alloted for each Nation as a Present of Condolence were taken away by each, and the Council adjourned to the next day.
___
At a Meeting of the Commissioners and Indians at Carlisle the Second Day of October, 1753.
PRESENT:
The Commissioners.
The same Indians as Yesterday.
The Magistrates and several Gentlemen of the County.
The Speech of the Commissioners.
Brethren- Six Nations, Delawares, Shawonese, Twightwees, and Owendats:
Now that your Hearts are eased of their Grief and we behold one another with chearful Countenances, We let you know that the Governor and good People of Pennsylvania did not send us to receive you empty handed, but put something into our pockets to be given to such as should favour us with this Friendly Visit. These Goods We therefore request You would accept of and divide (page 673) amongst all that are of your Company in such Proportions as shall be agreeable to you. You Know how to do this better than We. What We principally desire is, that You will consider this Present as a Token of our cordial Esteem for You, and use it with a Frugality becoming your Circumstances, which call at this time for more than ordinary Care.
Brethren:
With Pleasure We behold here the Deputies of Five different Nations, vizt.: the United Six Nations, the Delawares, the Shawonese, the Twightwees, and the Owendats. Be pleased to cast your Eyes towards this Belt, whereon Six Figures are deleniated holding one another by the Hands. This is a just Resemblance of our present Union, The Five first Figures representing the Five Nations to which You belong, as the Sixth does the Government of Pennsylvania, with whom You are linked in a close and firm Union. In whatever Part the Belt is broke all the Wampum runs off and renders the Whole of no Strength or Consistency. In like manner should You break Faith with one another or with this Government, the Union is dissolved. We would, therefore, hereby place before You the Necessity of preserving your Faith entire to one another as well as to this Government. Do not seperate. Do not part on any Score. Let no Differences nor Jealousies subsist a Moment between Nation and Nation, but join all together as one man sincerely and heartily. We on our Part shall always perform our Engagements to every one of You. In Testimony whereof We present You with this Belt.
Here the Belt was given.
Brethren:
We have only this one thing further to say at this Time: Whatever Answers You may have to give or Business to transact with Us, We desire You would use Dispatch, as it may be dangerous to You and incommodious to Us to be kept long from our Homes at this Season of the Year.
___
At a Meeting of the Commissioners and Indians the Third Day of October, 1753.
PRESENT:
The Commissioners.
The same Indians as before.
Several Gentlemen of the County.
Scarrooyady Speaker.
Brother Onas:
What We have now to say I am going to speak in Behalf of the Twightwees, Shawonese, Delawares, and Owendats.
You have like a true and affectionate Brother comforted Us in our Affliction. You have wiped away the Blood from our Seats and set them again in Order. You have wrapped up the Bones of our Warriors and covered the Graves of our Wise Men, and wiped the Tears from our Eyes and the Eyes of our Women and Children, So that We now see the Sun and all Things are become pleasant to our Sight. We shall not fail to acquaint our several Nations with your Kindness. We shall take Care that it be always remembered by Us, and believe it will be attended with suitable Returns of Love and Affection.
Then One of the Twightwees stood up and spoke as follows (Scarrooyady Interpreter):
Brother Onas-
The Ottawas, Cheepaways, and the French have struck Us. The Stroke was heavy and hard to be born, for thereby We lost our King and several of our Warriors, but the Loss our Brethren the English suffered We grieve for most. The Love We have had for the English from our first Knowledge of them still continues in our Breasts, and We shall ever retain the same ardent Affection for them. We cover the Graves of the English with this Beaver Blanket. We mourn for them more than for our own People.
Here he spread on the Floor some Beaver Skins sewed together in the Form of a large Blanket.
Then Scarrooyady spoke as follows:
Brother Onas:
I speak now on Behalf of all the Indians present in answer to what you said when you gave Us the Goods and Belt. What you have said to us yesterday is very kind and pleases us exceedingly. The Speech which accompanied the Belt is particularly of great Moment. We will take the Belt home to Ohio where there is a greater and wiser Council than Us, and consider it and return you a full Answer. We return you thanks for the Present.
Gave a String.
Brother Onas:
Last Spring when You heard of the March of the French Army You were so good as to send us word that we might be on our Guard. We thank you for this friendly Notice.
Brother Onas:
Your People not only Trade with Us in our Towns but disperse themselves over a large and wide-extended Country in which reside many Nations; At one End live the Twightwees and at the other End the Caghnawagas and Adirondacks; these you must comprehend in your Chain of Friendship- they are and will be your Brethren, let Onontio say what he will.
Gave a String.
Brother Onas:
I desire You would hear and take Notice of what I am about to say now. The Governor of Virginia desired leave to build a strong House on Ohio which came to the Ears of the Governor of Canada; and we Suppose this caused him to invade our Country. We do not know his Intent, because he speaks with two Tongues. So soon as we know his Heart We shall be able to know what to do, and shall speak accordingly to him. We desire that Pennsylvania and Virginia would at present forbear settling on our Lands over the Allegheny Hills. We advise you rather to call your People back on this side of the Hills lest Damage should be done and you think ill of us. But to keep up our Correspondence with our Brother Onas we will appoint some place on the Hills or near them; and We do appoint George Croghan on our Part, and desire you to appoint another on your Part by a formal writing under the Governor's Hand. Let none of your People settle beyond where they are now, nor on the Juniata Lands, till the affair is settled between Us and the French. At present George Croghan's House at Juniata may be the Place where any thing may be sent to Us. We desire a Commission may be given to the Person entrusted by the Government of Pennsylvania, and that he may be directed to warn People from settling the Indian Lands, and empowered to remove them.
Gave a Belt and String.
Brother Onas:
All we who are here desire You will hear what we are going to say and regard it as a Matter of Moment. The French look on the great Number of your Traders at Ohio with Envy; they fear they shall lose their Trade. You have more Traders than are necessary, and they spread themselves over our wide Country at such great Distances that we cannot see them or protect them. We desire you will call back the great number of your Traders, and let only Three Setts of Traders remain, and order these to stay in Three Places which we have appointed for their Residence, viz., Log's Town, the Mouth of Canawa, and the Mouth of Mohongialo. The Indians will then come to them and buy their Goods in these Places and nowhere else. We shall likewise look on them under our Care, and shall be accountable for them. We have settled this Point with Virginia in the same manner.
Gave a String.
Brother Onas:
The English Goods are sold at too dear a Rate to Us. If only honest and sober men were to deal with Us We think they might afford the Goods cheaper. We desire, therefore, that You will take effectual care hereafter that none but such be suffered to come to trade with Us.
Gave a String.
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