against France in Endeavouring to take their Alleys from 'em. I will not however refuse my Mediation to you to bring the Abenakis Indians & their Allies to Peace on Condition Exprest in this Letter which are Conformable to the Mind of those Indians whom (between us) have given you no just Cause to Declare war to 'em. As to the Cruelty Committed by your Order on the Person of ffather Rallé I leave to the two Crowns to Decide of the Justice or punishment that is to be made; having been Obliged to give an Accompt of it to the King my Master. Quebec 8ber ye 29 1724 9 ber ye 10 I am Sir Your most humble & Directed to the Governour of BOSTON. Copy Examined J. Willard Secry. [Paper 16.] INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR CANADA. AT a Great and General Court or Assembly for his Majestys province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England-held at Boston upon Wednesday the Eleventh of November 1724. Novbr 25th 1725. The following Vote pass'd both Houses respecting a Message to be sent to Monsieur Vaudreuil Gov' of Canada - Viz. RESOLVED that his Hon' the L Governour be desired in the name of this General Court by an express earnestly to move his Excellency Gov' Burnet to appoint and order a Suitable Person of his Government to Joyn with any person or persons that may be Appointed here to repair to Mons' Vaudreuil Gov of Canada, and there demand all and every of his Majestys Subjects that have been Captivated by the Indian Enemy & carried into & Detained in any part of his Government and likewise demand that the said Governour Vaudreuil withdraw the Countenance & Assistance which in Violation of the Treaty of Utrecht & contrary to the friendship and Alliance between the Two Crowns he has given to the said Indians in the prosecution of their Unjust War against his Majestys Subjects of these Colonys, Otherwise of our Friend Indians who have with difficulty been restrained, should in pursuit of the Enemy Indians Commit like Hostilitys upon the French Familys who dwell promiscuously with them. as have been by the French Indians Committed upon the Inhabitants of this province, The Blame will be entirely owing to his own Conduct, and likewise inform him that if the Indians shall still persist in the war against us the several English Governments will find themselves Obliged with their United Forces by the help of God to prosecute and pursue them to the Uttermost And that his Hon' the L Govern' be also desired in the Name of this Court by the Same Express to move the Honble Governour Talcot & the Government of Connecticut, that they would Joyn a Commissioner in the Affair above as also the Governments of Rhoad Island & New Hampshire to Joyn a Commissioner from each Government in the Same Affair Copy Examined J Willard Secry. Decbr 25th 1724. In the House of Representatives. Voted that his Hon' the Lieuten' Governour be desired to send Commissioners on the Message to Canada already agreed on although the Neighbouring Governments do not Joyn them. And that some Suitable person or persons be accordingly Chosen. by the Court before they rise, And that Mr Speaker Mr Wainwright & Col° Chandler & M1 Cushing with such as the Honble Board shall Joyn be a Committee to draw some proper heads or Articles of Instructions for the said Commissioners, And to sit forthwith and make report of their Doings. In Council Read and Concur'd, And that Col Fitch & Col Tailer & Col° Thaxter be Joined in the Affair above. Copy Examined J Willard Secry. Decbr 23d 1724. Voted in both Houses that his Hon' the Lieutenant Govern' be Desired to give the following Instructions to the Commissioners to be Chosen and sent to Canada Viz. That the said Commissioners proceed with all Convenient Dispatch to Albany & from thence to Mons Vaudreuil Governour of Canada or the Governour for the time being of that Country & deliver to him the several Letters to him Directed. That they demand all and every of his Majestys Subjects that have been Captivated by the Indian Enemy and Carried into & detained in any part of his Government. That they Remonstrate to the said French Governour his unjust Treatment of this Government in the Countenance and Assistance which in Viola tion of the Treaty of Utrecht & contrary to the Friendship and Alliance between the Two Crowns he has given to the said Indians in the prosecution of this present War, And that they peremptorily insist on his withdrawing his Countenance and assistance from the said Indians for the future. Otherwise to observe to him, That if our friend Indians should in pursuit of the Enemy Commit like Hostilities upon the French Families who dwell promiscuously with them, as have been by some of the French Indians Committed upon the Inhabitants of this province the Blame will be entirely owing to his own Conduct. And if hereupon the French Governour in behalf of the Indians or the said Indians for themselves should make any Overtures for putting an end to the War, the Commissioners give for answer, that although they have neither powers nor Instructions to conclude or enter into any Treaty, Yet if the Indians or a number of their Chiefs full Authorized are desirous to Treat with this Government in order to make an Exchange of all prisoners and Captives on both sides, and a Just, Safe and lasting peace And for this End will repair to Boston or Portsmouth in the province of New Hampshire They shall have safe Conduct thither and back again and the Commissioners shall give passports accordingly. Examined J Willard Secry. [Paper 17.] JOURNAL OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO CANADA. Conformable to our Commission and Instructions from the Honorable WILLIAM DUMMER Esq' Lieutenant Governour and Commander in Chief of His Majestys Province of the Massachusetts Bay We departed the Twentieth day of January 1724 and Arrived at Albany on the Twentieighth day of the Said Month And after having Agreed with five Macuas, and five Scatacook Indians, to go with and Assist us on our Journey to Mont Real, and provided all things necessary, We Set out from Saratoga 40 miles above Albany, the Eighth day of February finding Ice in the River, and on Wood Creek so called until we came near the little falls, where that Creek Empties it Self into the drowned Lands; and Concluding the Lake to be open, we lay Still four days, and made three Cano's, and on the Sixteenth day of February we Set out drawing all our Provisions and other things on Sleds on the drowned Lands until we came to the Crown Point which was on the Eighteenth day of S month, And we went one small days Travel further and then made a wooden Cannou Still Concluding the Lake was open but Extream Cold weather coming on, and our provisions being almost Spent by the Indians we dismis'd them all but two and left our Cannous behind, and set out by Land on the 22d of February and after many difficulties and hardships We arrived at Chambly on the 28th day of the said month where having first obtained permission to go to Mont Real We Arrived there the Second day of March, and waited on the Governour General Mons' Vaudreuil (who happened to get there the day before us) and Delivered him. |