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PENNSYLVANIA, SS.

GEORGE THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth,

To our trusty and well beloved John Penn, Richard Peters, Isaac Norris and Benjamin Franklin, of the city of Philadelphia, Esquires, Greeting.

Whereas the honorable James Delancey, Esq., our Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of our Province of New York, has received our directions to hold an interview with our loving and good allies the Six United Nations of Indians, at the city of Albany within our said Province, for delivering to them our presents and for renewing the covenant chain with them, and has fixed upon the fourteenth day of June ensuing for this purpose; and it has been usual, when an interview has been held with these Indians, for all his Majesty's Colonies whose interest and security is connected with and depends upon them, to join in such interview; and it appears to us that the present disposition of those Indians and the attempts which have been made to withdraw them from our interest, do make such a general interview more particularly necessary at this time, when the subjects of the French have actually marched into, and erected forts, and committed hostilities within the known limits of our dominions :

Know ye, that reposing special trust and confidence in your loyalty, abilities and prudence, we have thought fit to nominate and appoint you, the said John Penn, Richard Peters, Isaac Norris and Benjamin Franklin, and every of you, our Commissioners on behalf of our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid, in conjunction with our Lieutenant Governor of New York, and with the Commissioners of the the other Governments, to treat with the Six United Nations of Indians at Albany, or with their or any or every of their chiefs or delegates, and with them to renew, ratify and confirm the leagues of amity subsisting between us and the said nations of Indians, and to make them the presents that have been provided for them by the Governor and Assembly of our said Province of Pennsylvania; and further to do, act, transact and finally to conclude and agree with the Indians aforesaid, all and every other matter and thing, which to you shall

appear necessary for the engaging them heartily in our interest and for frustrating any attempts which have been made to withdraw them from it, as fully and amply to all intents, constructions and purposes, as our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid might or could do, being personally present; hereby ratifying, confirming and holding for firm and effectual whatsoever you, the said John Penn, Richard Peters, Isaac Norris and Benjamin Franklin, or any of you, shall lawfully do in and about the premises.

In testimony whereof we have caused the great seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness, James Hamilton, Esq., (by virtue of a commission from Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute proprietaries of the said Province, and with our royal approbation) Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province aforesaid, and counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware, at Philadelphia, the thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four, and in the twenty-seventh year of our reign.

A true copy, examined.

JAMES HAMILTON.

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WHEREAS his Majesty has been pleased to order a sum of money to be issued for presents to the Six Nations of Indians, and to direct his Governor of New York to hold an interview with them for delivering those presents, for burying the hatchet, and for renewing the covenant chain with them; and whereas, in obedience to his Majesty's pleasure signified to them by the Lords of Trade, his Majesty's several Colonies on this continent have resolved to join in such interview, and have made a provision for sending each their Commissioners, with such presents as have been usual on the like occasions to the said Indian nations, as a means of securing more effectually their affections to his Majesty and the British interest; now, in dutiful compliance with his Majesty's requisition, as well as from a sense of the importance it must be of to us

and the several neighboring Provinces, that these nations be retained in our alliance, more especially at this time, when our enemies are endeavoring to withdraw them from our friendship; we have thought fit to commission you, Col. Benjamin Tasker and Major Abraham Barnes, fully trusting in your known abilities and approved honor, to represent this Province at the interview appointed to be held at Albany, the fourteenth day of June next, and then and there to renew the covenant chain, and enter into a league of amity with the said Indian nations; and you shall deliver to them, with such speeches as have been used on similar occasions, a present as from his Majesty's dutiful subjects of this Province of Maryland, in money or goods (as to you shall appear most proper) to the value of five hundred pounds, current money of this Province, which money you will receive from the Treasurer of the Western Shore; and for the better conducting yourselves in regard to the manner and form of the treaty to be entered into at Albany with the said Six Allied Nations, you shall refer yourselves for directions to the honorable James Delancey, Esq., his Majesty's Lieutenant Governor of New York.

And whereas I have had intimation that the Commissioners from the several neighboring Colonies will receive instructions from their respective Governments, to concert measures with the Commisioners from the other Provinces for the better securing these Indians for the future in our alliance, and prevent their being alienated from our interests by the artifices or insinuations of our enemies, as well as for the more easy defence of his Majesty's dominions on this continent; you shall, if any propositions of that nature are made by the Commissioners in behalf of their respective Governments, let them know that this Province is also disposed to contribute to the execution of any general scheme to promote such desirable ends; and you will take care to observe well what proposition shall or may be made concerning such general scheme, and commit the substance thereof to writing for my information, and to be laid before the General Assembly for their consideration. But you are to understand that you are not empowered to stipulate or engage that this Province will advance any sum of money or number of men toward erecting forts or garrisoning them, or to any such purposes; but you shall only well observe, what proposals are made by the other Commissioners, and endeavor to learn how far the execution of

held at Albany, in 1754.

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what they may propose can be necessary or useful, and consider well the reasonableness of any such propositions, and inform yourselves whether the other Commissioners are authorized to stipulate and agree thereon; and at your return you shall inform me of these several particulars, and any other things that may possibly occur to your notice; that I may not be ignorant after what manner we can best contribute to the success of any such scheme as shall be proposed at the aforesaid interview, for the defence or utility of his Majesty's American dominions and subjects.

Annapolis, June 30th, 1754.

A true copy, examined by

HOR'O. SHARPE.

BENJ. TASKER, Jr.
A. BARNES.

Albany, 19th June, 1754.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONGRESS HELD AT ALBANY BY THE HONORABLE JAMES DELANCEY, ESQ., LIEUTENANT GovERNOR AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK, AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE SEVERAL PROVINCES, NOW MET IN THIS CITY.

At a meeting in the Court House at Albany, on Wednesday, the 19th June, 1754, A. M. Present,

The Honorable the Lieutenant Governor of New York, Joseph Murray, William Johnson, John Chambers, William Smith, Esquires, of his Majesty's Council of this Province;Samuel Welles, John Chandler, Oliver Partridge, John Worthington, Esquires, Commissioners for Massachusetts Bay ;

Theodore Atkinson, Richard Wibird, Meshech Weare, Henry Sherburne, Jr., Esquires, Commissioners for his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire;

William Pitkin, Roger Wolcott, Elisha Williams, Esquires, Commissioners for the Colony of Connecticut ;

Stephen Hopkins, Martin Howard, Jr., Esquires, Commissioners for the Colony of Rhode Island ;

John Penn, Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, Benjamin Franklin, Esquires, Commissioners for the Government of Pennsylvania;

Benjamin Tasker, Abraham Barnes, Esquires, Commissioners for the Government of Maryland.

His Honor the Lieutenant Governor of New York having yesterday directed Mr. Banyar, Deputy Secretary of the said Province, to wait upon the Commissioners of the several Provinces above named, to acquaint them that his Honor desired they would meet him in Council in the City Hall of Albany this morning in order to produce their powers and proceed upon business,

The said Commissioners being now accordingly met, took their seats and produced their respective commissions, which were read.

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