Franklin and James Wilson to Jasper Yeates, 4 July 1776: résumé
Franklin and James Wilson to Jasper Yeates
LS: Historical Society of Pennsylvania
<Philadelphia, July 4, 1776: The Congress has appointed you a commissioner of Indian affairs in the middle department, and asked us so to inform you. A conference will be held at Pittsburgh on July 20, which Congress hopes you will attend. Although this may be inconvenient, we know that your regard for the public will outweigh any consideration of your private affairs. You will shortly hear further from us. Signed by Franklin and Wilson.5>
5. For Yeates see the letter from the Pa. committee of safety above, Nov. 17. His answer is below, July 6. This was the second treaty with the Indians at Pittsburgh; for its predecessor see the note on BF to Mecom above, Aug. 2, 1775. On July 4 Congress appointed two commissioners, and instructed BF and Wilson to write them to attend the conference mentioned here and to provide the necessary gifts; the other letter is noted below, July 5. On the 20th the Congress voted $3,000 for the gifts, and on Aug. 19 authorized the commissioners to wait as long as necessary to complete their mission. The negotiations at Pittsburgh were protracted until November and, like those in 1775, helped to postpone an Indian war. JCC, V, 517, 595, 668; Force, 5 Amer. Arch., II, 511–18; III, 599–600; PMHB, XXIX (1905), 359–61; Walter Mohr, Federal Indian Relations 1774–1788 (Philadelphia, 1933) pp. 49–50.