The Treaty Held with the Indians of the Six Nations at Philadelphia, in July 1742 | Page 4

Behaviour of the Indians,
strong Traces of good Sense, a nice Address in the Conduct of their
Affairs, a noble Simplicity, and that manly Fortitude which is the
constant Companion of Integrity. The Friendship of a Nation like this,
tho' under the Appellation of Savages or Barbarians, is an Honour to
the most civiliz'd People: I say nothing of the Advantage which is
derived from them by Commerce: And the FRENCH well know, by dear
Experience, how terrible they are to their Enemies in War.
"When we speak of the Five Nations in FRANCE, (says an Author[8]
of that Country) they are thought, by common Mistake, to be meer
Barbarians, always thirsting after human Blood: But their true
Character is very different. They are the fiercest and most formidable
People in North America; at the same Time as politick and judicious, as

well can be imagined: This appears from the Management of the
Affairs which they transact, not only with the FRENCH and ENGLISH,
but likewise with almost all the Indians of this vast Continent."
[Footnote 8: DE LA POTERIE'S History of North America, in Dr.
COLDEN'S History, &c.]

THE
TREATY, &c.
The Deputies of the Six Nations having, at their last Visit, agreed to
release their Claim to all the Land on both Sides of the River
Susquehanna, as far South as this Province extends, and to the
Northward to those called the Endless Mountains or Kittochtinny Hills;
in Consideration whereof, they then received a large Quantity of
valuable Indian Goods for the Lands situate on the Eastern Side of the
said River, but declined at that Time to receive any for those on the
Western Side of the said River, chusing to defer the same till another
Visit: A large Number arrived from these Nations at Philadelphia, on
Wednesday the 30th of June, with Deputies duly impowered to receive
the said Goods; and acquainted the Governor, that being weary, from
the Fatigue of their long Journey, they should crave three or four Days
to rest themselves before they proceeded to their Business: In the mean
Time they would wait on the Governor to discourse, according to their
usual Method, about News and other Occurrences; which the Governor
readily agreed to, and ask'd them when they would chuse to pay their
first Visit; which they desiring might be on Friday the 2d of July in the
Afternoon; the Council was accordingly summon'd, and met at Mr.
Logan's House, where were
PRESENT,
The Hon'ble GEORGE THOMAS, Esq; Lieut. Governor.
James Logan, Samuel Preston, } Clement Plumsted, Thomas
Lawrence, } Esqrs; Samuel Hasell, Ralph Asheton, } Abraham Taylor,

Robert Strettell, }
The Chiefs of the SIX NATIONS, with the Chiefs of the
SHAWANESE.
CANASSATEEGO, the Onondago Chief, Speaker.
CONRAD WEISER, Interpreter.
The Governor opened the Conference as follows.
'BRETHREN,
'The Proprietor having purchased certain Lands from your Nations
about Six Years ago, a Moiety of what was agreed to be given in
Consideration of that Purchase was at that Time delivered to them, and
the other being at their own Desire left in the Proprietor's Hands, He
pressed you by Shikalamy, to send last Year for it, and would have been
glad to have seen you and taken you by the Hand before his Departure.
But as the Design of this Meeting is to hear your News, and converse
together in a free and friendly Manner, I shall say no more about the
Goods than that they lye ready at the Proprietor's House, and will be
delivered when you shall have sufficiently rested from the Fatigue of
your Journey.'
The Chief of the Onondagoes spoke,
'BRETHREN,
'We propose to rest four Days, and then come to the main Business. At
present we are at a private Conference about News, and have
something of this Sort to mention to our Brother ONAS.' And on the
Governor's signifying they would be glad to know what it was, the
Chief proceeded.
'BRETHREN,
'It is our Way when we come to our Brethren, or any other Persons,
whom we live in strict Friendship with, to remove all Obstructions to a

good Understanding; with this View we are to inform you of a Piece of
disagreeable News that happen'd in our Journey.--Some White People
living at a Place called Conegocheegoe, whose Names we cannot tell,
nor whether they belong to this or the neighbouring Government, but
one of them, as we heard, had his House burnt over his Head some
Years ago, and he was brought down a Prisoner and committed to the
Goal of this City: These People lighting of our young Warriours, as
they were hunting, made some Proposals about the purchasing of Land
from them, and our young Men being indiscreet, and unacquainted with
publick Business, were foolish enough to hearken to them, and to