must create ill blood & disputes, & perhaps affect a whole nation. All which may be easily prevented at a post.

Wherefore the whole management of Indian Matters, as well as Trade, ought to be carried on under the direction of the Commanding Officers of the posts of the Ind" Country, their duty easily admitting of it; and as Niagara is the head Quarter of those garrisons, it ought to be fixed upon the principal meeting place for the Indians in the Northern District upon public occasions and business of consequence.

The Superintendancy of the Northern District in general ought to be vested in the Governor or General of Quebec; who whenever he thought it necessary or had any thing of importance to propose to the Indians in behalf of His Majesty, might summons the whole Confederacy to Montreal and meet them himself, which would give his proposals the more weight; some of the Officers of every garrison to accompany the Indians & attend the Congress, and return with the Indians, reminding them of their engagements to the Governor, & prevent any insults from the inhabitants. All Indian proceedings at the Posts to be wrote down and reported to the General of the District in order to be recorded.

It is a mistaken notion to pretend dividing the grand Confederacy of the Northern District and having it superintended by persons independent of each other; which may occasion much confusion in Indian Affairs. That there were two Confederacies of Indians in the Northern District is very true, viz' the Iroquois or Six Nations who claime an alliance with the Hurons at Detroit, and all the Indians to the West and South West of them to the Ilinois including the Ohio; and the Seven Nations in the Province of Quebec, who claim an alliance with all the Indian Nations to North and North West of them. These two Confederacies however have since the conquest of Canada united themselves, and act in concert in all matters of importance, and the appointment of Officers will not make them alter their plan. It was a great object with the French for many years to gain over the Six Nations to their interest, and thereby bring about this grand Confederacy of Indians, in order to facilitate their plan of having a chain of Forts from Canada to Louisiana, and all the Indian Nations in their interest; which they very near effected, by having already gained over the Upper Senecas, a numerous Nation, and others living in the neighbourhood of Niagara, of Cayouga and Onondago. Those Senecas are a people of consequence with the Nations to the Westard, having many of their people dispersed among them, and while well used by us may prove very serviceable, they being at present well attached to Government. They had so much influence at the breaking out of the late Indian War in 1763 as to engage all those Nations in their interest, who cut off then the different garrisons in their country.*

Note * These Upper Senecas alias the Tsinusios have been chiefly in the French interest, since the French were in possession of Niagara, it being with their consent and permission they were allowed to establish themselves there; that Nation of Indians claiming the property of the Soil. In consideration of which priviledge they were much caressed and 'ndulged by the French, and had the liberty to enjoy the emoluments of that Carrying Place, which were so lucrative A considerable to that Nation, that in a short time they enriched themselves thereby, and had besides some other advantages in trade and other necessaries of life. When the plan for attacking that fortress was laid in 1758, 9. it having been since the attempt by Genl Shirley in 1755, entirely new laid out * constructed by that able Engineer Monsr Bouchot, the late Sir Wm Johnson apprehended the greatest obstacle on the side of the Indians, who were so well contented with their neighbours the French and their own prosperous and happy situation. He therefore had no small point to gain, in obtaining the consent and assistance of those Indians to join the army that was to besiege it, as without which, success must in all probability be doublfull; but he surmounted that difficulty by that cleverness in Indian Politics so peculiar to himself; and an expedition was set forward in June 1759 against a Post the most regular finished in Canada, being the key from the Westward, the troops consisting of the 44th 46th 2 comps of 60th Regt and the New York Provll Regt with a very indifferent train of Artillery

Good faithfull and sober interpreters are requisites for the commanding Officers at the Posts, in whom the Indians may have confidence; it is to be lamented there are few or hardly any to be met with in the Northern District, and what adds to the defect is, that none of the Officers appointed to the management of their affairs, understand any Indian language at all, which is very inconvenient and disagreeable to the Indians. Government should loose no time to encourage parents living about the upper posts, to send their children very young to the neighbouring Indian towns, to acquire their languages and to remain among them untill they became perfect in the pronunciation and accent, which may be in 3 or 4 years time; after which to give them a grammar education, then send them to the garrison they were intended for, & they will be of great use: the generality of Interpreters being very illiterate, not having their own language sufficiently to translate it either way.

Armorers and Blacksmiths are likewise essentially necessary to be kept up at the posts, to make & mend the Indians arms and other implements; and what the Crown allows to be done for them in such articles, ought to be by an order from the Commanding Officer upon application from the Chieftain of the party that has any such work to do, which will give the former the more consequence and influence, and be considered by the latter a great piece of friendship and favor.

Presents ought to be given very cautiously and well timed, & seldom or never without some services or merit entitle an Indian to it, or real want and objects of poverty require it; for if presents are given without the above motives and considerations, the Indians will look upon which Gen] Frideaux found fault with. At the same time the Indians consisting of upwards of 1000 were the pilots, guides, and in a manner, guards to that expedition, continually scowring the woods with which our little army was surrounded, and sending scouts to the Westward wherefrom a reinforcement of French and Indians was expected, and in consequence gave Sr Willm Johnson all the intelligence he could desire of its approach and the disposition of the Indians, which he found was friendly; so that he had nothing or at least very little to fear from that quarter, & which the event manifested, and the suceess of that siege was in a great measure owing to the vigilance & dexterity of the Indians; and General Haldimands gallant action at Oswego in defeating a party of French and Indians commanded by the Chevr La Corne, of a much superior number to him and before he had time to make his Camp defensible. Had the French succeeded, the communication with our provisn would have been cut off, and in all probability the place must have been abandoned again. The conquest of Niagara at the same time was the means of the most consequential diversion in favor of General Wolf that campaign, which the most knowing people in Canada will allow; for it set the whole Colony in an alarm, disheartened the Canadian army at Quebec, as it was expected our army would make a descent that Fall, down the river St. Lawrence and take possession of Montreal, and General Levy was in consequence detached with a body of troops to proceed to Swegachy to oppose our descent, on which occasion he built Fort Levy afterwards Wm Augustus: So that General Montcalms army was much dispirited and weakened thereby, before he attacked Genl Wolf; the Canadians not engaging at all. After the conquest of Canada, the Indians in general were disregarded. The Tsinusio Inds had their priviledge of Niagara portage and other advantages taken from them, and having for many years entirely depended upon that for their support, they soon were reduced to a naked A starving condition, not having been accustomed to hunting from that time, besides their country being scarce of game. What added to their misfortune was, that in the Fall 1762 a Dutch Indian Trader was killed by a vagrant Indian from the Ohio, in their Country, and fled for it; for which murder the Commander in Chief demanded satisfaction from them, and they not capable to give it as required, hostile measures were put on foot against them. In this situation they saw themselves necessitated to call the Western Indians to their assistance; who being then unfriendly to us, thro' the instigation of the French traders about the upper Posts and some principal people at Montreal, readily accepted their messages, and in Spring 1763 by a well concerted plot, cut off all the posts beyond Niagara, except Detroit; which was happily discovered before executed, and the Tsinusio's cut off the communication to Niagara by land, and defeated a party of 100 men of the 80th Regt and thus brought on that destructive Indn War which cost so much blood & treasure before it could be settled again. Indians not easily forgetting injuries, the Tsinusio's still harbored ill will against those they ascribed their misfortunes and losses to, in reflecting upon their once happy days at Niagara, * could not be prevailed upon to attach themselves cordially to the British interes, till after the unwearied pains and endeavours of the late Sr. Willm Johnson they about 5 years ago declared themselves publicly at Johnson Hall firm friends and allies to the Crown of Great Britain, and have hitherto behaved as such.

it as a due, or some interested view in the giver, and it will answer very little purpose. If the Chiefs and principal men of each nation, have now and then a little favour shewn them, it will influence the whole & keep them well disposed, and a little refuse provisions given to those that really want it will have a good effect upon the rest.

Indian Affairs being carried on agreable to the above hints, may in all probability prove for the good of the service as by good usage and fair trade the Indians will become familiarized and attached to the troops and garrisons in their country, and consequently be solely under the direction of the Crown and thereby prevented from being tampered with and debauched by the Colonists, and the posts become a formidable frontier; a scheme the French so long wished and laboured for to bring about, in order to overawe the British Colonies, and which, after matter are brought to rights with the Colonies, may be serviceable to government upon the same footing the French intended it, in case of future disturbances, for which the Province of Quebec and its frontier garrisons are extreamly well calculated. As the rebels attempted to take the management of Indians in their hands, it will be a good reason to give to the Indians for putting the above plan in execution.

Dan: Claus

late Superint' of the Can" IndM

N. B. The Indian Nations to whom the above plan would rather be inconvenient, are the domesticks of the ProvTM of New York, viz' the Mohawks, some Oneidas & Susquehanna Indians, as the distance is too great for them to go to Niagara on private business to have their armours and smiths work done; and as they have always been indulged in that particular on account of their antient fidelity to the Crown, a person might be appointed to transact their business and satisfy them in that respect, under the direction of the General of the District, who being nearer that the Superintendat at Niagara.

Sir,

Lord George Germain to Governor Iryon.

[New-York Papers (S. P. O. ) CLXIX. ]

N° 9.

No 9.

By His Maji'' ship Bristol, I received your dispatches numbered from 22 to 27, and this day those numbered 28 and 29. have arrived in the mail of the New York packet.

When I had the honor to lay these dispatches before the King, His Majesty observed with great satisfaction the effusions of Loyalty and affection which break forth in the addresses of his faithful subjects upon their deliverance from the Tyrany and oppression of the Rebel Committees, & the proof given by the Inhabitants of King's County of their zeal for the success of his Majty's measures, by so generously contributing towards the expence of raising Col: Fanning's Battalion, was highly pleasing to the King, and cannot fail of recommending them to his Maj'' favour. Should their example be followed by the King's other loyal subjects, it must be productive of the best effects, and not only remove that reproach of lukewarmness in the cause of the Constitution, which I am sorry to say is but too generally cast upon them,

but have a great tendency to dash the hopes of the Rebels by convincing them, that Govern' has resources, even in America, for crushing their Rebellion; and for the greater encouragement of the King's faithful subjects to stand forth upon this great occasion, his Maj" is graciously pleased to authorize you to give assurances of grants of like portions of land to the non Commissioned Officers and private Soldiers of the corps which shall be raised in your Province, and continue in His Map*'' service during the war, as were given to His Maj'* Troops of the same Rank by the Proclamation of 1763.

The doubt entertained by the Officers of the Navy, of the competency of a Court of viceAdmiralty constituted at New-York, to condemn captures while the restraining act has its operation upon that Province, does not appear to me to be void of foundation, and I shall take an early opportunity of referring your letter and the clause you propose to His Majesty's principal Law servants, for their opinion of the necessity of enacting that, or a similar clause, in order to give legality to the proceedings of your Court.

Herewith is transmitted the names of the persons in this City whom I mentioned to have taken the Oath of fidelity and allegiance to His Maj" and his Govern', with a publication containing the declaration of its Inhabitants renouncing all authority to Congress and Committees.

I have also the honor of inclosing to Your Lord my letter to Gen Sir Wm Howe, accompanying the plan for the Establishment of the Provincial Corps, which is now under His Excelley consideration. From the nature of the service I shall be employed in, it is very probable I may not have opportunities of sending any Dispatches to your Lordp during the campaign; should therefore esteem it very expedient, that a Lieut Gov' should be on the spot to communicate to your Lordp the Civil transactions of the Province.

The happy success of the Detachment under Col: Bird1 at Pecks Kill, has been important and must greatly retard the operations of the Rebels.

I am with the greatest respect

My Lord,

Your Lord's most obed' and very humble serv'
Wm Tryon.

'Lieutenant-Colonel John Bird was commissioned Lieutenant in the 19th Foot on the 8th April, 1765, which regiment served in the expedition against Belleisle, in the Bay of Biscay, in 1761, and in July, of that year, Lieutenant Bird was promoted to a company; the regiment was afterwards in garrison at Gibraltar until 1769, when he was appointed to he Major, and served next in the British Islands until 1776, when he was promoted to b« Lieutenant-Colonel of the 16th regiment. He was killed at the battle of Germantown, 4th October, 1777. Biatson't Naval and Military Memoirt, VX, 85. — Ed. Vol. VIII. 89

N° 10.

Lord George Germain to Governor Tryon.

[New-York Papers (S. P. O.) CLXIX. ]

Whitehall. 2. April 1777.

Sir.

I have received by General Robertson,1 triplicates of your letters numbered 32, 33, and 34. and laid them before the King; but neither the originals or duplicates of Numbers 30 and 31. have come to hand.

The success which has attended your endeavours to unite the Inhabitants of New York in engagements to maintain the Constitution, and defend themselves against any attack of the Rebells, is at once a proof of your Zeal for the King's service, and of their conviction how entirely their happiness and security is connected with the maintenance of His Maj'' just rights, and a due subordination to the authority of the Supreme Legislature, and I shall be very happy to find their disavowal of the Acts of those, who call themselves the Representatives of the Province, has the good effect you hope for, in awakening the influence and exciting opposition to the arbitrary proceedings of that illegal Body.

It was a great pleasure to me to find by a dispatch I received from General Sir William Howe, at the same time with your's, that he intended accepting the offer you made of your service to command the loyal American levies, and I have the further satisfaction to acquaint you, that I have had the honor to signify to the General His Majesty's approbation of that intention.

I am ettc.

Geo: Germain.

1 Lieutenant-General JAMES ROBERTSON was appointed Major of the 1st battalion of the 60th or Royal American, in December, 1755, and in May, 1768, was appointed by General Abercromby Deputy Quarter-Master General of the army in North America. He accompanied the expedition against Louisbourg in 1758, as Quarter-Master General (Beatson's Naval and Military Memoirt, III., 178; Knox, L, 162, 189), and was promoted to be Lieutenant-Colonel in the army 8th July, 1768. In 1759 he accompanied Amherst up Lakes George and Champlain, in charge of the Quarter-Master's department, and on the 29th October of that year, was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 66th regiment. Wilson's MS. Orderly Book. In February, 1760, he exchanged into the 15th, which regiment formed part of the expedition against Martinico, in 1762, and returned to England in 1767, and in the following year Lieutenant-Colonel Robertson exchanged into the 16th, which remained in America. In 1772 he became Colonel in the army. In July, 1775, he was stationed at Boston (Journal of New-York Provincial Congress, I., 119); was appointed Major-General in America 1 January, 1776, and Colonel commanding 60th regiment 11 January following; when the army avacuated that city that year, "General Robertson, under an official cover, seems to have been as great a plunderer as any, and to have connived at the rascally conduct of smaller villains. He might possibly answer to himself for the part he was acting, by viewing what he secured as an equivalent for the many thousands he has out at interest and in property in the Colony of New-York and elsewhere, should the same be seized." * American Archives, V., 425. He accompanied the army under Howe to Staten Island, and commanded the 6th brigade in the engagement of the 1st August, and afterwards in the battle of Long Island, when he shortly after came to New-York city. He returned to England in February, 1777 (5 American Archives, IIL, 1317), and on 29 August of that year became Major-General in the army. On 14 May, 1778, he was appointed Colonel of the 16th regiment, and on 4th May, 1779, received a commission as Governor of New-York, and was accordingly sworn in on 23d March, 1780. New York Council Minutes, XXVI., 459, 473. He became Lieutenant-General 20 November, 1782; embarked at New-York for England on the 16th April, 1783, and died in 1788. Army Lists. - ED.