About Manuscripts Profiles Maps Map Gallery Credits

Baltimore Yearly Meeting Indian Committee Minutes, 1795-1815

BYM_Page_252

furnished to them; and as this nation appear earnestlydisposed to avail themselves of the assistance which is giventhem, and manifest a disposition to become industriousthe committee indulge an expectation, that their effortshere will suceed. These people have now a considerablequantity of land in cultivation &; many of them raiseas much grain as is necessary for the consumption of theirown families-They have also a considerable number ofcattle Hogs &;c. The committee have latterly also extendedsome aid to two villages of the Delawares upon theMuskingum river, and have the satisfaction to believethat an improvement is taking place amongst these In attending to this service they have hithertoembraced no other objects than those connected withthe cultivation of the soil, and the introduction ofsome of the arts of civil life amongst the Indians, yetwhile these have been viewed as necessary preliminariesin the civilization of those people, the committee havenot been unmindful of the importance of School learningand those considerations which relate to their religiousimprovement but have not yet thought it best to attemptthe introduction of Schools amongst them It may not be improper further to remark, thatafter a number of years of patient and assiduous labourthe committee are confirmed in the opinion that the workin which they are engaged will continue to be an arduousone and that much time and exertion will yet beneccesary to effect any extensive or permanent changeamongst the Indian Natives. Long established habits areno where easily eradicated and few nations appear toadhere more strongly to the customs of their ancestors thanthese people, added to this, their ardent attachment topersonal freedom, and their having heretofore been entire strangers to any kind of restraint renders them impatient of labour &;in some measure averse to the pursuits of a steady industriouslife Those more immediately under the care of the YearlyMeeting of Maryland have also less inducements to abandon