in our Presents. However, since they have withstood the Sollicitations of the French, as they engaged themselves to do by the Treaty at Lancaster, and as they have refused to receive any Presents from them in Proof of their Attachment to Us, at the same time intimating they would be pleased to receive some Testimony of our Regard; and as on their Admission to our Alliance the Deputies of the Six Nations candidly informed us tho' they were numerous and worthy of our Friendship yet they were poor,' we are of Opinion, considering the Service they may be of to us, and the large Addition which is made to the Trade of this Province by their means,' it may be prudent, and accordingly we have agreed to make them some small Present' at this time. "The Accounts from Andrew Montour, which have been laid before us by the Governor's Order are under our Consideration, and we think it reasonable to make him such allowance as shall appear a 'suitable Recompence for his Services.' The Esteem he is in with the Indians, the great Confidence they place in him, his Discretion and Residence at Ohio, are good Reasons for the Governor's recommending him to our Notice. Such a Person we judge must be of Use to influence their Conduct and keep them firmly attached to the British Interest. And as he is ready and willing to serve the Province to the utmost of his Power, he deserves to be encouraged, especially as the Indians of those Parts are not of the most 'prudent Behaviour, and at a Time when the French leave no Means unattempted to alienate their Affection from us, and exclude us from any Share of the Benefits of trading with them.' "Signed by Order of the House. "ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker. "15th August, 1750." At a Council held at Philadelphia, Saturday the 18th August, 1748. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov ernor. Robert Strettell, Thomas Hopkinson, Joseph Turner, Esqrs. The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approv'd. The Governor informed the Board that on receit of a Message from the House that the Flower Bill which was engross'd might be examin'd by some Members of Council, and that he would please to appoint the Time for their presenting it to him in order to be enacted into a Law, he had appointed Mr. Strettell and Mr. Peters to compare the Engross'd Bill with the Copy, and had likewise ordered the House to wait on him at eleven this morning; whereupon the Secretary was sent with a Message requiring their immediate Attendance. And the House attending accordingly, the Speaker presented to his Honour the Bill entitled a Supplementary Act to the Act intituled "An Act for preventing the Exportation of Bread and Flower not merchantable, and for the new Appointment of Officers to put the said Law in Execution;" which was enacted into a Law. Then the Speaker presented the Governor with an Order on the Treasury of Four Hundred Pounds for his Support, for which he return'd the House his Thanks. At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday, 19th September, 1750. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov ernor. Thomas Lawrence, Joseph Turner, William Logan, Samuel Hasell, The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approv'd. The Governor having received some Intelligence of Consequence relating to the Indians, in a Letter wrote to the Secretary by Cap' Trent, one of the Justices of Cumberland County, and partner with Mr. Croghan, the most considerable Indian Trader, which seems to be confirm'd by a Letter of the third Instant from Governor Clinton, both Letters were read and order'd to be enter'd: "Sir: A Letter to the Secretary from Capt. Trent. "LANCASTER, August 18th, 1750. "A few Days ago some of the Lowry's Hands came in from the Woods, they had a Frenchman in company who says he was a French Trader, and was put in Irons and confined for disobeying the Orders of the Commander of the Fort where he traded (the Fort lyes betwixt De Troit and the Pict's Country) by the Assistance of his Friends he made his Escape to the Picts that are in Friendship with us, some of which was for putting him to death for a Spy, others would have him sent back, and some were for delivering him to Lowry to be kept till the Man that killed his Brother and the Indian by setting Fire to the Powder was delivered. He's in Lowry's Possession now; he says that the French Traders complain'd to the Governor that the English Traders had bought all their Debts of the Indians, and that unless he prevented the Eng lish from trading so far back that they must quit the Trade; upon which the Governor ordered the Hatchet to be given to the French Indians to strike the English, which was done before he came away. He says that there was a great Number of Soldiers expected up from Canada, and that the White men taken from Carolina was taken by the French Nottawagoes or Wandotts, and was sent to Canada before he made his escape, who I suppose are now returned with the other Prisoners that came with Cap" Stoddard from Canada. The two Traders belonging to our Province that I wrote you as I was coming from Philadelphia last was taken, have sent a Letter home; there were taken by the Ottawawas and are sent to Canada; they write that they are well used, and are to be sent home in the Spring by way of New York; we have also an Account that thirty French Wandotts have killed fourteen White Men belonging to Carolina; I cannot assert it for Truth, tho' I am afraid it is too true. "I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant, "Sir: "WILLIAM TRENT." A Letter from Governor Clinton to Governer Hamilton. "I yesterday received the following Information from Coll. William Johnston, viz.: that Jean Ceur is sent with another Officer to Ohio River to bring that Body Indians over to the French (if possible) by any means, he having a large Quantity of very valuable Goods to distribute among them and all other Nations he passes thro'; And as you may have time enough to overset their Schemes by sending proper Persons to talk with the Indians, and acquaint them that they come as Spies. This Account he says may be depended on, for Arent Stephens, the Interpreter, who came lately from Oswego, saw and spoke with Jean Ceur, who made no Scruple to tell the Intent of his Journey. If the French should prevail on those Indians by their Presents the Five Nations must certainly submit, for which Reason I thought it for his Majestie's Service and the Safety of these Colonies to give you this Intelligence as soon as possible. "I am, with great Respect, Sir, "Your Honour's most obedient and very humble Servant, "FORT GEORGE, 3d September, 1750." And on mature Consideration of these and several other Matters which are come to the Governor's Knowledge since the Meeting of the Assembly by the Examination of the Traders, many of whom are now in Town, the Governor drew up the following Answer to Governor Clinton, which was approved, and it was likewise thought proper that the Southern Governments should be made acquainted with the unfavourable Change likely to happen very soon in the State of the Indian Affairs, to the end that they might concur in proper Measures to preserve the Friendship of the Indians at this nice Conjuncture : A Letter from Governor Hamilton to Governer Clinton. "Sir: "Your Excellency's Letter of the third Instant, imparting to me. Coll. Johnson's Intelligence of some French Officers going towards Ohio with a large Present for the Indians, was detained in the Post Office, or I would have done myself the Honour to have answered it sooner, especially as the Contents are of great Consequence and what I have had of late much under my Consideration. "The Indian Interpreter at Ohio was fortunately in Town when your Letter came to my Hands, and I dispatched him immediately with a Present to the Twightwees, which at my Instance had been provided by our Assembly; he came to deliver me a Message from the Indians at Ohio to all his Majestie's Governments, a Copy whereof I have enclosed, as also a Copy of a Message from the Twightwees, giving to understand that they had resisted the French Solicitations and Presents and would adhere to their new Allies; and if these Messages be duly considered, it cannot but be thought necessary that these Indians be suitably rewarded for their Attachment to us, because it must be obvious that if for want of due Encouragement Nations of such Importance should go from us, this would affect our Influence on all the other Indians, and might in the end totally destroy it. "You cannot be insensible that Numbers of the Six Nations have of late left their old Habitations and settled on the Branches of Mississippi, and are become more numerous there than in the Countries they left, at which both the French and the Council at Onondago are not a little alarmed, as it will give a remarkable Turn to Indian Affairs, and must draw the Attention of his Majestie's Governors into those more remote Parts. If my Information be true, and I have it from Persons of undoubted Credit, these Refugees of the Six Nations (if I may use the Term), the Shawonese and Delawares, with their new Allies the Owendaets and Twightwees, make a Body of Fifteen Hundred if not Two Thousand Men, and in my Opinion these different Nations are now upon the Ballance. If a prudent Management and seasonable Liberalty be exercised they may be retained in our Interest; But if no notice be taken of them, nor suitable Presents be made them, the French may justly reproach the Twightwees for their Defection, and they will cast these Reproaches on our Indians who perswaded them into our Alliance, and thereupon they may not only leave us themselves but draw off our Indians with them, and if we fall into these unhappy Circumstances 'tis not probable we shall retain the Six Nations at Onondago long, for when these are stripp'd of their Allies and of these Westward Indians, they will be despised, or to avoid Contempt go over to the French with the other Indians. "This I take to be a true Representation of the State of Indian Affairs; and it gives me much Concern that the Council at Onondago should not be able to retain their People among them, but by suffering their young Indians to go and settle in those distant Parts give Rise to a new Interest that in a little time must give them Law instead of taking it from them. But the thing is too plain to be concealed, and therefore his Majesty's Governors will do well to consider what is proper to be done on this new turn of Affairs. "This Province has chearfully been at a very considerable Expence to preserve these Indians, and was it in Ability might continue to do so, but they grow too numerous for any single Colony; it is therefore become expedient that this Matter should be fully set forth, and as I have taken the Freedom to place it in what appears to me to be the true Light to your Excellency, I shall likewise do the same to the Governors of Virginia and Maryland, in hopes that something may be done to frustrate the Effects of the Indefatigable Pains the French are taking in that Quarter. "I am, with great Respect, Sir, "Your Excellency's most obedient humble Servant, "PHILADELPHIA, 20th September, 1750." At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday, the 3d October, 1750. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor. Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, Esquires. The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv'd. The Returns of Sheriffs and Coroners for the four Counties of the Province were read, and the Commissions order'd to be made out for the following Persons: A Letter from Governor Clinton, with his Message to his Assembly, and their Answer on the Subject of the Governor's Letter to him, entered in the last minute of Council, were read and order'd to be enter'd: |