Admiral Digby Announces to Governor Clinton He is on the Point

of Sailing.

Amphion, off Staten Island, 5th December, 1783

Sir, I have this moment received a Complaint, that one of the Refugees going to Abaco has been taken out of the Vessel under English Colours. As I am just on the point of sailing I have desired Captain Cochrane to enquire into it, and represent it to your Excellency and have no doubt should it be, as is represented to me, you will order the Man to be returned to Captain Coch

rane.

I have the honor to be, Your Excellency's most Obed't. Servant Robt. Digby.

(signed)

His Excellency Governor Clinton.

[No. 5321.]

Governor Clinton to Major General Knox Communicating a Reso lution of Thanks from the Council for His Services in Securing the Peace of the City When Evacuated by the British.

Sir, It gives me great pleasure to find my sentiments of the services rendered by you & the offers & men under your command to the inhabitants of this State expressed by the Council & it is with peculiar satisfaction that I obey their order in communicat

ing the Enclosed resolution to you & thro' you to the officers & privates who are also the objects of it.

I have the honor to be, Sir, with the highest Esteem & Respect

RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL APPOINTED UNDER ACT OF MARCH 27, 1783, FOR THE TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT OF SOUTHERN DISTRICT.

Resolved, that his Excellency the Governor be requested to present the thanks of this council to Maj. Gen. Knox & the officers & privates of the detachment under his command for the attention they have manifested to the rights of the Citizens of this state & for their aid in preserving the Peace and Good Order of the Southern District since the evacuation thereof by the forces of his Britanic Majesty; to assure them of the grateful sense this Council entertain of their essential services, as all of those that they as a part of the American army have rendered to the inhabitants of this state in common with the other Citizens of America during the late long & arduous contest.

[No. 5449.]

Joseph Brant on Behalf of the Six Nations, Desires to Renew the Ancient Covenant and Proposes that the Council be Held at Fort Schuyler.

A Meeting held at Loyal Village June the 6th 1784, by the Chiefs and Warriors of the Six Nations &c Viz the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas, Tuscaroras and Delawares & in consequence of a message delivered in Council by Mr. Peter Ryckman from the Governor and Commissioners* for the State of New York dated the 12th of April 1784.

Attend Gov'r Clinton of New York.

You inform us that you are appointed a Commissioner to confer with us in order to accomodate the differences that have unhappily arisen between us in the cours of the late war and that this appointment has been made expressly, least others than those whom we had always considered as our immediat brethren and who now wish to renew the antient covenant which subsisted

*March 25, 1783 the Legislature authorized the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Council of Appointment, to appoint three commissioners for Indian affairs within this State. April 6, 1784 the Governor and the commissioners already appointed, "together with such other persons as the Governor and commissioners shall deem expedient and necessary to associate with themselves" were authorized to enter into compacts or agreements with any Indians residing within this State. It was under authority of these laws that the Council at Loyal Village was held.-STATE HISTORIAN.

between us. We clearly and fully understand the meaning of what you have said which to us appears Just and reasonable; you likewise clear the path of communication between you and us and as the Roads are now clear we can pass and repass without interuption. We now do in the like manner Clear the path with a firm resolution that it shall remain so that we may equally pass & repass.

Governor Clinton hearken:

A. String

You say that you have understood by General Schuyler that we are inclined to renew the antient friendship which subsisted between us and that our intentions are honest, generous and sincere, and that you were glad to hear it; that you wish that all animosity should be buried in eternal oblivion. We the Six Nations assure you that we are glad to hear that you are disposed to end, as it clearly appears to us by the Manner of Your Speech, that a firm and perpetual peace can be established; our intentions have been and are such We have communicated our sentiments to General Schuyler on that subject that we meant to bury in oblivion what is past and an honorable peace established between us to be settled upon for the interest of both, and as we have before said, that we comprehend the purport of your speech we are convinced that this friendship will be renewed & settled upon without difficulty, as it seems it would be difficult to settle a peace with General Schuyler by the manner of his speeches. You invite us to this end to meet you in Council at the German Flatts, but you do not fix on a day for the meating as our distance might Render it Inconvenient for to attend; we look upon this as a Verry reasonable remark of Yours. We the Chiefs &c

are Sorry to Inform you that at the time we Received your Message, we likewise received one from our Brethren the Southern Indians, informing us that they were uneasy in mind that the Virginians had Crossed the Ohio river and attended with bad consequences, which has Ocasioned us from immediately attending the proposed meeting, and we Intend to dispatch with all speed, Runners to prevent if possible any such accidents as Commonly Follow, and on the Return of those Runners we Shall Immediately dispatch one to you to Inform you of the time we Shall meet you, as we are desirous that this salutary Business should be settled, and we Expect that a few of the Southern Indians will also attend this meeting as it will be Conformable to our Agrements with them, as our intentions in Settling the peace will be strong and as public as possible; we are desirous that you will Communicate to Congress the Accounts which we have received from our Brethren, as it may be in their power to prevent any such accidents and let them know whatever passes between us and that we Expect the meeting will soon take place and at the same time wish to see proper persons from the different States present and we Expect to make one peace with the whole.

A Large White Belt.

With this Belt we now Remove your Council fire to Fort Stanwix as it will be more Convienient to us and don't think it Can make Marterial difference with you we will be glad to hear whether the Removal of the Council fire &c Meets with your Approbation.

Joseph Brant.

A. Belt

[No. 5464.]

Major Phil. Skene to Governor Clinton Desires to Return to America and Become a Citizen of New York.

Chelsea, the 17th of July, 1784.

Sir, Lest my former Letters upon this subject may have miscarried, I take this opportunity of acquainting Your Excellency that relying upon the integrity of the Legislature of New York and its national faith pledged for by the General Congress, instigated by the same preditection in favour of America, which has induced me to lay out so considerable a part of my Fortune formerly there and as my conduct however unpleasing on other Accounts from the necessity of my situation, has I hope been approved of, as an honest man by all-agreeable to which I purpose to avail myself of my Claim to Your Excellency's & the protection of the state, to obtain the priviledge of becoming a Faithful Citizen thereof, which my situation as a British subject will I hope admit -and I am to request that you will be pleased to represent my Situation to the Legislature in order that any difficulty's may be removed respecting me as I have purposely avoided laying myself under further Tye, or obligation to this Country, having since the Peace been in neither pay, or Employment.

I can assure your Excellency that if I am allowed that Priviledge, I am disposed to enter as heartily into the Interest of America as a good subject can be wished for, and I beg leave to refer to Hon'ble. Henry Laurence who is my Friend and no stranger to my Sentiments long before Peace took place I have the Honor to be with Great respect, Your Excellencys most obedient humble Servant.

His Excellency Governor Clinton, New York.

Philip Skene.