SW_WH1793_Page_102

Brothers—If this first attempt succeeds, the way will be opened in which your young people may learn other useful practices of the white people, soas to enable them to supply all their own wants, and such as choose it may learn to read and write. Having thus explained to you the plan of your friends, the Quakers, I conclude with heartily recom-mending it to your adoption, as better calculated to procure lasting and essential benefits to your Nations than any plan ever before attempted. Wishing it great success, I remain your friend and brother, TIMOTHY PICKERING.* Timothy Pickering was, in 1796, Secretary of State for the United States; George Washington, President. Philadelphia, Feb. 15th, 1796. To MR. JASPER PARISH. Philadelphia, February 15th, 1796. SIR, The Society of Friends, always manifesting a desire to promote the best interest of the Indians, have now formed a plan to introduce among them the most necessary arts of civil life, and have raised, and will raise, money, and employ agents, to carry it into effect, or at least to make a fair experiment to change their present habits, and to adopt in their places the practice of those most necessary arts. In this attempt, the Friends will need the assistance of all well disposed men, who are capable of deriving pleasure from the happiness of their fellow men, and are therefore willing to promote it. But, of all men, those who understand the language of the Indians, if possessed of capacity and humanity, have it in their power to do them most good; for this reason, the Friends earnestly desire your aid; their great object is, not to teach peculiar doctrines, but useful practices; to instruct the Indians in husbandry, and the plain mechanical arts and manufactures directly