I concluded this Treaty with taking off the Petticoat or that invidious name of Woman from the Delaware Nation vf^^ hath been imposed on them by the 6 Nations from the time they conquered them, in the name of the great King of England their Father & on the behalf of all their Bretheren the English on this continent, & promised them I would use my Influence & best endeavours to prevail with the Six Nations to follow my Examole, The Deputies of the Six Nations who were present approved of
SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON. 73l
this measure, but said they were not a suff* number nor properly authorized to it on behalf of their constituents, however they would make their reports & press it upon them. If this point should succeed & our militarY operations strengthen our consequence, I am persuaded the French will not be able to keep scarcely one Delaware in their Interest.
As my success in this Treaty with the Shawanese & Delewares will be I hope of most happy consequence to the Tranquility of his Majestys Southern Provinces in particular. The moment it was ended I dispatched an Express with a generall ace* of it to Gen' Abercrombie at Albany desiring he would transmit it forwards, especially as The Gov of New Jersey to my great surprize had at this very juncture published a Declaration of War against all the Delaware Nation, of W^ the first notice I had or have since received, was from the Publick Prints, w"'', as Gov^ Morris had upon my Representations to M"" Shirley & S^ Charles Hardy, suspended the Execution of any Hostilities against them in consequence of his Declaration till the Issue of this Treaty however, appeared to me a proceeding in Gov^ Belcher of a very extraordinary kind.