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 Governor spoke as follows.
_Honourable Gentlemen, Commissioners for the Governments of_ Virginia
_and_ Maryland, _and Brethren, Sachims, or Chiefs of the_ Indians _of
the_ Six Nations.
At a Treaty, held by me two Years ago, in Behalf of the Government of
_Pensylvania_, with a Number of the Chiefs of the _Indians_ of the _Six
Nations_, I was desired by them to write to the Governor of _Maryland_
concerning some Lands in the back Parts of that Province, which they
claim a Right to from their Conquests over the ancient Possessors, and
which have been settled by some of the Inhabitants of that Government,
without their Consent, or any Purchase made from them. It was at that
time understood that the Claim was upon _Maryland_ only; but it has
since appeared, by some Letters formerly wrote by Mr. President _Logan_
to the late Governor of _Maryland_, that it related likewise to some
Lands in the back Parts of _Virginia_. The Governors of those Colonies
soon manifested a truly equitable Disposition to come to any reasonable
Terms with the _Six Nations_ on account of those Lands, and desired,
that for that End a Time and Place might be fixed for a Treaty with
them; but before this could be effected, an unfortunate Skirmish
happened in the back Parts of _Virginia_, between some of the Militia
there, and a Party of the _Indian_ Warriors of the _Six Nations_, with
some Loss on both Sides. Who were the Aggressors is not at this time to
be discussed, both Parties having agreed to bury that Affair in
Oblivion, and the Government of _Virginia_ having, in Token of the
Continuance of their Friendship, presented the _Six Nations_, through my
Hands, with Goods to the Value of One Hundred Pounds Sterling. To
prevent further Hostilities, and to heal this Breach, I had, before the
Present was given, made a Tender of my good Office; which both Parties
accepted, and consented, on my Instances, to lay down their Arms: Since
which the Faith pledged to me has been mutually preserved, and a Time
and Place has been agreed upon, through my Intervention, for
accommodating all Differences, and for settling a firm Peace, Union and
Friendship, as well between the Government of _Virginia_ as that of
_Maryland_, and the _Indians_ of the _Six Nations_[3]. The honourable
the Commissioners for these two Governments, and the Deputies of the
_Six Nations_, are now met at the Place appointed for the Treaty. It
only remains therefore for me to say, that if my further good Offices
shall be thought useful for the Accomplishment of this Work, you may
rely most assuredly upon them.
But I hope, honourable Gentlemen Commissioners, it will not be taken
amiss if I go a little further, and briefly represent to you, how
especially necessary it is at this Juncture, for his Majesty's Service,
and the Good of all his Colonies in this Part of his Dominions, that
Peace and Friendship be established between your Governments and the
_Indians_ of the _Six Nations_.
These _Indians_, by their Situation, are a Frontier to some of them;
and, from thence, if Friends, are capable of defending their
Settlements; if Enemies, of making cruel Ravages upon them; if Neuters,
they may deny the _French_ a Passage through their Country, and give us
timely Notice of their Designs. These are but some of the Motives for
cultivating a Good Understanding with them; but from hence the
Disadvantages of a Rupture are abundantly evident. Every Advantage you
gain over them in War will be a weakening of the Barrier of those
Colonies, and consequently be, in effect, Victories over yourselves and
your Fellow Subjects. Some Allowances for their Prejudices and Passions,
and a Present now and then for the Relief of their Necessities, which
have, in some Measure, been brought upon them by their Intercourse with
us, and by our yearly extending our Settlements, will probably tie them
more closely to the _British_ Interest. This has been the Method of
_New-York_ and _Pensylvania_, and will not put you to so much Expence in
twenty Years, as the carrying on a War against them will do in one. The
_French_ very well know the Importance of these Nations to us, and will
not fail by Presents, and their other usual Arts, to take Advantage of
any Misunderstanding we may have with them[4]. But I will detain you,
Gentlemen, no longer. Your own superior Knowledge will suggest to you
more than I can say on this Subject.
_Friends and Brethren, Sachems, or Chiefs of the_ Indians _of the_ Six
Nations:
These, your Brethren of _Virginia_ and _Maryland_, are come to enlarge
the Fire, which was almost gone out, and to make it burn clearer; to
brighten the Chain which had contracted some Rust, and to renew their
Friendship with you; which it is their Desire may last so long as the
Sun, the Moon and the Stars, shall give Light. Their Powers are derived
from the _Great King_ of England, your Father; and whatever Conclusions
they shall come to with you, will be as firm and binding as if the
Governors of these Provinces were themselves here. I am your Brother,
and, which is more, I am your true Friend. As you know, from Experience,
that I am so, I will now give you a few Words of Advice. Receive these
your Brethren with open Arms; unite yourselves to them in the Covenant
Chain, and be you with them as one Body, and one Soul. I make no doubt
but the Governor of _Canada_ has been taking Pains to widen the Breach
between these your Brethren of _Virginia_ and you; but as you cannot
have forgot the Hatred the _French_ have always borne to your Nations,
and how kindly, on the contrary, you have been treated, how faithfully
you have been protected by the _Great King_ of England and his Subjects,
you will not be at a Loss to see into the Designs of that Governor. He
wants to divide you from us, in order the more easily to destroy you,
which he will most certainly do, if you suffer yourselves to be deluded
by him.
As to what relates to the Friendship established between the Government
of _Pensylvania_ and your Nations, I will take another Day to speak to
you upon it.
_To enforce what had been said, the_ Governor _laid down a Belt
of Wampum_; _upon which the_ Indians _gave the_ Yo-hah[5].
After a short Pause, the Governor ordered the Interpreter to tell the
_Indians_, that as they had greatly exceeded their appointed Time for
meeting the Commissioners, he recommended to them to use all the
Expedition possible in giving their Answer to what had been said, that
they might forthwith proceed to treat with the respective Commissioners
on the Business they came about.
Then _Canassatego_ repeated to the Interpreter the Substance of what the
Governor had spoke, in order to know if he had understood him right (a
Method generally made use of by the _Indians_) and when the Interpreter
told him he had taken the true Sense, _Canassatego_ proceeded to return
the Thanks of the _Six Nations_ for the Governor's kind Advice,
promising to follow it as far as lay in their Power; but as it was their
Custom when a Belt was given to return another, they would take Time
till the Afternoon to provide one, and would then give their Answer.
[Footnote 3: This was allowed, at a Conference had by the Governor with
the Commissioners, to be a just State of the Transactions preceding the
Treaty.]
[Footnote 4: The two preceding Paragraphs were allowed by the
Commissioners of _Virginia_, whilst they were at _Philadelphia_, to be
very proper to be spoken by the Governor of _Pensylvania_ at the Opening
of the Treaty; but taking up an Opinion, from what passed at the first
friendly Interview with the _Indians_, that they would not make any
Claim upon Lands within the Government of _Virginia_, the Governor
consented to decline speaking them in the Presence of the _Indians_.]
[Footnote 5: The _Yo-hah_ denotes Approbation, being a loud Shout or
Cry, consisting of a few Notes pronounced by all the _Indians_ in a very
musical Manner, in the Nature of our Huzza's.]
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