President of Pensylvania, to let the Governor of Virginia know that you expected some Consideration for Lands in the Occupation of some of the People of Virginia. Upon seeing a Copy of this Letter, the Governor, with the Council of Virginia, took some Time to consider of it. They found, on looking into the old Treaties, that you had given up your Lands to the Great King, who has had Possession of Virginia above One Hundred and Sixty Years, and under that Great King the Inhabitants of Virginia hold their Land, so they thought there might be some Mistake.

Wherefore they desired the Governor of New-York to enquire of you about it. He sent his Interpreter to you in May, 1743, who laid this before you at a Council held at Onandago, to which you answer, "That if you had any Demand or Pretensions on the Governor of Virginia any way, you would have made it known to the Governor of NewYork." This corresponds with what you have said to Governor Thomas, in the Treaty made with him at Philadelphia in July, 1742;, for then you only make your Claim to Lands in the Government of Maryland.

We are so well pleased with this good Faith of you our Brethren of the Six Nations and your Regard to the Treaties made with Virginia, that we are ready to hear you on the Subject of your Message eight years since. VOL. II.-10

145

Tell us what Nations of Indians you conquered any Lands from in Virginia, how long it is since, and what Possession you have had; and if it does appear, that there is any Land on the Borders of Virginia that the Six Nations have a Right to, we are willing to make you Satisfaction.

Then laid down a String of Wampum, which was accepted with the usual Ceremony, and then added,

We have a Chest of new Goods, and the Key is in our Pockets. You are our Brethren; the Great King is our common Father, and we will live with you, as Children ought to do, in Peace and Love.

We will brighten the Chain, and strengthen the Union between us; so that we shall never be divided, but remain Friends and Brethren as long as the Sun gives Light; in Confirmation whereof, we give you this Belt of Wampum.

Which was received with the usual Ceremony.

Tachanoontia replied:

Brother Assaragoa,

You have made a good Speech to us, which is very agreeable, and for which we return you our Thanks. We shall be able to give

you an Answer to every Part of it some Time this Afternoon, and we will let you know when we are ready.

In the Court-House at Lancaster, June 27, 1744, P.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.

TACHANOONTIA spoke as follows:

Brother Assaragoa,

INCE

you have joined with the Governor of Maryland and Brother Onas in kindling this Fire, we gladly acknowledge the Pleasure we have in seeing you here, and observing your good Dispositions as well to confirm the Treaties of Friendship, as to enter into further Contracts about Land with us; and, in Token of our Satisfaction, we present you with this String of Wampum. Which was received with the usual Ceremonies.

Brother Assaragoa,

In your Speech this Morning you were pleased to say we had wrote a Letter to James Logan, about seven Years ago, to demand a Consideration for our Lands in the Possession of some of the Virginians; that you held them under the Great King for upwards of One Hundred and Sixty Years, and that we had already given up our Right; and that therefore you had desired the Governor of New-York to send his Interpreter to us last Year to Onandago, which he did; and, as you say, we in Council at Onandago did declare, that we had no Demand upon you for Lands, and that if we had any Pretensions, we should have made them known to the Governor of New-York; and likewise you desire to know if we have any Right to the Virginia Lands, and that we will make such Right appear, and tell you what Nations. of Indians we conquered those Lands from.

Now we answer, We have the Right of Conquest, a Right too dearly purchased, and which cost us too much Blood, to give up without any Reason at all, as you say we have done at Albany; but we should be obliged to you, if you would let us see the Letter, and inform us who was the Interpreter, and whose Names are put to that Letter; for as the whole Transaction cannot be above

a Year's standing, it must be fresh in every Body's Memory, and some of our Council would easily remember it; but we assure you, and are well able to prove, that neither we, nor any Part of us, have ever relinquished our Right, or ever gave such an Answer as you say is mentioned in your Letter. Could we, so few Years ago, make a formal Demand, by James Logan, and not be sensible of our Right? And hath any thing happened since that Time to make us less sensible? No; and as this Matter can be easily cleared up, we are anxious it should be done; for we are positive no such thing was ever mentioned to us at Onandago, nor any where else. All the World knows we conquered the several Nations living on Sasquahannah, Cohongoronta, and on the Back of the Great Mountains in Virginia; the Conoy-uch-suchroona, Coch-now-was-roonan, Tohoa-iroughroonan, and Connutskin-ough-roonaw, feel the Effects of our Conquests, being now a Part of our Nations, and their Lands at our Disposal. We know very well, it hath often been said by the Virginians, that the Great King of ENGLAND, and the People of that Colony, conquered the Indians who lived there, but it is not true. We will allow they have conquered the Sachdagughroonaw, and drove back the Tuscarroraws, and that they have, on that Account, a Right to some Part of Virginia;