French Axe-Belt sent to the Indians. [Plantations General, CCLX.] Extract of Intelligence just received from Niagara. Some time since an Indian reported here, that on his way to hunt he called on a Mr SangBlanc, a Frenchman trading among the Senecas who at that time had a number of that nation together & and spoke to them as followes. Children-Tho' your Father the French King has not been able for some time past to take care of you he cou'd wish to do of his children, I hope you have not altogether forgot his former kindness. I am happy now to be able to acquaint you that an army of French and Spaniards are expected up the Mississippi early in the Spring to free you from the Tyranny of the English, who are at this time plotting your ruin, and gathering together from all Quarters, to cut you off. Orders to that purpose are already sent to Niagara, Detroit and Fort Pit. Remember, I now warn you of your danger, and it is my advice to you to take up the Hatchett & give the English the first blow.—I understand they want to draw me from among you, but I do not care for them. The ground about Fort Erie & that side of the Lake they may call theirs, but this where I live is my ground, French ground, and I will not be turned off it by any man,— And if the Commanding Officer of Niagara was to send me an order to that purpose, I wou'd tear it in pieces, & trample it under my feet. This Speech (tho' the Indian himself said he did not believe it) had such an effect upon him, that he immediately returned home to guard his family. The same Indian, and many others have since reported that the said Sang Blanck has often since began the War Dance & invited the Senecas to join the Shawanese against the Virginians as that he wou'd go with them. Endorsed, In Col. Guy Johnson's of 6th Oct 1774 (N° 4) Sir Lieutenant-Colonel Caldwell to Colonel Guy Johnson. [Plantations General, CCLX. ] Copy of a letter from Lieu' Colonel Caldwell Command' at Niagra dated 29,k Though I am confident that you are already made acquainted with the Reception the Deputies from the Shawanese met from the Sachems of the Six Nations, assembled in Council last August, yet I think it right to inform you that Soieiwa, the Chief of the Senecas has been here & acquainted me that the Shawanese demanded in form the aid & assistance of the Six Nations to carry on the War against the English, which being refused, they wou'd not accept of a Belt of Peace, or the Advice given to make up their Quarrel with the Virginians, but offered a War Belt and demanded a Hatchet to strike the English, which so enraged old King Bunt, that he threw their belt back to them, with great resentment & told them that the Six Nations had lately sent out belts of friendship, and peace which they were determined not to recall, that they were resolved not to take any part in the present disputes, and that all they would or could do for the Shawanese, was to act as Mediators, by recommending Peace, and endeavoring to procure it for them by sending this autumn a Deputation of their Chiefs to Fort Pitt, for which purpose a Council is to assemble immediately, & they have dispatched Messengers to the Coghnawagey Indians and those of the Onondagas residing on the River S' Laurence to acquaint them, with their resolves, to insist on their remaining faithful to the English, & to desire the attendance of their Chiefs at the approaching Council. I find likewise that the business is now likely to be carried on more systematically, and in a more regular manner than formerly, as all the Chiefs of the Warriors have lately entered into an agreement, not only, as usual to consult the Sachems, but also to allow their Determinations to be decisive, & to follow immediately their advice; if any Individual receives Intelligence he is to report it immediately to the Chief Warrior of his Tribe who is to communicate it without Delay to his Sachem, whose Advice & Orders he is to receive, and punctually observe. This Plan will prevent each man from acting from either private caprice or revenge, and in respect to us must be favorable, for as the Sachims are old men, may be sufferers, & cannot expect any advantage from War, they naturally will be inclined to peace, whereas the young men, were they allowed to act of themselves, must as naturally wish for war, as the only road left them to acquire fame, flatter their pride, indulge their ambition, and gratify their revenge, passions so very characteristical amongst them.—I have spared neither trouble, or expense to get all possible intelligence relative to the Dispositions of the Six Nations, & the Senecas in particular. I have conversed with many of them, Chiefs & others, drunk & sober, and by all I can gather from them, I am certain that, tho' the young men are ripe for mischief, yet the old men will keep them quiet, at least 'till it is known whether peace can be obtained for the Shawanese, which (as the Six Nations will not join them) they will gladly accept, if not sue for: but shou'd the Virginians persist in carrying on the War, I think it is most natural to conclude that the War will be general, & that the Six Nations will take up arms sooner than see their younger Brothers, as they call the Shawanese, cut off & entirely destroyed. Your knowledge, experience & abilities in conducting Indian Affairs will undoubtedly greatly facilitate, on the part of the Indians this intended accomodation & certainly Government & Lord Dunmore in particular will take every step that wisdom & justice can suggest towards promoting that peace & tranquility so necessary for the Traders & those other of His Majesty's Subjects who inhabit the interior parts of America. In all my speeches with Chiefs and Warriors, I have endeavored to convince them of our strength and their weakness, that as I was sent to Niagra in the character of Sachim, as well as Warrior, I wou'd recommend Peace, tho' indifferent as to war, that as they were a wise people, I esteemed them, that as they had been long friends & neighbours of the English, I loved them, and wou'd assist them whilst the Hatchet lay buried, but if once lifted, I bid them consider & remember well that it cou'd never be laid by, and that there must be an eternal war between us whilst a man of their nation existed. I granted that they might at first get some few traders scalps, and plunder, but that they must soon suffer in their turn: for if the English when at War with all the World found little difficulty in conquering America, how easily cou'd they now, when universal peace prevails, extirpate every savage upon the Continent. Shawatongue who delivered me a belt of Friendship soon after my arrival here, listened very attentively to the latter part of my speech, which I have reason to think he has made a proper use of, in every conversation he expressed the strongest attachment to the English, and I believe him sincere, tho' I often wished to find more content in his countenance than I coud perceive there, certainly his mind was not ease, tho' he wou'd not discover what disturbed it. Soiewea is undoubtedly a clever fellow, I wish he may go to Fort Pit this Autumn, as by all accounts he wishes well to the English, & may be depended upon. I send the inclosed paper for your perusal, it is but a report, and an Indian I shou'd be glad of your sentiments upon it, as well as upon any other subject, you think may be of use to a stranger in this Indian World, and unacquainted with the business, but who wishes to be of use; the only excuse I can make for troubling you with this tedious letter. I have the honor to be, Sir, one. Your most obedient & humble serv Regiment & Commandant of Niagara. Earl of Dartmouth to the Governors in America. [ Plantation! General, CCLX. ] Whitehall 19"1 October 1774. (Circular.) His Majesty having thought fit, by His Order in Council this Day, to prohibit the Exportation from Great Britain of Gunpowder, or any sort of arms or ammunition, I herewith inclose to you a Copy of the Order, and it is His Majesty's Command that you do take the most effectual measures for arresting, detaining and securing any Gunpowder, or any sort of arms or ammunition, which may be attempted to be imported into the Province under your Government, unless the Master of the Ship having such Military Stores on Board shall produce a Licence from His Majesty, or the Privy Council, for the exportation of the same from some of the Ports of this Kingdom. I have received your letter of the 7th of Sept & have laid it before the King. 'Lieutenant-Colonel Johs Caldwell was appointed Captain in the 7th or Royal Fusileers, on the 20th December, 1755, and became Major of that regiment ISth July, 1766. He was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 8th or King's Foot 27th October, 1772. Army List*. This regiment, during the war of Independence, was stationed at Niagara, where LieutenantColonel Caldwell presided at a Council held with the Six Nations and western tribes, in September, 1776, at which they resolved to take up arms against America, Stone'$ Life of Brant, II., 4, note. Detachments of the 8th accompanied the Indians in most of their forays into the settlements, and took a part in the battle of Wyoming in 1778, but Lieutenant" Colonel Caldwell did not participate in these operations, as it appears by the Army Littt that he had retired from the service or died in November, 1776, or shortly after presiding at the Council above mentioned. — ED From the Accounts you give of the Characters and Tempers of the Five Gentlemen appointed by the City of New York to be their Delegates at the General Congress I should suppose they would not be likely either to advise or support rash & violent Measures; but there is but too much reason to fear that the Majority of Delegates are of a different Complexion. In my letter to you of the 7th of Sepr I acquainted you with the Information I had received of large quantities of Gunpowder exported from Holland to North America & I mentioned to you a particular Instance of that dangerous Commerce: I make no doubt that you have in consequence thereof done every thing in your power to detect & punish such Practises; but I am nevertheless again called upon to exhort you to be more than commonly attentive to that object, as every day almost furnishes some fresh intelligence of the Americans purchasing large Quantities of Arms & Ammunition in the different parts of Europe. Lieut. Governor Colden. I am &ca DARTMOUTH N« 8. My Lord, Lieutenant-Governor Colden to the Earl of Dartmouth. [New-York, CLXVI., No. 8.1 New York 2nd November 1774. I have received the Honor of your Lordship's Commands of the 10,h of September, N° 23. The Congress, at Philadelphia, broke up last Week. They have publish'd an Extract of the Proceedings, of which I inclose your Lordship a Copy. It was received in this Place only two Days agoe, so that there has not been time to discover the General Sentiments of the People upon it. It is certain that the Measures of the Congress do not meet with rapid applause here; but on the contrary the People, even in the City, appear to be rather Dissatisfied. They continue, so far as I can discover, averse to all violent and irritating Measures. The Merchants seem to disrelish the Non-importation Association.—and if I am not very much deceived, the Farmers will not bear the Non-Exportation—but at present it is impossible to say with certainty what steps the People will take in Consequence of what has been advised and determined by the Congress. I think I may continue to assure your Lordship that a great Majority in this Province are very far from approving of the extravagant and dangerous Measures of the New England Governments.that they abhor the thoughts of a Civil War, and desire nothing so much as to have an End put to this unhappy Dispute with the Mother Country. Our Assembly have not met, for some years past, till after the Christmas Holidays. Before that time I will endeavour to learn whether I may expect that they will propose conciliatory Measures, and pursue the Method which your Lordship so justly points out as most proper. If I have reason to hope they will, I shall propose it, and use my utmost Influence to have it done in a proper manner. Nothing material has happend in this Place since my last letter to your Lordship. The Merchants are at present endeavouring to sift out each others Sentiments upon the Association proposed by the Congress. A certain Sign, I take it, that they wish to avoid it. — General Haldimand left me half a dozen Officers, and about One Hundred Men of the Royal Irish Reg* here, when he went to Boston. About four score Artifficers went from hence with the General, to work on the Barracks there; and last week some Iron Potts and Stores were ship'd for the use of the Troops at Boston, without an attempt being made to prevent it. The Contraband Trade carried on between this place and Holland, is my Lord, an object that I behold with great concern. It prevails to an enormous Degree.—Must destroy the morrals of the People—create the most inveterate ennemies to Government—Nourish the spirit of mobing; and abolish all fare Trade. It appears to me that the Officers of the Customs at this place want more assistance than they at present have. There is not a Boat of any kind belonging to our Custom House. The Surveyor and Sarcher of this Port, who is my Grandson,1 has made several seizures since he was appointed. He has been an Officer in the Army, and was some Time in Quarters on the Isle of Man. He thinks two or three such Vessells as they have there, under similar regulations and directions, would be the most effectual means of stoping this illicit Trade. Men of War, even the Sloops are too large for this purpose; and besides the Captains seem to think it an indignity to become Custom House Officers. As Mankind, my Lord, are in general most active when their Duty and Interest are connected, I think the Officers and Men employed in this Service, should have such an allowance out of the seizures, besides a daily pay, as would make to too expensive to the Merchants to offer them any thing nearly equal in Bribes. The Officers of the Boats might likewise be frequently removed from one Port to another, in Order to render Bribes ineffectual. A superior Officer at each Port might have the direction of the Cutters and Boats independant of the Custom House, which I am told is the case at the Isle of Man. My Grandson tells me that soon after he enterd upon his office, he was made to understand that if he would not be officious in his Duty, he might depend upon receiving £1500 a year. His Answer and Conduct has convinced them of his Integrity and Resolution to discharge his Duty with fidelity. I mention this, My Lord, as an Instance how highly the illicit Traders can Bribe. The Vessells from Holland, or S' Eustatia, do not come into this Port, but anchor at some Distance in the numerous Bays and Creeks that our Coasts and Rivers furnish, from whence the Counterband Goods are sent up in small Boats. I beleive it would be very proper to make some Regulations that might discourage the owners of these small Boats from engaging in this Business. When they are now seized, their Boats are sold at so low a price, that the Owners recover them with a Loss that the poorest of them does not regard. The risque being so small, they engage with the illicit Traders at low Wages. This increases the Proffits of that Trade. But if all Boats and Vessells, that did not fetch above certain Rates to be fix'd in proportion to their Burthen, were ordered to be burnt or destroyed, the illicit Traders would find it much more difficult to procure the assistance they require. RICHARD NICHOLis COLDEN, was son of Alexander C., postmaster of New-York. He received a commission of Ensign in the 42d Royal Highlanders, 27th August, 1766, whilst that regiment was stationed in Pennsylvania. Whilst quartered in the Isle of Man he married a Scotch lady, by whom he had two sons, Alexander and Cadwallader. He left the army at the close of 1771 or beginning of 1772, and returned with his family to New-York, where he was appointed Surveyor and Searcher of Customs, and soon after died. Army Listi; Eager't Orange County, 246. · -ED. * Sic. it. |