NYYM_scrapbook_116

REPORT ON INDIAN CONCERNS, Submitted at Ohio Yearly Meeting, held at Mt. Pleasant, on 7th of 9th mo. 1837. The Committee on Indian Concerns report, that, at their concluding sitting, at the time of our last Yearly Meeting, they appointed a committee to attend and sit with the Com- mittee of Indians, at the time of their approaching Yearly Meeting; and by a copy of the minutes of that Committee, and the report of our friends who attended, it appears that the Committees of the several Yearly Meetings are harmo- niously united in the prosecution of the benevolent object. An interesting account of the proceedings of the Committee of Indiana since last year, has been lately received--and in order that the most material parts of their communication may be spread before the Yearly Meeting, the following extracts are made from it, viz. Early in the spring of the present year, we received an account of the donation of Dr. Unthank having been receiv- ed by our Agent in Cincinnati, and on the receipt of which information, we immediately proceed to purchase house- hold and kitchen furniture, farming utensils, a quantity of provisions, &;c. in order to enable us to carry into execution the plan of operations agreed upon. We also employed a family, Moses Pearson and wife, Friends, as Superintend- ents, and employed a young woman (a Friend) to assist in the family. By the report of a deputation who recently visisted the Indians, you will observe that a young man (a Friend) has been employed as a Teacher for a time: and we have a Committee appointed to employ another teacher to be in readiness to take his place, when the time for which he has engaged shall have expired. Our deputation to visit the Indians, made the following report, together with a letter received form our Superintendent since their return. The Report is as follows, viz. We have attended to the appoint- ment, and agree to report, that on arriving at the intended establishment, we found that Moses Pearson and family had been there about five days, were all well, but in an uncom- fortable situation in consequence of the house not being , and the goods that had been shipped not having then come to hand. The Superintendent had purchased about five acres of corn, and theg were busily engaged in working amongst it. We engaged Elias Newby (a Friend) as Teacher, &;c. for the term of four months, at twenty four dollars per month--and if his relations approved of his re- maining until next Spring, he was to stay and receive twen- ty dollars per month. Owing to the situation of the house and family, we thought it best not to convene the Indians in council there; but we had an interview with them at their Council House, in presence of the Agent, who had a considerable number of them collected on business. They appeared much pleased with the opportunity of meeting with us; they generally looked well, spoke highly of their country, and from what we could learn from seeing manyof their farms, and the information received otherwise, we conclude that they are in a much better way of living than they were in Ohio. They appeared much more sensible of the advantages of civilization, and many of them mani- fest a disposition to excel their neighbors in agriculture.-- On conferring with them respecting a school, they appeared to be much pleased, and said they would furnish as many children as we wanted, when the house and teacher were ready to receive them. There are two missionaries amongst them--a Methodist and a Baptist. It might probably be interesting to the committee, to be informed of the cause of the Indians being convened by the agent; which was, to lay before them a proposition from the Government, the substance of which was, that govern- ment was willing, with their approbation, to lay off a large tract of country sufficient to contain a number of Nations of Indians, and to give them a warrantee deed for the same, (describing the boundaries)--that said tract of country should be known by the title of Indians' Country--that no white man should have any right within the said bounda- ries, except his business was sanctioned be government--that the Indians should have the privilege of making their own laws (recommending some laws which it was thought best for them to enact)--that government would be at the ex- pense of building them a good substantial council house-- that each nation should send one or more of their number, yearly, to said house, there to confer on such subjects as they may be interested in--that they should annually elect one of their number to congress, there to remain during the ses- sion, to represent the whole of the nations residing in their country--that government would pay all expenses in going to, while remaining at, and returning from, the seat of gov- ernment. The Agent informed us the proposition had been submitted to several nations, and that they had agreed to them without hesitation, although the Shawnese did not accede to the propositions at that time, but set a time when they would give him an answer. On our parting with John Perry, the head chief, he spoke as follows, viz.: When you get home, tell my Friends, the Quakers, that I am their friend, and shall be as long asI live, and when I am laid in the ground, I hope my chil- dren will be your friends. When we lived in Ohil, where we could get game, I thought not worth the while to send my children to school, and I sent none; but now we live where we cannot get game, I want my children to go to school, and learn to work too. The following is an extract of the letter alluded to from the Superintendent of the establishment, dated 12th of 7th last, viz.: We attended the council of the Shawnese to- day, and they have answered the Agent, and informed him that, after deliberating on the subjects laid before them, they were willing the propositions should be put exe- cution as soon as practicable, and they have signed an a- greement to that effect to go before conress. The Shaw- nese also states, while in the council, that they had confer- red together respecting the two Missionaries that are with them--that they had come to the conclusion to info them that they knew the Quakers were their friends-- when they went to move away from amongst them, they left all, and took nothing away with them; and this they knew that they were friends, and that the Quakers had sent on their Teachers (pointing at Elias Newby and myself) to learn their children, and that they wished THEM to learn their children--that they wished (one of the Mis- sionaries mentioned) to move his mission out amongst another tribe of Indians; and the other, to move his mission some- where else. They seem to put full confidence in friends doing all they stand in need of in the way of Education. My feelings are easier conceived than described, when I con- sider the limited situation of our funds, the confidence the Indians have in us, and the backward situation of our school, and that they are dismissing the Missionaries to make way for us. Several of the Indians have spoken to me, to know how soon the school will commence, and appear anxious how soon. In taking into consideration the peculiarly in- teresting state of the concern at present, by which it ap- pears that the objects of our concern are in a prosperous condition as regards their agricultural pursuits--that they are so anxious to have their children educated by Friends, that they have dismissed the Missionaries to make way for us--and having been, at this time, made remewedly sen- sible of the obligations resting upon us, not only to instruct them in the truths of the Chrisitan Religion, but also to give them assistance in literary and agricultural pursuits; the Committee, under a solemn consideration of the sub- ject, unite in proposing to the Yearly Meeting, that liberal contributions in aid of the funds be entered into, in order to enable us to carry on this interesting and benevolent work, with a hope that a blessing will attend our labours therein. Signed on behalf of the Committee. JONAH HOLE, Clerk. 9th Mo., 7th, 1837. observing that you feel a clear inter- est in the welfare of the Indian natives I have copied the epistle on the report of our Comm. which can readily be separated before presenting to the meeting! If your field of