THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Minutes of the Provincial
Council of Pennsylvania
(Indian Conferences:
Lancaster, Aug. 1762)
(Due to length divided here into three parts)
In: Pennsylvania Colonial
Docs., vol. 8,
pp. 721-741.
pp. 729, 730, 731, 732, 733.
(page 729) & was now glad to see them; that he would do every thing in his power, during their stay here, to render their Situation easy & agreeable to them, and would give strict Orders that no Rum should be sold to them; that the Field where the Delawares were encamped, being too small to accommodate them, he had pitched on a place which he judged most convenient, where Cabbins had been built by his order for their reception, at a considerable Expence of Time and Money, which he hoped they would be well pleased with; but if, on Tryal, they should still be dissatisfied with that Situation, he would remove them where they thought most proper; and that when they had rested themselves, after the fatigues of the long Journey they had come, he would speak to them, and give them sufficient Notice of the time, that they might be prepared to meet him in Council. They were refreshed with a Draught of Beer, and then took their Leaves, and departed.
At a Conference with the Indians, held at Lancaster on Saturd
________ay the 14th of August, 1762.
Present.
The Honourable James Hamilton, Esqr., Lieutent Governor, & ca.
|
|
William Logan, |
Richard Peters, |
Esqrs, of the Council |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joseph Fox, |
John Morton, |
Esqrs, of the Assembly, &ca. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Western Indians, as before. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kinderuntie, or
the Garr, |
|
Senecas. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tokahaion, |
Cayugas. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diohaguaande, |
|
Onondagoes. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas King, |
Oneidas. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ganigal, |
|
Tuscaroras. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Teedyuscung, |
|
Delawares. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ullauckquam, or
Rob. White, |
|
Nantycokes and Conoys. |
|
A List of the Northern Indians, including Men, Women, and Children, at the Treaty at Lancaster, August 1762.
|
|
Oneidas, |
|
Senecas, |
97. |
|
|
|
Onondagoes, |
|
Cayugas, & |
|
|
|
|
Tuscaroras, |
156. |
Saponys, & |
128. |
|
|
|
Nanticokes, |
|
a Mixture of |
|
|
|
|
Conoys, |
|
Shawanese & Munseys |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Teedyuscung, and the Delawares with him, |
176. In all, 557. |
|||
The Governor sent a Message to the Six Nations, & those that came along with them, to acquaint them that he was going into Conference with the Western Nations, at which they might be present if they pleased; and on their coming in & taking their Seats, the Governor spoke to the Western Indians as follows:
Brethren:
The Delawares, Shawanese, Twighttwees, Wawachtamies, Tuscaroras, and Kickapoes.
I return you thanks for your Speeches of Yesterday, which were very agreeable to me; and I shall now give you an answer to such parts therof as require one.
Brethren:
Before I take notice of what you said Yesterday, let me remind you of the strict Friendship which was established with your Forefathers by our old Proprietor, William Penn, on his first arrival in this Country, & how happily it subsisted between them and their Children, till the troubles which unfortunately broke out some Years ago, and stopt up the Road between us; The many Messages which we have since, from time to time, sent you by Frederick Post and Teedyuscung, and the great Pains we have taken to drive away the evil Spirit, plainly show how sincerely we have been disposed to renew that Friendship.
Brethren:
You acquainted me that after receiving our first Message about Peace, which was about four Years ago, you made it known to all the Indian Nations on this side, and over the Lakes, who were glad to hear the good News, and as we desired you to deliver up our Flesh & Blood, you say that you have, from time to time, delivered up many at Fort Pitt to the Commanding Officer, and to Mr. Crogan, and that you have now brought in a few, which you delivered to me Yesterday. You likewise say you have yet others in your Possession, & that some of them chuse to live with you; but you made no doubt of their coming to us, some time hence, as we live better than the Indians.
Brethren:
For the Prisoners that you have delivered at Fort Pitt, as well as for those you have now brought along with you, and delivered to me, I return you my hearty thanks; but you must remember that on reestablishing and renewing the ancient Chain of Friendship with us, you repeatedly engaged to deliver us all our Flesh and Blood, which you have taken from us by the instigation of the Evil Spirit. On these assurances and engagements we have relied, and as we cannot enjoy the blessings we expected from that peace, till the parents and relations of those prisoners have them restored to them, I must insist on your taking every measure in your power to deliver them up, agreeable to your Engagements, which will be the only means of strengthening and establishing a lasting peace to us and our Children yet unborn.
A large Belt of 13 Rows.
Brethren:
You Yesterday, by this Belt, said you would join with me in dispersing the dark Clouds which have for some time hung over our head; and desired I would join with you, in hearty endeavours to prevent any more Clouds from rising, or if they should chance to rise, from coming to an Head.
Brethren:
God, who made all things, has given us Eyes to see and Tongues to speak to each other, freely and openly; and I assure You if I should see any little Clouds arise, at never so great a distance, I will take every measure in my power to prevent their encreasing & communicate it to you forthwith; and if you do the same to me at all times, it will prevent any Clouds from gathering to an head, so as to disturb the Public Peace & Tranquility, which have been lately so happily established between us.
A Belt of Seven Rows.
Brethren:
It gave me great satisfaction Yesterday, to hear you declare your Intentions to keep open the Council Road between your Na- (page 732) tion & us. As a small Interruption on that Communication may be attended with dangerous Consequences to us both, I heartily join with you in keeping the Road open & perfectly clear from Obstructions, for our mutual use and advantage.
I likewise take it kind in you to heap up dry Wood on our Council Fire, and I, on my part, shall still add more Wood to it, that the smoke therof may be seen by the most distant Nations of Indians, to the sun setting, that are in Friendship with his Majesty's Subjects.
A Belt of 9 Rows.
Brethren:
Yesterday you shewed me a Belt with the figures of three men in it, which you say you received from Sir William Johnson, last fall, at the Conference he held with all the Western Nations of Indians at Fort Detroit, repeating what he said to you on it, all which Transactions there I am acquainted with, by Sir William Johnson, who, as His Majesty's Superintendent of Indian Affairs, did then renew the ancient Covenant Chain of Friendship, in behalf of all His Majesty's Subjects, with all those Western Nations of Indians. You say further, that since you received that Covenant Belt, you laid it close to your Heart; and by this Belt you assure me that you, and all the Western Nations, are determined to adhere strictly to that Treaty and renewal of Friendship; and desire me to be strong & hold it fast.
Brethren:
You must remember that you then not only promised Sir William Johnson to deliver up all our Flesh and Blood who were prisoners in your several Towns and Countries, But that this promise was an express Condition of that Treaty, made between him and you. This matter lies so near to my Heart that I should not act as your true and sincere friend, if I did not speak with the greatest freedom & plainess to you about it, and tell you again that it is impossible we can look upon you as our Brethren, if you detain from us our Flesh and Blood; we cannot sleep quietly in our Beds till we see them all; our very Dreams are disturbed on their account; we demand of you nothing more than the right which God and Nature has given us.
If we had among us ever so few of your Children, would you think that any professions of friendship we could make to you were sincere, if we withheld them from you but for one Day? Your Brother Teedyuscung, may remember that at our first confering with him, at Easton, we had then one of your people in prison, and he thought it so grievous a thing, that he told us he could not speak freely to us, & should look upon what we said as coming from not our Hearts, but from our Mouths only, until the said prisoner was restored to him, which was immediately done. Can you then delay doing us that Justice which you yourselves expected & received (page 733) from us? We do not well understand you meaning, when you say some of the prisoners chuse to live with you. If you intend it as a reason for not delivering them up, till they consent to come, we must inform you that we cannot admit of it. They were born Subjects of our Great King, & as such he had a right to demand them. You have, it is true, by the delivery of some of the Prisoners, performed your Agreement in part, but as we know, and you acknowledge, there are a great many yet behind, we now insist positively, that you do not fail, immediately on your return, to collect every one that remains among you, & deliver them up to us. Relying, therefore, on your honesty, & that you will faithfully comply with an engagement you have so solemnly made with us, I do, by this Belt, in behalf of all his Majesty's Subjects of this Province, lay hold of that Covenant Belt, and will keep it fast, that we, our Children & Grand Children, may long enjoy the blessings of Peace, and live together as Brethren till they are old men.
A Belt of 15 Rows.
Brethren:
I thank you for the kind entertainment which you always give to any of our people who live with you, or come among you. I am persuaded that such of you who have either lived or come amongst us occasionally, have always found that we received & treated them with the same kindness that we used to do. We are Brethren, & while we live & love like Brethren, we shall be sure to give one another a Share of what we have.
A Belt.
Return
to TOC, p. 15
Continue
to next part of Miami Collection
[return to Miami
Collection Menu]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology List of Publications]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology Home]
Last updated: 20
January 2001
URL: http://www.gbl.indiana.edu/home.html
Comments: webmaster@www.gbl.indiana.edu
Copyright 1996, Glenn Black Laboratory of Archaeology and The Trustees of Indiana University