of this method into the English Governments which Trade with the Indians, seems not difficult to be effected. The opening and Establishing a Trade with the numerous Nations of Northern and Southern Indians Inhabiting the North side of the Lake Ontario, and as far Westward, as the Lakes Erie, the Detroit, and Lake Huron and &c. which is now wholly Engrossed by the French, and is the Chief Connexion between them and the Indians, may be attended with greater difficulty, but is I hope very practicable. This I apprehend is to be done, at least to be begun, only at Oswego, as that is the only trading House in his Majesty's Colonies, which by its Situation will admit of such a Trade being carried on as is with those Indians: It was with this view that Mr. Burnet in the Year [1727] being then Governour of New York upon finding the French wholly in possession of that Trade, and foreseeing the many Evils, which the English Colonies have long experienced from the Attachment of those Indians to them on that Account first built Fort Oswego: but as he did not remain long after in his Government, his good intent hath been since wholly defeated by the Government of New York's having Burthened the Trade carried on with the before mentioned Northern and Western Indians at Oswego, whilst a Free Trade with the French Indians hath been left open at Albany, who have been carriers and Factors for the French, and supplyed them thro' that Channel with English Strouds and other goods necessary to Indians; by which means the French have furnished those Nations with English Woolens at as Cheap or Cheaper rates, at their Trading Houses in Canada and upon the great Lakes and Rivers, than the Indians could purchase them at Oswego itself. To this pernicious Trade, carried on from Albany, in which the French have chiefly made use of the Cagnawaga Indians, who have been considerable gainers by it, it is the opinion of the best Judges here, must be due the continuance of those Indians in their defection from the English to the French; several Grievances flowing from this trade to the Neighbouring Colonies in time of a General Warr with the French might likewise be pointed out; but that is beside my present purpose: what I would at present observe is that a prohibition of the Trade with the French carried on from Albany; and opening a free trade at Oswego with the Indians of the far Nations, would remedy these mischiefs, and lay a foundation not only for establishing a Trade with them, and bringing them into an Alliance with the English, but likewise of reclaiming the Cagnawagas, the most powerfull Tribe of Indians in Canada, to their antient Friendship with them. As I look upon the opening of this Trade at Oswego, to be an object of the greatest importance to his Majesty's Service and the welfare of the Colonies, I used my utmost endeavours during my stay there, to engage the Indians of the Northern and Western Nations by messages to them to meet me there next spring, in order to consult with me and their Brethren of the Six Nations (most of whom there promised to meet me) upon opening a trade and Establishing a Friendship between them and the English: The success of my messages will appear by the inclosed Extract of a Letter from Lieutenent Colonel Mercer the Commanding Officer at Oswego to my Secretary: and I shall desire Sir Charles Hardy to recommend it to his Assembly to provide a Quantity of Goods proper for Indian Trade to be sent to Oswego, in time for their meeting me there; and to be sold to them at the prime cost free of the present duty as also to furnish me with some presents for them. If this proposed meeting of the Indians at Oswego should take effect, and measures can be concerted there to Establish a Trade with the Northern and Western Indians, and an Annual meeting and Council between them and the Six Nations, I cannot but hope that it will contribute much to unite and fix them all in the English Interest. Endorsed: Sketch of a System for the Management of Indian Affairs in North America under one general Direction WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE LORDS OF TRADE 1 New York Janry 11th 1756. MY LORDS, I am honour'd with your Lordships Letter of the 16th of August. The Approbation, which your Lordships are pleas'd to express therein of my proceedings upon the River Kennebeck in the summer before last, and the Notice there taken of my Recommendation of the Proprietors of the Kennebeck Grant, together with your Lordships's Approbation of what I took the liberty to submit to your consideration in Support of the Excise Act pass'd by the Assembly within my own Government in the year 1754, give me very great Pleasure and Satisfaction; as I am sure the Approbation of the Act will to the General Court. The bad Effects, which your Lordships observe in the same Letter, the Disputes between the Borderers upon both sides. of the Boundary Line between this Government and my own have of late produc'd, notwithstanding the Endeavours of both Governments to prevent them, require an effectual stop to be put to them, as soon as possible; which as your Lordships further observe can be done only by a Commission from the Crown: No Endeavours shall be wanting on my part, My Lords, to induce the Province of the Massachusetts Bay to concurr in that Measure upon my Arrival at Boston. I am likewise to acknowledge the Receipt of Mr Pownall's Letter to me dated the 19th of September, signifying to me your Lordships's Directions to transmit to you "an exact "and particular Account of the present actual State and "Quantity of the Cannon, small Arms, Ammunition, and "other Ordnance and Military Stores belonging to the Prov"ince under my Government, either in the publick Magazines 'or in the Possession of the Militia or other private Persons, "together with a true state of all places either already for"tify'd, or which I judge further necessary to be fortify'd, "with my Opinion at large, how his Majesty may further 1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 887. [Copy.] "contribute to the Security and Defence of the Province, and as exact an Account as I can obtain of the Real Number of "Whites and Blacks, how many of the former are able to bear "Arms; of what number the Militia is compos'd, and how "arm'd, muster'd, and train'd"; which Orders I shall most punctually observe and execute by the first Opportunity after my arrival in my Govt, before which time it is impracticable for me to do it. I am with the greatest Respect, My Lords, Your Lordships's most Humble, The Rt Honble Lords Commissioners W. SHIRLEY. Letter from Mr Shirley, Govr of the Massachusets Bay, dated at New York the 11th of Janry 1756, acknowledging the Receipt of a Letter from the Board dated the 16th of August last, and of one from Mr Pownall, dated the 19th of Septbr, and will punctually observe and execute the Orders therein by the first Opportunity after his Arrival in his Government. Recd March Read -II 1756 WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO SIR THOMAS ROBINSON 1 SIR. New York January 12th 1755. [1756.] [Duplicate] Since I had the Honour of sending you mine of the 20th of December upon the Subject of Indian Affaires, I have had 1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46. A transcript is in the Library of Con2 Ante, p. 355 gress. the Satisfaction to receive the inclos'd advices from Oswego, concerning the Disposition of the Northern and Western Indians to meet me there in the Spring, contain'd in an Extract of a Letter from Lieut. Colonel Mercer commanding Officer at Oswego, to my Secretary, since that likewise Colonel Johnson hath given me an Assurance to my Satisfaction, that he will follow my Instructions in the Execution of his trust relative to the Indians, which I have already Settled and delivered to him, and I have now the Utmost reason to hope that Sir Charles Hardy is perfectly disposed to Act in the utmost harmony with me for carrying on his Majesty's Service; The Baron De Dieskau's Aid De Camp, he lets me know, will go to England in his Majesty's Ship Nightingale which I think much more adviseable than to send him at Present to France: The Baron himself is so ill still of his wound that he cant be remov'd out of his bed without danger: as to the other prisoners taken at Lake George in the whole about twenty they were most of them taken by Indians, who I understand from Colonel Johnson claimed the Disposal of them among themselves.2 The inclos'd Extract from a Publick print seems fully to Confirm every part of the Intelligence I had concerning the Design of the French to Attack Fort Oswego called in the print Fort Chonaguen the Last Summer, if such a Diversion had not been given them at Crown point as was then done. 1 See Mercer to Alexander, Dec. 11, 1755, ante, p. 340. 2 On July 21, 1755, Johnson wrote the Lords of Trade:"I went to Alexandria in Virginia to wait on his Excellency General Braddock. I received from and signed by him, a warrant for the sole superintendency and management of the affairs of the Six Confederate Nations of Indians their allies and dependants, also some Instructions relating to my conduct; I further received from him two thousand pounds sterling, part to be laid out in presents and the remainder for various other expences, which would arise from the part I was to act; besides this the General has given me an unlimited Credit upon Govr. Shirley for what further sums this service might call for. "Immediately upon my return home I sent Messages with Belts of Wampum thro' the several Nations, to acquaint them with my appointment, and to desire they would come down to my house |