and the Portage near Niagra, they are near as numerous as all the rest of the Six Nations and they lye next to other Nations who thro' means of the Emigrants endeavor to render them discontented Indeed one half of the Senecas have behaved with great fidelity, but the Example of the Rest may have an evil effect upon them, & this conduct of the upper Senecas will not at all appear surprizing on perusing the accounts I have formerly given of its motives and Causes. In short they had always emissaries from, and were loaded with favors by the French as appeared clearly by the Books of accounts which fell into my hands when I had the honor to take possession of Niagra, which very important Fortress I beleive we should have found it very difficult to reach, much less to reduce with so small, an army, & without a single vessel on Lake Ontario, but for the secrecy and fidelity of the Senecas at that time, who having had a little misunderstanding with the French, I took care to improve it by shewing them the many advantages they would derive from its being reduced, and by Promises concerning fair Trade &c which alltho' I was authorized to make, I am sorry to say it was never yet in my power to perform with effect For all these reasons, I was well pleased to hear the Senecas give me such assurances as they have lately done & shall do all in my power to improve their present disposition, as it will induce the rest of the confederacy to act with more spirit, and strengthen their attachment to us, when they find that their advice has succeeded with the upper Senecas & that their Interests are no longer separate—and as I purpose to hold a congress with the Shawanese Delawares Hurons &c" next month I shall then endeavour to put a stop to their pernicious practises with the Six Nations Emigrants &c. as well as to other more dangerous matters, after which I shall do myself the honor of writing to your Lordship I have the honor to be with the highest Esteem—My Lord Your Lordships most obed & very humble Servant W Johnson Proceedings of Sir William Johnson with the Six Nations. [S. P. 0. Plantations General, CCLIX. ] At a Congress with the Cheifs of the Six Nations Held at Johnson Hall on Wednesday Ap 7. 1773. Teyawarunte Speaker of Onondaga addressed Sir William Johnson on behalf of all the Six Nations present and after performing the Ceremony of Condolence according to the usual form delivered— 3 Strings of Wampum Sir William then after acquainting them that he was unwilling to give them any delay in proceeding to business repeated what they said, as is usual, and then returned the ceremony of condolence on the parts of the English in due form, after which he delivered them 3 strings. Sir William then added that as they had been detained for some days untill all their cheifs came to the Council fire, & as the Customary Forms were now finished, he was ready, and desirous that they should proceed immediately to business. Teyawarunte then, on behalf, of the rest, told Sir William, that agreeable to his desire they were ready, and would immediately proceed to business. He then repeated sundry past transactions particularly Sir Williams speech of October last respecting their Conduct towards the Twightwees, Piankashaws, &c, and assured him that the Six Nations had paid due regard thereto, & would faithfully deliver their Sentiments to him, to which they begged he would pay due attention. Gave a Belt of 6 Rows He then proceeded Brother Warraghiyagey We have thought very seriously on your former speech, wherein you pointed out to us the many ill consequences that must attend our People's entering into foreign alliances or associating in Councils with those who have not paid due regard to their engagements, or who were not of our natural confederacy—We have since taken this into full consideration among ourselves, and we think your advice so wholesome, and friendly, that we are now sensible of the errors into which some of our Nations were running, and have taken measures accordingly to prevent it by withdrawing from the Councils and Politicks of these people. You may therefore depend that it is the unanimous determination of all our People to follow your advice A Belt of 5 Rows Brother Warraghiyagey. We are all very thankfull to you for reminding us in your former speech of our ancient Customs, and pointing out to us the impropriety of the Conduct of some of our People in carrying on private Transactions and neglecting the proper Fire Place. We are now fully sensible of all this, and unanimously resolved to pay due regard to what you have said, by avoiding any bad connections, and by the openness of our conduct, to which end, we shall undertake nothing without your knowledge and we flatter ourselves that we shall act mutually together upon this occasion in preserving entire all past engagements Brother A Belt of 6 Rows We have taken notice of your having pointed out to us those things in which some of us have erred, and followed evil councils without considering our true Interests, and of your recommending it to the Mohawks, and Onondagas, as elder Branches of the Confederacy to bring the Senecas to a due sense of their Inattention to its true Interests. We thank you very kindly for your advice, and do assure you on behalf of the Senecas, whose cheifs are here present, that it has had the desired effect, and that the are heartily sorry for their imprudent Conduct, which was wholly owing to Aguastarax the old Cheif (now deceased) who turned his face the wrong way and did not act as the Door to our confederacy to the Westward; but the Senecas now assure you that they will no longer be misguided but keep their face towards the great Council fire at Onondaga, and this Place, and set a good example to the rest by listening only to you, and their own confederacy, and taking care that the Door, to the Westward be not kept continually open to receive all bad News, as has been the Case— We likewise assure you on behalf of the whole Confederacy that we shall pursue the measures we have already taken for bringing our People from the scattered villages within the Pale of the Confederacy, to which end we have sent to Kayashota the Cheif on Ohio, and the People there to direct them to pay due regard to what was recommended to them, and in this we declare that we are sincere of which the Senecas give you assurance by this Belt Brother A large Belt of 8 Rows We embrace with pleasure your advice to cultivate the friendship of the English, and strengthen the union between us-be assured we shall testify to all nations, our firmness therein, pay due regard to all our old engagements with you, and bring any offenders amongst us to a sense of their duty—Thoroughly persuaded that you speak for our Interest and having for many years experienced your knowledge of all our Nations, and your capacity to advise us to what will best tend to our Happiness, we likewise by this Belt assure you on behalf of the Warriors, that they are determined to abide by, and enforce what we here promise, and to follow your good council, requesting that you will continue to us your advice, and assist us in the undertake. A large Belt of 11 Rows. Brother As soon as the Messengers return from our People on Ohio, we shall then as an unanimous body call a General Council at our own Great Fire Place at Onondaga and summon the Twightwees Piankashaws and other troublesome Nations to appear and answer for their conduct we have already called upon them twice, and agreeable to our own ancient customs shall do so the third time, before we strike: but should they then neglect us, you may be assured we shall fall upon them, and shew them their folly, and our attachment to the English, who we beleive have suffered much from them to the Southward; and to give them an opportunity of making proper atonement, we prefer this delay to any harsh measures, unless we find them irreclamable. But, Brother, we must observe to you, and we request it may be seriously considered that the misconduct of these Nations is much owing to the English themselves for these Nations were never hearty, and some of them, not even pretended friends to the English. Yet the English Traders and also the French have of late years rambled in great numbers all over this Country, for the sake of Gain, and are but too often guilty of frauds which inflame their resentment. In the French time, their Traders rambled in that manner, they were often plundered, and killed; but the French did not resent it, knowing it to be their own faults— And we must again remark, as we have often done lately, that there is no certain way of preventing this, but by having fixed Posts, and proper Regulations for the Traders, whilst these, there were seldom any Outrages, the Indians were better pleased, and the Traders had Profit enough we heartily wish that you would consider these things as matters of great importance to the general Peace A Belt of 7 Rows Brother When we first saw the White People and fastned their ship to the great Tree, the Band of our Union was a fair Trade. When we strengthened our Alliance with the English, and fastned their ship with an Iron chain (there being one afterwards made of Silver) Trade was our mutual object, and in most subsequent Treaties, it was provided that Trade should be plentiful and that we should not be cheated. The Places of Trade were few, and the Traders were all well known ;—the like promise was made to us whenever Canada should be reduced, for a time it went on pretty well, but of late the Traders go about where they please, and sell at the most exorbitant Rates, besides following us to our hunting Grounds to take advantage of our people by means of Liquor the bring with them. Of all this the Indian Nations complain; for as they live by hunting, it becomes a more heavy greivance to them, than it would do to others, we have often complained of this, but we find no redress, and therefore if these repeated Impositions obstruct our good intentions the fault is not ours. Brother we beg you will consider our Case, so as that the Governors concerned may do what has been promised, we must likewise sollicit the favor of the General that bothe he and you may lay our Hardships before the King, who I trust will releive us. In this hope we now on behalf of all our confederacy, renew, strengthen and brighten the Covenant Chain and the Senecas particularly assure you that they and all their Dependants, do now take hold of it, and brighten the same, firmly resolving to contribute all their endeavours, in conjunction with the rest of the Confederacy to keep it bright, hoping that you will be assisting therein for our mutual Interest and the preservation of Peace A large Covenant Chain Belt with 12 Squares, 11 Rows. Sir William answered them that he had given due attention to what they had said, and would give them an answer there tomorrow, then gave them Pipes, Tobacco and some Liquor, after which the withdrew to their several Encampments The day following the Indians had several Conferences among themselves and therefore were not assembled till the day next succeeding At a Congress with the Six Nations Held at Johnson Hall on Friday April 9th 1773. I have heard and fully considered all you said to me yesterday, and am glad you remember so well my Speech of last Autumn. As the purport of your three first Belts is nearly the same I answer them with this Belt, assuring you that the regard you say you have paid to my advice & admonitions is highly pleasing to me, and as I advised you to shake off all connections which were foreign to your true Interests, so I expect that it will appear by your actions, that you have done so, which you will find to be to your advantage A Belt Brothers It gives me great satisfaction to hear that the Mohocks, and Onondagas agreeable to my advice, have brought the Senecas the third elder Branch of their Confederacy to their proper senses, in which, through the advice of the rest, and the good Councils I shall give them, I hope they will remain, and I am well pleased to hear the same strengthened by their present declaration, and Promises-I am not ignorant, that Aguastarax & several others of that Nation, sought Interests foreign to yours, and that he was highly criminal in sending and receiving bad Belts, acting therein as your general Enemy, though it was his duty, as the Western Door of the Six Nations, to take care that nothing dangerous should enter. At the same time, I do not yet find much satisfaction concerning those bad Belts which certainly are still lurking some where, and which I expect to see very soon to confirm my opinion of the Senecas good intentions You act very wisely in the Steps you have taken to bring your straggling people within the immediate influence of your confederacy, as they are at present exposed to bad advice and negligent of your directions. I persuade myself that Kayashota, their cheif will cooperate with you therein, and I hope to see it soon effected. A Belt. Brothers I hear with satisfaction that you repeat your resolution of bringing all refractory members of your confederacy to order, that you will act with firmness, and that you appear thoroughly satisfied that my advice is wholesome, and good, and I am greatly pleased to hear the Declaration of the Warriors to support & strengthen the same, which I expect they will do with becoming spirit, according to the design intended Brothers A Belt You tell me that as soon as all matters are settled with your people at the Ohio you will call a general Council at Onondaga, and summon the Twight wees and their adherents to attend the same for the last time. I do not doubt, but that in this, you imagine you act right, and agreeable to ancient custom; but you must be sensible that I do well know your ancient customs, that I cannot be mistaken in them, having committed them all to writing an age ago, when they were better understood than they are at present, and from which I assure you, that there is no necessity of your using so much delicacy with people, who so little deserve favor from your hands, especially as you are in a great measure accountable for the actions of those who have been always deemed your dependants :—and perhaps it were better that you brought them to reason, than by tollerating their depredations to expose them to the powerfull arm of the English, who will certainly no longer suffer them to Act as they have done with impunity. Whatever therefore you do, should be done quickly before the People are so involved in guilt, that the resentm' of the English cannot be restrained. I can hardly think that their conduct is merely owing to abuses in Trade, but rather to a malevolent spirit and evil Communication— and as to the establishm's of Posts for Trade I have long since acquainted you that His Maty has left the Trade free, and open with a view, that you should find plenty of Goods: at the same time that he recommended it to each of the American Governments to fall upon such Regulations, as would prevent any abuses therein which they promised to do, and which I have often recommended, and I shall still continue as far as is in my power, to recommend the necessary Establishments for that purpose A Belt Brothers I am well acquainted with the nature, and terms of your first Treaties with the English, and that Trade was always considered as an article of much importance, neither can I find that it was ever withheld from you. After the reduction of Canada, it was greatly enlarged by the addition of many new Traders, whereby goods were plenty and cheap. Among such a number, there are doubtless some that will deceive you, especially as long as you continue your passion for that liquor, which is the source of so many evils—There is hower no doubt, that when the Coloniea are agreed as to the nature of the regulations, Provision will be made against the abuses you complain of, and in the mean time I recommend it to you to endeavour at reforming yourselves by a more moderate use of that liquor, in which case the Traders will bring less into your Country, and you will be more on guard against their Frauds, whilst I use my endeavors as I have hitherto done, to procure you the salutary establishments you require |