Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

(L. S.)

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY, Esq. Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England,

To Samuel Welles, John Chandler, Thomas Hutchinson, Oliver Partridge, and John Worthington, Esq'rs, Greeting. Whereas, in pursuance of letters from the right honorable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and the Plantations, dated the 20th of August and 19th of September, 1753, to the Governors of several of his Majesty's Plantations in North America, a General Convention of Commissioners for their respective Governments is appointed to be held at the city of Albany in the month of June next, for holding an interview with the Indians of the Five Nations and making them presents on the part of the said Governments usual upon such occasions, in order to confirm and establish their ancient attachment to his Majesty and their constant friendship to his Majesty's subjects on this continent; and whereas the Great and General Court or Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay aforesaid, have elected and appointed you to represent and appear for the said Province at the Convention aforesaid for the purposes abovementioned; as also for entering into articles of Union and Confederation with the aforesaid Governments for the general defence of his Majesty's subjects and interests in North America, as well in time of peace as of war

Now I do, by these presents, empower and commissionate you, the said Samuel Welles, John Chandler, Thomas Hutchinson, Oliver Partridge, and John Worthington, as Commissioners (or any three of you) to appear for and represent the Province of the Massachusetts Bay aforesaid, at the proposed Convention of Commissioners to be held at the city of Albany in the month of June next, then and there to concert with the

Commissioners (from all or any of his Majesty's British Governments) that may be there convened, such measures as may be judged proper for the purposes aforesaid, and to agree upon the same; and herein you must observe such instructions as are herewith delivered you, or may from time to time be given you by the Great and General Court or Assembly of this Province.

Given under my hand and the public seal of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay aforesaid, the nineteenth day of April, 1754, in the twenty-seventh year of his Majesty's reign.

By his Excellency's command.
J. WILLARD, Secretary.

W. SHIRLEY.

A true copy.

Attest,

SAMUEL WELLES,
JOHN CHANDler,

Loc.

Sig.

OL'R. PARTRidge,

JOHN WORTHINGTON.

Province of New Hampshire.

GEORGE THE SECOND, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c.

To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting. Whereas we have ordered a sum of money to be issued for presents to the Six Nations of Indians, and to direct our Governor of New York to hold an interview with them for delivering those presents, for burying the hatchet, and for renewing the covenant chain with them; and inasmuch as the attempts that have been made to withdraw them from our interest appear to us to make a general interview more particularly necessary at this time, and that all our Colonies whose interest and security is connected with and depends upon those Indians, should be present at and join in such interview:

Know ye therefore that we, reposing much trust and confidence in the integrity and ability of the Hon. Theodore Atkinson, Esq. the Hon. Richard Wibird, Esq. two of our Council of

our said Province, the Hon. Meshech Weare, Esq., Speaker of the General Assembly of our said Province, and Henry Sherburne, Jr., Esq., also a member of the said General Assembly, have, by and with the advice of our trusty and well beloved Benning Wentworth, Esq., our Governor and Commander in Chief of our Province of New Hampshire aforesaid, named, made, constituted and appointed, and we by these presents name, make, constitute and appoint the said Theodore Atkinson, Esq., Richard Wibird, Esq., Meshech Weare, Esq., Henry Sherburne, Esq., our true and undoubted Commissioners, hereby giving unto them full power and authority as well as our special command, to repair to our city of Albany, or other place where the said interview may be held and carried on, and there, by the whole or major part of those of them that shall be present at the said interview, for us and in our name, together with such other Commissioners as shall be regularly appointed from our other Colonies and Provinces in America to attend at the said interview, to agree upon, consult and conclude what may be necessary for establishing a sincere and lasting friendship and good harmony with the said Six Nations of Indians, and, if necessary, for us and in our name to sign every thing so agreed upon and concluded, and to do and transact all matters and things that may appertain to the finishing the abovesaid work.

In testimony whereof, we have caused the seal of our said Province of New Hampshire to be hereunto affixed. Witness, Benning Wentworth, Esq., our Governor and Commander in Chief of our said Province of New Hampshire in New England, this third day of June, 1754, and in the twenty-seventh year of our reign.

By his Excellency's command.
THEODORE ATKINSON, Secretary.
Copy examined per

B. WENTWORTH.

THEODORE ATKINSON,
R. WIBIRD,

MESHECH WEARE,
HEN. SHERBURne, Jr.

Sigillum Coloniæ Connecticuttensis.

THOMAS FITCH, Esq., Governor and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's English Coloof Connecticut in New England, in America,

ny

To William Pitkin, Roger Wolcott, Jr., and Elisha Williams, Esq'rs, Greeting.

Whereas you are by the General Assembly of the said Colony nominated and appointed to be Commissioners in behalf of said Colony to meet such Commissioners as are or shall be appointed by his Majesty's other Governments in America, at a general interview at Albany, on the fourteenth day of June next, and join with them in concerting proper measures for the general defence and safety of his Majesty's subjects in said Governments and the Indians in alliance with them, against the French and their Indians :

Therefore, in pursuance of said Act of Assembly, you, the said William Pitkin, Roger Wolcott, Jr., and Elisha Williams, Esquires, are commissioned, authorized and empowered in behalf of his Majesty's Colony of Connecticut, to meet the Commissioners appointed by his Majesty's other Governments in America, at Albany on the fourteenth day of June next, and in concert with such Commissioners from his Majesty's other Governments as shall meet there, to consult proper measures for the general defence and safety of his Majesty's subjects in said Governments and the Indians in his alliance against the French and their Indians, and to use and pursue proper measures in pursuance of your instructions from the said General Assembly relating to the matters aforesaid. Given under my hand and the public seal of the Colony of Connecticut, in Hartford, this 30th day of May, Anno regni Regis Georgij 2di: Magn: Brittan: &c. 27mo. Annoq: Domini, 1754.

THOMAS FITCH.

By his Honor's command.
George WYLLYS, Secretary.
True copy, examined per
WM. PITKIN,

ROGER WOLCOTT, JR.
ELISHA WILLIAMS,

Commis

sioners.

Locus Sigilli.

By the Honorable WILLIAM GREENE, Esq. Governor and Captain General of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England, in America.

To Stephen Hopkins and Martin Howard, Jr., Esq'rs, Greeting.

Whereas the General Assembly of this Colony have on their part chosen and appointed you to meet with the Commissioners of the other Governments at Albany, on the fourteenth day of this instant June, and join with them in a treaty with the Six Nations of Indians, in order to secure the interest of his Majesty and his good subjects in those parts :

I do therefore, by virtue of an Act of the General Assembly of this Colony, authorize, empower and commissionate you, the said Stephen Hopkins and Martin Howard, Jr., forthwith to repair to Albany aforesaid, and there, in behalf of this Colony, to meet and join with the other Commissioners in consulting what methods are proper to be used to preserve the friendship of the aforesaid Six Nations of Indians, and their attachment to the British interest in America; and also what else may be necessary to prohibit the French and their allies the Indians from encroaching on the lands within the dominions of his Majesty; and in general, as far as the abilities of this Government will permit, to act in conjunction with the said Commissioners in every thing necessary for the good of his Majesty's subjects in those parts, and to answer, as far as we can, the designs of his Majesty's instructions to this Colony communicated to us by the Earl of Holderness.

In testimony whereof, I do hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the Colony aforesaid to be hereunto affixed, this twelfth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four, and in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of his most sacred Majesty George the Second, by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, &c.

By his Honor's command.

THO. WARD, Secretary.
A true copy, examined by

2

W. GREENE.

STEPHEN HOPKINS,
MAR. HOWARD, JR.

« ZurückWeiter »