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of the state, with slight variations. The faculty is composed of men of talent and learning, and the institution is assuming an honorable rank among her elder competitors.

A considerable increase of business has been caused here by the completion of the Lehigh Navigation Co.'s improvements to Mauch Chunk, in 1829; of the Delaware division of the Penn. canal in 1831; and of the Morris canal through N. Jersey to N. York. The distance to N. York by land is 60 miles; by Morris canal more than 110; to Philadelphia by land 56 miles; to Bristol by canal 60, and thence to Philadelphia 20 more. Population in 1810, 1,650; in 1820, 2,450; in 1830, 3,700; and in 1840, exclusive of South Easton, 4,865. SOUTH EASTON is on the right bank of the Lehigh, a mile above Easton. It was established by the Lehigh Navigation Co. as a manufacturing village, and contains, in operation, a large cotton factory, a rolling and nail mill, several grist-mills, sawmills, &c. A rifle factory, foundry, and furnace, were also established, but in 1842 were not in operation. It is in contemplation to establish here a manufactory of steel, which shall use the iron of this vicinity.

It is said by those who have investigated the early records of the co., that Easton was laid out by Hugh Wilson, of Allen township, and Col. Martin, of Mount Bethel, commissioners, and William Parsons, surveyor, about the year 1737 or '38, or soon after the Indian walk. It does not appear, however, to have been settled for some years afterward, and not very extensively until the county was established in 1752; the earlier settlements having been made further in the interior, as mentioned above. The Moravian brethren had a Brothers' house here at an early day-a large edifice of stone. It is now one of the oldest buildings in the place, forming a part of Mr. Bauchman's hotel. In the early days of the town, all the limestone lands between it and Bethlehem, back from the streams, were termed the dry lands, and the barrens; and as there were no springs to be found upon them they were considered unfit for residence, and were left in a wild unsettled state. Before Lehigh co. was set off (1812) it was a subject of complaint by the Bethlehem and Allentown people, in their petitions for a new county, "that they had to travel so far through this desolate region, entirely destitute of water or sustenance for man or beast, to reach the county seat." This statement would hardly be believed by one now passing through the fertile limestone farms between Bethlehem and Easton.

We are indebted to the research of Mr. Sebring, of Easton, for the fol lowing document, illustrating the peculiar sectarian prejudices of that day, and also showing the names of a number of the early settlers of the

town.

To the Worshipful the justices of the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, held at Easton, for the county of Northampton, the 18th June, 1755.

The petition of divers inhabitants of said town and others, humbly showeth : That your petitioners are very apprehensive your worships have been greatly imposed upon, in granting recommendations to his honor the governor for sundry Roman Catholics, out of legiance of his present majesty, our most gracious sovereign, for keeping public houses in this town, when those who profess the Protestant religion have been rejected: that your petitioners humbly conceive this practice may have pernicious consequences at this time, when an open rupture is now daily expected between a Roman Catholic powerful and perfidious prince and the crown of Great Britain: Romans have thereby a better opportunity of becoming acquainted with

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grant such redress as the circumstances of things may require; and your petitioners will ever pray, &c.

Jasper Scull, Henry Rintker, Stophel Wagoner, Philip Mann, John Wagle, Jacob Miner, Nathaniel Vernon, Lodwick Connong, William Hoffman, Robert Latimore, David Jones, James Percy, Robert McCracken, Robert Coungelton, John Latimore, Thomas Sillyman, Thomas Wilson, William Hays, Thomas Patton, Conrad Hesse, Isaac Miller, Joseph Brader, William Mack, John Jones, Ballser Hesse, Jacob Bachman.

The petition is endorsed, "John Fricker is not allowed a recommendation, &c., being a Roman Catholic."

Easton was a favorite place for holding councils with the Indian chiefs between the years 1754 and 1761, while the French were endeavoring to seduce the tribes on the Susquehanna and the Ohio from their allegiance to the English. It was not uncommon to see from 200 to 500 Indians present on these occasions, and many of the dignitaries of the province and of other colonies. It was during the course of these negotiations that Teedyuscung, the Delaware chief, succeeded-by his eloquence, by the weight of his personal character, and by the firmness and cunning of his diplomacy-in redeeming his nation, in a great degree, from their degrading subserviency to the Six Nations; and also in securing from the proprietary government, in substance if not in form, some acknowledgment and reparation for the wrongs done to his nation by the subtleties of the Indian walk, and by calling in the aid of the Six Nations to drive them from the forks. He would scarcely have succeeded in securing these advantages, had he not been assisted and advised at every step by the Quakers and members of the Friendly Association, who were desirous of preserving peace and of seeing justice done to the Indians. They suggested to Teedyuscung the propriety of having a secretary of his own, (Charles Thompson, Esq.,) to take minutes of what was said and done in council. This was to prevent that convenient forgetfulness which often seized the proprietary secretaries whenever the proprietary interest required it. This measure was strenuously resisted both by the governor and George Croghan, but firmly insisted upon by Teedyuscung. The first council was held in July, 1756; but as the parties were not fully prepared, and the attendance was small, the more important business was deferred until autumn. On the 8th Nov. 1756, the Indian tribes, Delawares, Shawanees, Mohicans, and Six Nations, represented by their principal chiefs and warriors, met Gov. Denny, with his council, commissioners, and secretary, and a great number of citizens of Philadelphia, "At chiefly Quakers. Great pomp was observed on these occasions. three o'clock," says the record, "the governor marched from his lodgings to the place of conference, guarded by a party of the Royal Americans in front and on the flanks, and a detachment of Col. Weiser's provincials in subdivisions in the rear, with colors flying, drums beating, and music playing-which order was always observed in going to the place of conference. Teedyuscung, who represented four tribes, was the chief speaker on the occasion.

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"When the governor requested of him to explain the cause of the dissatisfaction and hostility of the Indians, he mentioned several,-among which were, the instigations of the French, and the ill usage or grievances they had suffered both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

"When the governor desired to be informed what these grievances were, Teedyuscung replied, 'I have not far to go for an instance: this very ground that is under me (striking it with his foot) was my land and inheritance, and is taken from me by fraud. When I say this ground, I inean all the land lying between Tohiccon creek and Wioming, on the river Susquehanna. I have not only been served so in this government, but the same thing has been done to me as to several

tracts in New Jersey, over the river. The governor asked him what he meant by fraud? Teedyuscung answered, When one man had formerly liberty to purchase lands, and he took the deed from the Indians for it, and then dies after his death his children forge a deed like the true one, with the same Indian names to it, and thereby take lands from the Indians which they never sold, this is fraud; also, when one king has land beyond the river and another king has land on this side-both bounded by rivers, mountains, and springs, which cannot be moved and the proprietaries, greedy to purchase lands, buy of one king what belongs to another,—this likewise is fraud.'

"Then the governor asked Teedyuscung whether he had been served so? He answered, 'Yes-I have been served so in this province: all the land extending from Tohiccon, over the great mountain, to Wioming, has been taken from me by fraud; for when I had agreed to sell land to the old proprietary by the course of the river, the young proprietaries came, and got it run by a strait course by the compass, and by that means took in double the quantity intended to be sold; and because they had been unwilling to give up the land to the English as far as the walk extended, the governor sent for their cousins the Six Nations, who had always been hard masters to them, to come down and drive them from the land. The English made so many presents to the Six Nations, that they would hear no explanation from the Delawares; and the chief (Conassatego) abused them, and called them women. The Six Nations had, however, given to them and the Shawanees the country on the Juniata for a hunting ground, and had so informed the governor; but notwithstanding this, the latter permitted the whites to go and settle upon those lands. That two years before, the governor had been to Albany to buy more of the lands of the Six Nations, and had described their purchase by points of compass, which they did not understand-including not only the Juniata, but also the West branch of the Susquehanna, which the Indians did not intend to sell; and when all these things were known, they declared they would no longer be friends to the English, who were trying to get all their country from them.'

He assured the council that they were glad to meet their old friends the English, to smoke the pipe of peace with them, and hoped that justice would be done to them for all the injuries which they had received."

This conference continued nine days, and at the close a treaty of peace was concluded between the Shawanees and Delawares and the English. The governor also offered to satisfy them for the land in the Forks and the Minisinks, but as many of those concerned in the land were not present, that question, at the suggestion of Teedyuscung, was adjourned, and was fully discussed at a subsequent council held at Easton in July, 1757. The old deeds were called for, but could not all be produced. Teedyuscung was well plied with liquor; and it was with great difficulty that the Quakers could keep him in a proper state to see clearly his own interest, and to resist the powerful intrigues of Col. Croghan with the Six Nations to weaken his influence. It was at length agreed to refer the deeds to the adjudication of the king and council in England, and the question was quieted for a time.

Another council was held here in the autumn of 1758, having for its object more especially the adjustment of all differences with the Six Nations, as well as with the other tribes. All the Six Nations, most of the Delaware tribes, the Shawanees, the Miamis, the Mohicans, Monseys, Nanticokes, Conoys, &c., were represented in all, about 500 Indians were present. The governors of Pa. and New Jersey, Sir Wm. Johnson, Col. Croghan, Mr. Chew, Mr. Norris, and other dignitaries, with a great number of Quakers, also attended. Teedyuscung, who had been very influential in forming the council, acted as principal speaker for many of the tribes; but the Six Nations took great umbrage at the importance which he assumed, and endeavored to destroy his influence. Teedyuscung, however, notwithstanding he was well plied with liquor, bore himself with dignity and firmness, refused to succumb to the Six Nations, and was proof against the wiles of Col. Croghan and the governor. The council continued eighteen days. The land questions were discussed-especially the

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