the Governour's boddy's, for I no sooner came into this province than Mons de la Barr desired my assistance to warr against the Sinnekes, upon which I went to Albany and sent for the fiue nacons to come to me, and when they came was very angry with them for offering to doe any thing to the French that might disturb their hunting, or otherwise, on which they answered me that they had not don anything to the French, but what Mons' de la Barr ordered them, which was that if they mett with any French hunting without his passe to take what they had from them, notwithstanding if any of their people which were abroad had don any injury they knew not of, they assured me they would give satisfaction. I send him word of all this, and assured him satisffaction, butt notwithstanding, he comes in a hostile manner on this side of the lake to a place called Kayonhaga, and there by the means of the Onnondages made a peace with the Sinnekes, so if they have committed any fault before that, it was all concluded there, but I appeal to any rational man whatever whether it was fitt for any Govern of Canada to treate or make any peace with his Majesty's subjects without the advice and knowledge of the Governour of the Provinc they lived under, butt I finde the designe to ruine those five nations (Since you cannot with bribes or other means gain them to be of your party), is of a longer date than three of foure yeares. since Monsr Denonuille follows the same steps his predecessors trod in, tho' he proposed to himselfe so fair a beginning, I am sure he will not make so good an end for no sooner was Mons' Denonuille in possession of his government butt he began to build a great many boates and cannoes, and putt a great deal of provisions and stores in the Cataraque at which our Indians on this side of the lake were much alarmed and came to me, to know the meaneing of itt. upon which I sent to you by the way of Mons Lamberville to know what you intended by all these preparations, your answer was, as Monsr Denonville may remember that the winters being long, and you resolving to have a good number of men at Cataraque, you accordingly made provision for them, and if I had not really believed what you writt to be true I might have bin in as much readynesse to have gone on the other side of the lake as Mons' de Nonuille was to come on this. Now sir, I will not answer your hayty way of expressions in your own stile butt will plainly let you know the matter of fact as it is; if Sr you [will] please to peruse those letters I from time to time sent you, you will find that I still couetted nothing more than to preserue that friendshipp which is between our masters, and aught to be between their subjects here, and as you well remarke, is according to their commands, and pray, Sir, which is itt of us both that hath taken the way to unty that knott of friendshipp-Mons de Nonuille invadeing the King of England's territorys, in a hostill manner, (tho' his reception has not been according to his expectation) is soe plaine a matter of fact that it is undenayable whether you did it designedly, to make a misunderstanding or noe, I cannot tell, if you did I hope itt will take noe effect butt that our masters at home notwithstanding all your trained souldiers and greate officers, come from Europe will suffer us poor planters and farmers, his Majesties subjects in these parts of America, to do ourselves justice on you for the injuryes and spoyle you have committed on them, and I assure you Sir if my master gives leave I will be as soon [with you] at Quebeck as you shall be att Albany. as for Major McGregorie and those others you took prisoners they had no passe from me to go to Missillimaquine butt a pass to go to the Ottowawas, where I thought it might bee as free for us to trade as for you, and as for giving them any commission or instructions to disturb your people I assure you do me wrong, and if you please to read his instructions you will find there I give express orders to the contrary and for your pretences to sixty yeares possession, 'tis impossible for they and the Indians who wear pipes thro' their noses, traded with Albany long before the French settled att Montreall, butt in case it weare as you alledge, which I have not the least reason to believe, you could only have prohibited their trading in that place and let them goe to some other nation It is verry true I offered you to leave the decision to our masters at home, in case of any difference, and pray Sir lett me know in what I in the least have acted to the contrary; you tell me I hindered the five nations on this side the lake, who have subjected themselues, their countrys, and conquests under the King of Eng land to go to you at Cattaraque: Itts very true I did so and thought itt very unjust in you to desire their comeing to you-for the King of England did not send me here to suffer you, to give laws to his subjects of this Government-you also alleage that I have given orders to those Indians to pillage and warr upon your people-sure Sir, you forgot what you desired of me; if you will please to reflect on one of your owne letters, in which you acquainted me, that many of your people run away into this Government, and desired that I would take and send back any should be found upon this side the lake without your passe, upon which I ordered those of Albany and also the Indians, to seize and secure all persons whatever, as well french as English, they should finde on this side of the lake without your pass or mine-truly Sir, I ought severely to be rebukt for this, itt having been the hindrance of many thousands of beavers comeing to Albany: further you blame me for hindring the Sinakees deliuering up the Ottawawa prisoners to you, this I did with good reason-for what pretence could you have to make your applications to them and not to me, neverthelesse I ordered Major McGregory to carry them to the Ottawaways and if your claim be only to Missilimaquina what cause had you to hinder Magregory to go to the Ottawawas What you alleage concerning my assisting the Sinnakees with arms, and amunition to warr against you, was neuer giuen by mee until the sixt of August last, when understanding of your unjust proceedings in invaeding the King, My Masters territorys, in a hostill manner, I then gave them powder lead and armes ; and united the five nations together to defend that part of our King's dominions from your injurious invasion. And as for offering them men in, that you doe me wrong, our men being all biusy then att their haruest, and I leave itt to your judgement whether there was any occasion when only foure hundred of them engaged with your whole army.-You tell me in case I assist the Indyans you will esteme me an ennemy to your colony-Sir, give me leave to lett you know, you are a farr greater ennemy to your Colony than I am, itt haueing always been my endevour to keepe those Indyans from warring with you, who in your protecting their enemys that have killed and Robbed them in their hunting and otherwise, and that not once but several times have given them great provocations, butt you have taken away to spill a great deale of Christian blood without gaining the point you aim att, and for you who have taken the King's subjects prisoners, in a time of peace and taken their goods from them without any just grounds for so doing, how can I expect butt that you will use them as you threaten; You say also in your letter, that the King of England has no right to the five nations on this side the lake. I would willingly know if so, whose subjects they are in your opinion, You tell me of your haueing had Missionaryes among them, itt is a very charitable act, but I suppose and am very well assured that giues no just right or title to the Government of the Country-Father Bryare writes to a Gent: there that the King of China never goes any where without two Jessuits with him I wonder why you make not the like pretence to that kingdome you also say you had many Missionaryes among them att my comeing to this Goverment, in that you have been missinformed for I never heard of any, butt the two Lamberuills who were at Onnondages, and were protected by me from the Insolencys of the Indians, as they desired of me, and as by letters in which they give me thanks appears, but when they understood your intentions they thought fit to goe without takeing leave: butt their sending there was as I afterwards found for some other end then propagating the Christian Religion as was apparent by some letters of theirs directed to Canada, which happened to come to my hands Now you have mist of your unjust pretentions-you are willing to refer all things to our Masters, I will endevour to protect his Majestys subjects here from your unjust inuasions until I hear from the King my Master who is the greatest and most glorious monarch that ever set on a Throne and would do as much to propagate the Christian faith as any Prince that liues and is as tender of wronging the subjects of any Potentate whatever, as he is of suffering his owne to be injured Itt is very true that I have eat a great deale of the bread of France and have in requittall complyed with my obligations in doing what I ought and would preferr the service of the French king before any, except my owne, and have a great deal of respect for all the people of quality, of your nation which engages me to aduise Mons' Denonuille to send home all the Christians and Indians prisoners the King of England's subjects you unjustly do deteine, this I thought fitt to answer to your reflecting and provoking letter. a true coppy. GOV. DONGAN TO THE LORD PRESIDENT. [Lond. Doc. V.] New York, Sept. 12, 1687. My Lord-Since writing my other Letter some messages have come to my hands from Albany of their apprehensions of the French, which obliges me to carry up thither two hundred men, besides the Garrison @ go and stay there this Winter, and to get together five or six hundred of the five nations about Albany @ Schonectade which will be a great charge but I see no remedy for it My Lord it is a great misfortune for this Goverm1 that there are so few of his Matys natural born subjects, the greater part being Dutch, who if occasion were, I fear would not be very fitt for service I am sending to the further Indians to try if I can make a Peace between them @ the Sennekes and also to the Christian Indians about Canada who have a mind to come, I will do what is possible for me to save the Government against the French til I have further orders from your Lodp Judge Palmer has more papers to show your Lodp that came from Albany, by those he carries with him your Lodp may perceive the grounds I have for my proceedings I am your Lodps most obedt and Humble Seryt Tuo DONGAN |