60 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



proves that the maker was not a Canadian. Hence the medal could 

 not have been revolutionary. As is well known in history, the 

 bulk of the Indians that came to Montreal were from Michigan and 

 other western districts, while those who were at the capitulation of 

 Montreal were Mohicans and Iroquois. We find none of the 

 Montreal medals among the tribes that were under the French influ- 

 ence previous to the conquest. All I have seen or heard about bear 

 the tribal names, Mohicans, Mohawks and Onondagas. This to me 

 is a most convincing argument. These three tribes would not have 

 been singled out to the exclusion of the great numbers of the western 

 tribes. Another strong proof is that we have no other medal that 

 could have been distributed in 1761 by Sir William Johnson, as 

 described in the entry in his diary. Then the inscription scratched 

 on my medal must be counted of some value as evidence. 



All of Mr McLachlan's arguments have been stated, and due 

 weight should be given to them and to the rank of their author, from 

 whom the writer is compelled to differ, though with some hesitation. 

 I do not find it proved that these medals were made in New York 

 and not in Montreal. Some of the best silversmiths were in the 

 latter place at both dates mentioned. If they were made in New 

 York, it must be remembered that that city was in British hands 

 through nearly the whole of the revolutionary war, and was in con- 

 stant communication with Quebec and Montreal. There are two 

 medals directly relating to the conquest of Canada and the taking 

 of Montreal, which Johnson might have used. The inscription 

 scratched on Mr McLachlan's medal is clearly erroneous in date, as 

 will appear later. The omission of western tribes on the medals 

 found is no more singular than the omission of four of the Six 

 Nations. It is negative evidence at best. Thus, while it would be 

 unwise to say that the true date is not that of 1761, there is but a 

 presumption in favor of that date. 



Some reasons against it will appear in the descriptions of these 

 and other medals, but others may be briefly stated here. 



Conventional views of cities were then customary, as may be seen 

 on old powderhorns and seals; Montreal was the seat of the Indian 

 agency during the Revolution and the headquarters of warlike opera- 

 tions; the spelling of Onondagos is that of Col. Claus, the agent, and 

 not that of Johnson: the River Indians were constantly employed by 



