prepared for them, the Governor and the several Commissioners drank Health to the Six Nations; and Canassatego, Tachanoontia, and some other Chiefs, returned the Compliments, drinking the Healths of *Onas, † Assaragoa, and the Governor of Maryland. After they were all served with Wine, Punch, Pipes and Tobacco, the Governor told the Indians, that as it was customary, and indeed necessary, they should have some Time to rest after so long a Journey, and as he thought three Days would be no more than sufficient for that Purpose, he proposed to speak to them on Monday next; after which, the honourable Commissioners would take their own Time to deliver what the had to say. Canassatego answered the Governor: We thank you for giving us Time to rest; we are come to you, and shall leave it intirely to you to appoint the Time when we shall meet you again. We likewise leave it to the Governor of Maryland, by whose Invitation we came here, to appoint a Time when he will please to mention the Reason of his inviting us. As to our Brother Assaragoa, we have at this present Time nothing to say to him; not but we have a great deal to say to Assaragoa, *Onas, the Governor of Pensylvania. which must be said at one Time or another; but not being satisfied whether he or we should begin first, we shall leave it wholly to our Brother Onas to adjust this between us, and to say which shall begin first. In the Court-House at Lancaster, June 25, 1744. A.M PRESENT, The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, 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 Ta 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.* 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 *This was allowed, at a Conference had by the Governor with the Commissioners, to be a just State of the Transactions preceding the Treaty. 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 |