A Letter from Governor Clinton to Governor Hamilton. "S": "Your Favour of 20th Instant I received by the Post, which I communicated to his Majesty's Council of this Province, and (by their Advice) laid it before the General Assembly, from whose Sentiments on the Contents you will form a better Judgment on perusing the enclosed Papers than by my relating them to you. "I am, Sir, Your Honour's "Most obedient and very humble Servant, "G. CLINTON. "FORT GEORGE, in New York, October 1st, 1750." A Message from Governor Clinton to his Assembly. "Gentlemen: "I have received by the last post a letter from Governor Hamilton, a copy of which, together with copies of some papers enclosed in said letter, I now send to you, with an extract from a letter to me from Coll. Johnson. "From all of them you will perceive how necessary it is for you to enable me without delay to secure the fidelity of the Indian Nations in alliance with the British Colonies, and to remove the jealousies which have been artfully infused into their minds by the French of Canada, by granting the Supplies necessary for these purposes. I must, therefore, earnestly recommend to you to take this matter into your serious deliberation, that the mischiefs which threaten all the Colonies in North America may be prevented before it become too late. You will perceive from Mr. Hamilton's Letter that the Government of Pennsylvania expects that we will join in bearing part of the expence of securing the fidelity of the Indians on Ohio River. "I cannot give any proper answer to his letter till I know your resolutions whether you will contribute to that expence. "G. CLINTON. "FORT GEORGE, in the City of New York, 25 September, 1750. The Address of the General Assembly of New York to Governor Clinton. "To his Excellency The Honourable GEORGE CLINTON, Capt General and Governor-in-Chief of the Colony of New York and Territories thereon depending in America, Vice Admiral of the same, and Admiral of the White Squadron of his Majesty's Fleet, "The humble Address of the General Assembly of the said Colony. "May it please your Excellency: "We, his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects the General VOL. V.-30. Assembly of the Colony of New York, have with all due attention considered your Excellency's Message of the twenty-fifth instant, the copy of Governor Hamilton's letter of the 20th instant, the extract of Coll. Johnston's letter of the 18th of Angust last, and the other papers therewith communicated to us touching the present State of Indian Affairs, and humbly beg leave to represent to your Excellency that the People of this Colony have in all times past exerted their utmost Efforts, at a very great annual expence, to secure and retain the Indian Nations in the British Interest, and are still willing to contribute according to their abilities towards preserving the Five Nations (on whom many other great and numerous Nations depend) in their attachment to his Majesty; But humbly beg leave to observe to your Excellency that we have been put to an almost insupportable Expence (not unknown to your Excellency) during the late War to secure our Frontiers against the Incursions of the common Eenemy, to which by our Situation we were continually exposed. By this means, Sir, all our publick Fund are exhausted, and a debt of many thousand Pounds incurred, which remains still unpaid; in these circumstances Your Excellency must be sensible that we are at present in no condition to comply with Governor Hamilton's Proposals; and must further beg leave to observe to your Excellency, that as in the late War we in defending our own Frontiers which lye between the Enemy and our neighbouring Colonies to the Westward, did in a great Measure, without any Contribution of Assistance from them, secure their Inhabitants from all that Desolation, Blood, Rapine, and Captivity, to which Numbers of poor People of this Colony were then exposed, So we conceive it just and reasonable that they should now at their own Expence secure the Fidelity of those Indian Nations who are seated much nearer to them than to us-a work of far less difficulty, expence, and hazard than what we, by our Situation, ever have and ever must, whilst the French are Masters of Canada, continue to be expos'd to. And this we beg your Excellency will be pleased to represent to Governor Hamilton and the other Governors of his Majesty's Colonies to the Westward. "From the Intelligence Coll. Johnson gives your Excellency in his letter of the 18th of August last, it appears to us necessary that your Excellency should without delay meet our Five Nations of Indians, in order to dispell and remove all the Jealousies which the French Emissaries have artfully infused into them to the prejudice of his Majesty's Interest among them, and, if possible, to prevent any Defection among these Nations. And if your Excellency is of the same opinion, we will immediately enable you to make them a suitable Present on this occasion, and will make the usual Provision for the Expence of your Excellency's Voyage to Albany. "By order of the General Assembly. "DAVID JONES, Speaker. "Assembly Chamber, in the City of New York, 27th of Septem ber, 1750." A Letter from Mr. Weiser, dated the thirtieth of September to the Secretary, was likewise read and order'd to be enter❜d: "Sir: "BETHLEHEM, in Bucks County, September the 30, 1750. "By these few lines I let you know that I am safely returned on my Journey from Onondago to this place last night, and hope to find my family in perfect health by to-morrow. I wish I could inform you by these lines of a great deal of agreeable news, but I cannot. Our Friend Canassetego was buried to day before I came to Onondago, and Solconwanaghly, our other good friend, died some time before. He that is on the head of affairs now is a proffessed Roman Catholick, and altogether devoted to the French. The French priests have made a hundred Converts of the Onondagers, that is to say Men, Women, and Children, and they are all cloathed and walk in the finest Cloathes, dressed with Silver and Gold, and I believe that the English Interest among the Six Nations can be of no consideration any more. The Indians speak with contempt of the New Yorkers and Albany People, and much the same of the rest of the English Colonies. I conclude and desire you will mention my humble respects to his Honour our Governor. I am, "Sir, your very obedient "CONRAD WEISER. "P. S.-Within a few days I will send you a Copy of my Journal, where you will see my Proceedings." The Secretary is ordered to write to Mr. Weiser to send his Journal with all possible expedition, and to attend here the day before the Meeting of the Assembly in order to give the proper Information about the State of Indian Affairs. At a Council held at Philadelphia, Saturday the 6th of October, 1750. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov ernor. Thomas Lawrence, William Till, The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved. On reading the Returns of Sheriffs and Coroners made for the County of Cumberland, and of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, the following Persons were commissionated: Hans Hamilton, Esquire, Sheriff of York County, instead of a Return presented a Petition wherein he set forth in substance as follows, that he was drove by violence from the Place of Election, and by the same violence was prevented from returning there, whereby it was not in his power to preside and do his duty, and therefore could make no return; and as he with sundry Persons were attending to make good these Allegations, they were called in and examined, but the time not permitting to finish them the Council was adjourned till Monday. At a Council held at Philadelphia, Monday the 8th of October, 1750. PRESENT: The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esqr., Lieutenant Gov ernor. Thomas Hopkinson, Richard Peters, Esquires. The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approv'd. The Examination of Witnesses in Support of Hans Hamilton's Petition was resumed, and when finished it was unanimously agreed that it was not owing to Hans Hamilton that the Election was obstructed; and likewise that he could not in his Circumstances, as proved by the Witnesses, make a Return. The Governor therefore granted a Commission to him to be Sheriff during his Pleasure. A Petition of the Trespassers in the Big Cove was read as follows: "To the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Pennsylvania and Territories thereunto belonging, "The Petition of Us, Underscribers, Inhabitants of the Great Cove in Cumberland County, humbly sheweth: "We are exceedingly sorry, as well we may, that any part of that letter sent from the Great Cove to the Magistrates of this County should have given your Honour any Umbrage to suspect we would desire to get rid of being under the Government of this Province, and forcibly to maintain the Possession of these Lands on which we at present live in opposition to your Authority. It is and always hath been our strong inclination to enjoy the Privileges of the Government of Pennsylvania above those of any other of his Majestie's Colonies in America. We never did directly or indi. rectly apply to Maryland for a Right to said Land; and should any thing in said Letter seem to insinuate as if we had a mind to do so, or should any of our inconsiderate or even guilty expressions be reported to you, we hope you will not interpret these things to our ruin, but in mercy forgive them, for your Honour may know what extremes People of weak Policy when they see they're all in danger may be guilty of. "Yet suffer us to inform your Honour notwithstanding of what was done by Us before the Secretary when perplexed and confounded, that the most of us did not take up said Land in opposition to the authority of a Governor's Proclamation, but after we were informed some in Power did permit if not grant Liberty to settle said Land with honest men; yet by this we would not be understood as if we would oppose what proceedings your Honour might judge necessary for the Safety or Interest of the Province with regard to us. No, in this we resolve to be entirely at your Disposal, or that of any you may appoint. "We humbly and earnestly beg, if consistent with the great Designs of your Government, you would permit us yet longer to cultivate these Lands for the Support of our Families. "But if this cannot be granted that you would interpose with the Proprietors for our obtaining a Right to these Plantations, on which we at present live, when said Land shall be purchased from the Indians, we paying what is due to the Proprietor, and recommend it to the Secretary to be active for Us, on whose mercy we would, notwithstanding of all our folly, depend much; "And the Blessing of many, who will otherwise be reduced to pinching distressing Difficulties, shall come upon your Honour. "ROB. SMITH, "ROGER MURFEY, "JOHN JAMISON, "SAMUEL BROWN, "Septm y 27th, 1750." "JAMES CAMPBELL, "JAMES DOWNEY, "ALEXANDER MCCONNELL, "CHARLES STEWART, "JOHN MARTIN. Agreed that in case the Petitioners should presume to continue after the Expiration of the time limited in their respective Recognizances and Bonds they should be prosecuted. |