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laws, may be presented to the legislature. I, alsosend thee a work published some years ago, contain-ing an account of the prisons. D. A. Ogden, and others, have purchased of the Hol-land Company, the presumptive rights to all theIndian reservations in this state, and they are con-triving to get the Indians to sell to them for a smallsum; the poor Indians have been always cheated,except by William Penn, who uniformly done themjustice, and thus preserved the high esteem andregard of the natives, by which means peace was preserved in his province, and no war or bloodshedfor seventy years; and this would have continued, if hisgrand children, in 1756, had not attempted to cheatthe Indians, in purchasing their land. In short, I amperfectly satisfied, that in every war that has occur-red between the whites (Christians!) and Indians,the former has been aggressors. The condition ofthese poor people is shamefully neglected, and istruly deserving our sympathy and commiseration.We enjoy, in a full extent, every blessing of Heaven,on the very land they formerly occupied, in security,peace, and plenty, as to game, fish, &;c.; we have abundance, whilst they often suffer for want of food,clothing, &;c. Under these considerations, it appearsto me, we ought to do all in our power to melioratetheir condition, to protect them from the violence andimposition of the white people, and generally to con-tribute to their comfort and happiness, as far as cir-cumstances will permit. I will take the liberty tostate hints of a plan, that, in my opinion, might beproductive of lasting benefit to the Indians. A board of seven or eight commissioners, to beselected from the different religious societies, andappointed to take into consideration all matters and things relative to the Indians within the state, with-out salary. 1st. To meet annually during the sitting of theLegislature.