Part 1 (1/2)

The History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada.

by Cadwallader Colden.

I. A Pet.i.tion of the Merchants of _London_ to His Majesty against the said Act.

II. His Majesty's Order in Council, referring the Pet.i.tion to the Lords Commissioners of _Trade_ and _Plantation_.

III. Extract of the Minutes of the said Lords, concerning some Allegations of the Merchants before them.

IV. The Report of the said Lords to His Majesty on the Merchants Pet.i.tion, and other Allegations.

V. The Report of the Committee of Council of the Province of _New-York_, in Answer to the said Pet.i.tion.

VI. A Memorial concerning the Furr-Trade of _New-York_, by _C. Colden_, Esq;

T O T H E

K i n g's Most Excellent Majesty in Council,

The Humble Pet.i.tion and Representation of _Samuel Baker, Samuel Storke, John Bayeux, Richard Jeneway, Robert Hackshaw, Joseph Low, Joseph Paice, George Streatfield, William Parkin_, and _John Evered_, Merchants of _London_, trading to _New-York_, in behalf of themselves, and the rest of the Persons concern'd in the _New-York_ Trade.

_S H E W E T H_,

That by an Act pa.s.sed in _New-York_ the 19th of _November_, 1720, ent.i.tled, _An Act for Encouragement of the_ Indian _Trade, and rendering it more beneficial to the Inhabitants of this Province, and for prohibiting the selling of_ Indian Goods _to the_ French, 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_, or any Subjects of the _French King_, or any Person whatsoever, for or on the behalf of any such Subjects; and which Act was to continue in force for three Years.

That the Reasons a.s.signed in the Preamble of this Act, for the pa.s.sing thereof, are, For that the _French_ at _Canada_, by means of _Indian_ Goods purchased from the Inhabitants of _New-York_, had not only almost wholly engrossed the _Indian Trade_ to themselves, but had, in great measure, withdrawn the Affections of the _Five Nations_ of _Indians_ from the Inhabitants of _New-York_, and render'd them wavering in their Faith and Allegiance to your Majesty; and would, if such Trade was not prevented, wholly alienate the Minds of the said _Indians_, which might prove of dangerous Consequence to the _English Interest_ in _America_.

That this Act was sent home for your Majesty's royal Consideration, but your Pet.i.tioners do not find that your Majesty ever signified your Allowance or Disallowance thereof; from whence, and from the Act's being to continue but three Years, your Pet.i.tioners humbly conceive the same was suffered to lie by probationary, to see whether the said Act, in its Effects, was really advantageous or prejudicial to the _British Trade_ and _Interest_ in _America_.

That your Pet.i.tioners have received Advice, That the Government of _New-York_ either have, or are about pa.s.sing an Act, to revive and continue the said Act for prohibiting all Trade between _New-York_ and _Canada_.

Upon which Occasion, your Pet.i.tioners humbly beg leave to represent to your Majesty, That the said Act, tho' in the first Intention of it, it might be well designed, yet, in its Effects, it has proved very pernicious to the _British Trade_ in general, and to the Interest of _New-York_ in particular: For, 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_; and this Act prohibiting all Trade between _New-York_ and the _French_ of _Canada_, or any of the Subjects of _France_, the _French_, and their _Indians_, would not permit the _English Indians_ to pa.s.s over by their Forts, so as to carry on a free Trade with _New-York_, but prevented their Pa.s.sages, as much as possible, whereby that most considerable and only valuable Branch of Trade from _New-York_, hath, ever since the pa.s.sing the said Act, very much lessened, from the great Difficulties of carrying on any Trade with the _English Indians_, and the Prohibition of all Trade with the _French_; and all the _Indian Goods_ have, by this Act, been raised in their Price 25_l._ to 30_l._ _per Cent_.

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_.

And your Pet.i.tioners further beg leave humbly to represent, That as they conceive nothing can tend more to the with-drawing 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 encourag'd Intercourse of Trade with the _French_, and their _Indians_, the _English Interest_ might, in time, be greatly improved and strengthened among the _Indians_ in general, who, by such Lat.i.tude of Trade, might be link'd to our Friends.h.i.+p in the strongest Ties of their own Interest, as well as Inclinations.

That therefore, and as the said Act was, in its Effects, so plainly destructive and prejudicial to the Trade and Interest of these Kingdoms, and so much for the Interest of the _French_, and greatly promoted that Mischief which it was intended to prevent,

Your Pet.i.tioners most humbly pray your Majesty, That you would be graciously pleased to give the necessary Directions to your Governor of _New-York_, not to pa.s.s any new Act for the reviving or continuing the said Act prohibiting Trade with the _French_ of _Canada_; and that if any such Act, or any Act of the like Tendency, be already pa.s.sed, that the same may be repealed. _And your Pet.i.tioners shall ever pray_, &c.

_Samuel Baker_, _Rob. Hackshaw_, _Jo. Lloyd_, _Sam. Storke_, _J. Bayeux_, _Sam. Fitch_, _Rich. Jeneway_, _Jos. Lowe_, _Asher Levy_, _John Paine_, _J. Bull_, _Fra. Wilks_, _Wm. Parkin_, _John Gilbert_, _Jos. Paice_, jun.

_Rich. Mico_, _Jo. Miranda_, _Geo. Streatfield_, _John Everet_, _Thompson Hayne_.

_At the Court at_ St. James'_s the 30th Day of_ April, 1724.