While the Interpreter was at the more distant Indian Castles, Mr. William Johnson was indefatigable among the Mohawks; he dressed himself after the Indian Manner, made frequent Dances, according to their Custom when they excite to War, and used all the Means he could think of, at a considerable Expence, (which his Excellency had promised to repay him) in order to engage them heartily in the War against Canada. Tho' he succeeded, beyond what any Man in Albany thought could be done, yet several of the Sachems (in the Conajohary, or upper Mohawk Castle, chiefly) refused to engage in the War; but insisted, that as this War was entered into between the English and French, in which they had no Interest, they ought to remain neuter. The English and French, they said, could at any Time make Peace; but if they should enter into the War, Indians could not make up the Quarrel among themselves, otherwise than by the Destruction of one or the other. The French could have no Hopes of engaging the Six Nations on their Side against the English, and therefore wisely play'd this Game of endeavouring to make them stand neuter, which they could enforce by strong political Arguments, of which the Indians were sensible enough. It is your Interest, the French Emissaries said, not to suffer either the French or the English to be absolute Masters; for in that Case you must become Slaves to the one or the other. From this politic View chiefly, the Interpreter met with so much Opposition everywhere: Tho' it is not to be doubted, but that at the same Time the French had gain'd some particular Sachems entirely into their Interest; however, many were prevailed on to come to Albany, to hear what the Governor of New-York had to say to them; tho' several Sachems staid behind. When they of the more distant Nations came along with the Interpreter to the lower Mohawk Castle, and found that Mr. Johnson had already engaged many of the young Men there to join the Army against Canada, the others blamed the Mohawks; telling them with some Warmth, That they had been very rash in engaging so far. 'They ought, the others said, to have considered that they, the Mohawks, were the smallest in Number of any of the Six Nations, and ought not to have proceeded to so great a Length, without the previous Consent of the others.' To this the Mohawks answered, It is true, we are less considerable as to Number, than any of the other Nations; but our Hearts are truly English, and all of us are Men[11]; so that, if our Force be put to the Trial, perhaps it will be found greater than you imagine. These Disputes, however, continued so far, that the Mohawks, and the other Five Nations, could not go in Company to Albany; the Mohawks marched on one side of the River, while the other Nations went on the other side. [There are two Roads from the Mohawks Castle to Schenectada, one on each side of the Mohawks River.]
When the Indians came near the Town of Albany, on the 8th of August, Mr. Johnson put himself at the Head of the Mohawks, dressed and painted after the Manner of an Indian War-Captain; and the Indians who followed him, were likewise dressed and painted, as is usual with them when they set out in War. The Indians saluted the Governor as they passed the Fort, by a running Fire; which his Excellency ordered to be answered by a Discharge of some Cannon from the Fort: He afterwards received the Sachems in the Fort-Hall, bid them Welcome, and treated them with a Glass of Wine.
As, by all Accounts, the Disposition of the Six Nations seemed at this Time less in Favour of the British Interest than was to be wished, his Excellency thought it necessary to have frequent Conferences, in private, with the principal Sachems of each Nation; sometimes separately and singly, at other Times with some of each Nation jointly. There were only two of the Mohawks Sachems (besides Aaron before mentioned, who left the Castle at this Time) that could not be prevailed on by Mr. Johnson to declare themselves for entering into the War against Canada: They were both of the Conajohary or Upper-Castle, and one of them the Head of the Tribe called the Tortoise; (which, tho' not so numerous as that of the Bear, yet is looked on as the first in Rank or Dignity;) and, as he had been with the Governor of Canada last Spring, it was thought to be of some Consequence to gain him. Mr. Colden, above twenty Years since, had the Complement of being received into that Castle; and, about seven Years since (the last Time he had been with the Mohawks) had contracted some more particular Acquaintance with these two Sachems: He invited them to a private Conference, at which the Reverend Mr. Barclay assisted as Interpreter; they met him, and brought five more with them: After this Conference these Sachems appear'd as hearty as any of the others. He that was Head of the Tribe call'd the Tortoise, said, 'His Uncle had been the chief War-Captain among the Mohawks: That his Uncle had particularly distinguished himself in their Wars against the French, and he was resolved to shew himself not unworthy of his Ancestors, nor of his Uncle's Name, which he had obtained after his Death.'
After the principal Sachems had, at these Conferences, been brought to a good Disposition, his Excellency advised with the Gentlemen of the Council, and the Commissioners from the Massachusets Bay, on what might be proper to be said to the Six Nations in the publick Speech, which he now proposed to make to them. Col. Wendell and Mr. Wells had arrived from Boston about the End of July, and soon after they came to Town, his Excellency ordered the Gentlemen of the Council to communicate to them all the Information which had been received, with respect to the Indian Affairs: And they had frequent Conferences together from Time to Time, as Occasion required: It was likewise thought proper to communicate, what his Excellency intended to say to some of the Sachems of each Nation, who were thought most hearty in the British Interest; who said, that it was well conceiv'd as could have been done, had they themselves advised upon the Subject; only as it had been advised to observe in the first Draught, That some of his Majesty's Subjects had been instigated by the French to rise in Rebellion against the King; that they had been defeated by one of the King's Sons; that these poor People were now utterly ruined, and had nothing left but to bewail their Folly in the Misery that was brought upon them, by suffering themselves to be deluded by the Promises of the French; they said, that they did not understand the Affairs on the other Side of the Sea, nor did they trouble their Heads about them; and as they had no Method of retaining what is spoke to them but by their Memories, they were afraid that this might perplex their Memories, and make them less attentive to what was properly their Business; and advised, that it should be left out; which accordingly was done.
Another Difficulty remained; the publick Interpreter had been taken dangerously ill in his Return to Albany, and was at this Time confined to his Bed. Tho' several were employed, who had Knowledge sufficient in the Language of the Six Nations, to make themselves be understood, and to understand what was spoke to them; yet none of them were so much Masters of the Language, as to speak with that Propriety and Distinctness that is expected, and usual on so solemn an Occasion. It was thought therefore proper, to make one of the Sachems understand the Speech, by the Assistance of the common Interpreters, that he might be able to deliver it Paragraph by Paragraph, as it should be spoke. At first a Mohawk Sachem was pitched upon; but the Sachems themselves told us, That for some time past a kind of Party-Division among the Six Nations had subsisted: That the Mohawks, Onandagas, and Senekas, form'd one Party; and the Oneydoes, Tuscaroras, and Cayugas, the other: That, as the Mohawks might be suspected to be more partial to the English, it would be of more Use to employ one of the other Party; and an Oneydo Sachem was proposed for that Purpose. This Man was easily enough made to understand the Speech, and he repeated it several Times over in private, and was instructed where to make the proper Stops. After the Speech was delivered, some of the Commissioners for Indian Affairs, and other Persons present at the Delivery, who understood both Languages, acknowledged, that this Indian had acquitted himself of his Trust faithfully, and had delivered the Sense of the Speech clearly and distinctly.
While these last Preparations were making, his Excellency was taken ill of a Fever, which occasioned some further Delay; and as his Excellency did not recover so soon as was wished, the Sachems were told, that his Excellency being unwilling to detain them without necessity, would, if they desired it, direct Mr. Colden to speak to them in his Name, what he designed to say. They answered, that they would be well pleased to hear it from Mr. Colden's Mouth.
At ALBANY the Nineteenth of August, 1746.
PRESENT,
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