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Sir William Johnson to Gov. John Penn, February 9, 1764 - 1

7200
Johnson hall Feby th 1764

Sir,

I had the pleasure of writing to you in answer to you. Two
letters, on the murders of the Conestoga Ind's which I hope you received.

Since my writing I am informed that Mr. [Lydias] of Albany who
was the person employed ^on behalf of Connecticut^ to [procure] the deed from the Ind's. for the Lands
they claim on the Susquehanna within your government is now
preparing a number of vouchers certificates.  & other necessary papers
with which he intend to proceed for England early in the Spring by
the way of Quebec, in order to ^support^  strengthen & make good the claim of the
New England on to that tract. I thought it necessary to give
you this information that you may be enabled to take such timely
steps for preventing people at home from being imposed upon by [the]
his misrepresentations – his character is too well known here, & I believe
to require being [inlayed] upon but they are probably Strangers to it in England.
in Pennsilvania to require any illustration of mine, but tis little
importance having perhaps prevented it from extending to England,
[care] should be taken least the artifaces of which his master may not
deceive those in power.

As great part of the Five Nations were lately here, I took the
opportunity of giving ^them^ a just representation of the Massacre of the
Conestoga Indians, explained your proclamations thereon, & assured them
of your Resolutions, to bring the Offenders to punishment, after which ^and then^
agreable to their customs, I delivered them belts of Wampum and covered the
Graves of the deceased, at which they Expressed some satisfaction, but told
me that it had been often mentioned to them that they could not
^we had often upbraided them for not^ keeping
their peoples in order, which they were sorry to see, was too much our
own case. –

In my last I expressed ^presented^ the great [Seal] of the 5 Nations
and I have now the pleasure to acquaint you that I have just sent
off

The Humble Govr Penn

[Transcribed by Ethan M Reczka.]

Contents of this annotation:

  1. Sir William Johnson to Gov. John Penn, February 9, 1764 - 1