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.
Croghan to
Benjamin Franklin
(Lancaster, Oct. 2, 1767)
Croghan, George in: Peckham,
Croghan's Journal, 1769,
pp. 22-25.
SIR
I was favoured with your Letter of the 18th April & I return you my sincere thanks for the Notice you are pleased to take of my publick Transactions; And shall think myself happy if my (page 23) Conduct meets with the approbation of the Kings Minister.
I have been about three Months this Summer, at Sir William Johnson's, where we had several Conferences with the Six Nations and at every meeting they expressed great uneasiness that they Boundary between their Hunting Country and the midle British Colonies, was not confirmed, agreeable to the settlement of it, made above two Years agoe with Sir William Johnson, when they agreed to it, as they understood, it was desired by the King and wished for by themselves, with a view to prevent any further disputes between their Warriors and their Brethren the Kings Subjects; but at those Conferences, they said, that to their great surprise their Father the King, had taken no Notice of that Agreement, and that the English, on the Frontiers of the Colonies and in particular, on that of Virginia, have since that Agreement was formed, Made more incroachments on their Country, than ever they had before and had killed several of their Warriors, this last Spring (which unhappily is but two true). They complained likewise of the Regulations of Trade, in their Country, & said, that the Traders will not comply with them, (which indeed cannot be denyed) Nor can the General and Sir William Johnson oblige them to conform to the intentions of Government, without a proper authority from his Majesty, for that purpose. Everything that could with propriety be mentioned to them, was done by Sir William Johnson, but they appeared, as if they thought that all which was said to them, was intended only to amuse them &they declared plainly, that they could not believe, but if it had been the King's desire to prevent his Subjects from making Settlements, (page 24) in their Country, before it was purchased or killing their People, or preventing frauds and abuses in Trade, he would have done it before now, as he made laws to rule his People by; and that they dreaded the Consequence of not confirming that Boundary, as all the Western Tribes and Senecas, were as much or more concerned in it, than themselves, and that, those were the Tribes, who had lost several of their Warriors last Spring, on the Frontiers of Virginia & who they feared, then were meditating a method of taking revenge.
About the begining of September, several Letters were brought to Sir William Johnson & myself from the out Posts, acquainting us, with the great dissatisfaction of the several Tribes to the Westward and of the Senecas & informing us, that a Conference of the Warriors of the Senecas & twelve different Tribes of the Western Indians, was to be held this Fall, in the Shawnesse Country, which left us no room to doubt, of the design of this great Council. On which Sir William determined to go himself immediately into the Six Nation Country, & for me to proceed to the Shawnesse Towns and Detroit, by way of Fort Pitt, in order to divert them & divide their Councils, if possable, for a while.
On my way through this Province, I have received a Letter from the Commissary of Indian Affairs at Fort Pitt, confirming the Account of this great meeting in the Shawnesse country & that several Hundreds were already assembled there; you Sir are well acquainted with the Indians and their Customs & Manners. They are Jealous & revengefull, never forget and seldom forgive, where they think they are injured and a delay and neglect they cannot bear and often construe them, into design against themselves. Indeed: such is their opinion, at present, respecting this Boundary and the delays of Government, in not ordering it to be confirmed, That it must inevitably produce an Indian War, early next Spring or perhaps this Winter, unless Sir William Johnson and myself, should be able to divert it; For their Intentions are, I am convinced, to do themselves justice, by force of Arms, as they say, (page 25) they are agrieved and much slighted and deceived by us.
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