ner this Government can consent that the proposals be made and the presents given to the said Indians

I am with great respect Sir Your Excellency's most obed Humb. Serv't. Is: BOBIN D Secry

New York Sep 20th 1721.

N: 158.] At a Council held at Fort George in New York October 9th 1721. Post Meridiem.

His Exc' communicated to this Board a letter signed Josiah Willard Secretary by order of the Governor and Council of Massachusets Colony.

After considering considering the contents thereof It is the opinion of this Board that the Deputy Secretary do write a letter to the Commissioners from the said Colony now residing at Albany to the following effect. Viz,

That his Excellency having lately met the Indians and renewed the Covenant Chain with them on the part of all his Majestys subjects on the Continent of America it would alarm them to send for them again so soon for the same purpose which should be avoided. unless an absolute necessity required it at this time and the season of the year being intirely improper considering the great distance at which most of the Indians live and their hunting season is now approaching. That this Board does not think fit that the Indians be now sent for-that this Board observes in the Instructions given to M Fitch Dudley that in case of his Excelly absence they were to apply themselves to some particular persons only at Albany and not to the Commissioners of Indian affairs as would have been most proper. That notwithstanding in M' Willards letter of October

the 2a it is sayed that the designs of their Commissioners was only to deliver a present and Brighten the Covenant Chain between them and the five nations-that the Board observes that there are severall particular matters contained in these said Instructions of no small importance and which may be attended with very material consequences. That the Board does not apprehend that they gave them any reason to believe that they imagined any thing sinister or clandestine to be intended on their part and to assure them whatever the present emergency or any future may be we shall at all times be ready at all times to lend them our best assistance but with all that this Board does insist that no treaty be made with or presents given to the five nations but with the previous consent of and in the manner directed by this Government all which may be settled and adjusted when they shall think it necessary to send Commissioners hither to Treat upon that subject.

[N: 159.] At a Council at Fort George in New York the 9th of August 1722.

Present

His Excellency William Burnet Esq!

Capt Walter

Coll Beekman

M: Van Dam

Mr Harrison

Doctor Colden

Mr Alexander

His Excellency communicated to the Board the two following Letters in haec Verba :

From on Board his Majesty's Ship the Enterprize at Sandy Hook Aug 9. 1722

I am come hither as Governour of Virginia accompanied by some Gentlemen as members of that Government in order to settle a right understanding and establish a lasting peace between his Majesties subjects of that Dominion and the five nations of Indians belonging to this province.

Diverse Embassies Treaties and Negociations have heretofore been set on foot for the same purpose but none I believe has been founded on so many considerations as this present intended Treaty: for first your Indians have insisted on our Brightening the Covenant Chain (as your Interpreter tells us) and seem disposed to continue disturbing our Fronteers until the same be done; in the next place repeated instances have been made on the part of the Government of New York that some Commissioners should be sent to Albany in behalf of Virginia to renewe the Covenant Chain with the said five nations likewise the Lords Commissioners for the plantation affairs at home have urged us to comply with such proposall and also the General Assembly of Virginia have had it for the subject matter of their Deliberations in severall sessions and haveing at length concluded on the expediency of this Treaty both Council and House of Burgesses have with one voice desired me to undertake to manage the same in person. This Sir being the occasion and true grounds of our coming hither at this time, I crave admittance in your Government with the hopes of having the honour to confer with your Excellency and Council in order to take the most advisable measures for rendering your negotiations effectual, and the experience I have already had of your good offices towards bringing your Indians to accede to the preliminaries insisted on by Virginia has greatly encouraged me to imbark in the undertaking and engages me to be with great Respect

Sir Your Most Obed

and most Humb Sert.

A. SPOTSWOOD.

Sir: The Province of Pensylvania being happyly situated between his Majesty's Government of Virginia and New York. It has been my greatest care to regulate the Management of the Indian affairs in that Colony so as to render the peaceable disposition of the Inhabitants acceptable to the Indians and consistent with

the concerted measures and wise conduct of the neighbouring Provinces. So soon therefore as I understood that Coll Spotswood the Governour of Virginia intended with your approbation and concurrence to hold a Treaty with your Indians of the five nations at Albany I called the Assembly of Pennsylvania together and it is by their advice that I am now come accompanied with some few members of my Council to intreat that with your Ex llencys permission and in your presence I may be allowed to renew upon that occasion at Albany the Leagues of Friendship that have formerly been made between the Province of Pensylvania and the five Nations.

The unhappy accident of an Indian being lately killed in the wood by some of our Traders and renewing our former Instances with this Government to prevent if possible the five nations from going to Warr and making a path through our settlements upon the river Susquahanna are the principal points on which I propose at this time to speak to your Indians and as I have not any thing to offer but what I have reason to believe will perfectly agree with your Excellencys sentiments and those of your Council, I am encouraged to hope you will favourably receive this application.

Sir Your Most Obed Humble Servt

New York August 13th 1722.

W. KEITH.

Upon which the Council advise his Ex. to assure the Governours of Virginia and Pensylvania that this board shall think it a great honor and happiness to confer with them on the best measures to be taken with the five nations at this time to secure a Generall peace betwen them and the Indians and their neighboring Colonies that they are Rightly satisfied with the just and honourable intentions expressed in the letters which his Ex. has communicated to them and shall be very ready to concur in every thing that shall be for the safety and prosperity of the common British interest in America.

To which his Excellency agreed entirely and promised to acquaint the Governours of Virginia and Pensylvania with the unanimous sentiments of this Board.

At a Council held at Albany the 28th day of August 1722.

[No 160.]

Present

His Ex. informed this Board that in order to secure the five nations to his Majestys interest and to promote the British trade directly with the Indians he had made choice of Major Abraham Schuyler as a fit person to be settled among the Sinneskes with eight men including a smith for that end, and proposes to the Board that the sum of One Hundred pounds be allowed to such eight men as shall go upon that undertaking for one year, and because a man of distinction will be requisite to induce the Indians to be assisting in that affair and to have the chief management and directions of the said company he proposed that one hundred pounds be allowed unto the said Major Schuyler it being necessary for him at such an expense to make himself respected by the Indians and that the said sums of one hundred pounds to Abraham Schuyler and the one hundred pounds to the eight men be allowed out of the five hundred pounds which the Assembly have resolved to raise at the next session for the ensuing year for keeping the five nations of Indians steady to the British interest.

His Ex. also proposed to this Board that the sum of fifty pounds be allowed unto the said Major Schuyler and company for presents to the Indians and other incidentall charges in equipping themselves of which a just account is to be rendered.

It is the opinion of the Board when Major Abraham Schuyler with not less than eight persons besides him