Search | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Start New Search

87506 search results

Filter:

Only return results with full-sized images

Sort by

Advanced search

Keyword

Author

Subjects

Place written

Year

Sub-era

January 1, 1721

Burnet, William, 1688-1729

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Livingston re: possession of the land called Niagara

Burnet asks Livingston if the Senecas gave the land called Niagara to the English while Coll, Thomas Dongan was still in office, and before the French conquered that territory. He asks that either Livingston or his son look through the old records of Indian Affairs to see if such a proposition was ever made.

GLC03107.02143

1721/06/16

Holland, Henry, fl. 1721

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Livingston re: unfair practices in trade with the Indians

Holland complains of unfair trading practices with the Indians, and asks that an act be passed requiring all suspected traders to exonerate themselves on oath. He notes that this is the only way to maintain fair and regulated trade.

GLC03107.02144

1722/08/30

Burnet, William, 1688-1729

Manuscript document

Title: Propositions to the River and Skachtkook Indians with an answer [in Dutch]

GLC03107.02145

1722/09/07

Burnet, William, 1688-1729

Manuscript document

Title: Propositions to the 5 Nations

William Burnet, the Governor of Pennsylvania, invites the 5 Nations to renew the covenant chain between them. He recalls an unhappy incident in which 2 men from Pennsylvania killed an Indian of the 5 Nations in the midst of an argument over the sale of rum. Burnet expresses his sorrow over the incident, and assures the Indians that the guilty men are in prison and will be tried as if they had killed a Christian man. A sizeable portion of the document is missing due to damage. Signed by Robert Livingston, Secretary of Indian Affairs.

GLC03107.02146

1722/09/07

Burnet, William, 1688-1729

Manuscript document

Title: Propositions to the 5 Nations [in Dutch]

GLC03107.02147

1722/09/08

Livingston, Robert, 1654-1728

Manuscript document

Title: Council meeting of Governors Burnet and Spotswood with Sachems of the 5 Nations

Governor Burnet explains that the Eastern Indians have attacked settlers in New England, and asks if the 5 Nations knew of any plans for this attack. The 5 Nations reply that a year ago the Mohawks received black wampum from the Onnagongues, who asked for their assistance in a war against the English of New England. Burnet then reprimands the 5 Nations for not taking action, and reminds them that they owe their loyalty to all British subjects, and therefore must travel to Boston to speak to the Governor.

GLC03107.02148

1722/09/08

Burnet, William, 1688-1729

Letter

Title: to Lieut. Harme Vedder re: commission to travel to the Seneca's country

Burnet appoints Vedder to travel to the Seneca's country with Abraham Schuyler for a period of 12 months, during which time he is to follow all orders and directions given to him. Marked as a copy on the docket.

GLC03107.02149

1722/09/08

Manuscript

Title: "Instructions for Mayor Abraham Schuyler"

Abraham Schuyler is ordered to settle in the Seneca's country for 12 months in an effort to trade with the Far Nations, and invite them to Albany to trade with the English settlers. Schuyler is directed to tell the Far Nations that the English offer their goods at a significantly cheaper price, and he is to make sure that the 5 Nations do not hinder their passage. While in the Seneca's country, he is also supposed to purchase the nearest part of land around Lake Erie, build a trading house, and maintain correspondence with the Commissioner for Indians Affairs at Albany. Marked as a copy…

GLC03107.02150

1722/09/10

The 5 Nations

Manuscript document

Title: Answer to the propositions of Governor Burnet

The 5 Nations receive and approve all articles of Burnet's proposition, and express their desire for an everlasting peace. They also state that they forgive the men responsible for killing one of their Indians, and ask that they be released from prison.

GLC03107.02151

1722/09/12

The 5 Nations

Manuscript document

Title: Answer to the propositions of Governor Spotswood

The 5 Nations agree with the boundaries set around Virginia by Governor Spotswood, and promise not to ever cross them. They also agree to remain at peace with the Virginia Indians, but ask that they leave a stone in their fire as a sign of their passage through the country of the 5 Nations. The Indians thank Governor Spotswood for forgiving their mischievous behavior, and agree to return any runaway enslaved people that cross their path. Docketed on p.4.

GLC03107.02152

1722/09/13

Burnet, William, 1688-1729

Manuscript document

Title: Proposition to the 5 Nations

The Governor consents to renew the covenant chain with the 5 Nations, and hopes that the Indians will begin to convert to Christianity. He also expects that the 5 Nations voice resentment over the misdeeds of the Eastern Indians, and send out deputies to inquire why they have attacked the people of New England. Additionally, a final and severe warning is given against any trade or correspondence with the French in Canada.

GLC03107.02153

1722/09/14

The 5 Nations

Manuscript document

Title: Second answer to the propositions of Governor Burnet

The 5 Nations agree to travel to New England to express to the Eastern Indians their indignation for their barbaric actions against English settlers. With regard to their correspondence with Canada, the 5 Nations note that they are at peace with them, and therefore likely to trade and meet with them on occaision. They believe that severing all contact with Canada would ultimately be of ill consequence. As a final request, the 5 Nations point out the dramatic rise in the price of goods, and the decline in the quality of powder, and request that King George be informed of this so that the…

GLC03107.02154

1723/05/28

Tailer, William, 1675-1731

Manuscript document

Title: "Propositions made by William Tailer, Spencer Phips, and John Stodder Esqr . . .

. . . Commissioners appointed by his Majes[ty] Governor of the Massachusets Bay to the Sachims of the five Nations to witt the Mohoggs, Oneydes, Onnondages, Cayouges & Sinnekes as also to those of Tusquarora." The Commissioners note that some time has passed since they made a covenant, and they have come to Albany to renew it. Signed by Philip Livingston, Secretary for Indian Affairs.

GLC03107.02155

1724/06/20

Burnet, William, 1688-1729

Letter

Title: to the Commissioners for Indian Affairs re: admission of new Commissioners

Burnet instructs the Commissioners to receive payment from Philip Livington for the transport of an enslaved person to Captain Hicks in Virginia. He also instructs them to admit Henry Renslaer and David van Dyck as new Commissioners for Indian Affairs. Signature is missing due to damage.

GLC03107.02156

1724/06/26

Claese, Laurence, fl. 1724

Manuscript

Title: to William Burnet re: augmentation of salary

Claese explains that he has served faithfully as an interpeter of the 5 Nations for many years, and requests that he receive a fair increase in his salary. Docketed on verso.

GLC03107.02157

1724/11/06

Commission on Indian Affairs

Manuscript

Title: Trade with the French and Far Indians

The Commissioners dispute a petition put forth by the Merchants of London in which it is stated that an Act prohibiting trade with the French is ineffectual.

GLC03107.02158

1725/05/31

Burnet, William, 1688-1729

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [?] re: trade with Indians

Burnet discusses an Act forbidding the 5 Nations to trade with the French, and how the Indians must take an oath in acknowledgement of this Act. He also desires to find some new interpreters, as he is suspicious of Laurence Claese; and he hopes to receive more money from the Assembly so that he may keep 10 or 12 men living among the Senecas and Onondagas. Docketed on recto.

GLC03107.02159

1725/07/15

Livingston, Philip, 1686-1749

Letter

Title: to Governor Burnet re: stroud trade with the 5 Nations [draft]

The letter discusses a new act regulating the trade of the 5 Nations, and is expecially concerned with compelling the Indians to purchase strouds from the English.

GLC03107.02160

1725/06/15

Livingston, Philip, 1686-1749

Letter

Title: to Governor Burnet re: goals as new Secretary of Indian Affairs [draft]

Philip relates to the Governor his desire to accomplish what he can as the new Secretary of Indian Affiars. P.2 contains a letter written in Dutch to Philip Livingston from his wife Catrina; the address leaf is addressed to Philip Livingston and is from this letter. Docketed on verso.

GLC03107.02161

1727/06-1727/07

Commission on Indian Affairs

Manuscript document

Title: Rough drafts of proceedings of Commissioners of Indian Affairs

Contains a number of records of the proceedings at meetings of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs, as well as drafts of letters to Governor Burnet. P.1 is a fragment of a larger document that welcomes the Indians to trade with the English, and warns against the treachery of the French. The records of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs discuss ways to have the palatines provide military detachments with food, the retrieval of captive children from Canada, and the need to be on guard against possible French and Indian attacks. The last two pages are letters written in Dutch to Captain…

GLC03107.02162

1727/08/05

Commission on Indian Affairs

Manuscript document

Title: Meeting of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs

The document states that the Senecas have gone to the Flatheads to make peace, and also discusses bringing more of the Far Nations to trade at Albany. P.2 is a meeting of the Commissioners, 7 August 1727. The Commissioners discuss the English trading house at Oswego, and the need to defend it against the French.

GLC03107.02163