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Page 60
[1] Penn had already been part proprietor of West Jersey when in
1681 he received the grant of Pennsylvania, as compensation for a
claim of his father's estate against the English Government. He
came out in person to America in 1682, made his famous treaty with
the Indians and founded Philadelphia. He returned to England in
1684, and again visited Pennsylvania in 1699-1701. His account is
printed in Hart's "American History Told by Contemporaries."
II
PENN'S TREATY WITH THE INDIANS
(1683)
HIS OWN ACCOUNT[1]
Every king hath his council; and that consists of all the old and wise
men of his nation, which perhaps is two hundred people. Nothing of
moment is undertaken, be it war, peace, selling of land, or traffic,
without advising with them, and, which is more, with the young men,
too. It is admirable to consider how powerful the kings are, and yet
how they move by the breath of their people. I have had occasion to be
in council with them upon treaties for land, and to adjust the terms
of trade.
Their order is thus: The king sits in the middle of an half-moon, and
has his council, the old and wise, on each hand. Behind them, or at a
little distance, sit the younger fry in the same figure. Having
consulted and resolved their business, the king ordered one of them to
speak to me. He stood up, came to me, and in the name of the king
saluted me, then took me by the hand, and told me that he was ordered
by his king to speak to me, and that now it was not he but the king
who spoke, because what he should say was the king's mind. He first
prayed me to excuse them, that they had not complied with me the last
time. He feared there might be some fault in the interpreter, being
neither Indian nor English. Besides, it was the Indian custom to
deliberate and take up much time in council before they resolved; and
that, if the young people and owners of the land had been as ready as
he, I had not met with so much delay.
Having thus introduced his matter, he fell to the bounds of the land
they had agreed to dispose of, and the price; which now is little and
dear, that which would have bought twenty miles not buying now two.
During the time that this person spoke, not a man of them was observed
to whisper or smile--the old grave, the young reverent, in their
deportment. They, speak little, but fervently, and with elegance. I
have never seen more natural sagacity, considering them without the
help (I was going to say the spoil) of tradition: and he will deserve
the name of Wise who outwits them in any treaty about a thing they
understand.
When the purchase was agreed, great promises passed between us of
kindness and good neighborhood, and that the English and Indians must
live in love as long as the sun gave light; which done, another made a
speech to the Indians, in the name of all the sachamakers or kings;
first, to tell them what was done; next, to charge and command them to
love the Christians, and particularly to live in peace with me and the
people under my government; that many governors had been in the river;
but that no governor had come himself to live and stay here before;
and having now such an one, who had treated them well, they should
never do him or his any wrong; at every sentence of which they
shouted, and said Amen in their way....
We have agreed, that in all differences between us, six of each side
shall end the matter. Do not abuse them, but let them have justice,
and you win them.
[1] Letter from Penn to the Free Society of Traders, dated Aug.
16, 1683.
III
THE REALITY OF PENN'S TREATY
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