hv_coatesi_account_1798_098

propositions which had this morning beenmutually agreed upon and signed by all ournumber, viz. Brothers of the Oneida Nation You havenow heard in the letter which has been readto you, that our friend William Gregory hascome amongst you in order to assist and in-struct some of your young men in the use-ful trade of a smith. He wants no payfrom you, or from government for his trouble; but wishes you to provide a shop, and some coal forthe purpose. (Captain Chapin having offeredto find iron as usual,) and that two of youryoung men, who want to learn the trade, shouldsteadily attend at the shop, to do such smithwork as you may want done, and he will at-tend with them and assist them, and show themhow to do it; and in order to encourage theseyoung men to stick steadily to the work, so asto do all the smithing you want done, and tolearn the trade well, before our friend wantsto go back again to his own people, we thinkyou might allow them such part of the moneyas government use to give your blacksmithas will enable them to buy themselves vic-tuals and clothes, while they are learning thetrade and doing your work.