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"Brothers, in the treaty held at Albany last Summer, you and your warriors were present, and you and they jointly promised to remain neuter, and not to interfere in this quarrel; should your warriors, therefore, now take up arras against us, we must consider it as a breach of the treaty, so far as it respects the Lower Mohawk Castle, of which breach we shall complain to our brethren of the other Nations; and, at the same time lay the matter before our Great Council, at Philadelphia, whose determination thereupon will be our future guide.
"Brothers, we are surprised that the least doubt should remain on your minds with respect to our friendly intentions towards you, after the many instances we have given you of our love and friendship. But we must impute it to the wicked insinuations of our mutual enemies; who wish for nothing so much as to see the ancient covenant which has so long subsisted between us broke.
"Brothers, you have observed that you would pay no regard to that party that should be the first aggressor. We cannot be the aggressors, for if our enemies in and about Johnstown had had no evil intentions against us, we should never have come thus far with an army. Whoever takes up arms against another, although he has not yet struck, must be considered as the aggressor, and not he who tries to prevent the blow.
"Brothers, we have now freely and fully disclosed to you our minds. We hope you will remember what we have said, and repeat it to your brother counsellors and warriors; and lest you should not be able to recollect every part of this speech, you may have your brothers Karaghquadirhon and Tezederonderon* to attend you if it be agreeable to you.
"Brothers, your women have sent us a belt. We beg you to assure them of our regard, and to entreat them to prevent your warriors from doing any thing that would have the least tendency lo incur our resentment, or interrupt that harmony which we wish may subsist to the end of time."
To this they made the following short Reply:
"Brother SCHUYLER, the Great Man, attend!
"We have this evening heard what you have to say, and we are glad of it, and thank you for it.
"Every thing that has been said to us, brother, has been perfectly agreeable to us.
"I shall not attempt, brother, to make a particular reply to every thing that has been said to us; indeed it would not be proper at this time.
"We are very glad, brother, that you have determined to write to Sir John, requesting an interview with him, in hopes of an amicable agreement.
"Brother, you mention, that it would be agreeable lo you that the warriors and counsellors, or Sachems, should attend.
"Brother, we, the Sachems, will attend, even though we should do it at the risk of our lives.
"Brother, we should be glad if you would inform us of the time and place of your interview with Sir John. You likewise told us, that if it was agreeable to us that your interpreters should attend, to recapitulate the speech you have made, which, likewise, is agreeable to us; and we desire that they may go with us, for by that means all mistakes may be prevented.
"Brother, you may depend on it that we will use our utmost influence with our warriors, to cairn their minds.
"You may depend on it likewise, that our sisters will use their utmost influence for the same purpose."
I then assured them again, that as we had no hostile intentions, they might rest assured that nothing disagreeable would happen to them, and that, if they attended at Johnstown as friends, they would receive the protection due to them as mediators, after which they returned.
Early on Wednesday, the 17th, I marched, having previously sent a letter to Sir Jo An Johnson, of which the following is a copy:
"Schenectady, January 16, 1776.
"SIR: Information having been received that designs of the most dangerous tendency to the rights, liberties, properties, and even lives of those of His Majesty's faithful subjects in America, who are opposed to the unconstitutional measures of his Ministry, have been formed in part of the County of Tryon, I am, therefore, ordered to march a body of men into that County, to carry into execution certain resolutions of my superiors, and to contravene these dangerous designs.
"Influenced, sir, by motives of humanity, I wish to comply with my orders, in a manner the most peaceable, that no blood may be shed; I, therefore, request that you will please to meet me to-morrow at any place on my way to Johnstown, to which I propose then to march. For which purpose I do hereby give you my word and honour, that you, and such persons as you may choose should attend you, shall pass safe and unmolested to the place where you may meet me, and from thence back to the place of your abode.
"Rutgers Bleecker and Henry Glen, Esquires, are the bearers hereof, gentlemen who are entitled to your best attention, which I dare say they will experience, and by whom I expect you will favour me with an answer to this letter.
"You will please to assure Lady Johnson, that whatever may be the result of what is now in agitation, she may rest perfectly satisfied that no indignity will be offered her.
"I am, sir, your humble servant,
"PHILIP SCHUYLER.
"To Sir John Johnson, Baronet."
He accordingly met me about sixteen miles beyond Schenectady, accompanied by some of the leading Scotchmen, and two or three others, when I delivered him the following terms:
"Terms offered by the Honourable PHILIP SCHUYLER, Esq., Major-General in the Army of the Thirteen UNITED COLONIES, and commanding in the NEW-YORK Department, to Sir JOHN JOHNSON, Baronet, and all such other persons in the County of TRYON, as have, evinced their intentions of supporting His Majesty's Ministry to carry into execution (he unconstitutional, measures of which the AMERICANS so justly complain, and to prevent which they have been drawn to the dreadful necessity of having recourse to arms.
"First. That Sir John Johnson shall, upon his word and honour, immediately deliver up all cannon, arms, and other military stores, of what kind soever, which may be in his own possession, or which he has caused lo be delivered into the possession of any persons whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, or that, to his knowledge, may be concealed in any part of the said County; that he shall distinguish all such military stores, of what kind soever, as belong to the Crown, or were furnished with the design of arming the Indians, or the inhabitants of Tryon County, from those which may be private property, in order that a proper inventory may be taken of the last articles, that the same may be restored, or the value of them refunded when this unhappy contest shall be over.
"Secondly. General Schuyler, out of personal respect to Sir John, and from a regard to his rank, consents that Sir John shall retain, for his own use, a complete set of armour, and as much powder as may be sufficient for his domestick purposes.
"Thirdly. That Sir John Johnson shall remain upon his parole of honour in any part of Tryon County, which he may choose to the eastward of the District of. . . . . . unless it should appear necessary to the honourable Continental Congress to remove him to some other part of this, or any other Colony; in which case, he is immediately to comply with such orders as they may think proper to give for that purpose.
"Fourthly. That the Scotch inhabitants of the said County shall, without any kind of exception, immediately deliver up all arms in their possession, of what kind soever they may be, and that they shall each solemnly promise, that they will not any lime hereafter, during the continuance of this unhappy contest, take up arms without the permission of the Continental Congress, or of their general officers; and for the more faithful performance of this article, the General insists that they shall immediately deliver up to him six hostages of his own nomination.
"Fifthly. That such of the other inhabitants of Tryon County, as have avowed themselves averse to the mea-
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