The Honourable _G E O R G E T H O M A S_, Esq; Lieutenant-Governor.
_James Logan_, }
_Thomas Lawrence_, }
_Abraham Taylor_, } Esqrs;
_Samuel Preston_, }
_Samuel Hasell_, }
_Robert Strettell_, }
_C A N A S S A T E E G O_'s Speech on Behalf of the _Six Nations_.
'_B R E T H R E N, the Governor and Council, and all present_,
'According to our Promise we now propose to return you an Answer
to the several Things mentioned to us Yesterday, and shall beg
Leave to speak to publick Affairs first, tho' they were what you
spoke to last. On this Head you Yesterday put us in Mind, first,
"Of _William Penn_'s early and constant Care to cultivate
Friendship with all the _Indians_; of the Treaty we held with
one of his Sons, about ten Years ago; and of the Necessity there
is at this Time of keeping the Roads between us clear and free
from all Obstructions." We are all very sensible of the kind
Regard that good Man _William Penn_ had for all the _Indians_,
and cannot but be pleased to find that his Children have the
same. We well remember the Treaty you mention held with his Son
on his Arrival here, by which we confirmed our League of
Friendship, that is to last as long as the Sun and Moon endure:
In Consequence of this, we, on our Part, shall preserve the Road
free from all Incumbrances; in Confirmation whereof we lay down
this String of Wampum.
'You in the next Place said you would enlarge the Fire and make
it burn brighter, which we are pleased to hear you mention; and
assure you, we shall do the same, by adding to it more Fewel,
that it may still flame out more strongly than ever: In the last
Place, you were pleased to say that we are bound by the
strictest Leagues, to watch for each others Preservation; that
we should hear with our Ears for you, and you hear with your
Ears for us: This is equally agreeable to us; and we shall not
fail to give you early Intelligence, whenever any Thing of
Consequence comes to our Knowledge: And to encourage you to do
the same, and to nourish in your Hearts what you have spoke to
us with your Tongues, about the Renewal of our Amity and the
Brightening of the Chain of Friendship; we confirm what we have
said with another Belt of Wampum.'
'_B R E T H R E N_,
'We received from the Proprietors Yesterday, some Goods in
Consideration of our Release of the Lands on the West-side of
_Sasquehannah_. It is true, we have the full Quantity according
to Agreement; but if the Proprietor had been here himself, we
think, in Regard of our Numbers and Poverty, he would have made
an Addition to them.--If the Goods were only to be divided
amongst the _Indians_ present, a single Person would have but a
small Portion; but if you consider what Numbers are left behind,
equally entitled with us to a Share, there will be extremely
little. We therefore desire, if you have the Keys of the
Proprietor's Chest, you will open it, and take out a little more
for us.
'We know our Lands are now become more valuable: The white
People think we do not know their Value; but we are sensible
that the Land is everlasting, and the few Goods we receive for
it are soon worn out and gone. For the future, we will sell no
Lands but when Brother _Onas_ is in the Country; and we will
know beforehand, the Quantity of the Goods we are to receive.
Besides, we are not well used with respect to the Lands still
unsold by us. Your People daily settle on these Lands, and spoil
our Hunting.--We must insist on your removing them, as you know
they have no Right to settle to the Northward of
_Kittochtinny-Hills_.--In particular, we renew our Complaints
against some People who are settled at _Juniata_, a Branch of
_Sasquahannah_, and all along the Banks of that River, as far as
_Mahaniay_; and desire they may be forthwith made to go off the
Land, for they do great Damage to our Cousins the _Delawares_.
'We have further to observe, with respect to the Lands lying on
the West-side of _Sasquahannah_, that though Brother _Onas_
(meaning the Proprietor) has paid us for what his People
possess, yet some Parts of that Country have been taken up by
Persons, whose Place of Residence is to the South of this
Province, from whom we have never received any Consideration.
This Affair was recommended to you by our Chiefs at our last
Treaty; and you then, at our earnest Desire, promised to write a
Letter to that Person who has the Authority over those People,
and to procure us his Answer: As we have never heard from you on
this Head, we want to know what you have done in it. If you have
not done any Thing, we now renew our Request, and desire you
will inform the Person whose People are seated on our Lands,
that that Country belongs to us, in Right of Conquest; we having
bought it with our Blood, and taken it from our Enemies in fair
War; and we expect, as Owners of that Land, to receive such a
Consideration for it as the Land is worth. We desire you will
press him to send a positive Answer: Let him say _Yes_ or _No_:
If he says Yes, we will treat with him; if No, we are able to do
ourselves Justice; and we will do it, by going to take Payment
ourselves.
'It is customary with us to make a Present of Skins, whenever we
renew our Treaties. We are ashamed to offer our Brethren so few,
but your Horses and Cows have eat the Grass our Deer used to
feed on. This has made them scarce, and will, we hope, plead in
Excuse for our not bringing a larger Quantity. If we could have
spared more, we would have given more; but we are really poor;
and desire you'll not consider the Quantity, but few as they
are, accept them in Testimony of our Regard.'
_Here they gave the Governor a Bundle of Skins_.
The Governor immediately replied.
'_B R E T H R E N_,
'We thank you for the many Declarations of Respect you have
given us, in this solemn Renewal of our Treaties: We receive,
and shall keep your String and Belts of Wampum, as Pledges of
your Sincerity, and desire those we gave you may be carefully
preserved, as Testimonies of ours.
'In Answer to what you say about the Proprietaries.--They are
all absent, and have taken the Keys of their Chest with them; so
that we cannot, on their Behalf, enlarge the Quantity of Goods:
Were they here, they might perhaps, be more generous; but we
cannot be liberal for them.--The Government will, however, take
your Request into Consideration; and in Regard to your Poverty,
may perhaps make you a Present. I but just mention this now,
intending to refer this Part of your Speech to be answered at
our next Meeting.
'The Number of Guns, as well as every Thing else, answers
exactly with the Particulars specified in your Deed of
Conveyance, which is more than was agreed to be given you. It
was your own Sentiments, that the Lands on the West-side of
_Sasquahannah_, were not so valuable as those on the East; and
an Abatement was to be made, proportionable to the Difference in
Value: But the Proprietor overlooked this, and ordered the full
Quantity to be delivered, which you will look on as a Favour.
'It is very true, that Lands are of late become more valuable;
but what raises their Value? Is it not entirely owing to the
Industry and Labour used by the white People, in their
Cultivation and Improvement? Had not they come amongst you,
these Lands would have been of no Use to you, any further than
to maintain you. And is there not, now you have sold so much,
enough left for all the Purposes of Living?--What you say of the
Goods, that they are soon worn out, is applicable to every
Thing; but you know very well, that they cost a great deal of
Money; and the Value of Land is no more, than it is worth in
Money.
'On your former Complaints against People's settling the Lands
on _Juniata_, and from thence all along on the River
_Sasquahannah_ as far as _Mahaniahy_, some Magistrates were sent
expresly to remove them, and we thought no Persons would presume
to stay after that.'