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
(June 23, 1748)
In: Pennsylvania Provincial
Council
Minutes, Colonial Records,
Vol. V, pp. 289-292.
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OHIO, May 4th, 1748. |
Brother Onas:
"We return You thanks for the Present we have received, & likewise for sending us word that you will send us another Present by Mr. Weiser, which could never come in better time, as we have a large Body of our Brethren that are lately come to supply as well as ourselves. WE have heard by Schaiohady, & now by your Messenger, that you have put a stop to the Traders carrying out strong Liquors, which we approve of very well, for we have suffer'd considerably by such abuses- for there is many People who brings nothing else but Liquor, & so cheats us of our Skins, & many of our People have lost their Lives. But, Brothers, we have one thing to acquaint you with, that is there a great Nation of Indians come from the French to be your Brothers as well as ours, who say they never tasted English Rum yet, but would be very glad to taste it now as they are come to Live with the English, so we hope you will order some of your Traders to bring them some, for which request we send you this string of Wampum."
Gave a String of Wampum.
Brother Onas:
"We have no more to say at present but to acquaint you that there is 730 Men of us of the Six Nations settled here on Ohio & able to go to War, exclusive of other Nations which will make up as many more, and all we wait for is for our Brothers the English to tell us when & where we shall go; and to assure our Brothers of our Constancy, we send you this string of Wampum."
Gave a String of Wampum.
_______
At a Council held at Philada., Thursday, 23d June, 1748.
PRESENT:
The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President.
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Thomas Lawrence, |
William Till, |
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Abraham Taylor, |
Robert Strettell, |
} Esqrs. |
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Joseph Turner, |
Thomas Hopkinson, |
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William Logan, |
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The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.
A Letter from the Shawonese & some of the Six Nation Indians, Dated the 4th Instant, at Loggs' Town, the first of the Indian Towns on the Road from Lancaster to Allegheny, was read, purporting that some of them were coming down to present the Chiefs of the Twigtwees, a Nation lately come over from the French into the Interest (page 290) of the English, & desir'd their Brethren wou'd send somebody to meet them on the Road with Provisions, & that they wou'd be pleas'd to kindle a Council Fire for them at Lancaster.
Mr. Weiser & Andrew Montour attending without were call'd in. Mr. Weiser presented Andrew to the Board as a Person who might be of Service to the Province in quality of an Indian Interpreter & Messenger, informing them that he had employ'd him in sundry affairs of Consequence & found him faithful, knowing, & prudent; that he had for his own private Information, as Andrew lives amongst the Six Nations between the Branches of Ohio & Lake Erie, sent a Message to him in the Winter, desiring him to observe what pass'd amongst those Indians on the Return of Schaiohady & come down to his House in the Spring, which he did, & gave him such a full account of the Numbers & Importance of the Indians in those parts as wou'd be useful to him in his intended Journey there with the Province Present, & recommends him to the Council for a Reward for his trouble.
The Letter receiv'd from the Shawonese & others was read again, & Mr. Weiser & Andrew were ask'd whether they knew the Subscribers Tammany Buck, Big Hommony, Pala Kishaw, & Lawacquaqua. Andrew said the two first named were the principal Men among the _________ & the two last were __________, that the Twigtwee Nation were a very considerable Nation, & that it was happy that they & their Friends shew'd an Inclination to be well with the English, & might prove of extraordinary Service, for they were a Nation of vast importance to the French on the Lake.
The Council order'd Andrew to go & meet them, & if possible to prevail with them to come to Philadelphia, but if he found it disagreable not to press it too much, & to be sure to send an Express by Mr. Weiser's to Philadelphia, with an account of their number & Business, if they shou'd not be willing to come to this City.
Order'd, That Andrew Montour have for his trouble __, & that his Expence & that of his Company be likewise paid.
Mr. Weiser's Instructions were read to him in these words, viz.:
"Instructions to Conrad
Weiser, Esq., Interpreter for the Province
of Pennsylvania.
Sir:
This Government having promised the Indians who came here from Ohio in November last to send You to them early in the Spring, & having provided a Present of a considerable Value, you are to proceed thither with all convenient Dispatch. Mr. George Croghan, the Indian Trader, who is well acquainted with the Indian Country and the best Roads to Ohio, has undertaken the Convoy of you & the Goods with his own Men and Horses at the Publick Ex- (page 291) pence, & as it cannot be foreseen how long the Journey will take him nor what trouble may attend it, so as to enter into Contract before hand with him, all affairs relating thereto are entirely left to You, wherein we recommend all the frugallity that can consist with the Nature of Your Business, the Treasury being Low and a large Sum expended in the Purchase of the Present.
As soon as You come to the place of general Rendezvous you are to notify your arrival in a Speech to all the Tribes, wherein you are to deal in generals, reserving all particular Matters to your closing Speech.
You are to use the utmost diligence to acquire a perfect knowledge of the Number, Situation, Disposition, & strength of all the Indians in or near those parts, whether they be Friends, Neutrals, or Enemies, & be very particular in knowing the Temper & Influence of the Tribes of Indians who send Deputys to receive You, for by the knowledge of these matters You are to regulate the distribution of the Goods which is to be divided amongst them in as equal & just a manner as possible, that all may go away satisfied, & none receive the Least Cause of Disgust at any undue preference given to others.
You cannot be at a loss for Matter from whence to form Your Speeches. The antient Enmity of the French to the Indian Nations, their perfidy upon all occasions, of which if any reliance can be had on the Articles of News in the Publick Papers you may give some late Instances in the Death of Taghananty the Black Prince, who perish'd in a Jayl at Montreal, & in the cruel Treatment of the Indians in general at Canada, who are confin'd to loathsome Prisons without proper or wholesome Sustenance.
The Inability of the French to protect the Indians or to supply them with such Necessaries as they stand in need of for their Subsistence, These observations are what cannot but occur to You. You may further enlarge on the constant & antient Friendship of the English, & their readiness at all times to assist them against the Attempts of the French, who have ever been for destroying or enslaving them. And an ample field will be furnish'd to You in doing Justice to this Province, which has ever shewn the greatest readiness to supply the Indians in their most pressing Necessitys, mentioning the several valuable Presents made them from time to time, particularly since the commencement of the War, instancing the Governments Presents at Philadelphia over & above the Price of their Lands in the Year 1742, the large Presents at Lancaster & at Albany, & then the present occasion will bear a peculiar enlargement, this Government having no sooner heard of the Distresses of the Indians, & that abundance of Families & Young Warriors had for the convenience of Hunting remov'd to the Waters of Ohio & Lake Erie, than they determin'd to send them a Supply of Goods & (page 292) Powder, which in this time of Scarcity they cou'd have from no other Place. This tenderness for those who out of every Nation had came & fix'd their habitation in these Parts, must needs make deep Impressions on their Affections, & especially on the minds of their Young People, to the advantage of the kindness of this Province for all the Indians.
By the Treaties subsisting between His Majestie's Subjects & the Indian Nations, they are laid under the strongest obligations to give each other the earliest Intelligence of whatever may affect their Persons or their Properties. In discharge of our duty you are to inform the Indians that the management of the War being committed to the Governors of New York & Boston, operations of this Year are concerted by them; that they have Orders from His Majesty exceedingly favourable to the Indians, & in pursuance thereof they will prosecute the War against the French & their adherents with the utmost vigour; that His Majesty in token of his Regard to the Indian Nations has sent a large Present to the Governor of New York to be distributed at Albany, but that as by their distance from this Place the Indians on Ohio & Lake Erie may be suppos'd not to receive much Benefit from the Albany Present, This is an additional Consideration why this Government chuses to be kind to these Indians & assist them the readier when they are in distress, because they cannot without extreme difficulty get Supplies from other Places.
On the other hand, You are to use all means in your Power to get from them all kinds of Intelligence as to what the French are doing or design to do in these parts, & indeed in every other Place. You are not to satisfy yourself with generals, but to inform yourself truly & fully of the real dispositions of these Indians, & what dependance can be had on them for the Security of this Province, and for the total prevention of all Hostilities within our Limits. You are to make particular Enquiry into the number and Situation of the Indian Nations between these People's Settlements on Ohio & the River Mississippi, & c., to the West of Lake Erie, since it is said there are several Indian Nations within these Limits & on the Lakes Hurons & Illenois, who are disoblig'd with the French, & might easily be brought into the Amity of the English.
You will see by the Assembly's answer to the Council's Message, a copy whereof will be given You herewith, what Sentiments they entertain about War; and as they have the disposal of the Public Money it wou'd be wrong to urge the Indians to War, since no dependence cou'd be had on the Assembly to support them in such an undertaking, and consequently any Encouragement of this kind wou'd be to bring them into a Snare, and in the end might prove extremely hurtful. This consider'd, nothing of this kind must be urg'd by you, & if the Indians mention it themselves you need not be explicit, you are to tell them that this Point is not in
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