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 Speaker._
_Brother_ Onas,
Yesterday you expressed your Satisfaction in having been instrumental to
our meeting with our Brethren of _Virginia_ and _Maryland_, we, in
return, assure you, that we have great Pleasure in this Meeting, and
thank you for the Part you have had in bringing us together, in order to
create a good Understanding, and to clear the Road; and, in Token of our
Gratitude, we present you with this String of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremony._
_Brother_ Onas,
You was pleased Yesterday to inform us, "That War had been declared
between _the great King of_ England and the _French_ King; that two
great Battles had been fought, one by Land, and the other at Sea; with
many other Particulars." We are glad to hear the Arms of the King of
_England_ were successful, and take part with you in your Joy on this
Occasion. You then came nearer Home, and told us, "You had left your
House, and were come thus far on Behalf of the whole People of
_Pensylvania_ to see us; to renew your Treaties, to brighten the
Covenant-Chain, and to confirm your Friendship with us." We approve
this Proposition, we thank you for it. We own, with Pleasure, that the
Covenant-Chain between us and _Pensylvania_ is of old Standing, and has
never contracted any Rust; we wish it may always continue as bright as
it has done hitherto; and, in Token of the Sincerity of our Wishes, we
present you with this Belt of Wampum.
_Which was received with the_ Yo-hah.
_Brother Onas_,
You was pleased Yesterday to remind us of our mutual Obligation to
assist each other in case of a War with the _French_, and to repeat the
Substance of what we ought to do by our Treaties with you; and that as a
War had been already entered into with the _French_, you called upon us
to assist you, and not to suffer the _French_ to march through our
Country to disturb any of your Settlements.
In answer, we assure you we have all these Particulars in our Hearts,
they are fresh in our Memory. We shall never forget that you and we have
but one Heart, one Head, one Eye, one Ear, and one Hand. We shall have
all your Country under our Eye, and take all the Care we can to prevent
any Enemy from coming into it; and, in proof of our Care, we must inform
you, that before we came here, we told _Onandio_[7], our Father, as he
is called, that neither he, nor any of his People, should come through
our Country, to hurt our Brethren the _English_, or any of the
Settlements belonging to them; there was Room enough at Sea to fight,
there he might do what he pleased, but he should not come upon our Land
to do any Damage to our Brethren. And you may depend upon our using our
utmost Care to see this effectually done; and, in Token of our
Sincerity, we present you with this Belt of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremony._
_After some little Time the Interpreter said_, Canassatego _had forgot
something material, and desired to mend his Speech, and to do so as
often as he should omit any thing of Moment, and thereupon he added:_
The _Six Nations_ have a great Authority and Influence over sundry
Tribes of _Indians_ in Alliance with the _French_, and particularly over
the _Praying Indians_, formerly a Part with ourselves, who stand in the
very Gates of the _French_; and, to shew our further Care, we have
engaged these very _Indians_, and other _Indian_ Allies of the _French_
for you. They will not join the _French_ against you. They have agreed
with us before we set out. We have put the Spirit of Antipathy
against the _French_ in those People. Our Interest is very considerable
with them, and many other Nations, and as far as ever it extends, we
shall use it for your Service.
The Governor said, _Canassatego_ did well to mend his Speech; he might
always do it whenever his Memory should fail him in any Point of
Consequence, and he thanked him for the very agreeable Addition.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
You told us Yesterday, that all Disputes with you being now at an end,
you desired to confirm all former Treaties between _Virginia_ and us,
and to make our Chain of Union as bright as the Sun.
We agree very heartily with you in these Propositions; we thank you for
your good Inclinations; we desire you will pay no Regard to any idle
Stories that may be told to our Prejudice. And, as the Dispute about the
Land is now intirely over, and we perfectly reconciled, we hope, for the
future, we shall not act towards each other but as becomes Brethren and
hearty Friends.
We are very willing to renew the Friendship with you, and to make it as
firm as possible, for us and our Children with you and your Children to
the latest Generation, and we desire you will imprint these Engagements
on your Hearts in the strongest Manner; and, in Confirmation that we
shall do the same, we give you this Belt of Wampum.
_Which was received with_ Yo-hah _from the Interpreter, and all the
Nations_.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
You did let us know Yesterday, that tho' you had been disappointed in
your Endeavours to bring about a Peace between us and the _Catawbas_,
yet you would still do the best to bring such a Thing about. We are well
pleased with your Design, and the more so, as we hear you know what sort
of People the _Catawbas_ are, that they are spiteful and offensive, and
have treated us contemptuously. We are glad you know these Things of the
_Catawbas_; we believe what you say to be true, that there are,
notwithstanding, some amongst them who are wiser and better; and, as you
say, they are your Brethren, and belong to the great King over the
Water, we shall not be against a Peace on reasonable Terms, provided
they will come to the Northward to treat about it. In Confirmation of
what we say, and to encourage you in your Undertaking, we give you this
String of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremonies_.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
You told us likewise, you had a great House provided for the Education
of Youth, and that there were several white People and _Indians_
Children there to learn Languages, and to write and read, and invited us
to send some of our Children amongst you, &c.
We must let you know we love our Children too well to send them so great
a Way, and the _Indians_ are not inclined to give their Children
Learning. We allow it to be good, and we thank you for your Invitation;
but our Customs differing from yours, you will be so good as to excuse
us.
We hope _Tarachawagon_[8] will be preserved by the good Spirit to a good
old Age; when he is gone under Ground, it will be then time enough to
look out for another; and no doubt but amongst so many Thousands as
there are in the World, one such Man may be found, who will serve both
Parties with the same Fidelity as _Tarachawagon_ does; while he lives
there is no Room to complain. In Token of our Thankfulness for your
Invitation, we give you this String of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Ceremony_.
_Brother_ Tocarry-hogan,
You told us Yesterday, that since there was now nothing in Controversy
between us, and the Affair of the Land was settled to your Satisfaction,
you would now brighten the Chain of Friendship which hath subsisted
between you and us ever since we became Brethren; we are well pleased
with the Proposition, and we thank you for it; we also are inclined to
renew all Treaties, and keep a good Correspondence with you. You told us
further, if ever we should perceive the Chain had contracted any Rust,
to let you know, and you would take care to take the Rust out, and
preserve it bright. We agree with you in this, and shall, on our Parts,
do every thing to preserve a good Understanding, and to live in the same
Friendship with you as with our Brother _Onas_ and _Assaragoa_; in
Confirmation whereof we give you this Belt of Wampum.
_On which the usual Cry of_ Yo-hah _was given_.
_Brethren_,
We have now finished our Answer to what you said to us Yesterday, and
shall now proceed to _Indian_ Affairs, that are not of so general a
Concern.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
There lives a Nation of _Indians_ on the other Side of your Country, the
_Tuscaroraes_, who are our Friends, and with whom we hold
Correspondence; but the Road between us and them has been stopped for
some Time, on account of the Misbehaviour of some of our Warriors. We
have opened a new Road for our Warriors, and they shall keep to that;
but as that would be inconvenient for Messengers going to the
_Tuscaroraes_, we desire they may go the old Road. We frequently send
Messengers to one another, and shall have more Occasion to do so now
that we have concluded a Peace with the _Cherikees_. To enforce our
Request, we give you this String of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Cry of Approbation_.
_Brother_ Assaragoa,
Among these _Tuscaroraes_ there live a few Families of the _Conoy
Indians_, who are desirous to leave them, and to remove to the rest of
their Nation among us, and the strait Road from them to us lies through
the Middle of your Country. We desire you will give them free Passage
through _Virginia_, and furnish them with Passes; and, to enforce our
Request, we give you this String of Wampum.
_Which was received with the usual Cry of Approbation_.
_Brother_ Onas, Assaragoa, _and_ Tocarry-hogan,
At the Close of your respective Speeches Yesterday, you made us very
handsome Presents, and we should return you something suitable to your
Generosity; but, alas! we are poor, and shall ever remain so, as long as
there are so many _Indian_ Traders among us. Theirs and the white
Peoples Cattle have eat up all the Grass, and make Deer scarce. However,
we have provided a small Present for you, and though some of you gave us
more than others, yet, as you are all equally our Brethren, we shall
leave it to you to divide it as you please.--And then presented three
Bundles of Skins, which were received with the usual Ceremony from the
three Governments.
We have one Thing further to say; and that is, We heartily recommend
Union and a good Agreement between you our Brethren. Never disagree, but
preserve a strict Friendship for one another, and thereby you, as well
as we, will become the stronger.
Our wise Forefathers established Union and Amity between the _Five
Nations_; this has made us formidable; this has given us great Weight
and Authority with our neighbouring Nations.
We are a powerful Confederacy; and, by your observing the same Methods
our wise Forefathers have taken, you will acquire fresh Strength and
Power; therefore whatever befals you, never fall out one with another.
The Governor replied:
The honourable Commissioners of _Virginia_ and _Maryland_ have desired
me to speak for them; therefore I, in Behalf of those Governments, as
well as of the Province of _Pensylvania_, return you Thanks for the many
Proofs you have given in your Speeches of your Zeal for the Service of
your Brethren the _English_, and in particular for your having so early
engaged in a Neutrality the several Tribes of _Indians_ in the _French_
Alliance. We do not doubt but you will faithfully discharge your
Promises. As to your Presents, we never estimate these Things by their
real Worth, but by the Disposition of the Giver. In this Light we accept
them with great Pleasure, and put a high Value upon them. We are obliged
to you for recommending Peace and good Agreement amongst ourselves. We
are all Subjects, as well as you, of the great King beyond the Water;
and, in Duty to his Majesty, and from the good Affection we bear to each
other, as well as from a Regard to our own Interest, we shall always be
inclined to live in Friendship.
Then the Commissioners of _Virginia_ presented the hundred Pounds in
Gold, together with a Paper, containing a Promise to recommend the _Six
Nations_ for further Favour to the King; which they received with
_Yo-hah_, and the Paper was given by them to _Conrad Weiser_ to keep for
them. The Commissioners likewise promised that their publick Messengers
should not be molested in their Passage through _Virginia_, and that
they would prepare Passes for such of the _Conoy Indians_ as were
willing to remove to the Northward.
Then the Commissioners of _Maryland_ presented their hundred Pounds in
Gold, which was likewise received with the _Yo-hah_.
_Canassatego_ said, We mentioned to you Yesterday the Booty you had
taken from the _French_, and asked you for some of the Rum which we
supposed to be Part of it, and you gave us some; but it turned out
unfortunately that you gave it in _French_ Glasses, we now desire you
will give us some in _English_ Glasses.
The Governor made answer, We are glad to hear you have such a Dislike
for what is _French_. They cheat you in your Glasses, as well as in
every thing else. You must consider we are at a Distance from
_Williamsburg, Annapolis_, and _Philadelphia_, where our Rum Stores are,
and that although we brought up a good Quantity with us, you have
almost drunk it out; but, notwithstanding this, we have enough left to
fill our _English_ Glasses, and will shew the Difference between the
Narrowness of the _French_, and the Generosity of your Brethren the
_English_ towards you.
The _Indians_ gave, in their Order, five _Yo-hahs_; and the honourable
Governor and Commissioners calling for some Rum, and some middle-sized
Wine-Glasses, drank Health to the _great King of_ England, and the _Six
Nations_, and put an end to the Treaty by three loud Huzza's, in which
all the Company joined.
In the Evening the Governor went to take his Leave of the _Indians_,
and, presenting them with a String of Wampum, he told them, that was in
return for one he had received of them, with a Message to desire the
Governor of _Virginia_ to suffer their Warriors to go through _Virginia_
unmolested, which was rendered unnecessary by the present Treaty.
Then, presenting them with another String of Wampum, he told them, that
was in return for theirs, praying him, that as they had taken away one
Part of _Conrad Weiser_'s Beard, which frightened their Children, he
would please to take away the other, which he had ordered to be done.
_The_ Indians _received these two Strings of Wampum with the usual
Yo-hah_.
The Governor then asked them, what was the Reason that more of the
_Shawanaes_, from their Town on _Hohio_, were not at the Treaty? But
seeing that it would require a Council in Form, and perhaps another Day
to give an Answer, he desired they would give an Answer to _Conrad
Weiser_ upon the Road on their Return home, for he was to set out for
_Philadelphia_ the next Morning.
_C A N A S S A T E G O in Conclusion spoke at follows:_
We have been hindered, by a great deal of Business, from waiting on you,
to have some private Conversation with you, chiefly to enquire after the
Healths of _Onas_ beyond the Water; we desire you will tell them, we
have a grateful Sense of all their Kindnesses for the _Indians_. Brother
_Onas_ told us, when he went away, he would not stay long from us; we
think it is a great while, and want to know when we may expect him, and
desire, when you write, you will recommend us heartily to him; which the
Governor promised to do, and then took his Leave of them.
The Commissioners of _Virginia_ gave _Canassatego_ a Scarlet Camblet
Coat, and took their Leave of them in Form, and at the same time
delivered the Passes to them, according to their Request.
The Commissioners of _Maryland_ presented _Gachradodow_ with a broad
Gold-laced Hat, and took their Leave of them in the same Manner.
_A true Copy, compared by_
Richard Peters, Secr.
[Illustration]
[Footnote 7: Onandio, the Governor of _Canada_.]
[Footnote 8: _Tarachawagon, Conrad Weiser_.]
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=T R E A T Y=