nation as accessory, unless the said Tus do set at liberty the Callabaws prisoners if at their Towns or procure them to be set at liberty if they are carried to Senequa Country. That if they shall at any time hereafter harbour or correspond with any Indians whatsoever who shall committ any act of hostility on the Inhabit of Virginia or its Tributarys, this Government will revenge the same on the sup° nation. And this Board are further of opinion, that the Gov' of N. York be des to interpose his good office for the liberty of the Captives if they are among the Senequas. And for restraining for the future the Indians under that Governm' or in amity with it, and for as much as it is for his Majesty service and the safety of this Colony that some speedy measure be taken to prevent the incursions of the Senequa Indians on the Frontiers. It is the opinion of this Board that a fitt person be sent to New York who by discoursing with the said Indians may be able to induce them to renew and continue the Peace with this Government in 1685, and with the permission of the Gov' of New York to negotiate a Peace between them and the Callabaws and other Western Indians. And whereas the proposal has been communicated to this Board from the Virginia Indians * * that they are willing to contribute one half of the charges for sending such a person as may be fitt to negotiate with the said Senequa Indians. This Board do accept of the said offer. And it is ordered that the other half of the said charge be defrayed out of his Majesty' Revenue of 25. p. hh., the same being for his Maj'ty' service and the preservation of the Peace of this his Mag'ty Colony. And for preventing hereafter the unlawful Traffique and Correspondence with the Tuscororer, which has already had such dangerous effects on the Hon' and Safety of the Government, as that it is much to be. * *Intelligence has been given by such Illegal Traders both to them and the Senequas of the condition of the fort of Christiana, and the manner of the Western Indians encamping there; which encouraged the Senequa Ind: to attack the said Western Indians. It is ordered that a Proclamation issue strictly prohibiting all persons from trading, corresponding. At a Council held at the Capitol the 12th of Novem', 1717. Present: The Honble the Lieut: Governor, Edmund Jenings, James Blair, Philip Ludwell, John Smith, William Bassett, Nath" Harrison, Mann Page, Esq'. The Governor acquainting the Council that by the Repeal of the Act for the better Regulation of the Indian Trade, the Virginia Indian Company is dissolved, Which has hitherto kept up the ffort of Christiana, maintained the guard & supported the Hostages of the Southern Indians and desiring the Advice of the Board, how the s Fort & Guard shall be maintained for the future, and how the Hostages shall be disposed of if it be thought fitt to Slight that Fort. The Council do there upon declare their opinion that the maintaining the said Fort & guard and keeping the hostages is a conveniency & Security to this Government, and that therefore the said Fort be maintained and the Hostages kept untill the Meeting of an Assembly Since it may prove of dangerous consequence to dismantle the one or return the other at a time when the Northern Indians threaten the destruction of our Tributarys Settled at that ffort, and that the late murders comitted by the Indians on the English at Roanok River and other parts of North Carolina give just apprehensions of future hostilitys on that ffrontier of this Colony wch that Fort was intended to defend. And in regard the late Indian Company have their feet at the said Fort (which probably they cannot immediately remove) and have made preparations for putting the same in better Repair. This Board are further of opinion that it be recommended to the s company to go on with repairing the Fortifications & continue the same guard as formerly and also to take care of the Hostages untill the Generall Assembly shall take measures therein, assuring them that the Government will reimburse the charge thereof, And whereas the said Company have by opening a Trade Settled a good correspondence with the Southern Indians which may be interrupted again if the said Trade should be discontinued before the General Assembly should have made pro vision for the better Regulation & Improvement of that Com merce. The Governor is required to use his interest to encourage the Members of the said late Company to continue their said Trade. And because the discontinuing the school at Christiana may give umbrage to the Indians as if all further care of them or their children was to cease. The governor was pleased to declare he would continue the same allowances to the school as heretofore until it be known whether the general assembly think fitt to keep up that Fort which is necessary for the security of the Indian Hostages educated at the said school. Whereas the governor was pleased to inform this Board that the Scales & weights sent in by Mr. Perry for the use of the Agents appointed for the better execution of the Act for preventing frauds in tobacco payments &c are charged to his (the Governor's) private account, altho' the price thereof was directed to be reserved here and remitted to Mr. Perry by Mr. Boyd his Maty's late Receiver General. It is ordered that the present Receiver General do collect what money is yet due from the severall agents and take care that the ballance due to Mr. Perry be satisfyed and that he certify to the said Perry that the ballance due to him is not to be charged to the account of the Governor. At a Council held at the Capitol the 13th day of August, 1717. Present: The Honble the Lieut. Governor, Edmund Jenings, The Governor this day acquainted the Council that in pursuance of what was resolved on the 4th of May last, he had dispatched Capt. Christopher Smith with a letter to the Governor of New York and with proper Instruction for Negotiating by the s Governor's interposition with the Senequas and other of the five Nations, for the obtaining the liberty of the Cattabaw prisoners taken by them at Christiana, a suitable Reparation for the affront offered by them to this his Maty's Government on that occasion and to prevail with them to send Deputys hither in order to renew & confirm the Peace made with this Government in the year 1685. That in answer thereto he had received a letter from Brigadier Hunter together with a Transcript of what pass'd between him & the s Indians at Albany the 16th & 17th of June past upon the afores'd Message by Capt. Smith: And * * Said Letter and Transcripts were now read at the Board, containing in substance (after some Accusations ag' the Cattabaw Indians) an acknowledgment of the Mohocks, one of the s five nations that it was they who attack'd Cattabaws at Christiana, that they took only two prisoners, one made his escape and came to Virginia, and the other being a woman also escaped after they had brought her into their Countie, and has been since seen among the English, but if she can be found they will send her to the Governor of New York to be conveyed back to Virginia; The said five Nations excuse themselves that they did not know the s Cattabaws to be friends to the English of Virginia, and that to prevent all Mischief for the future they promise that none of their people shall henceforth go out a fighting this way. They refuse to send Deputys to treat in this Country and insist that Albany being the place where they have always treated, this Government should send over Agents thither to renew the Peace or Covenant chain made with them 32 years ago, and in general deny their being concerned in the murder of Majo Wynne the plundering the Traders or the threatening to cut off the English & Saponies at Christiana. There was also read at the Board the Transactions of the Governor & Council of Pennsylvania with the Connastoga & Savana Indians & the part they had at the afores'd Insult at the Fort of Christiana, the s Savannos owned that 6 of their Indians had accompany'd that part of the five Nations who committed the murder at Christiana, but that the six Indians were not concerned in that facte being then encamped at a considerable distance from the said Fort; and as to the murder of Major Wynne, the plundiring of the Indian Traders or any other Murder Committed on the people of Virginia they denyed their being concerned therein. After reading of which several letters & proceedings This Board came to the following Resolutions, viz: That it appears by the Confession of the five Nations that they attacked the Cattawba Indians at Christianna where they could not there was an English Garrison and that the said Indians were under the protection of that Fort. That the s Insult on this Government is a manifest breach of the Peace made with them in the year 1685 and contrary to the **they have often made not to injure any of his Majestys Subjects in amity with them. That the Peace of this Government cannot be secure unless the s five Nations are confined in their ranges to the other side of the Mountains & the Connastoga, Savanno & other nations in Confederacy with the five Nations restrained from passing Potomack River on this Side the sa Great Mountain. That the Constant Excursions of the s five Nations & their Dependants along the ffrontiers of this Colony & their Correspondence with & frequent marches to & from the Tuscaroras has occasioned a vast charge & Trouble to this Colony in keeping Rangers for its necessary defence. That the said five Nations insisting on their treating nowhere but at Albany and that his Majesty's Governments should send Agents to treat with them there is dishonorable to his Majesty's said Government. That therefore it is fitt to represent to his Majesty the necessity of Confining the said Indians to the other Side the great Mountains & that they be made sensible that the Considerable presents which His Majesty is pleased to make them are intended to Secure their friendship to all his Majtys plantations on this Continent and not to that Province alone where the Said Pres. ents are delivered. And upon consideration of a Proposal communicated by the Governor for making a Settlement & erecting a ffort at the late discovered passage over the Great Mountain and addressing his Majesty that the said proposed ffort and that at Albany he alternately the places for delivering his Matie's Presents to, and renewing the Alliances with the s Indians. The Council are unanimously of opinion that if his Majesty shall be pleased to give such directions the same will be a means of creating a better correspondence between the said Indians and this & the Neighbouring Provinces whose Agents can more conveniently repair to the aforesaid passage of the Mountains than to Albany whenever the Affairs of the s'd Respective Gov |