the favourable situation of their land for cultivation, with proper
attention on their part, had induced Friends to withdraw their aid
for several years past, as it regarded an instructor among them. And
the settlement, having been now continued among the Indians at the
Alleghany for about thirty years, it was believed the time was nearly
come to withdraw from them; and, accordingly, the Friends residing at
Tunesassa, returned home in the year 1828, and left the Indians to
improve on the instructions already received from the long and arduous
labours of the society of Friends.
Having no official means at command, of obtaining correct information
of their real situation at present, I am not able to bring this account
to as satisfactory a close as would be desirable; but from the best
information I can obtain on the subject, it appears, that the Indians
continue to progress in agricultural pursuits, and in some of the
mechanic arts; and some of their own people have kept schools for the
instruction of the youth.
But it is also said, that the constant pressure upon them to obtain
their land, affords strong ground to fear, that their former sales were
only a prelude to their parting with the remainder, at no very distant
period.
It is, however, a consoling reflection to the society of Friends, that
they have extended a benevolent hand to this poor, degraded, and much
injured people; and even should they finally be induced to part with,
and relinquish the remnants of their present possession, and migrate
to a more distant clime, the instruction they have already received in
the mechanic arts, together with their knowledge of agriculture, will
greatly contribute to their happiness and comfort, in the land in which
they may settle, and not only so, but the benefits resulting from their
knowledge of civilized habits be extended to more distant and savage
tribes.
In concluding this account of the proceedings of Friends of the
Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia, it may be proper to state, that many
individuals, both male and female, from an apprehension of duty,
have, at different periods, devoted many years of their time to the
instruction of the natives, and have had the consoling evidence of
peace for their labours. But as this benevolent work could not be
accomplished, without very considerable expense to the society,
voluntary subscriptions were raised, at different periods, to a large
amount, in which it is but just to acknowledge, that the society of
Friends in England, feeling a lively interest in this righteous work,
liberally contributed to a fund for that purpose, which the Yearly
Meeting of New York and Baltimore partook of, for the purpose of aiding
them in extending their benevolent views, in promoting civilization
among various tribes, and of whose proceedings therein, a short account
will be here subjoined.
_A brief account of the proceedings of Friends of the Yearly
Meeting of New York, in promoting civilization among the Indians,
residing in that state._
It will be seen in the early part of this narrative, that Friends of
the Yearly Meeting of Pennsylvania, first promoted a settlement among
the Oneida nation living near the Mohawk river, in the state of New
York. They also extended some aid to the Stockbridges, and some other
tribes in that quarter. This attention was continued from the spring
of 1796, till about the close of the year 1799, when Friends withdrew
from them; and the Yearly Meeting of New York, being actuated by the
same benevolent motives to improve the condition of the aboriginal
inhabitants, appointed a committee for that special purpose, who
sent instructors among them, and continued to aid and assist them in
agricultural pursuits, in some of the mechanic arts, and in school
learning, for many years. But as I have not at command the means
of furnishing a particular account of the gradual advancement made
in the civilized arts among those Indians, I can only say, that in
the prosecution of the work, Friends have had many difficulties to
encounter; and the Indians have frequently been disturbed and harassed,
by the same covetous spirit, that so frequently annoyed the Seneca
nation, in order to dispossess them of their land. In consequence of
this many of the tribes have been induced to sell and remove far to the
westward.
By the kindness of a Friend in New York, I have been furnished with
an account of some of the more recent transactions of the society of
Friends, towards the Indians. He states some of the difficulties to
which the Indians are subjected, by the officious interference of a
_proselyting spirit_, which has much agitated several of the tribes,
and created parties and animosities among them. The ultimate object
appears to be, to unsettle them in their present possessions, and
eventually to induce them to abandon the rightful inheritance of their
fathers.
It appears from the account, that the Onondaga tribe are the only
Indians at present under the care of the Yearly Meeting of New York;
and the only tribe in that state united among themselves, and exempt
from a party under the influence of a blind missionary zeal--desirous
to relinquish their present possessions and emigrate. But a few years
ago the Onondaga’s were an indolent, drunken people, and desirous of
moving to the westward, but as they have in a good degree embraced
the counsel of Friends, become industrious, and availed themselves of
their local advantages, and tasted the sweets of their labour from the
produce of the soil, a radical change has been effected among them.
This tribe has for seven or eight years past been under the particular
care and superintendence of Adin T. Corey, as agent for the committee
of the Yearly Meeting; and being well qualified for the important
trust, and feeling his mind devoted to it, the Indians have reposed
great confidence in him, and distinguished him by the name of ‘Oatnus,’
and consider him as their benefactor, as will be seen in the following
speech.
* * * * *
_Onondaga, Fourth mo. 27, 1829.
“To the committee of the Yearly Meeting of New York, on Indian
concerns._
“Brothers--Oatnus, our brother, told us he was going to New York to
attend the great council--and we thought good to send you a talk, to
let you know our minds. First, we thank you for all your goodness in
giving us the many useful things you have given us, for our benefit,
and we thank the Great Spirit, who in his unspeakable mercy put it into
your hearts to take us by the hand, and pity our condition; but most
of all, that he put it into your hearts and the heart of our brother
Oatnus, to come and live amongst us.
“Brothers, he has been a wall about us, that in a great measure has
fenced out the encroachments of our white neighbours. When he speaks,
the white people hear, and they do not cheat us as they used to do.
“Brothers, he has improved our condition much every way. When he
came among us, we were hungry and almost naked, but now we are more
comfortable. Our lands lay common, and were running up with bushes--now
there are many of them fenced and well cultivated, yielding an
abundant supply of food for our people. Our young men, women, and
children were running about doing no good--now, most of them are
diligently and profitably employed. One of our young men has learned
to work pretty well at blacksmithing--three lads have learned to make
good shoes--our young women, most of them, can spin, knit, and sew,
and some of them can weave. Oatnus has also transacted most of our
business--made many bargains, and handled much of our money, and done
all well--not one shilling sticks in his pocket--he has fed our hungry
children, clothed our naked, and helped us when we were sick--when he
came we were divided, now we are united--when there is war he makes
peace--when he speaks our young men hear and keep mostly out of bad
company--our farming begins to flourish, and although we have made much
improvement, we still want a head--we cannot go alone, and if you leave
us now, it will be like making us a very valuable present, and taking
it away again.
“Brothers, remember, when our brother Oatnus come, we were wild and
ignorant respecting business, and it must necessarily take a good while
to tame a whole nation.
“Brothers, our brother told us, our school was so thinly attended, he
thought it would be best to drop it till winter, but we are unwilling
it should stop, for fear our children will go back--we wish you to
keep it going--some of us have been negligent in sending our children,
but we will endeavour to be more diligent in the future, if we can be
favoured with it.
“Brothers, our very tried brother is growing old, and through abundance
of labour and fatigue has grown feeble, having been sick a good deal,
and cannot do as he used to do, yet we are not willing to part with
him, we want him to stay enough with us, to oversee our business,
manage our affairs, and sit with us in council.
“Brothers, we still want to go on in improvement, and as our young
man that has learned to work at smithing, has taken to farming in the
summer season, we therefore want to get a sober goodly man, to come
and set up his trade among us, and take some of our boys and learn
them the trade. We also want a wagon maker, and a cooper of the above
description, and for the same purpose, and we believe it might be done
with very little expense to our brothers, if Oatnus stays with us a
part of the time, and has the management of our affairs; for we have
abundance of materials to carry on the two last mentioned trades, and
part of the first; and our circumstances are very different now from
what they were when he first came amongst us.
“Brothers, we have concluded to build a saw-mill this season, among
ourselves.
“Brothers, it makes our hearts sick when we look abroad and see our
Oneida and Seneca brethren, who have got the blackcoats and hungry
mouths among them--for there is nothing but contention, spite, and
animosity, and no business that is profitable--and we thank the Great
Spirit that has sent us peace--sweet peace and no blackcoats.
“Brothers, may the Great Spirit preside over your councils--make
you love one another, remember your real brethren and do much good.
Farewell.”
Signed by the chiefs and some of the warriors.
* * * * *
To the foregoing speech the committee on Indian affairs made the
following reply:
“Brothers, we have received by the hands of brother Oatnus your
communication to us, and it has made our hearts glad; and, that our
brothers and sisters of the Great council might hear it, we gave it
to them to read, and it made their hearts glad also, and greatly
to rejoice, to hear from you and to hear that Oatnus did well with
you--and that you listened to his voice.
“Brothers, we cannot tell you how much we want you to improve in all
things--we know you cannot do every thing at once, but we want you to
hearken to our counsel--we love you--we desire your good, and that you
may increase and leave a good name behind you, when the Great Spirit
shall take you away.
“Brothers, remember we can only counsel you for good--if you take our
counsel the Great Spirit will help you.
“Brothers, you have now witnessed a little of the rewards of the
Good Spirit, in taking our counsel and the counsel of our brother
Oatnus--our counsel to you is, that you continue to improve as you have
begun.
“Brothers, be sober, be industrious--love to improve yourselves, and
the Great Spirit will bountifully assist you.
“Brothers, we want you to mind the Great Spirit, to be industrious--to
try to learn yourselves--to keep out of bad company--to avoid strong
drink--to counsel with brother Oatnus, who will never deceive you, but
counsel you for your good.”
Signed, &c.
_Fifth mo. 29, 1828._
* * * * *
By a report of the committee on Indian affairs dated the twenty-seventh
of the Fifth-month, 1830, and presented to the Yearly Meeting held in
the same month, it appears that during the past year, the Onondaga
tribe have received their care and attention as heretofore, and that
those Indians are realizing in an unprecedented manner, the fruits of
their own industry, being stimulated and encouraged, by the care which
Friends have extended towards them, for a few years past, which affords
great cause for encouragement. There is a striking contrast between
their situation now, and what it was seven years ago, when their only
buildings were two small barns, and a few inferior huts. The lands
which they then had cleared, were very imperfectly cultivated, and the
state and quality as well as quantity of their stock, as also teams
and utensils of husbandry of every kind, were correspondent. Since
that time, they have greatly increased their quantity of cleared land;
this season they had about three hundred acres of wheat--their crops
are more abundant, furnishing more than a supply for their people. The
fencing and arrangement of their fields are farmer-like and judicious.
The number of their barns is increased to about twenty--their teams
of horses and oxen, are numerous and efficient--they are pretty well
supplied with wagons, harness, ploughs, and other farming utensils,
and these articles are kept in tolerable repair. Many of their present
dwellings, though small, are comfortable frame buildings, and their
household furniture consists mostly of useful and plain articles--such
as are used in civilized life.
On a good mill stream within their territory, which consists
of a reservation of about ten thousand acres, the committee’s
superintendent, during the past year, aided by the individual labour of
the Indians, raised a substantial dam, and by a discreet dispensation
of their resources, and by a general economy introduced among them, has
collected about five hundred dollars, which defrayed the expenses of
erecting a good saw-mill, which the Indians find to be highly useful
and productive.
As the same stream furnished an eligible site for a grist-mill, at no
great distance from those improvements, and as the reducing of their
grain into meal for this tribe, was performed by the manual labour of
the women in a great measure, the committee were encouraged to believe,
that as they duly appreciated the benefits resulting from their newly
erected saw-mill, and from the increased display of mechanical genius,
industry, and method among them, the time was not far distant when
further and more useful improvements will be made by themselves,
calculated to raise their habits in domestic and civilized life, and
elevate their minds to a steady pursuit of their more substantial
happiness and welfare.
The committee not having been able to comply with the Indians’ request,
made in their speech two years ago, for a blacksmith, wagon maker, and
cooper to be placed among them, as no suitable persons had offered
for that purpose, and also the school having been dropped, that had
formerly been kept, and in a flourishing condition among them, partly
for want of sufficient funds to continue a permanent teacher, these
subjects were again suggested to the Yearly Meeting, with an earnest
wish to inspire in the minds of Friends a feeling that might prove
beneficial in promoting these desirable objects.
Notwithstanding this concern, to meliorate the condition of the
Indians, has been prosecuted for many years by the committee, with at
times, but little evidence of good resulting to these people, from
their labours, yet from more recent developments evinced from the
latter experience and research of the committee, though the prospect
is an arduous one, it presents encouragement, and the field of labour
is brightening, as the hidden causes of past obstructions present
themselves.
The committee say in their report, “It appears that many associations
are formed in this country, and some of them under the denomination
of benevolent and religious; all apparently well disposed, and even
anxious to promote the good and the happiness of these original
proprietors of the soil. Yet unhappily for these, the means resorted
to, to advance their prosperity, have (in too many instances) been
elevated above their comprehensions, and not adapted to their wants,
their habits, and their religious views. From a zeal beyond knowledge,
to benefit these people, agents and missionaries have been settled
among them, patronized by these associations, little qualified to
inspire their confidence and respect, and in their zealous pretensions
to christianize, previous to properly instructing in the arts of
civilized life, they produce discouragement and incalculable injury,
divisions and dissentions; and in the language of the Indians
themselves, ‘quarrelling and contention, spite and animosity, and no
business that is profitable.’
“Since the Onondaga tribe has been under the care of the committee,
the missionaries have been inclined to leave them to the care of
Friends. And this tribe, which a few years ago was divided and full of
dissention, is restored to union and harmony, and there is a laudable
feeling springing up among them, and an increased desire to become
introduced into, and firmly fixed in the habits of civilization.”
The committee, in time past, having extended some care to several
tribes of the Seneca nation west of the Genessee river, are of the
opinion that essential and lasting good might, by that care being
further extended, result to those people. To show the desire of the
Indians herein, the following speech of a principal chief, on behalf of
a large majority of the Indians, in the state of New York, presented in
the last winter, was laid before the Yearly Meeting.
* * * * *
_New York, January_ 20, 1830.
“_To the society of Friends of the city of New York._
“At the treaty of Philadelphia with William Penn and the Six Nations,
we considered William Penn as a friend to us, not wishing to cheat
us out of our lands, but to pay us a full value for them. Since that
time, the society of Friends have treated us very kindly--they have
never shown a disposition to wrong us out of our lands, but seemed to
wish to cultivate friendship with us, and to let us have our rights
and privileges--and to enjoy our own religion. But there are certain
persons residing among us, at present, who we believe have a different
object. They say they have been sent by the Great Spirit, but we do not
think the Great Spirit would send people among us, to cheat us out of
our lands, and to cause disturbance to arise amongst us, which has made
a division in our nation. No, we do not think the Great Spirit sent the
blackcoat’s among us for any such purpose. There is at present five
thousand of our people and upwards, who wish the society of Friends to
send a suitable person among us, to teach our young men how to till
the ground, and our young women the art of domestic manufactures, and
our children to read and write. If our friends feel disposed to comply
with our wishes, we shall be happy to receive them, and will cause all
necessary buildings to be erected for their use--we think by having
this plan carried into effect, the nation once more would be united,
and become a happy people.”
Your friend,
his
Signed, Red X Jacket.
mark
* * * * *
Although the way has not yet opened to comply with the request in the
foregoing communication, the committee were encouraged to persevere in
their services the present year, in rendering such aid for the benefit
of this poor afflicted people, as the limited means within their power
would, under the direction of best wisdom enable them to do.
_Some account of the proceedings of Friends of Baltimore Yearly
Meeting._
This concern for improving the condition of our red brethren, having
been opened and spread in the Yearly Meeting of Baltimore, in the fall
of 1795, and the minds of Friends being much united, and actuated by
benevolent motives to promote this desirable object, referred the same
to a special committee, to proceed therein as way might open, to render
essential service to these aboriginal inhabitants. Accordingly their
attention was turned to some of the Indian tribes north-west of the
river Ohio, and a deputation was delegated to visit the Shawaneese,
Delawares, Wyandots and such other natives in those parts as they might
find practicable. They proceeded thereon, in the summer of 1796, after
having first obtained the approbation of the general government.
When they arrived at the forks of the Muskingum river, where they
had been informed a considerable number of Indians were collected,
they found to their great disappointment, that the chiefs and hunters
were dispersed: and it not appearing practicable to convene them at
that time, to have a suitable conference with them, they returned
without accomplishing the object of their visit. They, however, saw
divers hunters and others, who appeared well disposed to receive the
instruction and assistance which Friends proposed to furnish them.
In the spring of 1797, three Friends again proceeded to that country on
an embassy, to inquire into the real situation of the Indian tribes; in
the course of which visit, having passed by a number of their hunting
camps and several of their towns, they had a large opportunity of
discovering their destitute condition, often exposed to the inclemency
of the weather, with a very precarious, and often a very scanty supply
of food and clothing. They suffered all the miseries of extreme
poverty, in a country which from its great fertility, would, with but
little cultivation, supply them abundantly with all the necessaries of
life.
These Friends had opportunities with some of the chiefs and hunters of
the Wyandot and Delaware nations, in which they informed them of the
views of the society of Friends, relative to their improvement; and
endeavoured to impress on their minds the advantages they would derive,
from permitting to be introduced among their people, a knowledge of
agriculture, and some of the most useful mechanic arts.
The Indians were attentive to their communications, and promised to lay
these matters before their grand council, and inform Friends of their
conclusions on the subject.
As no way opened during the year 1798, for carrying the object of the
Yearly Meeting into effect, but little was done, more than furnishing
a few implements of husbandry, and some assistance to a few Indian
families, situated upon the branches of the Tuskarawee’s river.
In the Second month 1799, the committee received a speech and belt
of wampum, from Tarhie, the principal chief of the Wyandot nation,
delivered at Detroit, in the Ninth month preceding, of which the
following is an extract.
“Brethren Quakers--you remember we once met at a certain place. When we
had there met, a great many good things were said, and much friendship
was professed between us.
“Brothers, you told us at that time that you not only took us by the
hand, but that you held us fast by the arm; that you then formed a
chain of friendship. You said that it was not a chain of iron; but that
it was a chain of precious metal, a chain of silver that would never
get rusty; and that this chain would bind us in brotherly affection for
ever.
“Brethren, listen. We have often heard that you were a good and a
faithful people--ever ready to do justice, and good to all men without
distinction of colour--therefore, we love you the more sincerely,
because of the goodness of your hearts, which has been talked of among
our nation long since.
“Brethren, listen. You have informed us that you intended to visit us.
Yes, that even in our tents and cabins you will take us by the hand.
You, brethren, cannot admit a doubt, but that we would be very happy to
see you.
“Brethren, listen. It is but proper to inform you at this time, that
when you do come forward to see us, you will no doubt pass by my place
of residence, at Sandusky. I will then take you not only by the hand,
but by the arm, and will conduct you safe to the _grand council fire_
of our great Sasteretsey, where all good things are transacted, and
where nothing bad is permitted to appear. When in the grand council of
our Sasteretsey we will then sit down together in peace and friendship,
as brethren are accustomed to do, after a long absence, and remind
each other, and talk of those things that took place between our good
grandfathers, when they first met upon our lands--upon this great
island.