At the Court-House in Lancaster, Tuesday, July 19. 1748.

PRESENT,

• Esqrs.
  • Benjamin Shoemaker,
  • Thomas Hopkinson,
  • Joseph Turner,
  • William Logan,
• The Magistrates and Inhabitants of Lancaster County,
• Fifty-five Indians of several Nations, viz. of the Six Nations, Delawares, Shawonese, Nanti­cokes, and Twightwees;
• Conrad Weiser, Esq Interpreter for the Six Na­tion Indians;
• Mr. Andrew Montour, Interpreter for the Shawonese and Twightwees.

A PROCLAMATION was made for Silence, and then a Commis­sion, in His Majesty's Name, under the Great Seal of the Province, was read, constituting the honourable Benjamin Shoemaker, Joseph Turner, Thomas Hopkinson, and William Logan, Esquires, Commis­sioners to treat with these Indians; and the Interpreter was order'd to tell them the Purport thereof, and to bid them heartily welcome among their Brethren.

The Commissioners having been informed that Scarrowyady, a Chief of the Oneido Nation, living at Ohio, was appointed Speaker for the Indians, but was to much hurt by a Fall, that he was unable to attend; order'd the Interpreter to tell them, that they condoled with them on this unfortunate Accident, but hoped, as what they came to transact was of a publick Nature, and well known to them all, this would occasion no Delay. As the Government had shewn them great Indulgence, in granting them a Council at Lancaster, so far from the usual Place of Business, and in so hot a Season, it was expected they would not detain the Commissioners, but deliver what they had to say To­morrow Morning at Ten o'Clock; and further, to desire they would use no Manner of Reserve, but open their Hearts freely and fully, the Commissioners promising to treat them with the same Freedom and Plainness.

At the Court-house at Lancaster, Wednesday, July 20, 1748.

PRESENT,

• Esqrs.
  • Benjamin Shoemaker,
  • Thomas Hopkinson,
  • Joseph Turner,
  • William Logan,
• The Magistrates, and many of the Inhabitants of Lancaster County,
• The same Indians as Yesterday.

THE Interpreter inform'd the Commissioners, that Scarrowyady still con­tinuing ill, and unable to attend, had deputed Andrew Montour to deli­liver his Speech, which the Indians desir'd might be receiv'd on their Behalf, the Substance thereof having been deliberated upon, and settled by them in Council.

The Commissioners saying they had no Objection to this, Andrew Montour said he was now going to speak for the Indians of the Six Nations, living at Ohio.

Brethren, the Governor of Pennsylvania, and all the Governors of the great King of England, over the Seas;

You have often sent pressing Messages to the Council Fire at Onondago, to engage in your Interest as many of their Allies as they could influence: These Messages they have transmitted to us, desiring we would take all Opportuni­ties of complying with your Request; in Consequence whereof we have now the Pleasure to present to you some of the Chiefs of the Twightwee Nation, a large and powerful Tribe, living on Ouabache, a great River running into Ohio, who come as Deputies sent by the whole Nation, with a Request that you would be pleased to admit them into your Amity. We join with them in the Petition; take their Hands, and let them, together with ours, be lock'd close in yours, and there held fast: We have opened unto you the Occasion of our Visit; and to make it acceptable, we lay down this String of Wam­pum.

Brethren, Onas, and all King of England's Governors.

It will be necessary to lay before you what has passed between the Twigh­twees and us, previous to our coming here, that you may be sensible of our Zeal for your Service, and of the ardent Desire of that Nation to enter into your Alliance.

Last Fall they sent a Message addressed to all the Tribes of Indians at Ohio and elsewhere, in Amity with the English, which was delivered to the Shawo­nese, as living the nearest to them, and by them communicated to us to this Effect.

Brethren,

‘We, the Twightwees, are desirous to enter into the Chain of Friendship with the English; and as you are the next to us of the Indians in their Al­liance, we entreat you to signify this our Desire to the other Indians, and [Page 3] that you and they will open us a Council Road to the English Govern­ments: Make it so open and clear for us, that neither we, nor our Wives or Children, may hurt their Feet against any Log or Stump; and when once you have cleared a Road for us, we assure you we will keep it so, and it shall not be in the Power of Onontio to block up or obstruct the Passage. We further desire of you, that when you have cleared a Council Road for us to the English, you, and the other Indians, will join your In­terest to recommend us in the most effectual Manner to them to be admit­ted into their Chain.’ Upon receipt of this Message from the Twightwees, the following Answer was sent them.

Brethren, the Twightwees,

The Twightwees having received this Answer, sent in the Spring a second Message, addressed to all the Indians on Ohio in Alliance with the English, to this purport:

Brethren,

Brethren,

We have now faithfuly related what passed between the Twightwees and us. We deliver over to you the Strings of Wampum which we received with their Messages. Their Nation has sent thirty Beaver Skins, which we desire you would accept; and now be pleased to hear what their Deputies have to say.

Here were laid down two Strings of Wampum, and 30 Beaver Skins.

Then Andrew Montour acquainted the Commissioners, that he was now going to be the Mouth of the Twightwee Deputies.

Brethren,

We present to you the Calumet Pipe, and pray we may be admitted to be­come a Link in your Chain of Friendship, and give you the strongest Assu­rances, [Page 4] if this Favour be granted to us, that we will keep it bright as long as the Rivers run.

Here the Deputies laid down a Calumet Pipe, with a long Stem, curi­ously wrought, and wrapp'd round with Wampum of several Colours, and fill'd with Tobacco, which was smoked by the Commissioners and the Indians according to Custom.

Brethren,

We the Deputies of the Twightwees, have it in Charge further to tell you, that our Nation received a Calumet Pipe from some of the Allies, consisting of twelve Towns or Nations, with a Message to this Effect: That they had a Report among them that we intended to solicit the English to be received into their Friendship and Alliance: That if such Report was true, they desired us to acquaint them with our Success, that they might apply for the same Favour, which they earnestly desire, and said they would wait a Day and a Night for an Answer. ^† Then the Deputies offered another Pipe to the Commissioners, not to keep, but that they might speak to it, and return it, with their Answer.

Andrew Montour said he was now going to resume the Speech of the Six Nation Indians at Ohio.

Brethren,

You have now heard the Twightwees speak for themselves. We heartily join with them in their Petition. They are numerous, and, tho' poor, yet they are worthy of your Friendship, and, as such we most heartily recommend them to you by this Bundle of Skins.

Here they laid down a Bundle of Deer Skins.

Brethren,

We beg Leave before we conclude to become Intercessors for the Shaw­nese, who have given you just Cause of Complaint. They have told us, that the Governor of Pennsylvania sent them a Letter some Years ago, requiring them to come down; but being conscious they had acted wrong, they had de­lay'd hitherto to do it; and have taken this Opportunity of our coming, to make use of us; desiring us to ask that for them which they dare not ask for themselves; that is, That they may be receiv'd again into Favour, they ha­ving owned their Fault, and given us the strongest Assurances of their better Behaviour for the future. Forgive us, therefore, if we entreat you would be pleas'd to drop your Resentment; and however they have behav'd hitherto, we hope a Sense of your Goodness will prevail with them to become good and faithful Allies for the future.

Gave a String of Wampum.

Andrew Montour informing the Commissioners he had delivered all that was given him in Charge to say at present, the Indians withdrew.

At a Meeting of the Commissioners held at Lancaster, the 21st July, 1748.

PRESENT,

• Benjamin Shoemaker,
• Thomas Hopkinson,
• Joseph Turner,
• William Logan,

THE Secretary having settled the Minutes of Yesterday, the same were taken into Consideration, and that Part thereof which relates to the Shawonese not giving the Commissioners Satisfaction, Mr. Weiser was sent to Scarrowyady to consult with him thereupon; [...] return'd, and inform'd the Board, that according to Order he had consulted with Scarrowyady, and he, in the Presence of Andrew Montour, deliver'd himself as follows:

Grand Fathers and Brethren,

Whereupon the Indians of the Six Nations, and the Delawares, having re­ceived these Assurances of their Concern for their past Behaviour, undertook to become their Intercessors, and have brought along with them three of the principal Shawonese, to make their Submissions in Person.

At the Court House at Lancaster, Friday the 22d July, 1748.

PRESENT,

• Esqrs.
  • Benjamin Shoemaker,
  • Thomas Hopkinson,
  • Joseph Turner,
  • William Logan,
• The Magistrates and many of the Inhabitants of Lancaster County,
• The same Indians as on Wednesday.

The Commissioners order'd the Interpreter to let the Indians know they were going to give them an Answer.

Brethren, you who live at Ohio, of the Six Nations, and others,

WE are concern'd that Scarrowyady continues so ill as not to be able to at­tendy but are pleas'd to hear he is in a fair Way of Recovery, and that he cou'd give the necessary Instructions to Mr. Andrew Montour about the Bu­siness [Page 6] which brought you here; We take it for granted, that your Sentiments are fully and truly express'd in the Speeches deliver'd, and shall therefore an­swer the several Matters contain'd therein in the Order they were spoke.

Brethren of the Six Nations, And others, living at Ohio,

It gives us no small Satisfaction to observe the Regard you have shewn to the Messages sent you by the Governors of his Majesty's Provinces, in en­deavouring to gain over to His Majesty's Interest as many of your Allies as you cou'd influence: This is agreable to your Duty, and was recommended to you in a particular Manner by the Governor of this Province at the Com­mencement of the French War. As the Twightwees shew'd so great an In­clination to enter into our Friendship, and desir'd you to conduct them hither, the Part you have acted on this Occasion was kind and prudent, and we think ourselves oblig'd to you for encouraging them, and shewing them the Way.

Our Approbation of your Conduct is testified by this String of Wampum.

Brethren,

As there is Reason to think from the Manner in which the Twightwees have made their Application for a Council Road to the English Provinces, that it is not a sudden, or a hasty Step, but well consider'd by them, and may take its Rise from the different Treatment which Indians of all Nations meet with at the Hands of the English, from what they experience while in the French Interest, we are inclinable to think them sincere, and that when admitted in­to our Chain, they will not lightly break it.

A Council Road to this Province is a Measure which nearly concerns you, as it is to be laid out thro' your Towns, and no doubt you have thought well of this, and conceive you may depend on the Sincerity of their Professions, and that it may be for our mutual Benefit, or you wou'd not join with them in making this Request. At your Instance therefore, and from the Opinion we have of your Prudence and Integrity, we consent that such Road may be opened; and it may be depended on, that on our Parts it will always be kept clean; not the least Obstruction shall be suffer'd to remain in it. In Confir­mation whereof

We give this String of Wampum.

Brethren of the Twightwee Nation,

At the Intercession of our good Friends and Allies the Six Nations, we have granted you a Council Road, whereby you have free Access to any of His Majesty's Provinces; we admit you into our Friendship and Alli­ance, and therefore now call you BRETHREN, an Appellation which we hold sacred, and in which is included every Thing that is dear. It obliges us to give you Assistance on all Occasions, to exercise unfeign'd Affection towards you, to take you into our Bosoms, to use our Eyes, and Ears, and Hands, as well for you, as for ourselves. Nothing is put in Competition by an English­man with the Faith and Honour due to those whom our gracious King pleases to take into his Protection, admit into his Chain of Friendship, and make them our Fellow Subjects: From that Moment they become our own Flesh and Blood, and what hurts them will equally hurt us. Do you, on your Parts, look upon this important Name of Brethren in the same Light; You must no more think of Onontio, and his Children; all that sort of Relation­ship now ceases; His Majesty's Friends are your Friends, and His Majesty's [Page 7] Enemies are Your Enemies. On these Conditions we accept your Calumet Pipe, and shall lay it up very carefully, that it may be always ready for Use when you and we come together. In Token of our Readiness to receive you into our Chain of Friendship, we present you

With this double Belt of Wampum, as an Emblem of our Union.

Brethren of the Twigthwee Nation,

We understand that by an antient Custom observ'd by your Ancestors, the Delivery and Acceptance of the Calumet Pipe are the Ceremonies which render valid, and bind fast your Alliances: We must now tell you what our Usages are on these Occasions. The English when they consent to take any Nation into their Alliance, draw up a Compact in Writing, which is faith­fully intepreted to the contracting Parties, and when maturely consider'd, and clearly and fully understood by each Side, their Assent is declar'd in the most publick Manner, and the Stipulation render'd authentick by sealing the In­strument with Seals, whereon are engraven their Families Arms, writing their Names, and publishing it as their Act and Deed, done without Force or Constraint, freely and voluntarily. This is the English Method of rati­fying Treaties; this is the grand Security each gives of his Faith; and our Brethren of the Six Nations, the Delawares, Shawonese, and all other Indian Nations, when they first enter'd into the Chain of Friendship with us, execu­ted Instruments of this Nature; and as you are now one People with us, in the same Manner with all other of our Indian Allies, it will be expected by this, and His Majesty's other Governments, that you will do the same. For your Satisfaction we now shew you some of the Deeds that the Indians exe­cuted when they first enter'd into our Alliance.

Brethern, Deputies of the Twigtwees,

You say some of your Allies having heard of your Intentions to apply for Admittance into the Friendship and Alliance with the English, desired you to acquaint them with the Success of such Application, to the End that they might have an Opportunity of asking the same Favour. As we don't know the Names of those of your Allies, their Number or Situation, we cannot be more particular at present on this Head, than to tell you, that we are always ready to receive favourably the Applications of all those whom our Brethren of the Six Nations shall recommend as worthy of our Friendship and Re [...]d.

In Testimony whereof we have wrapped a String of Wampum round the Calumet Pipe sent by your Allies.

Brethren of the Six Nations, &c. at Ohio,

You perceive that at your Request we have received the Twightwees into our Friendship: We take kindly your conducting them to us for that End; and as a Proof of our being well pleased with your Cond [...]t on this Occasion, we have ordered our Interpreter to deliver to you at Mr. Croghan's some English Goods, that are lodged there for the use of the Indians.

Brethren,

Your Intercession for the Shawonese puts us under Difficulties. It is at least two Years since the Governor of Pennsylvania wrote to Cackewatcheka a Let­ter, wherein he condescended, out of regard to him, and a few other Shawo­nese, who preserved their Fidelity, to offer those who broke the Chain a Par­don on their Submission, on their Return to the Towns they had deserted, [Page 8] and on their coming down to Philadelphia to evidence in Person the Sincerity of their Repentance. This they should have immediately complied with, and they would have readily been admitted into Favour; but as they did not do it, what can be said for them? You who live amongst them best know their Dispositions, and wou'd not, it may be hoped, become Mediators for them, were you not persuaded they wou'd return to their Duty. Some of them, it may be allowed, are weak People, and were preverted from their Duty by the Perswasions of others; but this cannot be thought to be the Case of Neucheconno, and a few more. As therefore you have taken upon you the Office of Intercessors, take this String of Wampum, and therewith chastise Neucheconno and his Party in such Terms as shall carry a proper Severity with them, tho' the Expressions are left to your Discretion; and then tell the delin­quent Shawonese, that we will forget what is pass'd, and expect a more punctual Regard to their Engagements hereafter.

Here was deliver'd a String of Wampum.

'Tis but Justice to distinguish the Good from the Bad; Cackewatcheky and his Friends, who had Virtue enough to resist the many fine Promises made by the Emissaries of the French, will ever be remember'd with Gratitude, and challenge our best Services. To testify our Regard for these, we present them with this

Belt of Wampum.

And have order'd our Interpreter, who is going to Ohio, to give them a Present of Goods.

The Commissioners gave a handsome Entertainment to the Deputies of the Twightwees, and the Indians who conducted them from Ohio, and after Din­ner enter'd into a free Conversation with them about the Numbers and Situa­tion of their Towns, and those of their Allies; and by their Informations it appears that the River Ouabache takes its Rise from a Lake at a small Distance from the West-End of Lake Eric, from which it runs South Westerly four or 500 Miles, and falls into the Ohio, about three hundred Miles from the Mississippi; that on this River, and another River call'd the Hatchet, the Twightwees and their Allies have twenty Towns, and that they count One Thousand sighting Men; that it is a plain Country, and of a rich Soil, aboun­ding with Game. The principal Deputy of the Twightwees laid down with Chalk the Courses of the Mississippi, of Ouabache and of Ohio, marking the Situation of their own Towns, of Lake Erie, and of two Forts that the French have on the Mississippi; whereby it is manifest, that if these Indians and their Allies prove faithful to the English, the French will be depriv'd of the most convenient and nearest Communication with their Forts on the Mississippi, the ready Road lying thro' their Nations, and that there will be nothing to interrupt an Intercourse between this Province and that great River.

At the Court-House at Lancaster, Friday, July 22. 1748. P.M.

PRESENT, The same as in the Morning.

Taminy Buck, one of the Chiefs of the Shawonese, stood up, and spoke as follows:

Brethren,

WE, the Shawonese, sensible of our ungrateful Returns for the many Fa­vours we have been all along receiving from our Brethren the En­glish, ever since we first made the Chain of Friendship, came along the Road with our Eyes looking down to the Earth, and have not taken them from thence till this Morning, when you were pleased to chastise us, and then pardon us. We have been a foolish People, and acted wrong, tho' the Sun shone bright, and shew'd us very clearly what was our Duty. We are sorry for what we have done, and promise better Behaviour for the future. We produce to you a Certificate of the Renewal of our Friendship in the Year 1739 by the Proprietor and Governor. Be pleased to sign it afresh, that it may appear to the World we are now admitted into your Friendship, and all former Crimes are buried, and intirely forgot.

The Commissioners receiv'd the Deed, but resused to sign it, letting them know they were forgiven on Condition of better Behaviour for the future; and when they shall have performed that Condition, it will be time enough to apply for such Testimonials. Orders were given for mending their Guns and Hatchets, and then the Twightwees were told that the Secretary was pre­paring an Instrument for rendering authentick our Treaty of Friendship with them, which wou'd be ready at Nine o' Clock in the Morning, to which Time the Commissioners adjourn'd.

At the Court-house at Lancaster, Saturday the 23d July 1748.

PRESENT,

• Esqrs.
  • Benjamin Shoemaker,
  • Thomas Hopkinson,
  • Joseph Turner,
  • William Logan,
• The Magistrates, and many of the Inhabitants of Lancaster County,
• The same Indians as Yesterday.

THE Instrument and Counterpart having been prepar'd and approv'd by the Commissioners, the Contents thereof were read, and carefully In­terpreted to, and approv'd by the Indians, and then they were executed by the Commissioners, and the three Deputies of the Twightwees, the other In­dians mention'd therein signing as Witnesses, together with the Magistrates [...] Inhabitants present.

The Commissioners then enquired if the Indians had any particular News to communicate, and, after some Time spent in Conference, Suchraquery [...] as follows:

[Page 10] The Indians of the several Nations, living at Ohio, return you Thanks for your Acceptance of their good Offices in conducting the Twightwees, and admitting them into your Alliance; likewise for your Goodness in accepting their Mediation on Behalf of the Shawonese, and thereupon forgiving their late Breach of Faith. Our new Brethren the Twightwees tell us, that they have brought a few Skins to begin a Trade, and they desire you will be pleased to order the Traders to put less Stones into their Scales, that their Skins may weigh more, and that they may allow a good Price for them, which will encourage them and their Nation to trade more largely with you. This the Commissioners promised to do.

The Commissioners informed the Indians, that there was likely to be a Peace between the King of England and the French King; that the News was but just arriv'd, and imperfectly told; but that there was actually a Ces­ [...]ation of Arms. The Indians making no Reply, the Commissioners, after ordering a Present to the Twightwee Deputies, rose, and put an End to the Treaty.