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.
Johnson to the
Earl of Dartmouth
(Johnson Hall, Nov. 4, 1772)
Johnson, Sir William in: Documents
Relative to the Colonial History of
the State of New York (Lon.
Docs.: XLIII), vol. VIII,
pp. 314-317.
Your Lordship may be assured that I shall with fidelity and regularity transmit every thing material regarding the Department committed to me and that as it is of the utmost importance to the Growth of the Colonies and the Trade and tranquillity of this Country, I shall not _____ (illeg. copy) offer to your Ldp for his Majesty royal consideration every thing that occurs as necessary thereto, with candor and disinterestedness, presuming on the indulgence I have always experienced from the King & his Ministers for long, faithfull and I hope I may be allowed to say successful services, I beg a continuance there of under your Lordships administration, & for a favorable reception of my honest representations, of which I shall endeavour to render myself worthy, by every means in my power.
I have the honor to be with much respect,
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My Lord |
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Your Lordships. |
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most obedient |
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humble Servant |
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Wm JOHNSON |
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P S I have for some time been directed to number my letters, should your Lordship think it unnecessary it shall be discontinued.
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Sir William Johnson to the Earl of Dartmouth.
[Plantations General (S. P. O., No. 2) CCLIX.]
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Johnson Hall Nov 4th 1772 |
My Lord
I have had the honor to receive your Lordships letter of the 2d of Septr with the inclosures acquainting me with His Majestys Royal Intentions respecting the Government on the Ohio and directing that I should signify the same to the Six Nations which I had an immediate opportunity of doing, as I shall shew your Lordship presently.
My last letter to the Earl of Hillsborough was No 18 of the 29th of June, on which (as I presume it is in your hands) I need not to add more than to remind your Lordship that I therein gave an account of the departure of the 6 Nations Deputys for the second great Congress at Sioto and of the murder of the eight Mississagaes & Chippewaes by one Ramsey a small Trader on Lake Erie in which he appeared to have been actuated by wanton cruelty more than by any other consideration. Since that letter I received an account that the conferences to the Southward were ended, and about a fortnight since, the Cheifs and principal Warriors of the Six Nations came to this place where they held a Congress and related the transactions of their Deputies, a Copy of the most material parts whereof, I have now the honor to transmit to your Lordship,* - The Sum of what they said was, That as the Waubash Indians, Kicapous & Piankashaws notwithstanding they waited for them a considerable time did not attend the Congress at Sioto, by reason or under pretence that some of their people had last year been killed by a party of Six Nations & Cheokees, the Deputys laid their Belts and Messages before those present reprimanding those concerned with their (page 315) past misconduct, and charging them with what they had to say to those absent, which they promised faithfully to deliver. The Deputys likewise demandd those mischeivous Belts &ca. which had been circulating & particularly those said to have gone from Agaustarax a Seneca Cheif of great influence, but without the knowledge of the rest of the Six Nation confederacy. The Indians there accordingly directed all the adjoining Nations to collect all such Belts as were liable to suspicion, on which several Belts were brought in, and delivered to the Deputys, some of which came from the West side of Mississipi containing assurances of Assistance and advising all Nations to rise against the English but the Belts from Agaustarax were not in the hands of any thing present, having been stopped by the Cherokees. However the Deputies were assured that they should be collected, and that the Cheifs of all the Nations there absent as well as present should shortly bring them, and attend a General Congress at Onondaga where they would hear the sense of all the Six Nations and ratify all proceedings. The Belts before mentioned were delivered up to me by the Deputies and one of them, which is one of the largest I have seen is evidently a French Belt, and from what I can find came from Monsr St Ange on the Mississippi in the name of the French King, which St Ange was an active Commander under the French and is now I am of opinion a secret Agent to heighten the Prejudice of the Indians, and prepare them for cooperate with the Enemy in case of a War.
As these Indians however have not fulfilled their promise in coming to the Grand Fire place (as it is called) at Onondaga within the time limited, I spoke warmly to the whole confederacy charging them to see that these people attended without further delay, or that these remaining Belts were immediately delivered into my hands, which the Six Nations have promised to see performed, as well as that at the proposed congress they will convince all Nations of their fidelity to Us, and their resolutions to compell the rest to act in the same manner as a proof that they the Six Nations have no part in their designs.
They next represented the great irregularities in the present state of the Indian Trade, the promises made to them that the same should be put on a good footing, the want of Regulations therein the abuses committed by Traders rambling where they pleased with strong liquors and the General discontentment amongst all the Nations on that account, to which I made them the best answer I could considering the little prospect there is of any such Regulations being made in the Colonies. Just before their departure I was honoured with your Lordships second letter and accordingly communicated to them His Majestys Intentions respected the Establishment of a Government on the Ohio which I observed would rather be attended with advantage to them & to their Allies than the contrary. That it was in consequence of their public Sale at the greatest Congress ever held and therefore it was their duty to support their just rights, and remove any evil impressions which a few weak People their Dependants had conceived thereon to all which they made suitable answer. I likewise advised them to withdraw the Senecas of Ohio from thence and settle them nearer their natural friends as at present by their Connections with others they bring disgrace & suspicion on their own confederacy, and this I was the readier induced to do, as Kayashota the cheif of those on Ohio, a man of universal influence was present & had privately assured me that it was agreeable to him.
I shall now, my Lord, beg leave to offer my thoughts on some of the
foregoing particulars in as few words as possible, and fist with regard to the
new Government I have the strongest reasons to beleive that the Six Nations are
disposed to consider it in a favorable light, and that the Tribes who since the
Cession have appeared otherwise have no just pretension or Title there, at the
same time I should remark that as all Indians are naturally jealous of their
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* Not received.
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