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.
A Copy of a Memorial of Robert Livingston
Bellomont, Earl of in: A Memorial of Robert Livingston Recommending
a Trade with the Western Indians [A true Copy-1699], New York
Colonial Documents (London Documents: XII), vol. IV, pp. 500-501.
500 |
NEW-YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS. |
against their going with the prisoners directly from their country to Canada, & tell them if they do, itt shall be taken as a violation of the Covenant chain.
You have herewith the printed propositions yt passed between his Excellency and ye Five Nations att Albany in July last, for to refresh your memory, but in regard itt is impossible to furnish you with such arguments as may be necessary to expostulate with the Indians, itt is left to your discretion to use all your art and skill by fair means or otherwise as you shall see occasion, to hinder and prevent their keeping any correspondence with ye French of Canada. And if the Indians upbraid you, because messengers have been sent twice from this government you may tell them that when Coll. Schuyler and Mr Dellius went itt was to acquaint them of ye peace and in pursuance of ye articles of peace to exchange prisoners; and when Capt. John Schuyler went to Canada itt was to satisfy ye Five Nations that there was no such thing as any army coming against them as Dekanissore and the rest of ye Sachims did apprehend. And if they alleadge that Abraham Schuyler and three more were at Canada this winter, you may tell them itt was to see what their messengers did there, who went contrary to their engagements and promise made to his Excellency last summer.
As to what ye French observed to
them relateing to ye sending of Jesuits to them in order to make
them Christians, that if they be desirous to be instructed in ye
Christian religion, this government will take care to provide fitt persons for
that end. Therefore you must by all means perswade them not to suffer any
Jesuits to live among them, for this government cannot allow of any such thing.
[7th April 1699.]
A true Copy
(signed) BELLOMONT.
_______________
Memorial
of Robert Livingston recommending a Trade with the Western Indians.
[New-York Papers, E. F. G., G. 9.]
To his Excellency ye Earl of Bellomont Capt. Genll &
Governr in Chief &c
The humble memoriall of Robert Livingston of Albany.
Sheweth:-
That he hath observed that the trade of Albany which formerly was very considerable both in regard to the advancemt of his Majesties revenue as well as for returns to the ships that came here to trade, is palpably gone to decay, not only in the tyme of the late warr with the French but since the peace hath been concluded; insomuch that the Inhabitants are much impoverished and discouraged to continue their trade; by which means that considerable frontier will be deserted, haveing no other dependance but meerly their trade, being seated on a barren sandy soyle, not fit for any improvement. The occasion of all which difficulties and defects of trade I humbly conceive to proceed from ye French's instigation of the far Indians to be in a continuall war with our Five Nations of Indians and threatning them that if they should hunt on the other side of the Lake they would be destroyed by the French Indians. For remedy whereof and prevention of the like inconveniences for the future and for the advancement of
|
LONDON DOCUMENTS: XII |
501 |
his Majesties revenue, as well as ye
incouragement of ye Indian trade I do humbly propose that there may
be a generall peace concluded between ye Dowaganhaes, Twichtwicks,
Ottowawaes, and other far Indians constantly in war with our Indians of ye
5 Nations; which pease I humbly presume may be obtained by sending of 200
Christians inhabitants born in this country who understand ye woods,
joyned with 3 or 400 Indians of ye 5 Nations who are to take such
prisoners as they have of those far Nations, with them, & presents, and in
their going to make a fort at a place called Wawijachtenok,(see
fn. 1) where a party of Christians are to be left, being a place plenty of
provisions many wild beasts useing there; and so proceed to the respective far
Nations who will undoubtedly receive them, notwithstanding the French are there
among them, and have a prtended sort of possession by a laying a
Jesuite and some few men in a small fort; (for where ever a Frenchman hath once
set his foot he claims a right and title to the country.) And a peace once so
concluded in their own country, some of them are to be brought to ye
country of the 5 Nations to confirm ye same and then some of both
Nations to be brought to Albany to ratefie the peace and bury their hatchetts;
when it would not be amiss in my opinion if a prsent were made them
to welcome them and to keep the path open; which when they see the plenty and
cheapness of goods at Albany, will be incouraged to bring all their trade
thither, and by that means augment our trade to ten tymes as much as it is now,
of all which the French deprive us by their frivolous prtences of
subdueing those farr Nations and converting them to the Christian faith by
their preists, when in reality it is nothing but to secure a trade which our
slothfulness and negligence hath given them the occasion of.
A true Copy
(signed) BELLOMONT.
_______________
Earl of Bellomont to the Lords of Trade.
[New-York Entires, B. 854.]
To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.
My Lords.
Knowing how much your Lordships set a value upon furnishing Naval Stores for
the service of his Maty and the nation of England from these his
Majestie's colonies, I have been thoughtfull about that matter of late, and the
more so because I do not find that design is carried on with that vigour in New
Hampshire that I could wish. I will suppose the purveyors that have the
inspection into the provision of stores there, honest, because I know not the
contrary, and yet admitting them to be so, I find plainly the charge will be so
extravagant that I question whether it will not be a totall discouragement and
obstruction to the prosecution of that design. Were it not for the trouble and
opposition given me by these unruly people here that has hindred my remove
hence to my other governments, I had given your Lordships long since a
faithfull . . .
_______________
1 Now Detroit, see post 650. The Wawiaghtas were a Twightwick, or Miami tribe, and are found located, in 1751, on the Wabash, according to Chr. Gist's Journal, in Pownall's Descr. of N. America, App. VI., 12, where also they will be found on Mitchell's Map, in 1755, under the name of the Wauwaughtanees. See, also, Loskiel's Indian Missions, I, 3.-ED.
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