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New York Yearly Meeting Committee on Indian Concerns Scrapbook

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express to them our strong desire for their help and en- couragement, it might enable them to move in a labor, in which, from its probable length toil and exposure, they might possible be fearful and re- luctant to engage but which we reverently hope would be owned by the great Head of the Church. If these Friends should see it right to give themselves up to the service it does appear to us best that they should be prepared to pay the Indians in their extensive location west of the Mississippi, a journal visit and be very minute in their observations, to gather all particulars of Indian manners and customs, situation, schools, religious engagements, governments, and policies, and to encourage them to pursue agricul- ture and mechanical employments, and to recom- mend such measures as would promote there and other peaceful objects, and to discouregement of a war Spirit and jealousies amongst tribes; in short, to and particular notes as far as would be practiceable so that these documents might be laid before our respective Committees for publication, or not; as might be thought advisable. It is easy to see, that such a statement would be exceedingly interesting to Friends, both in our own land, and to our dear brethren on the other side of the Atlantic, as will as to the public generally; and further move, it would be casting in our mite towards laying off an immeasureable debt which the white people owe to the aborigenies of this land, for the great injustice and oppression of which they have been so long and so unjustly the unhappy subjects. Providence 10 mo. 15th. 1841 Mahlon Day Dear friend Thy letter of the 8th ult. on behalf of the Committee of your Yearly Meeting on the concern of the Indians located west of the Mississippi was duly received and in accordance with the suggestion contained in it, we have corresponded with our friends John D. Lang and Samuel Taylor jun. on the subject of their engageing in a visit to the Indians to carry out the concern of New York and New England Yearly Meetings--and the result of this correspondence is that we find the minds of our friends are turned to this important service. At a meeting of our Committee held on the 12th inst (at which John D. Lang was present) there was a very full expression of unity with our friends in this engagement and they were incouraged to pursue it whenever they should that the time had come for them to enter upon it. Should the prospect continue to rest upon their minds and they to receive the unity of their friends therein, it is not probable they will think it best to engage in it before another season. In the mean time any information that you may be able to obtain, as to the best time of the year for visiting the Indians--the most suitable mode of travelling this their country, and any other information that might be useful to friends thus engaged would be very acceptable to them. Truly thy friend Samuel Boyd Tobey Our friend John D. Lang is now about to engage in a religious visit to some remote settlements in the State of Maine.