Читать книгу Papers Relating to an Act of the Assembly of the Province of New-York - Great Britain. Board of Trade - Страница 15

May it please your Excellency,

In Obedience to your Excellency's Commands in Council, the 29th of October, referring to us a Petition of several Merchants in London, presented to the King's most excellent Majesty, against renewing an Act passed in this Province, entitled, An Act for Encouragement of the Indian Trade, and rendering it more effectual to the Inhabitants of this Province, and for prohibiting the selling of Indian Goods to the French; as likewise the several Allegations of the said Merchants before the Right Hon. the Lords of Trade and Plantations, we beg Leave to make the following Remarks.

In order to make our Observations the more distinct and clear, we shall gather together the several Assertions of the said Merchants, both in their Petition, and delivered verbally before the Lords of Trade, as to the Situation of this Province, with respect to the French and Indian Nations, and observe on them, in the first Place, they being the Foundation on which all their other Allegations are grounded. Afterwards we shall lay before your Excellency, what we think necessary to observe on the other parts of the said Petition, in the Order they are in the Petition, or in the Report of the Lords of Trade.

In their geographical Accounts they say, "Besides the Nations of Indians that are in the English Interest, there are very many Nations of Indians, who are at present in the Interest of the French, and who lie between New-York and the Nations of Indians in the English Interest.——The French and their Indians would not permit the English Indians to pass over by their Forts."

The said Act "Restrains them (the Five Nations) from a free Commerce with the Inhabitants of New-York.

"The Five Indian Nations are settled upon the Banks of the River St. Lawrence, directly opposite to Quebeck, two or three Hundred Leagues distant from the nearest British Settlements in New-York.

"They (the Five Nations of Indians) were two or three Hundred Leagues distant from Albany; and that they could not come to trade with the English but by going down the River St. Lawrence, and from thence through a Lake, which brought them within eighteen Leagues of Albany."

These Things the Merchants have thought it safe for them, and consistent with their Duty to his sacred Majesty, to say in his Majesty's Presence, and to repeat them afterwards before the Right Hon. the Lords of Trade, though nothing can be more directly contrary to the Truth. For there are no Nations of Indians between New-York and the Nations of Indians in the English Interest, who are now six in Number, by the Addition of the Tuscaroras. The Mohawks (called Annies by the French) one of the Five Nations, live on the South-side of a Branch of Hudson's-River, (not on the North-side, as they are placed in the French Maps) and but forty Miles directly West from Albany, and within the English Settlements, some of the English Farms upon the same River being thirty Miles further West.

The Oneidas (the next of the Five Nations) lie likewise West from Albany, near the Head of the Mohawks-River, about one Hundred Miles from Albany.

The Onondagas lie about one Hundred and Thirty Miles West from Albany. And the Tuscaroras live partly with the Oneidas, and partly with the Onondagas.

The Cayugas are about one hundred and sixty Miles from Albany.

And the Sennekas (the furthest of all these Nations) are not above two hundred and forty Miles from Albany, as may appear by Mr. De L'Isle's Map of Louisiane, who lays down the Five Nations under the Name of Iroquois.

And Goods are daily carried from this Province to the Sennekas, as well as to those Nations that lie nearer, by Water all the Way, except three Miles, (or in the dry Seasons, five Miles) where the Traders carry over Land between the Mohawks-River and the Wood Creek, which runs into the Oneida-Lake, without going near either St. Lawrence-River, or any of the Lakes upon which the French pass, which are entirely out of their Way.

The nearest French Forts or Settlements to Albany, are Chambly and Monreal, both of them lying about North and by East from Albany, and are near two hundred Miles distant from it. Quebeck lies about three hundred and eighty Miles North-East from Albany. So far is it from being true, that the Five Nations are situated upon the Banks of the River St. Lawrence, opposite to Quebeck, that Albany lies almost directly between Quebeck and the Five Nations. And to say that these Indians cannot come to trade at Albany, but by going down the River St. Lawrence, and then into a Lake eighteen Leagues from Albany (we suppose they mean Lake Champlain) passing by the French Forts, is to the same Purpose as if they should say, that one cannot go from London to Bristol, but by Way of Edinburgh.

Before we go on to observe other Particulars, we beg Leave further to remark, that it is so far from being true, that the Indians in the French Interest, lie between New-York and our Five Nations of Indians, that some of our Nations of Indians lie between the French and the Indians, from whence the French bring the far greatest Quantity of their Furs: For the Sennekas (whom the French call Sonontouons) are situated between Lake Erie and Cataraqui Lake, (called by the French Ontario) near the great Fall of Jagara, by which all the Indians that live round Lake Erie, round the Lake of the Hurons, round the Lake of the Illenois, or Michegan, and round the great Upper Lake, generally pass in their Way to Canada. All the Indians situated upon the Branches of the Misissippi, must likewise pass by the same Place, if they go to Canada. And all of them likewise in their Way to Canada, pass by our Trading-Place upon the Cataraqui Lake, at the Mouth of the Onondaga River. The nearest and safest Way of carrying Goods upon the Cataraqui Lake towards Canada, being along the South-side of that Lake, (near where our Indians are settled, and our Trade of late is fixed) and not by the North-side and Cataraqui, or Frontinac Fort, where the French are settled.

Now that we have represented to your Excellency, that not one Word of the Geography of these Merchants is true, upon which all their Reasoning is founded, it might seem needless to trouble your Excellency with any further Remarks, were it not to show with what earnestness they are promoting the French Interest, to the Prejudice of all his Majesty's Colonies in North America, and that they are not ashamed of asserting any Thing for that End, even in the Royal Presence.

First, They say, "That by the Act passed in this Province, entitled, An Act for Encouragement of the Indian Trade, &c. All Trade whatsoever is prohibited in the strictest Manner, and under the severest Penalties, between the Inhabitants of New-York Government, and the French of Canada."

This is not true, for only carrying Goods to the French, which are proper for the Indian Trade, is prohibited. The Trade as to other Things, is left in the same State it was before that Act was made, as it will appear to any Person that shall read it: And there are yearly large Quantities of other Goods openly carried to Canada, without any Hindrance from the Government of New-York. Whatever may be said of the Severity and Penalties in that Act, they are found insufficient to deter some from carrying Goods clandestinely to the French; and the Legislature of this Province are convinced that no Penalties can be too severe, to prevent a Trade which puts the Safety of all his Majesty's Subjects of North America in the greatest Danger.

Their next Assertion is, All the Indian Goods have by this Act, been raised 25 l. to 30 l. per Cent. This is the only Allegation in the whole Petition, that there is any Ground for. Nevertheless, though the common Channel of Trade cannot be altered without some Detriment to it in the Beginning, we are assured from the Custom-house Books, that there has been every Year, since the passing of this Act, more Furs exported from New-York, than in the Year immediately before the passing of this Act. It is not probable, that the greatest Difference between the Exportation any Year before this Act, and any Year since, could so much alter the Price of Beaver, as it is found to be this last Year. Beaver is carried to Britain from other Parts besides New-York, and it is certain that the Price of Beaver is not so much altered here by the Quantity in our Market, as by the Demand for it in Britain. But as we cannot be so well informed here, what occasions Beaver to be in greater Demand in Britain, we must leave that to be enquired after in England. However, we are fully satisfied that it will be found to be for very different Reasons from what the Merchants alledge.

The Merchants go on and say, Whereas on the other Hand, this Branch of the New-York Trade, by the Discouragements brought upon it by this Act, is almost wholly engrossed by the French, who have already by this Act, been encouraged to send proper European Goods to Canada, to carry on this Trade, so that should this Act be continued, the New-York Trade which is very considerable, must be wholly lost to us, and center in the French.——Though New-York should not furnish them, the French would find another Way to be supplied therewith, either from some other of his Majesty's Plantations, or it might be directly from Europe.——Many of the Goods which the Indians want being as easy to be had directly from France or Holland, as from Great-Britain.

This is easily answered, by informing your Excellency, that the principal of the Goods proper for the Indian Market are only of the Manufactures of Great-Britain, or of the British Plantations, viz. Strouds, or Stroud-Waters, and other Woollens, and Rum. The French must be obliged to buy all their Woollens (the Strouds especially) in England, and thence carry them to France, in order to their Transportation to Canada. The Voyage to Quebeck through the Bay of St. Lawrence, is well known to be the most dangerous of any in the World, and only practicable in the Summer Months. The French have no Commodities in Canada, by reason of the Cold and Barrenness of the Soil, proper for the West-India Markets, and therefore have no Rum but by Vessels from France, that touch at their Islands in the West-Indies. New-York has, by Reason of its Situation, both as to the Sea and the Indians, every Way the Advantage of Canada. The New-York Vessels make always two Voyages in the Year from England, one in Summer and another in Winter, and several Voyages in a Year to the West-Indies. It is manifest therefore, that it is not in the Power of the French to import any Goods near so cheap to Canada, as they are imported to New-York.

But to put this out of all Controversy, we need only observe to your Excellency, That Strouds (without which no considerable Trade can be carried on with the Indians) are sold at Albany for 10 l. a Piece: They were sold at Monreal before this Act took Place, at 13 l. 2 s. 6 d. and now they are sold there for 25 l. and upwards: Which is an evident Proof, that the French have not, in these four Years Time (during the Continuance of this Act) found out any other Way to supply themselves with Strouds, and likewise that they cannot trade without them, seeing they buy them at so extravagant a Price.

It likewise appears, that none of the neighbouring Colonies have been able to supply the French with these Goods; and those that know the Geography of the Country, know it is impracticable to do it at any tolerable Rate, because they must carry their Goods ten Times further by Land than we need to do.

We are likewise assured, that the Merchants of Monreal lately told Mr. Vaudreuil their Governor, that if the Trade from Albany be not by some Means or other encouraged, they must abandon that Settlement. We have Reason therefore to suspect, that these Merchants (at least some of them) have been practised upon by the French Agents in London; for no doubt, the French will leave no Method untried to defeat the present Designs of this Government, seeing they are more afraid of the Consequences of this Trade between New-York and the Indians, than of all the warlike Expeditions that ever were attempted against Canada.

But to return to the Petitioners, They conceive nothing can tend more to the withdrawing the Affections of the Five Nations of Indians from the English Interest, than the Continuance of the said Act, which in its Effects restrains them from a free Commerce with the Inhabitants of New-York, and may too probably, estrange them from the English Interest, whereas by a Freedom of Commerce, and an encouraged Intercourse of Trade with the French and their Indians, the English Interest might in Time, be greatly improved and strengthened.

It seems to us a strange Argument to say, that an Act, the whole Purport of which is to encourage our own People to go among the Indians, and to draw the far Indians through our Indian Country to Albany (and which has truly produced these Effects) would on the contrary, restrain them from a free Commerce with the Inhabitants of New-York, and may too probably estrange them from the English Interest, and therefore that it would be much wiser in us to make use of the French, to promote the English Interest; and for which End, we ought to encourage a free Intercourse between them and our Indians. The reverse of this is exactly true, in the Opinion of our Five Nations; who in all their publick Treaties with this Government, have represented against this Trade, as The Building the French Forts with English Strouds: That the encouraging a Freedom of Commerce with our Indians, and the Indians round them, who must pass through their Country to Albany, would certainly increase both the English Interest and theirs, among all the Nations to the Westward of them; and that the carrying the Indian Market to Monreal in Canada, draws all the far Indians thither.

The last Thing we have to take Notice, is what the Merchants asserted before the Lords of Trade, viz. That there has not been half the Quantity of European Goods exported since the passing of this Act, that used to be.

We are well assured, that this is no better grounded than the other Facts they assert with the same Positiveness. For it is well known almost to every Person in New-York, that there has not been a less, but rather a greater Quantity of European Goods imported into this Place, since the passing of this Act, than was at any Time before it, in the same Space of Time. As this appears by the Manifests in the Custom-house here, the same may likewise be easily proved by the Custom-house Books in London.

As all the Arguments of the Merchants run upon the ill Effects this Act has had upon the Trade and the Minds of the Indians, every one of which we have shown to be asserted without the least Foundation to support them, there nothing now remains, but to show the good Effects this Act has produced, which are so notorious in this Province, that we know not one Person that now opens his Mouth against the Act.

Before this Act passed, none of the People of this Province travelled into the Indian Countries to trade: We have now above forty young Men, who have been several Times as far as the Lakes a trading, and thereby become well acquainted, not only with the Trade of the Indians, but likewise with their Manners and Languages; and these have returned with such large Quantities of Furs, that greater Numbers are resolved to follow their Example. So that we have good Reason to hope, that in a little Time the English will draw the whole Indian Trade of the Inland Countries to Albany, and into the Country of the Five Nations. This Government has built a publick Trading-house upon Cataraqui Lake, at Irondequat in the Sennekas Land, and another is to be built next Spring, at the Mouth or the Onondagas River. All the far Indians pass by these Places, in their Way to Canada; and they are not above half so far from the English Settlements, as they are from the French.

So far is it from being true what the Merchants say, That the French Forts interrupt all Communication between the Indians and the English, that if these Places be well supported, as they easily can be from our Settlements, in case of a Rupture with the French, it will be in the Power of this Province, to intercept the greatest Part of the Trade between Canada and the Indians, round the Lakes and the Branches of the Misissippi.

Since this Act passed, many Nations have come to Albany to trade, and settle Peace and Friendship, whose Names had not so much as been heard of among us.

In the Beginning of May 1723, a Nation of Indians came to Albany singing and dancing, with their Calumets before them, as they always do when they come to any Place where they have not been before. We do not find that the Commissioners of Indian Affairs, were able to inform themselves what Nation this was.

Towards the End of the same Month, eighty Men, besides Women and Children, came to Albany in the same Manner. These had one of our Five Nations with them for an Interpreter, by whom they informed the Commissioners, that they were of a great Nation, called Nehkereages, consisting of six Castles and Tribes; and that they lived near a Place called by the French Missilimakinak, between the Upper Lake and the Lake of the Hurons. These Indians not only desired a free Commerce, but likewise to enter into a strict League of Friendship with us and our Six Nations, that they might be accounted the Seventh Nation in the League; and being received accordingly, they left their Calumet as a Pledge of their Fidelity.

In June another Nation arrived, but from what Part of the Continent we have not learned.

In July the Twightwies arrived, and brought an Indian Interpreter of our Nations with them, who told, that they were called by the French Miamies, and that they live upon one of the Branches of the River Misissippi.

At the same Time some of the Tahsagrondie Indians, who live between Lake Erie and the Lake of the Hurons, near a French Settlement, did come and renew their League with the English, nor durst the French hinder them.

In July this Year, another Nation came, whose Situation and Name we know not. And in August and September, several Parties of the same Indians that had been here last Year. But the greatest Numbers of these far Indians have been met this Year, in the Indian Country by our Traders, every one of them endeavouring to get before another, in order to reap the Profits of so advantageous a Trade, which has all this Summer long, kept about forty Traders constantly employed, in going between our Trading-places in our Indian Country, and Albany.

All these Nations of Indians who came to Albany said, that the French had told them many strange Stories of the English, and did what they could to hinder their coming to Albany, but that they had resolved to break through by Force. The Difference on this Score between the Tahsagrondie Indians and the French (who have a Fort and Settlement there, called by them Le Detroit) rose to that Height this Summer, that Mr. Tonti who commanded there, thought it proper to retire, and return to Canada with many of his Men.

We are for these Reasons well assured, that this Year there will be more Beaver exported for Great-Britain, than ever was from this Province in one Year; and that if the Custom-house Books at London be looked into, it will be found, that there will be a far greater Quantity of Goods for the Indians, (Strouds especially) sent over next Spring, than ever was at any one Time to this Province; for the Merchants here tell us, that they have at this Time, ordered more of these Goods, than ever was done at any one Time before.

These Matters of Fact prove beyond Contradiction, that this Act has been of the greatest Service to New-York, in making us acquainted with many Nations of Indians, formerly entirely unknown and Strangers to us; in withdrawing them from their Dependance upon the French, and in uniting them to us and our Indians, by Means of Trade and mutual Offices of Friendship. Of what great Consequence this may be to the British Interest in general, as to Trade, is apparent to any Body. It is no less apparent likewise, that it is of the greatest Consequence to the Safety of all the British Colonies in North-America. We feel too sensibly, the ill Effects of the French Interest in the present War betwixt New-England, and only one Nation of Indians supported by the French. Of what dismal Consequences then might it be, if the French should be able to influence in the same Manner, so many and such numerous Nations, as lie to the Westward of this Province, Pensylvania and Maryland? On the other Hand, if all these Nations (who assert their own Freedom, and declare themselves Friends to those that supply them best with what they want) be brought to have a Dependance upon the English (as we have good Reason to hope, in a short Time they will) the French of Canada, in case of a War, must be at the Mercy of the English.

To these Advantages must be added, that many of our young Men having been induced by this Act to travel among the Indians, they learn their Manners, their Languages, and the Situation of all their Countries, and become inured to all Manner of Fatigues and Hardships, and a great many more being resolved to follow their Example; these young Men, in case of a War with the Indians, will be of ten Times the Service, that the same Number of the common Militia can be of.

The Effects of this Act have likewise so much quieted the Minds of the People, with Respect to the Security of the Frontiers, that our Settlements are now extended above thirty Miles further West towards the Indian Countries, than they were before it passed.

The only Thing that now remains to answer, is an Objection which we suppose may be made, What can induce the Merchants of London to petition against an Act, which will be really so much for their Interest in the End? The Reason is in all Probability, because they only consider their present Gain; and that they are not at all concerned for the Safety of this Country, in encouraging the most necessary Undertaking, if they apprehend their Profit for two or three Years may be lessened by it. This Inclination of the Merchants has been so notorious, that few Nations at War with their Neighbours, have been able to restrain them from supplying their Enemies with Ammunition and Arms. The Count D'Estrade, in his Letters in 1638 says, That when the Dutch were besieging Antwerp, one Beiland, who had loaded four Fly-boats with Arms and Powder for Antwerp, being taken up by the Prince of Orange's Order, and examined at Amsterdam, said boldly, That the Burghers of Amsterdam had a Right to trade every where: That he could name a Hundred that were Factors for the Merchants at Antwerp, and that he was one. That Trade cannot be interrupted, and that for his Part he was very free to own, that if to get any Thing by Trade it were necessary to pass through Hell, he would venture to burn his Sails. When this Principle so common to Merchants, is considered, and that some in this Place have got Estates by trading many Years to Canada, it is not to be wondered that they have acted as Factors for Canada in this Affair, and that they have transmitted such Accounts to their Correspondents in London, as are consistent with the Trust reposed in them by the Merchants of Canada.

In the last Place, we are humbly of Opinion, that it may be proper to print the Petition of the Merchants of London, and their Allegations before the Lords of Trade, together with the Answers your Committee has made thereto, in Vindication of the Legislature of this Province, of which we have the Honour to be a Part, if your Excellency shall approve of our Answers: That what we have said may be exposed to the Examination of every one in this Place, where the Truth of the Matters of Fact is best known; and that the Correspondents of these Merchants may have the most publick Notice to reply, if they shall think it proper, or to disown in a publick Manner, that they are the Authors of such groundless Informations.

All which is unanimously and humbly submitted by