"As I have not time to get transcrib'd the Treaty which Col Johnson had with those Tribes at Onondago, I have inclos'd the original he sent me, and if you think it expedient to take a Copy thereof I must desire You'll return the Original by the first opportunity, as I shall have occasion for it soon at Albany.

"I am glad the Information you sent me touching the Enemy is contradicted by the last Express, and I am, Sir,

"Your most obedient humble Servant,

"The Honoble. Anthony Palmer, EsqTM"

"G. CLINTON.

The Secretary was order'd to take a Copy of Col Johnson's Report of his proceedings at Onondago, & to send it with a Copy of Mr. Clinton's Letter to Mr. Weiser for the satisfaction of the Indians.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, 16th July, 1748.

PRESENT:

The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr. President.

The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd.

A letter from Mr. Weiser and another from Mr. Croghan were read, whereby it appear'd that the Ohio Indians were on their Road near the town of Lancaster and cou'd not be beat out of a Notion they had entertain'd of this City's being sickly, but desir'd the Council wou'd be pleas'd to give them the Meeting at Lancaster.

The Council after taking up a long time in deliberating upon the Request at last agreed to accede to it, & Mr. Shoemaker, Mr. Turner, Mr. Hopkinson, & Mr. Logan, were appinted Commissioners to treat with these Indians at Lancaster, and the Secretary was order'd to prepare a Commiss" and a Sett of Instructions from the heads now deliver'd to him, to be Sign'd in the Afternoon.

P. M.

Present as before.

The Commission & Instructions were agreed upon & sign'd in

Council, & a Warrant issued to the Keeper of the Great Seal to affix the same to the said Commission: ·

"George the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, & Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, To our Trusty and well beloved Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, & William Logan, Esqrs., and to every of them, Greeting:

"Whereas, some of the Chiefs of the Six Nations Indians living on the Waters of Ohio, a Branch of the Mississippi, in Amity & Alliance with Us, have signified to our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania that the Twightwees, a considerable Nation of Indians residing on the Borders of Lake Erie, and late in the Interest of the French King, are now earnestly desirous to enter into the Alliance & Friendship of Us and our Subjects; and for that end that several Cheifs and Deputies have been sent from the said Twightwees Nation, and are now waiting at Lancaster with divers Cheifs of the said Six Nations, in order to enter into a Treaty of Alliance & Friendship with Us and our Subjects; And also, that several Cheifs & Deputies from the Shawonese Nation of Indians at Allegheny are now likewise waiting at Lancaster in order to renew the League of Amity subsisting between Us & that Nation: Know ye, that reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Abilities, and Circumspection, We have thought fit to Nominate & Appoint You the said Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, & William Logan, & every of you, our Commissioners on behalf of our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid, to treat with the said Indians now at Lancaster, or with their or any or every of their Cheifs or Delegates, & with them to renew, ratify, & confirm the League of Amity subsisting between our said Province of Pennsylvania and the said United Nations of Indians, : or between us and the said Shawonese Nation of Indians, & likewise to enter & compleat such Treaty of Alliance with the said Twightwee Nation; And further to do, act, transact, & finally to conclude and agree with the Indians aforesaid all and every other Matter and thing whatsoever necessary, touching or in anywise concerning the Premisses as fully and amply to all Intents, Constructions, and Purposes, as our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid might or cou'd do being Personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming and holding for firm and effectual whatsoever you, the said Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, and William Logan, or any of You, shall lawfully do in and about the Premisses. In Testimoney whereof We have caused the Great Seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness Anthony Palmer, Esqr., President, Thomas Lawrence, Samuel Hasell, Abraham Taylor, and Robert Strettell, Esqrs, Members of our Council for our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid at Philadelphia, the sixteenth Day of July, in the Year of Our Lord One thousand

seven hundred and forty-eight, and in the Twenty-second Year of our Reign.

"By the Honourable the President & Council of the Province of Pennsylvania.

"Instructions to Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, & William Logan, Esqrs., CommissTM to treat with certain Indians now at Lancaster

"Whereas, by a Commission from His Majesty bearing date herewith, You are hereby instructed to enquire into the Temper and Number of the Twightwees, one of the said Nations, whether they are really and sincerely come off from the French & heartily in the English Interest, or this Change of their's is only pretended & occasional, taking its rise from the scarcity of Indian Goods among the French, and so likely to drop on the Publication of a Peace with France; and when you shall be inform'd of the true and real State and Disposition of these People You will in your receiving any proposals from them govern Yourselves accordingly.

"As to the Shawonese, You are to enquire very exactly after their Conduct since the commencement of the War, and what lengths they went in favour of Peter Chartier, where he is, & what he has been doing all this time, and be careful that these People acknowledge their fault in plain Terms, & promise never to be guilty of any behaviour again that may give such reason to suspect their fidelity, & according to the reality of their Submissions You are to regulate what You shall say to them.

"With respect to the Indians of the Six Nations, You are hereby Instructed to tell them, exclusive of what shall be proper to be said to them in answer to the Business they come to transact with this Government, that their behaviour during the War has been very acceptable to the King's Governors, & that they will always be receiv'd by them in a most affectionate manner, & recommend it to them to cultivate a good understanding with all the Nations on the Borders of this and the Neighbouring Provinces in alliance with them, notwithstanding the probability of an approaching Peace, which You are likewise to mention with the greatest prudence lest the Cessation of Hostilities shou'd not be followed by a General Peace. "Given in Council under our Hands & the Lesser Seal of the said. Province of Philadelphia, this Sixteenth Day of July, 1748.

"ANTHONY PALMER, Presid

"ROBERT STRETTELL,

"ABRAM TAYLOR.

Governor Gooch's Letter in answer to the Council's sent by Express was read in these words:

"Sir: .

"June 25th, 1748.

"I immediately upon reading your Letter of the 17th Instant, which I this Day received, I took my Pen in hand to return You and the Gentlemen of the Council all due thanks for the Regard You were pleased to shew for our Safety as well as Your own, in communicating to me so speedy Intelligence of a Sett of Privateers, with Don Pedro at their head, with whom we have been no less alarm'd & pester'd than You, having had several small Vessels taken in the Bay and within the Mouth of the Capes.

"My Express dispatch'd to Captain Norbury in Consequence of Mr. President's Letter, reach'd him the Day before he sail'd, and just after he had brought in with him two Privateers, the one from the Havannah with 14 Carriage Guns and 100 Men, the other from St. Augustine with four Carriage Guns and 10 Swivels and 40 Men, who promis'd me in his Answer to it to go down to your Capes, and of whom I must therefore suppose You have had long before this the satisfaction of hearing. Captain Masterson is now also out upon a Cruize, so that it is to be hoped if neither of them is so fortunate as to meet with Don Pedro, the Enemy will at least be so much terrified as to keep their distance, and not give us so much disturbance by Intercepting our Trade and infesting our Coasts with such audacious Insolence as they have presum'd to do of late.

"I am, with my best Respects to the Gentlemen of the Council, with great Regard,

"Sir, Your most obed" humb. Serv..

"WILL. GOOCH.

I should have told You that Capt Norbury manned & took with him the largest of the two Privateers he had taken; and that I desired You would make my 'Compliments to Mr. Peters, your worthy Secretary.

Mr. Joseph Bonsall & Mr. John Davis, Commiss" appointed to Survey that part of the high Road leading from Philadelphia to New Castle which runs thro' the County of Chester, made their Return, which was read, approved, and confirmed, and order'd to be recorded in the Council Book; and the said Road is to be open'd sixty feet wide, except in the Towns of Darby & Chester, where the Streets are to retain their present breadth, of which all Supervisors of the Highways are to take notice, & open the Road in the several Townships thro' which it passes of the width aforesaid, agreeable to the said Return.

Pursuant to two Orders from the Honourable the President & Council, one of the 8th Day of September, 1747, the other of the

2d Day of March then next following, referring it to Us, the Subscribers, to view and lay out by Course and Distance that part of the King's high Road leading from the City of Philadelphia to the Town of New Castle which runs thro' the County of Chester, We do humbly Certify and Report to the Honourable the President & Council, that We have viewed, and with the Assistance of William Parsons, Surveyor General, we have as regularly and as near as conveniently cou'd be to the Courses it now runs, Resurvey'd that part of the King's high Road aforesaid which Runs thro' the County of Chester, Beginning at the middle of the Bridge over Cobb's Creek, being the Boundary between Philadelphia and Chester Counties, and from thence extending South seventy degrees West twenty-eight perches, North seventy-nine degree and an half West twenty-four perches, North seventy degrees West one hundred and fifty-one perches, thence South seventy-nine degrees West twenty-eight perches to a Run of Water, thence North seventy-four degrees West forty perches to a Stone twenty foot distance from the East Corner of George Woods' House in Darby, thence South sixty-one degrees and an half West twelve perches to Darby Creek, and the same Course twenty-eight perches more to a post, then South fifteen degrees twenty Minutes West one hundred and thirtyone perches to the middle of the old Road, thence South fifty-nine degrees West two hundred and twenty-six perches to Dwyer Run, one hundred and sixteen perches more to Deel's Run, and sixtytwo perches more to a post, thence South thirty-nine degrees West one hundred and two perches to Talnell Run, two hundred and ninety-six perches more to another Run, & one hundred and one hundred and sixteen perches to Isaac Gleeve's House, thence South sixty degrees West one hundred and twenty perches to a post, thence South seventy-one degrees and an half West one hundred and seventy-six perches to a post, thence South sixty degrees and an half West one hundred and seventy-eight perches to a post, thence South sixty-three degrees and a quarter West two hundred and forty perches to Crum Creck, thence South sixty-one degrees and an half West one hundred and thirty perches to a post, thence South sixty-four degrees West twenty-eight perches to Ridley Creek Bridge, and the same Course fourteen perches more to a post, thence South thirty-four degrees West one hundred & thirty perches to a post, thence South four degrees and an half West fifty-six perches to a post, thence South eleven degrees & an half west fifty-six perches to a wild Cherry Tree, thence South fifty-six degrees and an half West ninety-five perches to Welsh Street, in the middle of Free Street, in the Borough of Chester, then along Free Street South sixty-two degrees West twenty-three perches to Market Street, thence along Market Street South twenty eight degrees East thirty-one perches to the middle of James' Street, thence along James' Street South sixty-two degrees West thirty-eight perches to the Bridge over Chester