“The Minutes of Conferences held at Easton, in October, 1758…”

At a CONFRENCE held at Easton, with the Indians, October 26, 1758.
PRESENT,
His Excellency Governor BERNARD,

Mr. JOHN WATSON,

The Chiefs of the United Nations, and of the other Nations of Indians, Moses Tittamy, and James Davis, and several other Delawares.

THE Secretary having observed to the Six Nation Chiefs, that the Governors were charged, by Tokaaio, with having omitted some Things in their Answers, and desired to know what they were; Thomas King said they were afterwards supplied, and recommended some Things to be more particularly mentioned than they had been; and agreeably to this Advice the following Speech was spoke by the Members of the Pennsylvania Council.

Brethren,
As we have now settled all Differences, and confirmed the antient Leagues of Amity, and brightened the Chain of Friendship; we now clean the Blood off your Council Seats, and

—Page 30—

put them in Order, that when you hold Councils at Home, you may sit as you formerly used to do in your Seats, with the same Peace and Tranquility.

A String, consisting of One Thousand Grains of Wampum.

Brethren,
With this String of Wampum we condole with you for the Loss of your wise Men, and for the Warriors that have been killed these troublesome Times, and likewise for your Women and Children; and we cover their Graves decently, agreeable to the Custom of your Forefathers.

A String of One Thousand grains of Wampum.

Brethren,
We disperse the dark Clouds that have hung over our Heads during these Troubles, that we may see the Sun clear, and look on each other with the Chearfulness our Forefathers did.

A String of One Thousand grains of Wampum.

Mr. Peters and Mr. Weiser produced the Confirmation Deed, executed by the Chiefs of the United Nations, as before set forth, which the Indian Chiefs acknowledged to have been their voluntary Act and Deed, and that they clearly understood the Contents thereof, together with the Limits described in the Draught annexed to it; and the same being handed from Indian to Indian, it was re-delivered to the Proprietaries Agents.

After which the Indian Chiefs produced the Proprietary Deed of Release, executed by Mr. Peters, and Mr. Weiser, the Proprietary Agents, who acknowledged it to be their Act and Deed, in Behalf of their Constituents, and re-delivered it to the Indians, together with the Belt.

His Excellency Governor Bernard produced the following Deeds; one executed by five Indian Attorneys, appointed by a Council of the Delaware Nation, for all the Lands lying in New Jersey, South of a Line from Paoqualin Mountain, at Delaware River, to the Falls of Laometung, on the North Branch of Rariton River, and down that River to Sandy-Hook; dated the 12th of September last, with Endorsements thereon, made by Teedyuscung, Anawalleckon, and Tepascouon, signifying their Agreement thereto, and Acknowledgement of their having received Satisfaction thereon, witnessed by three Chiefs of the United Nations, who, in Behalf of the United Nations, approved the Sale; and also by several English Witnesses.

Another Deed, dated the 23d of October Instant, at Easton, from the Chiefs of the Munseys, and Wapings, or Pumptons, Sixteen in Number, and included all the remaining Lands in New-Jersey, beginning at Cushetung, and down the Division Line between New-Jersey and New-York, to the Mouth of Tappon-Creek, at the North or Hudson’s River, and down the same to Sandy-Hook; then to the Mouth of Rariton; then up that River to Laometung Falls; then on a strait Line to Paoqualin, where it joins on Delaware River; and up Delaware to Cushetung; endorsed by Nimham, a Chief of the Pumptons, or Wapings, who was sick at the Execution thereof, and approved by the United Nations, which was testified by three of their Chiefs, signing as Witnesses. And Governor Bernard desired all present might take Notice of the same, the Indian Title to all the Lands in the Province of New-Jersey being conveyed thereby; which being interpreted in the Six Nation and Delaware Languages, his Excellency addressed the Indians, as follows.

Brethren,
I am very glad this good Work has been so happily finished. I came among you, wholly unacquainted with your Forms, and therefore if I have omitted any Ceremonial, you will readily excuse me. But in whatever I have been deficient, I am sure I have not wanted a good Heart towards you.

The Circumstances of our Province have hitherto rendered us unable to give you any great Proofs of our Regard for you; but I shall endeavor to persuade my People to do you good Service for the future, by opening a Communication with you, which, if rightly managed, will be much to the Advantage of both People. And, for my own Part, I shall be always ready to do you Justice, and desire that whenever you have Cause of Complaint against my People, you will take Care to signify it to me.  A String.

The Five Nation Chiefs having laid all the Belts and Strings on the Table, that were delivered at this and the last Conference, the Cayuga Chief, Tokaaio, desired the Governors, and all present, would hearken to what Thomas King was going to say on Behalf of the United Nations (now Eight in Number) on which Thomas King arose, and taking up the first Belt, which was given by Teedyuscung, when he requested a Deed for the Wyomink Lands, he addressed the Delawares, Teedyuscung not being present, as follows.

—Page 31—

Cousins,
By this Belt Teedyuscung desired us to make you the Owners of the Lands at Wyomink, Shamokin, and other Places on the Sasquehannah River; in Answer to which, we who are present say, that we have no Power to convey Lands to any one; but we will take your Request to the great Council Fire, for their Sentiments, as we never convey or sell any Lands, before it be agreed in the great Council of the United Nations. In the mean Time you may make use of those Lands, in Conjunction with our People, and all the rest of our Relations, the Indians of the different Nations in our Alliance, which being interpreted in Delaware, the String of Wampum was given to Moses Tittamy, and James Davis, to be delivered to Teedyuscung, as he was not present.

Then taking up each Belt and String, in the Order it was delivered in this and the last Conference, he proceeded to repeat distinctly what had been said under each Article, returning Thanks for all those good Speeches, which he said were extremely agreeable: He made particular Mention of the large Peace Belt, saying, the Nations were vastly pleased, that all the antient Treaties made here, at Albany, and elsewhere, were renewed, as well as that the old Council Fire at Philadelphia was kindled again, and a good Road made to it, that might be travelled without any Danger; these in particular, as well as every other Matter transacted at these Conferences, we will make known to our own Nations, and to every other in Friendship and Alliance with us; we are sure they will be very well received.

Then, addressing Governor Bernard, they thanked him for his Farewel Speech, saying, it was a very kind one, and that they were very glad at his having been present and given his Assistance at this Treaty, which had given them an Opportunity of gaining an Acquaintance with him, which they would ever remember with Pleasure. After a Pause, he desired to be excused in mentioning something that had been omitted by the Governors and their Councils. You have forgot to bring with you Ammunition, of which we always used to receive a sufficient Quantity, not only to serve us in our Journey, but support us in our hunting Season, that we might be enabled to make Provision for our Families. You have given us Gun-locks without Guns, which are of no Manner of Use to us; and therefore this must surely have been forgot, as it is impossible for Indians to subsist without Guns, Powder and Lead, of which we have received none.

Brethren,
As many of us are old and infirm, we desire our Brethren will be so good as to furnish us with a Number of Waggons to carry such of us as are not able to walk with the Goods you have been pleased to give us, as far as Wyomink, where we have left our Canoes, and then we will discharge the Waggons. We further desire a Supply of Provisions may be put into the Waggons, enough to serve us till we get to our respective Habitations.

He then took up the Proprietary Release, and returned Thanks for it. He said that, when the United Nations first made the Request to Sir William Johnson, to be transmitted to Onas, they had no Doubt Onas would comply with it, having always found him ready to grant all their Requests; with him we have never had any Difference, he has always settled our Affairs without giving us any Trouble, and to our Satisfaction. We heartily thank Onas. This Act confirms us in the good Opinion we have always had of him.

Then, addressing himself to the Delawares, with a String of Wampum, he spoke as follows.

This serves to put Teedyuscung in Mind of his Promises, to return the Prisoners. Remember Cousin, you have made this Promise in our Presence; you did it indeed before, and you ought to have performed it; it is a Shame for one who calls himself a great Man to tell Lies; let us, as Counsellors, perform our Engagements and Promises; Cousin, you must not now fail to perform your Word; we are all one People, and we must all of us be punctual in the Performance of our Engagements. This was interpreted in the Delaware Language, and the String was given to Moses Tittamy for Teedyuscung. He then said the United Nations had finished what they had to say.

Looking round the Room, he espied Mr. Vernon, the Person who had the Care of furnishing the Indians with Provisions, and he desired, that, now Council Business was over, he might be ordered to take the Lock off the Rum, and let it run freely; that, as they were going away, their Hearts might me made glad, and we could very well spare it, as it was of no Use to us.

Some Wine and Punch was then ordered in, and the Conferences were concluded with great Joy and mutual Satisfaction.

The END.