mined to lose no time in sending down a Message in writing, to bring them to an Explanation on this important Affair. For as not only by the Law of this Province, pass'd the 10th year of Queen Ann, Entituled An Act for the further securing the Administration of the Government, all the Powers of Government stand fully confirmed in the Deputy on the Death of his Constituent, till further Order from Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, or the Heirs of the said Proprietary and Governor in Chief, which shall first happen; but in the present Case those Powers are further strengthned by Instructions relating to the Affairs of Government, issued since the Demise of the Governor's Constituents, to witt: in December, 1731 and March, 1732, under the Signet and Royal Sign Manual of His present Majesty, directed to the Governer by the Name of "Our trusty and well-beloved Patrick Gordon, Esquire, Deputy Governor of Our Province of Pennsylvania, in America." The Governor, therefore, could not but conclude that so unaccountable an Obstruction to the Publick business of the Province, could arise only from a Design to do him a particular Injury, and to introduce Confusion in the Administration.

The Message in writing sent down to the House from the Governor by his Secretary, is in these Words

"Gentlemen:

"I am under some Concern to find that your House is inclined to "rise and leave several matters of great Importance to the Country "unfinished.

"I was in hopes that pursuant to your Resolves made the former "session, you would have now revived the Excise on Liquors, which "is not only a necessary fund for the discharge of the public Debt, "but being re-established, may give a seasonable Check to that "Looseness and Debauchery which begins and will continue to overspread the Province by the unlimited number of the Retailers "of Rum and Increase of Dram Shops.

"The repeated Complaints of the Merchants touching the Abuses "in our Flour, deserve likewise, to be considered by proper Amend"ments to the Bill, now in force, for regulating that great Branch of our Trade.

"These are Points that nearly affect us, and it would be very sat"isfactory to me to know what it is that prevents your house from entring into the Consideration of them at this your present meeting. "P. GORDON."

66

About noon two Members of the House, to witt: John Wright and Samuel Blunston, waited on the Governor, and acquainted him that they were sent, but not as from the House, only as friends, to the Governor, to lett him know that the House were under some Uneasiness touching his Message; that they were well inclined towards the Governor, and unwilling to enter into a Contention, and therefore, it would be agreeable to them if the Governor would please to withdraw his Message.

This mysterious Management heightning the Governor's Suspicions of the ill Designs of some particular Persons, he declined giving VOL. III.-22

any Answer to this verbal Message, till he should, in the afternoon, meet the Council, whom he had ordered to be Summoned, and desired those Members of Assembly then to attend him.

P. M.

At a Council then held at Philadelphia.

PRESENT:

The Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governor.

Isaac Norris,
Clement Plumsted,

Ralph Asheton,

Samuel Hasell.

Esq'rs.

The Governor acquainted the Board fully, with the Transactions of this morning, as contained in the foregoing Narrative, and his written Message to the House being read, and the verbal one by John Wright and Samuel Blunston imparted. On due and Serious Consideration of all which, the Members were unanimous in delivering their sentiments to the Governor, that he ought by no means to recede from his Message, which it was to be hoped, would oblige the House to come to an Explanation on a Point that might have Consequences so injurious to the Peace and good Order of the Govern

ment.

Pursuant to which Resolution, John Wright and John Blunston were told by the Governor, that they might say to those that sent

them :

That it was with a View to the Good and Peace of the Country that he sent his Message of this forenoon: if it was misinterpreted by the House he was sorry for it, but that before he could think of receding from it he must well consider that matter.

About nine o'clock at night, Israel Pemberton and Robert Jones, two Members of the House, waited on the Governor, and delivered from the House an unaddressed & unsigned Paper in these Words:

"Upon due Consideration of the Governor's Message of this day, "it is the Opinion of the House, that forasmuch as we have great "Reason to believe the Governor was well acquainted with the Diffi"culties the House laboured under, as to their proceeding in prepa"ring Bills to be passed into Laws, at their Sessions in March last, "and the same Difficulties still continuing, and the House having now sett a whole Week, and not hearing from the Governor untill "they had agreed to adjourn, they are humbly of Opinion the Mes66 sage is unseasonable; and that entring into a further Examination "of the Reasons why we do not proceed upon business at this time, "may not be agreeable to the Governor; and therefore, the House, "adheres to their former Resolution of adjourning to the 30th day "of September next."

The Governor told these Members that it was too late in the Night to give a Reply in writing, but directed them to say to the House from him: That no time is unseasonable to do the business of the Country, nor will it be disagreeable to him to hear Truth, and that he will make a Reply to their Answer.

The House, without taking Notice of this verbal Message, or so much as entring it on their Minutes, tho' it was actually reported to them, adjourned on the last day of their Term.

E

August 15th.

Hetaquantagechty who, at the last Treaty with the Indians of the Six Nations was their Speaker, and Shekallamy, coming to Town this day, accompanied with Conrad Weyser, the Interpreter, and having waited on the Proprietor and Governor, gave them to understand they had a Message to deliver, for receiving which a Council was appointed next day, and accordingly

At a Council held at Philadelphia, Aug. 16th.

PRESENT:

The Honourable THOMAS PENN, Esqr., Proprietary.

The Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lt. Governor.

And these two Indians:

Ralph Asheton, Esquires.

Samuel Hasell.

Hetaquantagechty by Conrod Weyser the Interpreter, said: That he comes hither from the Six Nations on a Message touching the Treaty held here with them the last fall; that while he was on the Road hither he was greatly troubled to hear from Shekallamy, that a Report had been spread that some of the Ganawese Indians had killed two white Men on the Borders of Virginia; that he has made Enquiry into it jointly with Shekallamy, who he understands had Garders from this Government for that End, and before he proceeds to deliver the Message that he was sent upon, he is willingly to clear up to his Brethern this other Affair, that their Hearts may be easie.

That Shekallamy had been at the Ganawese Town, and had made strict Enquiry into it, and found the matter to be thus:

That some of these Indians having gone to War to the Southward, and killed three Indians of the Nation of the Tootelaes, otherwise called Chaponick, they scalped two of them, and returning homewards they met with a Delaware Indian who had some Rum; that drinking together they fell out, and the Delaware Indian having given some provocation was beaten, who having known from them that they had scalped two Indians, gave out in Revenge that those Scalps were of white People, and that these Ganawese had cutt off some white Men in Virginia. That this Delaware man thus spreading the falsehood wherever he came, had been the only occasion of this groundless Report, which has not any manner of Foundation, and could only arise from a bad Spirit, that would endeavour to break in upon the Friendship which had been of late so firmly established between the English and all the Indians. He therefore hopes his Brethern will give no Credit to it for that the Six Nations would

certainly order the Persons, if guilty, to be punished, and hereupon he delivered some strings of Wampum.

Shekallamy being asked if he had seen the Scalps, and whether he does not believe them to be of Indians, answered; That having heard the Detail of the Fact (as now delivered) from the Ganawese, he demanded to see the Scalps, which were accordingly brought to him; that he examined them carefully, and from the Marks upon them, of their hair being in some places pulled out, of its being greased and tied up in a small bundle on the top of the head, after the Indian manner, he is very positive that these Scalps are of Indians.

Hetaquantagechty then proceeded and said, that there has been a very great Sickness amongst the Six Nations, which they apprehended would have almost destroyed them, and for that Reason they could not come together to consult on what was mentioned to them here last Fall. That before he came from home, a general meeting of these Nations was appointed at Onandagoe, and many of them were accordingly mett there; that it is now a long time since they have held so general a Meeting, and they have much business under their Consideration, which will prevent them from coming to Pennsylvania this Fall, to give an answer to what had been said to them, and lest the Delay should be misinterpreted or taken ill, he was dispatched from amidst that great Council, to acquaint their Brethern here with the Reason of it. And on this he delivered some more string of Wampum. And added that he believed they could not come hither till next Spring.

That this is all he had in Charge, and is the sole Occasion of his Journey, and having now delivered himself of it, he thinks to return speedily, unless his Brethern have any thing to say that may detain him.

He was told that what he said is very agreeable, and is well taken, and that to-morrow an answer would be given them, and they should not be long detained.

The Proprietor & Governor drinking a friendly Glass with these Indians, Hetaquantagechty said, that having finished the business of this Message, he would talk a little about News. He then proceeded to say by the Interpreter:

That the French were at War with a Nation of Indians called Quaquessegh-roona, whom not being able to conquer, they sent to a place called Tioghsaghrunti, lying to the Westward of the lake of Niagara, seven days Journey from the Tsanandowans, for 300 Indians to assist them in the Conquest, who accordingly joyned the French that as these Indians, under the Conduct of a French Officer, were marching along, they came to a hunting town belonging to the Onecharayagoe-roona, where the French Officer seeing a Bark Canoe show'd an Inclination to purchase it, and having some Rum with him of which the Indians appearing fond, they said he might have it for a little of that Liquor; the Officer having given the Owner of the Canoe three small Cups of Rum, took the Canoe. But the Indian thinking he had gott but very little for it, said he must have somewhat more, which the Officer refusing to give, some Words

arose, whereupon the Officer drew his Pistol, and shott the Indian, who was a Captain in great Esteem amongst the Onichkaryagoes; the Officer then taking with him the Canoe, went towards the French fort of Niagara, where they understood he was even very abusive to the French in that place who had probably found fault with him for what he had done, and that he is since gone to Canada.

That the Indians resenting this Abuse are now mett together, and have it under their Consideration how to behave in this Affair, and he apprehends it will occasion a War with the French; that the Onichkaryagoe Indians will endeavour to bring the Six Nations into their Quarrell, but whether they will join with them or be only Mediators between these Indians and the French, he cannot yet say. That two Detachments of French are gone out with Design as 'tis believed, to make War on the Indians; that the French have always some War on hand, but they appear more bent on it now than ever. That there are two Nations of Indians with whom they had long waged War, the Sigaserach-roona and Quaquontse-roona. That the French have sent from Montreal for Tiochtachkout, a Captain of the Tsanandowas, who on his return will give certain Intelligence how the French stand affected towards the Indians. That many of the Allies of the Six Nations have been cutt off by the Small Pox; that there was never known so great a Mortality amongst them as of late.

That this is all the News he has now to tell, and should be glad to know if his Brethren can inform him of any that they have learnt.

He was told that the English were in Peace with all Nations; that the Great Kings of England and France were in Peace with each other, and that we had no news of any Importance to acquaint them with.

He said that the Indians had understood several of the English Governors on the Continent were to meet at New York, and that a meeting of such great Men together had raised their Curiosity to know what it could mean.

They were told we knew of no such Appointment. We had heard that some of the Governors to the Southward intended to travel this way, but we believed it was only to pay friendly Visits to their Brethren in these parts.

Thus the Conversation ended.

August 17th.

The Proprietor, Governor, and some Members of Council being mett, the Indians were sent for, and by the Interpreter spoke to as follows: Brethren:

We are well pleased so see you, our good friends, Hetaquantagechty and Shekellamy; you are very welcome to us. We have considered what you have said, and it is to our good liking. Four of the Ganawese Indians came lately here to Satisfy us of their In