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.
An Extract of the Examination
of Four English Traders
(June 19, 1751)
In: Craig, Neville B., Esq.,
ed., The
Olden Time, Vol. II, pp. 1,
(Title), 180-187.
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pp. |
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OLDEN TIME ;
A MONTHLY PUBLICATION
DEVOTED TO THE
PRESERVATION OF DOCUMENTS
AND OTHER
AUTHENTIC INFORMATION
IN RELATION TO
THE EARLY EXPLORATIONS
AND THE
Settlement and Improvement of the Country
AROUND
THE HEAD OF THE OHIO
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VOL. II
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CEL. Well, the beginning- that
is dead and buried
* * * * * * * * * *
CEL. I could match this beginning with an old tale
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SHAKSPEARE |
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EDITED BY NEVILLE B. CRAIG, ESQ.
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PITTSBURGH
PRINTED BY WRIGHT & CHARLTON, N. E. CORNER OF
THE DIAMOND
1848
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CINCINNATI
REPRINTED BY ROBERT CLARKE & CO
1876
(page 180) take measures so contrary to the stipulations of the treaties of Utrecht and Aix-la-Chapelle; and to the design of that commission which is settled at Paris.
The King is pleased to repeat here, that should any of his officers make any attempt of that kind, when there is no necessity to repel force by force, his Majesty would not hesitate to make a public example of them. He has renewed his orders to them on that head in such a manner, that they will not infringe them: It may be also depended upon, that in their correspondence with the British officers, they will never make use of such declamations, as could not be approved of, even in the smartest war. The style of the letter which Governor Cornwallis sent to M. de la Jonquiere, dated Halifax, May the 5th, O. S., we leave to his Majesty to judge of.
We shall conclude with this observation: When M. de la Jonquiere had received orders from his most Christian Majesty, for an exchange of prisoners last winter, he sent, without delay, all those who were in his custody, to an English officer belonging to the province of New York; and gave the strictest orders throughout his government, that the readiest methods might be taken for the redemption of such English prisoners as were in the custody of the Indian nations. This he did, without waiting for securities, which he had a right to demand from the English Governors. By this the English Ministry may see the good dispositions of the French Governor, as also what orders were given him, relating to every thing that might tend to a union between the two nations.
The English Governors, it is to be hoped, have been as diligent and faithful in sending home the French prisoners; the English Court, no doubt, will be ready, whatever happens, to renew their orders to the said Governors, to prevent all future complaints on that head.
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NUMBER V.
An extract of the examination of four English traders, who were arrested on the territories of France.1
On the 19th day of June, 1751, in the forenoon, before us, the Marquis de la Jonquiere, Knight of the Royal and Military order of Saint Lewis, Admiral and Lieutenant Governor of all New France, Isle Royal, and the territories of Louisiana; as also in the presence of Baron de Longueuil, Governor of the city and province of Montreal, and M. Varin, a director of affairs in the city aforesaid, at a council held in the castle of Vaudreuil, the place of our abode, in Montreal aforesaid.
Personally appeared four Englishmen, &c., having with us Daniel Joseph Maddox, an English interpreter, duly sworn, and in the King's pay, to serve us in the said quality, to interpret whatever questions and answer might be made between us and the Englishmen aforesaid, who we examined separately, as follows:
The third Englishman appearing before us, we gave him to understand, by the interpretation of said Maddox, that he must be qualified to answer us truly, whatever questions we should ask him, to which he readily agreed, &c.
Being asked his name, &c.
He answered, that his name was Thomas Burk, aged twenty-three, a traveller, a native of Cork, in Ireland, and now an inhabitant of Lancaster in the province of Pennsylvania.
He was examined on the first question, which was read to him word for word.
To which he answered, that he had left Ireland almost eight years; that it was scarce ten months since he left the Susquehanna, that he was hired by John Martin, an Englishman, who traded at the Ohio; that he set out with two other hired servants, in order to trade near Otsandosket, and from thence intended to return to Lancaster.
He was examined on the third question, which was read to him word for word.
To which he answered, he had no other company with him than the two aforesaid Englishmen; that his effects, including his horses, might be valued at fifteen hundred livres, but he had left them all at a small river, about two leagues from where the Rev. Father de la Richardie had wintered, in the care of two Englishmen, who as soon as they had heard that warrants were issued out to take them, had left all and fled; that the aforesaid goods were the property of the said Martin, he having bought them of two different merchants of Philadelphia, the name of one he remembered was Shippen; that he had a license from the Governor of Pennsylvania, but had left it at said river with his effects.
He was examined on the eighth question, &c.
To which he answered, that he had heard of M. de Celeron being at the Ohio, as also of the letter he had written to the Governor of Pennsylvania; that it was intrusted to the hired servants belonging to George Croghan, the chief interpreter, but he could not tell if it had ever been delivered.
Then was read before the said Thomas Burk, the whole examination, and his answers, &c.
The fourth Englishman then appeared before us, who being qualified, &c.
We required him to tell his name, surname, his age, &c.
He answered, that his name was John Patten, aged twenty-six years, an Indian trader, a native and inhabitant of Wilmington, in the province of Pennsylvania.
He was examined on the first question, which was read to him word for word.
To which he answered, that he had left Wilmington, the 24th of last August, O. S., that he set out in order to trade with some Miami Indians (page 185) who are settled on Rock River, about thirty leagues, as near as he could guess from the Miamis fort.
He was examined on the second question, which was read to him word for word.
To which he answered, that he had with him two hired servants, and that he was in company with an English trader who had five more; that they all came together to Rock River, at which place they found upwards of fifty traders, including servants, lodging in cabins belonging to the Miamis Indians, that the name of their chief was La Demoiselle; that those cabins were in a fort; that the value of his goods amounted to about seven thousand livres; that he had provided himself at setting out with a license from the Governor of Pennsylvania,2 for which he had paid a pistole, which license he had left with the abovesaid Miamis Indians, shut up in a little box of his in his cabin.
He was examined on the third question, which was read to him word for word.
To which he answered, that he had sold some goods to the Indians who are settled on the Ohio, Rock River, and other adjacent parts; that it was the first time of his coming to Rock River; and the only way he used to trade with the Indians, was by shewing them his goods, and agreeing with them as to the price; but that he had never undervalued the French goods.
He was examined on the fourth question, which was read to him word for word.
To which he answered; he had only heard that the Governor of Pennsylvania had intrusted George Croghan, the head Indian Interpreter, with goods to the value of a thousand pistoles; and that he went up and down the woods with the said Montour, a French Canadian, in order to distribute the said goods among the Indians who are settled on the Ohio, Rock River, and particularly the Miamis Indians, and further saith not; he denied knowing any Indian language.
He was asked if he had not been arrested in the Miamis fort, by order of M. de Villiers, commander of the said fort, and was it not with intention to trade that he went there?
To which he answered, that the Indians telling him the French were desirous to see him, was the reason of his going to that fort; that he was greatly surprised to see himself arrested therein; that he had occasion to buy in said fort, muskets and some tobacco, and had taken with him five silk caps, one piece of coarse holland, and twelve silk handkerchiefs, for that purpose, and that all had been seized by the said M. de Villiers, as (page 186) also his horse; that his boots and portmanteau, wherein his clothes were had been left in an Indians cabin, and were to have been sent to him at Detroit, but he never had any tidings of them since; that another horse had also been taken from him, whereon was an Indian who was his guide.
He was asked whether (at the time he had proposed to go to the French fort at Miamis) presents had not been made either by him or any other person, to the Indians who are settled on the Ohio, and Rock River, in order to obtain their assistance against the French, in case they should attack them.
He answered entirely in the negative to everything contained in the aforesaid question.
He was asked if those goods which as been seized at La Croix,3 twenty leagues from the fort at Miamis, were not his, and if they were not the same, which were mentioned in the verbal process of M. de Montigny, an officer, dated December the 2d, 1750, which had been read to him.
To which he answered, that he had left his goods at La Croix, and was satisfied that hose goods mentioned in the verbal process were the same sort as his, but in much less quantity; that he could not tell what was become of the rest; it might be his servants had carried them away when they fled.
He was examined on the eighth question, which was read to him word for word.
To which he answered, that he was not at the Ohio in the year 1749, that he was told of M. le Celeron's being there at that time, and of what orders he had enjoined the English traders; that he had also been told of the letter which M. Celeron had written to the Governor of Pennsylvania on that account, but was informed he had never received it; Croghan, the chief interpreter aforesaid, having torn it, that the Governor might not know the contents thereof, lest he should act agreeable to it.
Then was read before the said Patten, the whole examination, and his answers, and he was asked if he was inclined to add to, or extenuate his answers, to which he answered, that all he had said was true, and stood to it, and furthermore said, that the aforementioned Croghan, the head interpreter, had at all times persuaded the Indians to destroy the French and had so far prevailed on them, by the presents he had made them, that five French had been killed by said Indians, in the upper part of the country; that self-interest was his sole motive in every thing he did, that his views were to engross the whole trade, and to scare the French from dealing with the Indians; and as to the letters which M. de Celeron had written to the Governor of Pennsylvania, three of them had been intercepted by the said Croghan, lest the said Governor, being acquainted (page 187) with his deeds,4 should forbid him ever to go amongst them again. Said Patten hath set his hand to every page, as also the Baron de Longueuil, M. Varin, the said Maddox, the Interpreter, and our Secretary; thus, signed John Patten, D. J. Maddox, La Jonquiere, Longueuil, Varin, and Saint Sauveur, Secretary.
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NUMBER VI.
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A memorial sent by order of M. de Contrecoeur, captain of one of the independent companies of the detachment of Marines, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's troops at the Ohio, to the Commander of those troops belonging to the King of Great Britain, whereof M. le Mercier was bearer, the 16th day of April, 1754. |
Nothing can surprise me more than to see you thus attempt to settle on the territories of the King my master; it is that which obliges me, this day, to send you M. le Mercier, captain of the cannonniers, and commander of the artillery in Canada, that he may know, Sir, from yourself, by virtue of what orders you are erecting forts on the territories of the King my master. This motion appears to me so contrary to the last treaty of peace, concluded at Aix-la-Chapelle, between his most Christian Majesty, and his Majesty the King of Great Britain, that I know not to whom I shall impute such usurpation; since those lands which are situated along the river Ohio, beyond all dispute, belong to the most Christian King.
I am certainly informed, sire, that your schemes are contrived only by a company, who hath the interest of trade more in view, than to maintain the union and harmony existing between the crowns of Great Britain and France; though, sir, the maintainance thereof, may be as advantageous to your nation as ours.
However, Sir, if you are come vested with any orders to this place, I summons you from the King my master, by virtue of the orders which I have from my general, peaceably to withdraw yourself, and your troops from the King's territories, if not, I shall be under a necessity, for the performance of my duty, to oblige you thereto. I hope, sir, you will not prolong the time, and thereby force me to extremes: You may, sir, in that case, be fully persuaded, I shall give such orders to my detachment, that you shall receive no damage thereby.
Sir, I give you notice now, that it will be to no purpose to demand one hour's delay, or to expect I shall consent to your stay, until you receive orders from your Governor, for none he can give upon the lands of the King my master. The orders I have received from my General, are a law to me, therefore, sir, I cannot go from them.
But if, on the contrary, you have no orders, if you are only come here to
trade; I am sorry to inform you, that I am obliged to seize your per-
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1 (*, p. 180) Those examinations will prove that English traders could obtain a license from the Governor of Pennsylvania, in order to trade on French territories, and that he had a spy, whose business it was to give presents to Indians there residing, to stir them up to a war.
2 (*, p. 185) It is necessary to say something here concerning those licenses; they are criminal against the laws of trade founded on treaties. The Indians having no territories of their own, can freely trade throughout every part of the country, whether belonging to the English or to the French. As to the European nations, none can trade with any Indians, except those who are on their own territories. Therefore these letters of license granted to traders by English Governors, in order to permit them to trade on lands possessed by the French, are so many enterprizes and usurpations. Those English traders, properly speaking, kept up a contraband trade, with their Governor's permission.
3 (*, p. 186) La Croix is the name of a place, signifying in English the Cross.
4 (*, p. 187) This is added to justify the Governor. You have read before, how he had given Croghan some goods to the value of 1000 pistoles, to be distributed among the Indians.
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