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The Friendly Association

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The Friendly Association The Friendly Association ILLIAM PENN'S fair dealings with the Indians and the Quakers' traditional love for peace are oft-told subjects Wand familiar to everyone. But few, except historians and antiquarians, have heard of the Friendly Association which had its origin among the Quakers during the French and Indian War and the avowed purpose of restoring peace with the Indians. This Associa- tion was a powerful organization, provided with ample funds, and led by prominent members of the Society of Friends in Pennsylvania. The prospect of making peace with the Indians, flushed with victory and dazzled by French intrigue, was not encouraging. Nevertheless, the leaders of the Association, with the enthusiasm of idealists, not only zealously labored for peace with the Indians, but set on foot reforms calculated to place Pennsylvania's Indian relations on a permanently peaceful basis. Unfortunately, from the outset, the activities of the Friendly Association were involved with Provincial politics. Pennsylvania was afforded an opportunity to prepare itself for the impending Indian war in the time between General Braddock's defeat in July, 1755, and the following October, when the Indians turned their tomahawks upon the frontier settlements. But regard- less of constant warnings by non-Quakers, the Pennsylvania Assem- bly declined to alter its traditional policy of pacifism and non- defense. Although the Quakers admitted that the Indians had suf- fered much at the hands of the Proprietors,1 they seemed to believe that the Delawares harbored such a deep attachment for the Quaker colony that the Province would be spared the horrors of an Indian war. Consequently, the Quaker element were quite unprepared for the utter lack of regard shown by the Delawares and Shawnee for Pennsylvania's pacifism when these tribes fiercely attacked the out- lying settlements. Even then, the Quakers were not ready to admit their pacific policy a failure. Rather, they blamed the Proprietors l Etting Collection: Pemberton Papers, II, 71 (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). 356 1943 THE FRIENDLY ASSOCIATION 357 whose handling of Indian affairs they had criticized for years.2 And for the purpose of clearing themselves of blame for the miserable plight of the frontier, the Quaker Assembly set on foot an investiga- tion of the causes of the Indian war. Failing to establish proof of Proprietary wrongdoing, the Assembly contented itself for the time being with a more or less vague indictment of Proprietary misman- agement of Indian affairs. In December, remnants of certain Delaware clans and of other tribes who had been living in the northern districts of Pennsylvania but who were now collected at a town called Diahoga,3 at the junction of the Chemung and Susquehanna rivers, entered the war against the English by raiding the northern frontiers of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The Quakers had counted on the loyalty of the Susquehanna Delawares and great was their disappointment upon receiving the bad news. But the alienation of these Indians only strengthened their belief that the Delawares were harboring some deep resentment against the Proprietors and the Province. It was not long before it was evident that Pennsylvania had for enemies not only the Delawares, Minisink,4 and Shawnee, but many of the Seneca as well, who from the first had encouraged Indians to join the French. War parties now came streaming down from Tioga and the Minisink and Seneca towns, causing the major the- ater of the war to pass from the western to the northern districts of the Province. After the outbreak of war, the strict Quakers in the Assembly lost control and the leadership passed to the group led by Benjamin Franklin. Measures were presently passed for the defense of the Province, and during the winter of 1755-1756 forts were con- structed along the entire Pennsylvania frontier from the region of Stroudsburg to the Maryland border below Carlisle. But despite the number and closeness of the forts, the Indians continued their raids upon the frontier, taking delight in harassing the countryside within sight of the forts. In April, Governor Robert Hunter Morris and his Council decided that more direct methods must be employed for pro- tecting the lives and property of the people. It was decided that war would be declared against the Delawares and their allies, that a 2 ibid., II, 2. 3 Diahoga is since known as Tioga. 4 The Minisink Indians were the Wolf clan and the best warriors of all the Delawares. 358 THEODORE THAYER October bounty would be paid for scalps, that a strong fort would be built at Shamokin, a key position at the junction of the East and West branches of the Susquehanna, and that a formidable militia body would be led against the principal Delaware towns. The Quakers were greatly disturbed when the Governor's program became known. They believed that the government should seek peace with the Delawares rather than provoke a long and bloody war. They especially disapproved of the stipulation granting rewards for Indian scalps, an expedient which they termed barbaric and shameful for a civilized people to employ. Furthermore, they declared the bounty would endanger the lives of all Indians and soon lead to a general Indian war. On behalf of Friends, Israel Pemberton, a prominent Philadelphia Quaker, and Samuel Fothergill, an English Quaker preacher, laid their views before the Governor. Failing to impress him with their logic on this occasion, Pemberton sought out the Governor a second time with an offer to raise among Quakers as much as £5,000 if the money would be used to restore peace with the Indians.5 Now thoroughly aroused, the Quakers were determined to exert themselves to the fullest to save Pennsylvania from a program which they believed would be conducive to grave and humiliating conse- quences. Their opinions were presently strengthened by the assur- ance of Conrad Weiser, who knew the Indians as well as anyone in the Province, that peace with the Delawares might yet be restored and should be sought after at all costs. Presently, Weiser sent Pemberton a friendly Delaware whom he thought might be used to convey a peace offering to the Indians. The opportunity was quickly seized upon and permission obtained from the Governor for the Friends to meet with the friendly Indians in Philadelphia for the purpose of discussing overtures of peace. On April 19, 1756, Israel Pemberton gave a dinner at his home on Chestnut Street to which all Indians then in Philadelphia were in- vited. In all fourteen Indians were present, led by Scarroyady, the Oneida chief and faithful friend of the English. Included in the company were many prominent Quakers, among them Anthony Benezet, Abraham Farrington, James Pemberton, John Reynell, 5 Address to Governor Denny, August, 1757, Parrish Collection: Pemberton Papers (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). 1943 THE FRIENDLY ASSOCIATION 359 Owen Jones, Daniel Stanton, John Smith, and Isaac Zane. Also present in a semi-official capacity were Conrad Weiser, the principal Indian interpreter in Pennsylvania, Daniel Claus, one of Sir William Johnson's deputies, and Andrew Montour, a half-breed often em- ployed in Indian affairs. After dinner, in an address to the Indians, Israel Pemberton said: "I am glad to see you here and to have an opportunity of Informing you that as William Penn & our Fathers who first settled this Province were men of Peace & against all Wars, so there are still many of us their children, who hold the Same Principles, and we hope there are many of your People who still have a Love & Regard for their old Friends." Scarroyady answered that he knew the Indians preferred to live in peace with the English, and if the Quakers had not forgotten the Indians but had continued to show them the regard of former days, the Delawares would not have become embittered and alienated from the English.6 Israel Pemberton then explained to Scarroyady and the people assembled a plan to restore peace between Pennsylvania and the Delawares. If Scarroyady and the other Indians would become mes- sengers of peace to the Delawares, Pemberton said, the Quakers would become mediators between the Delawares and the Province. By this means peace could be restored and the Indians receive amnesty and forgiveness from the government of Pennsylvania. Scarroyady replied that he would do his best to have the Six Nations present the offer to the Delawares. Whereupon the meeting soon ended. Two days later a larger meeting was held at Pemberton's home. This was attended by about twenty Quakers and most of the Indians in the city. Israel Pemberton opened the conference by presenting Scarroyady with a string of wampum, a ceremony essential for the transmission of any business with Indians in council. After reviewing the substance of the first gathering, Pemberton presented Scarroyady with a belt of white wampum, which constituted a message of peace to the Delawares. A third meeting was presently held. At that time Scarroyady thanked the Quakers for the peace belt and announced that three friendly Delawares would take the message to the Indians at Tioga. Scarroyady then left for New York to enlist the help of Sir William Johnson and the Six Nations in the Quaker peace 6 Etting Collection: Miscellaneous I, 84. 360 THEODORE THAYER October movement, leaving the Delawares to convey the belt directly to Tioga. The success of their meetings with the Indians left the Quakers in high spirits.7 After discussing the matter thoroughly with Conrad Weiser they decided that the peace messages ought to be represented to the Delawares as arising from the recommendation of Scarroyady and having the approbation of the Governor of Pennsylvania. But Governor Morris hesitated to commit himself, and after consulting his Council replied that inasmuch as the government had so recently declared war upon the Delawares, it was deemed inadvisable to afford the Quaker enterprise an official endorsement.8 Moreover, after Scarroyady had left for New York, the Delaware messengers expressed their disinclination to carry the peace belts to Tioga.
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