embarrassed, and therefore give you this advice.”—(Belt returned.)

To this Colonel Francis answered:

“Brethren of the SIX NATIONS: It gives us a great deal of uneasiness to find you cannot at present convey this belt to our friends in Canada. We have heard your reasons, and are sorry to find that one of our blood is already there, endeavouring to draw their minds from us, when we mean nothing but peace towards them. As there are a great many Englishmen in Canada, we know not who you mean; we shall therefore be glad to have the particular man pointed out.”

To which Abraham, a Mohawk Sachem, replied:

“Brothers: We take it for granted that you all know the very man we mean, as we said he was of your blood. We see no necessity for pointing him out more explicitly.”

Tiahogwando, the Onondaga Sachem, then spoke again: “Brother SOLIHOANY and our ALBANY Brother:

“We take it for granted you have called us to a council of peace and entire friendship, and you have taken us by the hand. As there are men of different minds, and some may be illy disposed, we desire you will admonish your own people, that they offer us no abuse in our way down to your council fire of peace. If this caution should be neglected, some misfortune might happen, as all people do not meet so much like brothers as formerly, on account of the present situation of affairs.

“It would be unhappy if our council fire should be crushed by any mischief-makers. We have given you this caution, that while we are marching along in peace and quietness we might not be alarmed by a blow struck in our rear. We therefore desire you would begin, even at this council fire, to publish your admonitions to unwise and ungovernable people. By this belt we declare to you, our brothers, that the road is as open for passing and repassing, and free from all embarrassments, through the Six Nations, as it has been for a long time. Therefore we desire that we may have the same open road down to your intended council fire at Albany.”

To which Col. Francis made the following answer:

“Brethren of the SIX NATIONS: By this belt you desire that we may clear the road to Albany, that none of our people may injure you. The road shall be as clear for you to go to Albany, as it is for us to go to the country of the Six Nations. The Twelve United Colonies have given us great power over the white people. We will appoint white men, who speak your language and love your nations, to see you safe down to Albany, and to provide provisions for you on the way. We shall set out for Albany to-morrow morning, to prepare matters for kindling up the great council fire there.”

At a meeting of the Commissioners for transacting Indian affairs in the Northern Department, held at Albany on Wednesday, August 23, 1775, present: Gen. Schuyler, Colonel Francis, Mr. Douw.

Resolved, unanimously, That the Indians of the Six Nations be invited to receive our congratulations on their safe arrival here. That it be at five o’clock this afternoon. That the Committee of the City of Albany, and the principal gentlemen of the place, be requested to accompany the Commissioners, and that the following Letter be wrote for that purpose to the Chairman of the Committee:

Albany, August 23, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Your generous exertions to support the American cause against the nefarious schemes of a wicked and profligate Ministry; the propriety with which you have conducted those Indian affairs that have become the subject of your consideration; a consciousness that without your aid, and that of gentlemen of the Town conversant in these matters, the important business of the ensuing conference cannot be so properly conducted as our zeal for the service makes us wish, are so many motives which point out to us the necessity of calling on you, and on those gentlemen, for your aid and advice, which we entreat you will give us without reserve; and be assured that it will be attended to with all that deference that is due to your respectable body and to their good judgment. We propose to pay a visit this afternoon, at five o’clock, to the Indians. We beg the favour of the Committee to honour us with their company, as so respectable a body will greatly add to the complimentary visit we mean to pay them. We shall go from Cartwright’s, and shall take it as a favour if the gentlemen of the Town, who are not of the Committee, would be pleased to go with us.

We are, Gentlemen, with great respect, your most humble servants,

PH. SCHUYLER,
VOLKERT P. DOUW,
TURBDTT FRANCIS.

To which the Committee returned the following Answer:

“GENTLEMEN: Your polite invitation for us to join in paying a complimentary visit to the Indians this afternoon, at five o’clock, we accept of, and shall for that purpose attend at Cartwright’s, at the hour appointed.

“We are, Gentlemen, your most humble servants. By order of the Committee:

“ABRAHAM YATES, JUN., Chairman.”

The Sachems and Warriours of the Six Nations being assembled, the Commissioners, attended by the Committee and principal gentlemen of the City of Albany, met them, and addressed them as follows:

“Brethren of the SIX NATIONS: We, the Deputies appointed by the Twelve United Colonies, the descendants of Queder, and the gentlemen of the City of Albany, congratulate you on your arrival here. They are glad to see you well, and thank the great God that he suffers us to meet in love and friendship. We now invite you to take a drink, and smoke a pipe with us; and we propose, if you are ready, to proceed to business the day after to-morrow.”
—(A string.)

To which Kanaghquaesa replied:

“That they were glad to see us; that they thanked God that we met in love and friendship; and that they would cheerfully take a drink, and smoke a pipe with us, and would be ready to proceed to business on the day which we were pleased to appoint for that purpose.”

Thursday Evening, August 24, 1775.

A deputation of Sachems from the Six Nations having desired a conference with the Commissioners, they were accordingly met at Cartwright’ s Tavern by General Schuyler, Colonel Francis, Colonel Wolcott, and Mr. Douw.

When Senghnagenrat, an Oneida Sachem, informed the Commissioners that they had been called down to this meeting, by invitation from the Committee at Albany, previous to the appointment of Commissioners by the honourable Continental Congress; they thought they ought, in good manners, first address themselves to the Committee of Albany, and give the answers to the questions put by them to that body; but as this would take up very little time, they desired they might proceed to business with the Commissioners immediately after they had spoke to the Committee at Albany.

To this the Commissioners replied, that they were pleased with what had been communicated to them, and that it was perfectly agreeable to them that the Committee of Albany should be spoke to, previous to entering upon the great business upon which they were met.

The Commissioners desired they would appoint one of their Sachems as a speaker, to communicate to the Six Nations what they the Commissioners should lay before them; but the Indians leaving the choice to the Commissioners, they fixed upon Abraham, a Mohawk Sachem, for that purpose, which the Indians said was agreeable to them.

The Commissioners informed the Sachems, that if they had no objections, they would provide a guard to encircle the place of meeting, to keep the people from pressing in upon the Council, and to preserve silence and good order. This the Sachems thought right, and to which they had no objection.

Tiahogwando concluded the conference by saying that many of their kettles, axes, and hoes, were out of order, and wanted mending, and that they hoped the Commissioners would give orders to have them repaired, as had always heretofore.

The commissioners informed them that every thing of that kind should be complied with, and appointed Mr. Gerardus Lansing and Mr. Bleecker to see it done.