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Richard Nugent, Editor
The whole art ok Government consists in the art of being honest. Jefferson.
anal Publisher
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VOL. I.
STRO UDSBURG-, MONROE COUNTY, PA., FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1841.
No 49.
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POETRY.
Tlie Snow-bird.
From distant climes, which none can tell,
In dress of bright and changeful hue,
I greet the bird beloved so well,
"When childhood's hours around me flew.
Sure, though the northern storms may spend
Their fury over field and tree,
Their blasts are welcome, if they send
So gay a visitant as thee.
I care not that the laughing Spring
Its blue-bird messenger may own;
If winter be but sure to bring
The Snow-bird I have always known.
How oft, in childhood's rainbow hours,
I've watch'd the at the window pane;
Hiding thee from the ruthless showers,
Till vernal airs shall breathe again !
Oh! how my youthful eyes would strain,
Pursuing in my wayward track!
How oft I've spread the attractive grain
To bring thy wandering pinions back!
Yes, gentle bird! I mind the time
Thou'st sported round my window-seat,
(Thouhtless of evil, as of crime,)
Pleased, it would seem, my face to greet,-
And feeding with confiding stay,
On tiny crumbs I threw to thee:
Twere base, 'twere cruel, to betray
A bird that ne'er had injured me:
There breathes an everlasting Power,
Unknown, but felt unseen, but heard;
He clothes each tree, he tints each flower;
His arm protects my darling bird.
Let winter come with stormy-voice;
Let snow-wreaths crown the highest hill;
He bids thee in the storm rejoice,
He sees, protects, and feeds the still.
FOR THE JEFFERSONIAN REPUBLICAN.
Mr. Editor: ;
I send you for publication, some historal
notes on the early settlement of Monroe and
Northampton counties vrtricli I have extracted
from various works and ancient records and may
be interesting to some of your readers, though
very imperfect. A Subscriber.
"When William Penn first visited his newly
purchased territory in 1G82, he found the great
er portion occupied by that race of Indians
called by the whites, Delawares, and by them
selves, Lenni Lennape, or the original people,
who had settled themselves on the four great
rivers, Hudson, Delaware, Susquehanna and
Potomac, making the Delaware the centre of
their possessions. They were divided into
three principal tribes; the Unarms or Turtle
and the Unalachlgo or Turkey inhabited the
country towards the sea-coast. The Wolf or
Miusi called by the English the Monseys, were
the most warlike of the three tribes and held
their council seat at the Minisinks, which at
that period included the country between the
Delaware Water Gap and Carpenters Point,
though the term is now confined to a township
in Orange co. N. Y., bordering on the Delaware.
They extended themselves to the Hudson on
the East, to the Susquehanna on the South
"West, to the head waters of the Delaware and
Susquehanna on the North and to that range of
mountains i.ow known oy the u.mie oi Lehigh
hills on the South thus" forming a barrier be
tween their tribe and the great and powerful
Six Nations, who inhabited the present State
of New York. Many subordinate tribes pro
ceeded from these who received names general
ly from their places of residence,, as the Ne
shamtnies, the Shackamaxins, and the Fork In
dians who residod near the confluence of the
Lehigh and. Delaware. For many years a
bloody war prevailed between the Delawares &
the Six Nations which terminated in a most ex
traordinary manner, andithe details are given be
cause of their subsequent effect on the interests
of our Indian relations. According to the story
of the Delawares, they were always too power
ful for their enemies so that the latter were at
length convinced if the war should continue,
their total ruin would be inevitable they there
fore became desirous of reconciliation and re
sorted to stratagem to effect the downfall of the
Delawares. The mediators between the In
dian nations at war, are the women. The men
however weary of the contest hold it disgrace
ful and cowardly for a warrior with bloody
weapons in his hands to speak of peace. The
following message was therefore sent by the
Six Nations. "It is not profitable that all the
nations should be at war with each othor, for
this will at length be the ruin of the whole In
dian race. "We have therefore considered of a
remedy for this evil. One nation shall be the
woman. "We will place her in the midst, and
the other nations who make war, shall be the
men and live around the woman. No one shall
touch or hurt the woman, and if any one does
it we will immediately say to him, "Why do
you beat the woman?" then all the men shall
fall on him who beat the woman. The woman
shall not go to war but endeavour to keep peace
with all, therefore if the men that surround her,
beat each other and the war be carried on with
violence, the woman shall have the right of ad
dressing them. "Ye men, what are you about?
Whv do yo beat each other? Consider, that
your wives and children must perish, unless ye
desist, the men shall then hear and obey the
woman. '1 he message went on to say that
the function of the peace-maker was honorable
and dignified and could not be given to a weak
and contemptible tribe such would not be lis
tened to, but the Lennape would at once pos
sess influence and command respect.
Ihe Delawares add, that not immediately
perceiving the intention of the Six Nations they
had consented to become the woman. A great
feast was then appointed and a solemn speech
made containing three capital points. First,
that they declare the Delawares to be the woman.
Second, that they look to them foi the preserva
tion of peace, and Third, by wliich they were
exhorted to make the cultivation ol the earth,
their future employment and means of subsis
tence. Ever since this singular treaty, the Dela
wares were stvled Cousins by their crafty op
ponents It took place at Albany in 1617, in
theprestyice of the Dutch whom the Lennape
charge with having conspired with the Six Na
tions for their destruction. Having thus dis
armed the Delawares, the Six Nations assumed
over them, the rights of protection and com
mand. But still dreading their strength they
contrivod to involve them in a war with the
Cherokees, and treacherously led them into an
ambush of their foes, and then deserted them.
The Delawares at length when too late, per
ceived the aim of their pretended friends, and
being still superior in numbers, resolved to re
sume their arms, and crush them. The Euro
peans, however, were now making their settle
ments in their country in every direction, and
gave the discomfited tribe, full employment.
On the contrary the Six Nations assert, that
they conquered the Delawares by force of arms
and forced them to adopt the defenceless state
of a woman, to avoid total ruin, and though it
be said they are unable to give the details of
this conquest, it is more reasonable to suppose
it truo, than that a brave, numerous and warlike
nation should have voluntarily suffered them
selves to be disarmed and enslaved by a shal
low artifice or that discovering the fraud prac
tised upon them, they should without resistance
have submitted to it. Be this however as it
may, the advantage henceforward was on the
side of the Six Nations they claimed domin
ion over all the lands occupied by the Delawares,
and in many instances their claims were dis
tinctly acknowledged their parties occasion
ally took possession of the"Lennape country,
and wandered over it, at all times at their plea
sure. About 1G98, the Shawnees, who lived in
Florida, and had carried on long wars with the
Seminole tribe, wore reduced to a very small
number, moved to Pennsylvania, and at their
solicitation, were kindly received by the Dela
wares they obtained permission to live upon
their lands, and were called Nephews. Their
settlements were on the Ohio, the Susquehan
na and theJDelawaro the principal of which
was in this neighborhood in Smithfield town
ship an island in the river Delaware belong
ing to George Bush and others being still called
Shawnee Island. All writers unite in the opin
ion, that they were the most turbulent, perfidi
ous, and cruel of all the Indian tribes, and in
our frequent wars it is certain, they were the
first to take up, and the last to lay down their
arms.
No correct estimate can be formed of the
number of Indians inhabiting the territory com
posing the present State of Pennsylvania at the
lime when first settled, by the whites but it is
supposed they amounted to 30,000, that is prob
ably much too great.
It was the earnest desire of William Penn
to extinguish every kind of title and claim to
ihe lands necessary for the accommodation of
his colony and to live on terms of friendship
with the natives. The strict justice with
which he constantly treated them enabled him
to acquire a strong ascendency over them nor
did they ever, through successive generations,
until their final disappearance from our soil
ever forget the feelings of gratitude inspired by
his character and conduct to this fact it is
owing, that ours is almost the only State in the
union, whose annals are not disfigured by con
constant wara with the Indians. As long as
tho influence of his illustrious example was
maintained in our negotiations with them,
peace and quiet prevailed within our borders,
and it was only when the white settlers, in vi
olation of treaties, encroached on their hunting
grounds, for which no redress could be ob
tained, that they were induced to become our
enemies and make war upon us.
The charter of Pennsylvania was granted
by King Charles II on the 4th March 1681,
and in pursuance of his benevolent policy Wil
iam Penn shortly after his arrival here, met
the Indians in council, and concluded several
treaties. His early purchases were of lands
in the immediate vicinity of Philadelphia, from
the Delaware tribes who were the residents
and numerous deeds of these tracts are still ex
isting in the public oflices. August 2d, 1686
a deed is said to have been made for the cele
brated walking purchase, which occasioned
much controversy and dissatisfaction among
the Indians; it is however included in the
deed of 1737, which will be hereafter men
tioned. It is certain no such original deed was
in existence at the treaty of Easton, in 1757, and
it is with good reason denied to have ever ex
isted. In 1696, through the Governor of New
York, the Proprietary obtained a deed of ces
sion for all lands lying "on both sides of the
river Susquehanna and the lakes adjacent, in
or near the province of Pennsylvania" from the
Six Nations, who as before related, claimed
rights to the lands by conquest over the Dela
wares the purchase did not include any ex
tent of land which was left indefinite.
The foresight of Penn induced him to ob
tain this grant, of tho whole Susquehanna coun
ty, though it was not designed for immediate
settlement, in order to secure it from the pre
tensions of the neighbouring colonists, the
boundaries of his colony being as yet unknown.
Notwithstanding this purchase from the SixNa
tions, the rights of the Delawares who were
the real possessors of the soil were always ac
knowledged, and treaties made with them, as
the settlement were advanced towards the in
terior. The early Indian deeds are vague and
undefined as to their boundaries and the sta
tions cannot be precisely astcrtained at this
day, these circumstances are however of no im
portance to us at present, as they were not
given for lands embraced within " Old North
ampton" it may be observed, that the Indians
regarded their treaties with fidelity, and the
boundaries appear to have been always accu
rately understood by them. On the 17th Sep
tember 1717, there is a deed of release from
sundry Delaware chiefs, Sassoonan and others
for "all the lands situate between the Delaware
and Susquehanna from Duck creek, to the
mountains on this side of the Lehigh" with an
acknowledgment, that they had seen and heard
divers deeds of sale read unto them, under the
hands and seals of former chiefs, their ances
tors, by which they had granted the said lands
to "Wm. Penn, for which they were content,
which for a further consideration of goods de
livered to them, they then confirmed. It is to
be observed that the Northern boundary of this
deed is expressly limited to the Lehigh hills,
and that no allusion is made to the day and a
half's walk said to be in the alledred doed of
1686 a small portion of "Old Northampton"
is included in the above purchase, and is there
fore to bo noted. In spite of these defined
limits, the settlers encroached on the Indian
lands beyond them, which occasioned great
anxiety and uneasiness among the Delawares
the complaints of the aged Sassoonan were
eloquent and pathetic. Preparations were made
for war but by prudence and skill, the danger
was turned aside. This was in 1728 and the
wrongs were partly committed in this neigh
borhood in his last will William Penn had
bequeated to his grandson bearing the same
name, 10,000 acres of land to be set out in pro
per and beneficial places in the province by his
Trustees. These 10,000 acres William Allen,
an eminent citizen of Philadelphia (who was
afterwards Chief Justice of the Province) and
a great dealer in lands, purchased, and by vir
ture of warrant or order of the Trustees to Ja
cob Taylor, the Surveyor General, to survey the
said 10,000 acres, he had part of that land laid
out in the Minisinks, immediately above the
Blue Mountains, because it was good land, tho'
it was not yet purchased of the Indians. The
warrant is dated and the lands
taken up, were exclusively on the river bot
toms commencing about Cherry Creek, and
extending many miles up the river.
Had he contented himself with securing the
right to himself, and suffered the lands to re
main in possession of the Indians, till it had
been duly purchased of them and paid for, no
ill consequences could have ensued; but (pro
bably supposing the matter might easily have
been accommodated with them, in some future
treaty)no soonerhad he the land surveyed to him
than he began to sell it to those who would im
mediately settle it. A short time previous when
some persons wished to take up lands in the
Minisinks, James Logan the Secretary of the
Land office wrote to the Surveyor of Bucks
county to prevent it. This appears from the
annexed copy of a letter dated
Philadelphia, November 20, 1727.
" Friend Thos. Watson:
This morning I wrote to thee by Jacob Taylor
concerning warrants that may be offered thee
to be laid out on the Minisink lands, and was
then of the opinion, that the bearer hereof, Jo
seph Wheeler, proposed to lay his, there.
Having since seen him, he tells me he has no
such thought, but would have it laid three or
four miles above Dumam, on a spot of pretty
good land amongst the hills, and, I think, at
some distance from the river, proposing as he
says, to live there himself, with his kinsman,
who was here, with him. Pray take the first
opportunity to mention it to J. Langhorne; for,
if he has no considerable objection to it (that
is, if he has laid no right on it) I cannot see
that we should make any other than that it is
not purchased of the Indians, which is so mate
rial a one, that, without their previous engage
ment to part with it very reasonably, it cannol
be surveyed.
This is what offers on this head from thv
loving friend,
JAMES LOGAN."
Here it is stated on the best authority that
the whites had no right beyond the Lehigh
hills. Bucks county then included all the
country in the Eastern and N. E. parts of the
province and J. Langhorne was one of the prm
cipal Magistrates. Where Joseph Wheeler
settled at that time, 1 do not know, but I hru
among the petitions for a road in Smithfield
township not many years after, his name at the
head, it is not improbable, therefore, that he
did not regard the prohibition of the Proprieta
ries offices many others must have followed
Wheeler's example, for the discontent of the
Indians continued to increase and it became
necessary on the part of the Governor Thomas
Penn, Son of the great founder, to compose
their clamors. After several ineffectual at
temps, he is said to have complained of them,
to the Six Nations. In 1736, Deputies from
that tribe arrived at Philadelphia, and a treaty
was held with them, at which Conrad Weiser
a German settled in Tulpehocken, acted as in
terpreter. Presents having been liberally bestowed on
them, they made deeds confirming the deed of
1696 obtained as before related by Wm. Perm,
through Gov. Dongan, for lands on both sides
of Susquehanna.
These were signed by 23 chiefs and it is
remarkable that 11 of them on their return,
staid several days with Conrad AVeiser at his
resideuce and there executed a piece of writing,
declaring that "their intention and meaning,
by the former deed, was to release all their
pretensions to all the lands lying within the
limits of Pennsylvania, beginning Eastward
on the river Delaware as far Northward as the
ridge of Kittatinny or endless mountains, as
they cross tho country from the Eastward to
the West." With respect to this writing, it is
to be observed that, as the Six Nations claimed
no right, to the lands on Delaware in the deed
of 1696, they could by the above instrument
convey none. It is said that it was not signed
until aftr great persuasions on the part of the
agent of the Proprietaries, and the express ad
mission of the chiefs, that they had nothing to
do with these lands, and that they were afraid
they should do something amiss to their cous
ins the Delawares. However, this fact may
have been, we find about eighteen months af
terwards, tho Proprietaries procured a release
from some Delaware chiefs, for at least a part
of these lands, or a confirmation of tho sapposed
deed of 1686, usually styled the walking pur
chase. This singular release we give at length
hut before doing so, we must add that to in
crease the wrongs of the Indians, Thos. Penn,
issued in 1735, proposals for a Lottery of 100,
000 acres of land, which those who drow prizes,
were by the 5th article, allowed to "lay out
any where within tho Prvinco, except on lands
already taken up, provided nevertheless, that
such persons who are settled on lands without
warrants for the same, and may he entitled to
prizes, either by becoming adventures them
solves, or by purchasing prize tickets, may have
liberty to lay ihoirrightrf on the lands where thy
are so seated." So that there was no excep
tion of lands unpurchased of the Indians, but
rather an express provision for those who had
unjustly seated themselves there. Again, in
the last article, "it is further agreed, that where
as several of the adventurers may bo unac
quainted with proper places whereon to locate
the prizes, they will be entitled to, sevoral tracts
of the best vacant lands shall be laid out and
divided into lots for all prizes not less than 200
acres"
(to be continued.)
MESSAGE
OS? GOVEJ&NOR. PORTER.
To the Smate and House of Representatives of
the Lsommonwealth oj Pennsylvania:
Fellow Citizens Among the various du
ties enjoined by the Constitution on the Execu
tive Magistrate, none is more important and
more frequently perplexing than that of "giving
to the General Assembly information of the
state of the Commonwealth, and recommending
to their consideration such measures as r
should deem expedient." On this occasion, I
am happily relieved from much of the anxiety
and embarrassment attendant upon the discharge
of this duty by referring your attention to the
annual message which I had the honor to trans-
mil to the Legislature on the 8th day of Janua
ry last. In that message, I felt it to be my im
perative duty to enter into a full and elaborate
exposition of my views on several deeply inter
esting subjects connected with the public wel
fare, and especially on the subjects of the inter
nal improvements of the Commonwealth, the
public debt, and the reformation of the banking
system. In regard to these leading question
of vital interest, and the numerous subordinate
matters intimately associated and blended with
them, I can add very little to the opinions I ex
pressed, and the recommendations 1 made in
the message to which I have just referred you.
The experience of the past year has not only
confirmed, but strengthened my conriction of
the justice and propriety of those opinions and
recommendations; the people at large, with un
exampled unanimity, have approved them; and
I earnestly invite your careful deliberation, as I
did that of the last Legislature, upon those por
tions of the message to which you will find con
venient access upon your journals. So far as
respects the reform of the banking system, I
perceive no necessity for changing or modify
ing, in any essential particular the recommen
dations therein contained; and I now here re
spectfully, but earnestly, recommend the adnpr
tion of the recommendations I then made mi
this subject, and trust that the present Legisla
ture will not separate, until they shall have made
a searching and thorough reform of the imper
fections and manifold abuses of the present bys
lem. To me it has been a subject of deep re
gret, that my recommendations on that subject
did not meet the approbation of the last Legis
lature, persuaded as I am, that the most benefi
cial influence would have resulted from their
adoption. It is not, however, too late to apply
the remedy still; and I again recommend, with
anxious earnestness, those measures for reform
ing the abuses of the banking- system to your
early attention.
The resumption of specie payments on tha
part of the banks, which constituted a year ago
such a formidable portion of the difficulty in the
way of efficient legislation, is about to be con
summated without your active interference at
all. Under the resolution passed on the 3d day
of April last, those institutions are required on
and after the 15th day of January inst. to pay
on demand all their notes, bills, deposites, and
other liabilities, in gold or silver coin, on penal
ty of the forfeiture of their charters, upon cer
tain conditions set forth in said resolution. It
affords me great pleasure to state, that although
the day fixed for the resumption was more re
mote than I wished at th time, yet the period
of indulgence has nearly passed away, & there
is now good ground to believe that the banks of
this Commonwealth will, as they are required
to do, be prepared again to discharge their lia
bilities in specie. Should they do so, by con
tinuing strictly to observe the law, and by ful
filling the just expectations of the public, they
may regain th confidence which they havo
hitherto lost, and more particularly may they do
this, if proper measures be adopted for the bet
ter regulation and control of their operations:
One of the most immediate advantages resulting
to the community, from the resumption of specie
payments, will be the entire expulsion from cir
culation of the illegitimate brood of small notes
that have been poured in upon us, from tho
neighboring states on all sides, in defiance of
law, and of the most active endeavors to . sup
press them. I cannot, however, conclude this
part of my subject, without recommending that
no increase of our banking capital be made un
der any circumstances, and that effectual pro:
vision be made by law, that if any bank shall
at any time hereafter, suspend specie payments,
it shall be ipso facto a forfeiture of its charter.
Nothing short of an absolute and unconditional
provision of this kind, can arrest the frequent
over issues by the banks, induced by the inor
dinate cupidity of those under whose directions
they may be Conducted. Let the great prin
ciple be distinctly announced, as the foundation
on which our banking institutions rest, that
hereafter, there are to be no mora suspensions,
of specie payments in. Pennsylvania.
The condition of the public improvements
during the past year, has been attended to by
the officors entrusted with their management,
with untiring assiduity. They are in a much
belter state of repair than they ever have been
since their construction, and but little delay or
interruption in business has occurred. The
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