The Treaty Held with the Indians of the Six Nations at Philadelphia, in July 1742 | Page 9

immediately dispatch some suitable
Person in whom we can place a Confidence, to give us a proper
Information.'
To inforce this Request, as well as to brighten the Chain, we lay down
this other Belt of Wampum.
On the Governor's concluding the Speech, the solemn Cry, by way of
Approbation, was repeated by the Indians, as many Times as there were
Nations present; and then Canassateego rose up and spoke.
'BRETHREN, [Transcriber's Note: original has "BRRTHREN"]
'We thank you for your kind Speech: What you have said is very
agreeable to us; and to-morrow when we have deliberated on the
several Matters recommended to us, we will give you our Answer. We
desire, as our Time will be wholly taken up in Council, you will order
the Goods to be carried back to the Proprietaries to prevent their being
lost, and that they may continue there till we call for them.'
* * * * *
At a COUNCIL held in the Meeting-House, July 7. 1742.
PRESENT,

The Hon'ble GEORGE THOMAS, Esq; Lieut. Governor.
James Logan, Samuel Preston, } Thomas Lawrence, Samuel Hasell, }
Esqrs; Abraham Taylor, Robert Strettell, }
CANASSATEEGO'S Speech on Behalf of the Six Nations.
'BRETHREN, the Governor and Council, and all present,
According to our Promise we now propose to return you an Answer to
the several Things mentioned to us Yesterday, and shall beg Leave to
speak to publick Affairs first, tho' they were what you spoke to last. On
this Head you Yesterday put us in Mind, first, Of William Penn's early
and constant Care to cultivate Friendship with all the Indians; of the
Treaty we held with one of his Sons, about Ten Years ago; and of the
Necessity there is at this Time of keeping the Roads between us clear
and free from all Obstructions. We are all very sensible of the kind
Regard that good Man William Penn had for all the Indians, and cannot
but be pleased to find that his Children have the same. We well
remember the Treaty you mention held with his Son on his Arrival here,
by which we confirmed our League of Friendship that is to last as long
as the Sun and Moon endure: In Consequence of this, We, on our Part,
shall preserve the Road free from all Incumbrances: in Confirmation
whereof, we lay down this String of Wampum.
'You in the next Place said, You would inlarge the Fire and make it
burn brighter, which we are pleased to hear you mention; and assure
you, we shall do the same, by adding to it more Fewel, that it may still
flame out more strongly than ever: In the last Place, you were pleased
to say, that we are bound, by the strictest Leagues, to watch for each
others Preservation; that we should hear with our Ears for you, and
you hear with your Ears for us: This is equally agreeable to us; and we
shall not fail to give you early Intelligence whenever any Thing of
Consequence comes to our Knowledge: And to encourage you to do the
same, and to nourish in your Hearts what you have spoke to us with
your Tongues, about the Renewal of our Amity and the Brightening of
the Chain of Friendship; we confirm what we have said with another
Belt of Wampum.'

'BRETHREN,
We received [Transcriber's Note: original has "rececived"] from the
Proprietor's, yesterday, some Goods in Consideration of our Release of
the Lands on the West-Side of Susquehanna: It is true we have the full
Quantity according to Agreement; but if the Proprietor had been here
himself, we think, in Regard of our Numbers and Poverty, he would
have made an Addition to them.--If the Goods were only to be divided
amongst the Indians present, a single Person would have but a small
Portion; but if you consider what Numbers are left behind, equally
intituled with us to a Share, there will be extreamly little. We therefore
desire, if you have the Keys of the Proprietor's Chest, you will open it,
and take out a little more for us.
'We know our Lands are now become more valuable: The white People
think we do not know their Value; but we are sensible that the Land is
everlasting, and the few Goods we receive for it are soon worn out and
gone. For the Future we will sell no Lands but when Brother ONAS is
in the Country; and we will know beforehand the Quantity of the
Goods we are to receive. Besides, we are not well used with Respect to
the Lands still unsold by us. Your People daily settle on these Lands,
and spoil our Hunting.--We must insist on your Removing them, as you
know they have no Right to settle to the Northward of