IN STATE PAPER S. IN October last all differences were made up with the several tribes of Indians inhabiting beyond the mountains as far as the lakes; and a firm peace was concluded with them upon the ancient footing. The treaty for this purpose took up from the 8th to the 26th of October to settle; and tho' the minutes of each day's proceedings are not equally interesting, yet they will serve to convey an idea of their manner of transacting coun➜ cil affairs. At this treaty the governors of Pensylvania and New Jersey attend ed; accompanied by Mr. George Croghan, deputy agent under Sir William Johnson for the Indian af fairs; four members of the Pensylvania council; six commissioners, members of the assembly; two agents for the province of New Jersey; a great number of gentlemen property in the provinces; and near forty of the principal citizens of Philadelphia, chiefly quakers. These were met at Easton, about ninety miles from Philadelphia, by the Mohawks, Oneidoes Onondagoes, Cayugas, Senecas, Tuscaroras, Nanticokes, and Conoys, Tuteloes, Chugnuts, Delawares, and Unamies, Munseys, or Minisinks, of Mohickons, and Wappingers; the chiefs of all these nations with their women and children, made the whole number 507. On the 7th of October, the governor, with his council, coming to Easton in the afternoon, was waited upon immediately by Teedyuscung, accompanied by Moses Tittamy; Daniel; Teepuscung; and Isaac Stille, (Delaware chiefs and interpreters, with whom peace had been concluded the year before) who after the usual compliments, said, Brother, you desire me to hollow loud, and give notice to all the In dians round about, I have raised my voice, and all the Indians have heard me as far as the Twightwees*, and have regarded my voice, and are now come to this place. I bid you welcome, and entreat you to join with me in casting up our eyes to heaven, and praying the blessing of the supreme being on our endeavours. According to our usual custom, I with this string wipe the dust and sweat off your face, clear your eyes, and pick the briars out of your legs; and desire you will pick the briars out of the legs of the Indians that are come here, and anoint one of them with your healing oil, and I will anoint the other. A string. * The Twightwees are the nations between the Ohio and the lakes, the most remote of all the others, and the most hearty in the French interest. Though they were not present at this treaty of 1758, yet a discreet, sober, religious man named Frederic Post, accompanied by Pisquetomen, Daniel, and Thomas Hichman, Delaware Indians, had been sent among them the preceding year, and had effectually paved the way for a peace; but the preliminaries not being fully settled, they declined meeting till they were waited upon again. The The governor thanked him for his visit and advice, and appointed the next day to begin the confer ences. Sunday, Oct. 8. The governor of Pensylvania, with his whole company, met in council the chiefs of the nations, and opened the conferences with a short speech. your Brethren, it gives me pleasure to see so many of you of so many different nations at this council fire. I bid you heartily welcome. Brethren, with this string I wipe the sweat and dust out of your eyes, that you may see our faces and look chearful. With this string I take all bitterness from your heart. With this string I take the blood from your council seats, that clothes may not be stained, nor your minds disturbed. Three strings. After a short pause, Tagashata (the Seneca chief) rose up, and repeating, as usual, every thing the governor said, returned thanks, and went through the same ceremonies to the governors and all in authority. He delivered his belts of invitation, which the nations had received to come to the conferences; and desired to see the belts sent by them in return; which the governor said should be given them: and after all ceremonies had passed, the council broke up for this day. Conrad Weiser, Esq; attended as provincial interpreter. Capt. Montour, interpreter in the Six Nations and Delaware languages. preters in that language. Monday, Oct. 9. Gov. Bernard arrived, and desired a meeting with the Indians to bid them welcome; but was told that they were in council among themselves. Tuesday, Oct. 10. The Indian chiefs remained in council all day, and desired the governors not to be impatient. Wednesday, Oct. 11. This morning the Indian chiefs communicated the business they had been upon to the governor. At four in the afternoon the conferences opened; Tagashata intending to speak first, had laid some strings upon the table; when Teedyuscung got up, and holding a string, said, he had something to deliver. But Governor Bernard signifying his desire to bid the Indians welcome, put an end to the contest, and he was heard. Gov. Bernard.] Brethren, I bid you welcome, and wish the good work of peace may prosper in your hands. Having sent a message some months ago to the Minisinks, I received an answer from our bre thren the Senecas and Cayugas, in which they take upon them to speak for the Minisinks. To you, therefore, brethren, I now address myself, and must remind you, that if you are disposed to be our friends for the future, you should return us the captives that have * The subject of their conferences was the treaty made by Teedyuscung the year before, who pretended he acted as ambassador for the Six Nations, as well as Sachem for Four Nations of his own. The Six Nations wanted to have cancelled that peace as not properly made; but as a general peace was now to be made, the thing was waved, as altogether immaterial. been been taken out of our province, and are now within your power. It is not usual for our king's governors to go out of their provinces, to attend treaties of this kind; but I have waved forms to shew my good dispositions to restore peace, and settle all manner of differences for the mutual benefit of all parties. Then Teedyuscung rose up and said, Brethren, you desire me to call all the nations who live back. Such as have heard my haloo are here present. If you have any thing to say to them, or they to you, sit and talk together. I have nothing to do but to see and hear. I have made known to the governor of Pensylvania why I struck him, and have made up all differences for our future peace. A string. Tagashata, chief of the Senecas.] Brethren, It has pleased the most high to bring us together with chearfulness; but as it is now late, I desire to be heard to-morrow. Thursday, Oct. 12. Tagashata.] We approve of what the governor of Jersey said yesterday concerning the Minisinks; they desire us to bring about the good work of peace, have assured us they will deliver up the prisoners, and doubt not but all differences will be made up between them and the province of New Jersey. Brethren, I now speak at the request of Teedyuscung, and our nephews the Delawares, living at Wyomink, and on the waters of Susquehannah; they have assured us they will never think of war against their brethren the English any more. VOL. II. A belt. イ Bretliren, our nephews, the Minisink Indians, have declared the same, and the warriors of the four different tribes of the same nation; have entreated us to use our endeavours to make their peace, declaring their sorrow for what they have done at giving this belt. A belt. Brethren, we the Mohawks, Senecas, and Onondagões, deliver this string likewise, to remove the hatchet out of your heads, that has been struck into it by the Ohio Indians, in order to lay a foundation for peace. Eight strings of wampum. Tokaaio, chief of the Cayugas.] I speak in behalf of the younger nations, part of and confederated with the Six Nations, namely, the Cayugas, Oneidoes, Tuscaroras, Tuteloes, Nanticokes, and Conoys. A road has been opened for us to this council fire; but by some misfortune, blood has lately been spilt upon that road. By these strings we wash that blood away, and take the hatchet out of your heads. Three strings. Brethren, I now speak only for my own nation. I will hide nothing from you; the French, like a thief in the night, have stolen some of our young men, and corrupted them to do mischief. Our chiefs held them fast, but the French artfully unloosed them; we take the hatchet out of your heads with which they have struck you, and are sorry for what they have done. A belt of 10 rows, Friday, Oct. 13. Gov. Denny.1 Brethren, chiefs, and warriors, I invited you down to the council fire, kindled at this place by me and and your nephew Teedyuscung. I am now about to communicate to you matters of great consequence, and to answer all that has been said by you to me since our meeting together. I therefore by this string open your ears that you may hear clearly. A string. [Here he repeated all that had been said by the chiefs, producing their belts and strings; and then proceeded.] Brethren, you may remember, that the day before yesterday, your nephew Teedyuscung told me by this string, that he had made me acquainted with the cause why he struck us, that he had given the haloo that would sit by, &c. Now as there are many of you here who were not present at our former meetings, I think it proper for your information to give a short account of what passed between your nephews the Delawares, and us. About three years ago, your Brethren the English, living on the borders, were struck of a sudden; many killed; and others carried away captive. We knew not by whom, but sent messengers up the Susquehannah as far as the Six Nations, to inquire from whence the blow came, and for what reason. On the return of these messengers, we were informed, that the Delawares and Shawanese were the aggressors. Some time after this discovery, a cessation of hostilities was brought about; Teedyuscung came down to our council fire, told us the cause of the war was theproprietaries taking from him by fraud the ground on which we now stand; and that the inducement, to begin it, was from the persuasion of the false hearted French King. At last all blood was wiped away; and Teedyuscung then declared to us, that he acted in behalf of ten nations, and promised to restore to us all our fellow-subjects that had been carried away prisoners. I desire therefore to know the true reason, why our flesh and blood who are in captivity are withheld from us, and what is become of those belts we gave him to confirm the peace, and that promise, for till that promise is complied with we can never sleep in quiet, or rest satisfied in the friendship of those who detain our children and relations from us. A belt. Gov. Bernard.] What the governor has now declared, so far as it relates to my province, I confirm by this belt. Here Frederic Post's negotiation with the Ohio Indians was introduced by Pisquitomen who attended him; and it appearing that three strings of wampum had been returned by them, he was asked to whom they were sent? Pisquitomen replied, One to the governor at Pensylvania; one to Teedyuscung; and the third to Isaac Pemberton; at which Nichas, the Mohawk chief, rose up and spoke with great vehemence for some time; frequently pointing to Teedyuscung, and Mr. Weiser was desired to interpret what he said; but as it was merely personal, Mr. Weiser referred it to a private conference. Saturday, Oct. 14. The Indians declined meeting. Sunday, Oct. 15. At a private conference, Nichas rose up and said, Brothers, you all know, that our nephew Teedyuscung gives out out that he is the great man, and chief of ten nations; now I on behalf of the Mohawks say we do not know he is such a great man. If he is such a great man, we desire to know who made him so. Perhaps you have, and if this be the case, tell us so. It may be the French have made him so. We want to enquire and know whence his greatness arose. Tagashata.] We do not know who made him this great man over ten nations. by his belt you denied him to be so, and desired to know of me who made him so. I will answer you truly. Soon after the Delawares had struck us, we invited them to meet us at a council fire kindled at this place. At the time appointed, Teedyuscung came and told us he represented ten nations, his own as chief, and the United Nations, as a messenger: we believed what he said, and therefore made him a councellor and agent for us to publish to the nations what we did at our council fires, and how sincerely we were disposed to peace. But I assure you, I never made Teedyuscung the great man; and I must do him the justice to say, that he Thomas King, for the Oneidas. never assumed any authority over, Cayugas, Tuscaroras, Nanticokes, but on many occasions spoke of the and Conoys.] We, for our parts, Six Nations as his uncles and suentirely disown his having any superiors. I never shall attempt to periority over us. impose a chief on any İndian na tion; but on all occasions will pay due regard to those who are chosen by their countrymen. Assarandonguas, chief of the Onondagoes.] No such thing was ever said in our towns, as that Teedyuscung was such a great man. Tokaaio, chief of the Cayugas, addressing himself to the English.] Brethren, you may remember you said, you could not be easy without your prisoners. We speak from the bottom of our hearts, you shall have them all. You told us a tender father, husband, wife, brother, or sister could not sleep sound when they reflected their relations were prisoners; we know it is so with us, and we will therefore make your hearts easy, and give you this belt that we will perform our words. Á belt. Nichas confirmed his promise with A string of 7 rows. Monday, Oct. 16. Yesterday's private conference was read, and interpreted to Teedyuscung and the Delawares. Gov. Denny.] Brethren, you say we know that Teedyuscung gives out that he is the great man; and Brethren, by this belt and string you promised to make diligent search in your towns for our flesh and blood, who are prisoners, and return them to us. We have always found you honest and punc tual in the performance of your promises; your words therefore give us comfort. A belt and string. Gov. Bernard.] I know not who made Teedyuscung so great a man, nor do I know that he is any greater than a chief of the Delaware Indians settled at Wyomink. Brethren, you say you will return our prisoners; we hope you will be mindful to engage your nephews to do so too; for which give you this Belt. After |