Part 9
We have considered what you said concerning your Title to some Lands now in our Province, and also of the Place where they lie. Altho' we cannot admit your Right, yet we are so resolved to live in Brotherly Love and Affection with the _Six Nations_, that upon your giving us a Release in Writing of all your Claim to any Lands in _Maryland_, we shall make you a Compensation to the Value of Three Hundred Pounds Currency, for the Payment of Part whereof we have brought some Goods, and shall make up the rest in what Manner you think fit.
As we intend to say something to you about our Chain of Friendship after this Affair of the Land is settled, we desire you will now examine the Goods, and make an End of this Matter.
We will not omit acquainting our good Friends the _Six Nations_, that notwithstanding we are likely to come to an Agreement about your Claim of Lands, yet your Brethren of _Maryland_ look on you to be as one Soul and one Body with themselves; and as a broad Road will be made between us, we shall always be desirous of keeping it clear, that we may, from Time to Time, take care that the Links of our Friendship be not rusted. In Testimony that our Words and our Hearts agree, we give you this Belt of Wampum.
_On presenting of which the_ Indians _gave the usual Cry of Approbation_.
Mr. _Weiser_ acquainted the _Indians_, they might now look over the several Goods placed on a Table in the Chamber for that Purpose; and the honourable Commissioners bid him tell them, if they disliked any of the Goods, or, if they were damaged, the Commissioners would put a less Price on such as were either disliked or damnified.
The _Indians_ having viewed and examined the Goods, and seeming dissatisfied at the Price and Worth of them, required Time to go down into the Court-House, in order for a Consultation to be had by the Chiefs of them concerning the said Goods, and likewise that the Interpreter might retire with them, which he did. Accordingly they went down into the Court-House, and soon after returned again into the Chamber.
Mr. _Weiser_ sat down among the _Indians_, and discoursed them about the Goods, and in some short Time after they chose the following from among the others, and the Price agreed to be given for them by the _Six Nations_ was, _viz_.
_l. s. d._ Four Pieces of Strowds, at 7 _l._ 28 00 00 Two Pieces Ditto, 5 _l._ 10 00 00 Two Hundred Shirts, 63 12 00 Three Pieces Half-Thicks, 11 00 00 Three Pieces Duffle Blankets, at 7 _l._ 21 00 00 One Piece Ditto, 6 10 00 Forty Seven Guns, at 1 _l._ 6 _s._ 61 02 00 One Pound of Vermillion, 00 18 00 One Thousand Flints, 00 18 00 Four Dozen Jews Harps, 00 14 00 One Dozen Boxes, 00 1 00 One Hundred Two Quarters Bar-Lead, 3 00 00 Two Quarters Shot, 1 00 00 Two Half-Barrels of Gun-Powder, 13 00 00 _________ 220 15 00 _Pensylvannia Currency_.
When the _Indians_ had agreed to take these Goods at the Rates above specified, they informed the Interpreter, that they would give an Answer to the Speech made to them this Morning by the honourable the Commissioners of _Maryland_, but did not express the Time when such Answer should be made. At 12 o'Clock the Commissioners departed the Chamber.
* * * * *
In the C o u r t-H o u s e at _Lancaster, June_ 28, 1744. _P. M._
P R E S E N T,
The Honourable _G E O R G E T H O M A S_, Esq; Governor, &c. The Honourable the Commissioners of _Virginia_. The Honourable the Commissioners of _Maryland_. The Deputies of the _Six Nations_. _Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.
_The Commissioners of_ Virginia _desired the Interpreter to let the_ Indians _know, that their Brother_ Assaragoa _was now going to give his Reply to their Answer to his first Speech, delivered them the Day before in the Forenoon_.
_Sachems and Warriors of the united_ Six Nations,
We are now come to answer what you said to us Yesterday, since what we said to you before on the Part of the Great King, our Father, has not been satisfactory. You have gone into old Times, and so must we. It is true that the Great King holds _Virginia_ by Right of Conquest, and the Bounds of that Conquest to the Westward is the Great Sea.
If the _Six Nations_ have made any Conquest over _Indians_ that may at any Time have lived on the West-side of the Great Mountains of _Virginia_, yet they never possessed any Lands there that we have ever heard of. That Part was altogether deserted, and free for any People to enter upon, as the People of _Virginia_ have done, by Order of the Great King, very justly, as well by ancient Right, as by its being freed from the Possession of any other, and from any Claim even of you the _Six Nations_, our Brethren, until within these eight Years. The first Treaty between the Great King, in Behalf of his Subjects of _Virginia_, and you, that we can find, was made at _Albany_, by Colonel _Henry Coursey_, Seventy Years since; this was a Treaty of Friendship, when the first Covenant Chain was made, when we and you became Brethren.
The next Treaty was also at _Albany_, above Fifty-eight Years ago, by the Lord _Howard_, Governor of _Virginia_; then you declared yourselves Subjects to the Great King, our Father, and gave up to him all your Lands for his Protection. This you own in a Treaty made by the Governor of _New-York_ with you at the same Place in the Year 1687, and you express yourself in these Words, "Brethren, you tell us the King of _England_ is a very great King, and why should not you join with us in a very just Cause, when the _French_ join with our Enemies in an unjust Cause? O Brethren, we see the Reason of this; for the _French_ would fain kill us all, and when that is done, they would carry all the Beaver Trade to _Canada_, and the _Great King of_ England would lose the Land likewise; and therefore, O Great Sachem, beyond the Great Lakes, awake, and suffer not those poor _Indians_, that have given themselves and their Lands under your Protection, to be destroyed by the _French_ without a Cause."
The last Treaty we shall speak to you about is that made at _Albany_ by Governor _Spotswood_, which you have not recited as it is: For the white People, your Brethren of _Virginia_, are, in no Article of that Treaty, prohibited to pass, and settle to the Westward of the Great Mountains. It is the _Indians_, tributary to _Virginia_, that are restrained, as you and your tributary _Indians_ are from passing to the Eastward of the same Mountains, or to the Southward of _Cohongorooton_, and you agree to this Article in these Words; "That the Great River of _Potowmack_, and the high Ridge of Mountains, which extend all along the Frontiers of _Virginia_ to the Westward of the present Settlements of that Colony, shall be for ever the established Boundaries between the _Indians_ subject to the Dominions of _Virginia_, and the _Indians_ belonging to and depending on the _Five Nations_; so that neither our _Indians_ shall on any Pretence whatsoever, pass to Northward or Westward of the said Boundaries, without having to produce a Passport under the Hand and Seal of the Governor or Commander in Chief of _Virginia_; nor your _Indians_ to pass to the Southward or Eastward of the said Boundaries, without a Passport in like Manner from the Governor or Commander in Chief of _New-York_."
And what Right can you have to Lands that you have no Right to walk upon, but upon certain Conditions? It is true, you have not observed this Part of the Treaty, and your Brethren of _Virginia_ have not insisted upon it with a due Strictness, which has occasioned some Mischief.
This Treaty has been sent to the Governor of _Virginia_ by Order of the Great King, and is what we must rely on, and, being in Writing, is more certain than your Memory. That is the Way the white People have of preserving Transactions of every Kind, and transmitting them down to their Childrens Children for ever, and all Disputes among them are settled by this faithful kind of Evidence, and must be the Rule between the Great King and you. This Treaty your Sachems and Warriors signed some Years after the same Governor _Spotswood_, in the Right of the Great King, had been, with some People of _Virginia_, in Possession of these very Lands, which you have set up your late Claim to.
The Commissioners for _Indian_ Affairs at _Albany_ gave the Account we mentioned to you Yesterday to the Governor of _New-York_, and he sent it to the Governor of _Virginia_; their Names will be given you by the Interpreter.
_Brethren_,
This Dispute is not between _Virginia_ and you; it is setting up your Right against the Great King, under whose Grants the People you complain of are settled. Nothing but a Command from the Great King can remove them; they are too powerful to be removed by any Force of you, our Brethren; and the Great King, as our common Father, will do equal Justice to all his Children; wherefore we do believe they will be confirmed in their Possessions.
As to the Road you mention, we intended to prevent any Occasion for it, by making a Peace between you and the Southern _Indians_, a few Years since, at a considerable Expence to our Great King, which you confirmed at _Albany_. It seems, by your being at War with the _Catawbas_, that it has not been long kept between you.
However, if you desire a Road, we will agree to one on the Terms of the Treaty you made with Colonel _Spotswood_, and your People, behaving themselves orderly like Friends and Brethren, shall be used in their Passage through _Virginia_ with the same Kindness as they are when they pass through the Lands of your Brother _Onas_. This we hope, will be agreed to by you our Brethren, and we will abide by the Promise made to you Yesterday.
We may proceed to settle what we are to give you for any Right you may have, or have had to all the Lands to the Southward and Westward of the Lands of your Brother the Governor of _Maryland_, and of your Brother Onas; tho' we are informed that the Southern _Indians_ claim these very Lands that you do.
We are desirous to live with you, our Brethren, according to the old Chain of Friendship, to settle all these Matters fairly and honestly; and, as a Pledge of our Sincerity, we give you this Belt of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremony_.
* * * * *
In the C o u r t-H o u s e Chamber at _Lancaster_, _June_ 29, 1744, _A. M._
P R E S E N T,
The Honourable the Commissioners of _Maryland_.
The Deputies of the _Six Nations_.
_Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.
_Mr._ Weiser _informed the honourable Commissioners_, _that the_ Indians _were ready to give their Answer to the Speech made to them here Yesterday Morning by the Commissioners_; _whereupon_ Canassatego _spoke as follows, looking on a Deal-board, where were some black Lines, describing the Courses of_ Potowmack _and_ Sasquahanna:
_Brethren_,
Yesterday you spoke to us concerning the Lands on this Side _Potowmack_ River, and as we have deliberately considered what you said to us on that Matter, we are now very ready to settle the Bounds of such Lands, and release our Right and Claim thereto.
We are willing to renounce all Right to Lord _Baltimore_ of all those Lands lying two Miles above the uppermost Fork of _Potowmack_ or _Cohongoruton_ River, near which _Thomas Cressap_ has a hunting or trading Cabin, by a North-line, to the Bounds of _Pensylvania_. But in case such Limits shall not include every Settlement or Inhabitant of _Maryland_, then such other Lines and Courses, from the said two Miles above the Forks, to the outermost Inhabitants or Settlements, as shall include every Settlement and Inhabitant in _Maryland_, and from thence, by a North-line, to the Bounds of _Pensylvannia_, shall be the Limits. And further, If any People already have, or shall settle beyond the Lands now described and bounded, they shall enjoy the same free from any Disturbance whatever, and we do, and shall accept these people for our Brethren, and as such always treat them.
We earnestly desire to live with you as Brethren, and hope you will shew us all Brotherly Kindness; in Token whereof, we present you with a Belt of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremony_.
Soon after the Commissioners and _Indians_ departed from the Court-House Chamber.
* * * * *
In the C o u r t-H o u s e Chamber at _Lancaster_, _June_ 30, 1744, _A. M._
P R E S E N T,
The Honourable the Commissioners of _Virginia_. The Deputies of the _Six Nations_. _Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.
Gachradodow, _Speaker for the_ Indians, _in answer to the Commissioners Speech at the last Meeting_, _with a strong Voice, and proper Action, spoke as follows_:
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
The World at the first was made on the other Side of the Great Water different from what it is on this Side, as may be known from the different Colours of our Skin, and of our Flesh, and that which you call Justice may not be so amongst us; you have your Laws and Customs, and so have we. The Great King might send you over to conquer the _Indians_, but it looks to us that God did not approve of it; if he had, he would not have placed the Sea where it is, as the Limits between us and you.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
Tho' great Things are well remembered among us, yet we don't remember that we were ever conquered by the Great King, or that we have been employed by that Great King to conquer others; if it was so, it is beyond our Memory. We do remember we were employed by _Maryland_ to conquer the _Conestogoes_, and that the second time we were at War with them, we carried them all off.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
You charge us with not acting agreeable to our Peace with the _Catawbas_, we will repeat to you truly what was done. The Governor of _New-York_, at _Albany_, in Behalf of _Assaragoa_, gave us several Belts of Wampum from the _Cherikees_ and _Catawbas_, and we agreed to a Peace, if those Nations would send some of their great Men to us to confirm it Face to Face, and that they would trade with us; and desired that they would appoint a Time to meet at _Albany_ for that Purpose, but they never came.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
We then desired a Letter might be sent to the _Catawbas_ and _Cherikees_, to desire them to come and confirm the Peace. It was long before an Answer came; but we met the _Cherikees_, and confirmed the Peace, and sent some of our People to take care of them, until they returned to their own Country.
The _Catawbas_ refused to come, and sent us word, That we were but Women, that they were Men, and double Men, that they could make Women of us, and would be always at War with us. They are a deceitful People. Our Brother _Assaragoa_ is deceived by them; we don't blame him for it, but are sorry he is so deceived.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
We have confirmed the Peace with the _Cherikees_, but not with the _Catawbas_. They have been treacherous, and know it; so that the War must continue till one of us is destroyed. This we think proper to tell you, that you may not be troubled at what we do to the _Catawbas_.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
We will now speak to the Point between us. You say you will agree with us as to the Road; we desire that may be the Road which was last made (the Waggon-Road.) It is always, a Custom among Brethren or Strangers to use each other kindly; you have some very ill-natured People living up there; so that we desire the Persons in Power may know that we are to have reasonable Victuals when we are in want.
You know very well, when the white People came first here they were poor; but now they have got our Lands, and are by them become rich, and we are now poor; what little we have had for the Land goes soon away, but the Land lasts for ever. You told us you had brought with you a Chest of Goods, and that you have the Key in your Pockets; but we have never seen the Chest, nor the Goods that are said to be in it; it may be small, and the Goods few; we want to see them, and are desirous to come to some Conclusion. We have been sleeping here these ten Days past, and have not done any thing to the Purpose.
The Commissioners told them they should see the Goods on _Monday_.
* * * * *
In the C o u r t-H o u s e at _Lancaster, June_ 30, 1744, _P. M._
P R E S E N T,
The Honourable _G E O R G E T H O M A S_, Esq; Governor, &c. The Honourable Commissioner of _Virginia_. The Honourable the Commissioners of _Maryland_. The Deputies of the _Six Nations_. _Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.
The three Governments entertained the _Indians_, and all the Gentlemen in Town, with a handsome Dinner. The _Six Nations_, in their Order, having returned Thanks with the usual Solemnity of _Yo-ha-han_, the Interpreter informed the Governor and the Commissioners, that as the Lord Proprietor and Governor of _Maryland_ was not known to the _Indians_ by any particular Name, they had agreed, in Council, to take the first Opportunity of a large Company to present him with one; and as this with them is deemed a Matter of great Consequence, and attended with Abundance of Form, the several Nations had drawn Lots for the Performance of the Ceremony, and the Lot falling on the _Cayogo_ Nation, they had chosen _Gachradodow_, one of their Chiefs, to be their Speaker, and he desired Leave to begin; which being given, he, on an elevated Part of the Court-House, with all the Dignity of a Warrior, the Gesture of an Orator, and in a very graceful Posture, said that:
"As the Governor of _Maryland_ had invited them here to treat about their Lands, and brighten the Chain of Friendship, the united Nations thought themselves so much obliged to them, that they had come to a Resolution in Council to give to the great Man, who is Proprietor of _Maryland_, a particular Name, by which they might hereafter correspond with him; and as it had fallen to the _Cayogoes_ Lot in Council to consider of a proper Name for that chief Man, they had agreed to give him the Name of _Tocarry-hogan_, denoting Precedency, Excellency, or living in the middle or honourable Place betwixt _Assaragoa_ and their Brother _Onas_, by whom their Treaties might be better carried on." And then, addressing himself to his Honour the Governor of _Pensylvania_, the honourable the Commissioners of _Virginia_ and _Maryland_, and to the Gentlemen then present, he proceeded:
"As there is a Company of great Men now assembled, we take this Time and Opportunity to publish this Matter, that it may be known _Tocarry-hogan_ is our Friend, and that we are ready to honour him, and that by such Name he may be always called and known among us. And we hope he will ever act towards us according to the Excellency of the Name we have now given him, and enjoy a long and happy Life."
The honourable the Governor and Commissioners, and all the Company present, returned the Compliment with three Huzza's, and, after drinking Healths to our gracious King and the _Six Nations_, the Commissioners of _Maryland_ proceeded to Business in the Court-House Chamber with the _Indians_, where _Conrad Weiser_, the Interpreter, was present.
The honourable the Commissioners ordered Mr. _Weiser_ to tell the _Indians_, that a Deed, releasing all their Claim and Title to certain Lands lying in the Province of _Maryland_, which by them was agreed to be given and executed for the Use of the Lord Baron of _Baltimore_, Lord Proprietary of that Province, was now on the Table, and Seals ready fixed thereto. The Interpreter acquainted them therewith as desired, and then gave the Deed to _Canassatego_, the Speaker, who made his Mark, and put his Seal, and delivered it; after which, thirteen other Chiefs or Sachems of the _Six Nations_ executed it in the same Manner, in the Presence of the honourable the Commissioners of _Virginia_, and divers other Gentlemen of that Colony, and of the Provinces of _Pensylvania_ and _Maryland_.
* * * * *
At the House of Mr. _George Sanderson_ in _Lancaster_, _July_ 2, 1744, _A. M._
P R E S E N T,
The Honourable the Commissioners of _Maryland_. The Deputies of the _Six Nations_. _Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.
The several Chiefs of the _Indians_ of the _Six Nations_, who had not signed the Deed of Release of their Claim to some Lands in _Maryland_, tendered to them on _Saturday_ last, in the Chamber of the Court-House in this Town, did now readily execute the same, and caused Mr. _Weiser_ likewise to sign it, as well with his _Indian_, as with his own proper Name of _Weiser_, as a Witness and Interpreter.
* * * * *
In the C o u r t-H o u s e at _Lancaster, July_ 2, 1744, _A. M._
P R E S E N T,
The Honourable _G E O R G E T H O M A S_ Esq; Governor, &c. The Honourable the Commissioners of _Virginia_. The Honourable the Commissioners of _Maryland_. The Deputies of the _Six Nations_. _Conrad Weiser_, Interpreter.
_C A N A S S A T E G O spoke as follows_:
_Brother_ Onas,
The other Day you was pleased to tell us, you were always concerned whenever any thing happened that might give you or us Uneasiness, and that we were mutually engaged to preserve the Road open and clear between us; and you informed us of the Murder of _John Armstrong_, and his two Men, by some of the _Delaware Indians_, and of their stealing his Goods to a considerable Value. The _Delaware Indians_, as you suppose, are under our Power. We join with you in your Concern for such a vile Proceeding; and, to testify that we have the same Inclinations with you to keep the Road clear, free and open, we give you this String of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremony_.
_Brother_ Onas,
These Things happen frequently, and we desire you will consider them well, and not be too much concerned. Three _Indians_ have been killed at different Times at _Ohio_, and we never mentioned any of them to you, imagining it might have been occasioned by some unfortunate Quarrels, and being unwilling to create a Disturbance. We therefore desire you will consider these Things well, and, to take the Grief from your Heart, we give you this String of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremonies_.
_Brother_ Onas,
We have heard of the Murder of _John Armstrong_, and, in our Journey here, we had Conference with our Cousins the _Delawares_ about it, and reproved them severely for it, and charged them to go down to our Brother _Onas_, and make him Satisfaction, both for the Men that were killed, and for the Goods. We understood, by them, that the principal Actor in these Murders is in your Prison, and that he had done all the Mischief himself; but that besides him, you had required and demanded two others who were in his Company when the Murders were committed. We promise faithfully, in our Return, to renew our Reproofs, and to charge the _Delawares_ to send down some of their Chiefs with these two young Men (but not as Prisoners) to be examined by you; and as we think, upon Examination, you will not find them guilty, we rely on your Justice not to do them any Harm, but to permit them to return home in Safety.
We likewise understand, that Search has been made for the Goods belonging to the Deceased, and that some have been already returned to your People, but that some are still missing. You may depend upon our giving the strictest Charge to the _Delawares_ to search again with more Diligence for the Goods, and to return them, or the Value of them, in Skins. And, to confirm what we have said, we give you this String of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremonies_.
_Brother_ Onas,