Part 3
The Indians, both of the Oneida and Stockbridge tribes, made replies of considerable length to our friends on this parting opportunity, in which they expressed their sense of gratitude for the many services Friends had rendered them; and, among other things, stated, that “they would endeavour to pursue the path Friends had pointed out to them,” and further added:--
“Brothers, it is now a long time since the white people have lived on this island. They have frequently told us they loved us--but none of them have ever tried to instruct us in cultivating our land before. We now see, brothers, that your society has manifested more regard for the welfare of the Indians, than any other people, for which we thank you. We also thank the Great Spirit that he has put it into your hearts to love and regard Indians.”
These Friends arrived in Philadelphia in the First month, 1801.--It was hoped that the labour bestowed upon those Indians would eventually prove a blessing to them, and that the spirit of industry that had been discovered in individuals, would gradually progress from family to family, and have a powerful and beneficial influence on many of the adjacent tribes-and, in time, also, on those more remote.
In the autumn of this year, the Stockbridge girls, who had been placed among Friends in the fall of 1797, were returned to their parents. They had acquired a considerable knowledge of school learning, and of spinning, knitting, sewing, and the different branches of housewifery.
To show a specimen of their improvement in school learning, I will here give a copy of a letter written by one of them, the following spring after their arrival among Friends, in which time she had acquired so much of the English language, as to enable her to convey her ideas by writing:
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_New Garden, Third mo. 10th, 1798._
“My dear mother: I will try to let thee know how I do so far from thee--I have been well ever since I left thee. I would be glad to see thee mother--I want to see thee, and brothers and sisters, and all Stockbridge friends--I want to see father--I like to live in this country pretty well--and dear friends clever--me live in clever house, very good man, make clocks--make porringers and spoons--me like to see him--I can knit stockings and spin--I have made sampler--I know how to mark my clothes, then I know my own--three girls make bonnets and do all work--I work a little, play a little--go to meeting a little--sometimes walk--sometimes ride on horseback, when roads are muddy--the girls’ mother very good old woman--I love her--she learns me to work.
MARY PETERS.
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My dear Brother--Me live well at very good house. I love thee, and sisters, and mother--I want see you all--Friends say, may be we all go back to Stockbridge before next winter--I think I have told thee all I can now, so bid thee farewell.
MARY PETERS.
N. B. This letter my own hand writing, so you may see I learn write.”
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The following is an extract of a letter written by one of the Indian girls after her return home, dated the Ninth month, 1803, to one of the women Friends who had engaged in the instruction of the natives at Oneida.
“I have spun some flax and wool since I come home, and made some cheese to show our Indians how to make cheese--they be very much pleased to know how to make cheese--some said they never thought Indians could make cheese so well. They began to try to keep cows ever since to make cheese and butter. Some of them began to sow some flax, and good many of our Indians got sheep--meat good to eat, and wool good for cloth. I hope we will do better every year. Good many have left off drinking, and some of them drink very hard yet. I have been to see Oneidas not long ago--they improve very much since thee come away--good many have new frame houses and frame barns--they improve very much ever since they left off drinking. I believe three hundred of men and women left off drinking this sometime past--I hope they will keep their words good.”
By some information received afterwards, it appears some of these young women married soon after their return and settled themselves to industry, lived well, and some Friends calling to see them, were kindly received and hospitably entertained by them.
After the committee of the Yearly Meeting of Pennsylvania withdrew their attention from the Oneidas, and those Indians in the vicinity, they came more particularly under the notice of Friends of the Yearly Meeting of New York, who had formed similar plans for the improvement and civilization of the Indian natives.
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_Friendly intercourse between the Society of Friends, and various nations of Indians._
It seems necessary, in this place, to go back a little in the order of time, and give some account of the interviews with the chiefs and others, of various nations of Indians, who at different times visited Philadelphia.
As the minds of Friends were attentively opened to the great object of the concern, in promoting the well-being and gradual improvement of the Indian natives, every opportunity was embraced of cultivating a friendly intercourse with them, and of giving such counsel and encouragement as seemed to be adapted to their situation, accompanied with some such aid in implements of husbandry and other things, as their necessities demanded.
In the Ninth month, 1796, Benjamin Hawkins superintendent of the Creek nation, settled in the interior of Georgia, was introduced to the committee on Indian affairs. He brought with him four lads of that nation to be educated; two of whom were placed with Friends, where they remained several years, and were instructed in school learning. He also suggested the propriety of furnishing those Indians with some mechanical tools, which were procured and forwarded to them, accompanied by a suitable address, from which the following is extracted:
“Brothers, we feel it in our hearts to tell you that the great and good spirit, made all people with a design that they should live in peace and good will, and that it is for this end he hath placed his law in the hearts of all men, which, if carefully attended to, would keep them in love and friendship--and teach them to avoid every thing that would lead them to hurt and destroy one another.
“Brothers, are you not sensible that when you are quarrelsome, or have done any bad action, that you are made sorrowful and uneasy, and that on the contrary when you are serious, and do good actions, your minds feel easy, pleasant, and comfortable? This is from the good spirit, who is all love, and who hath placed his law in our hearts, to give us peace and comfort when we do well, and make us sad and uneasy when we do evil.
“Brothers, we are glad in believing that the good spirit has influenced the hearts of our great men to do the Indians good; and we earnestly desire, that you may be so wise as to follow their good advice in trying to improve your fertile land by farming, and raising cattle, sheep, and hogs; so that you may have food and clothing for yourselves, your wives, and your children.”
About the beginning of the year 1797, Friends had satisfactory interviews with deputies from various nations, among whom were some of the Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Indians, inhabiting the northern and western parts of Georgia; and the Shawanees, Chippewas, and Pottawattamies, living on the waters of the Wabash river, and bordering on lakes Michigan and Superior.
To these Indians suitable presents were made to a considerable amount. In divers conferences had with them, Friends informed them of the nature and effect of their peaceable principles, and testimony against wars and fightings--their care of the society in first settling Pennsylvania, under the patronage of William Penn, whom the Indians called brother Onas, not to settle on lands that were not fairly purchased and paid for to the satisfaction of the natives, with whom friendship, harmony, and mutual kind offices long subsisted. They also informed them of their continued desire to maintain this amity, by exerting their best endeavours and influence for the healing of differences between white people and Indians. They endeavoured to explain to their understandings how much the attainment of this happy end depends upon cherishing, in ourselves, the benevolent disposition inseparable from the true spirit and practice of real Christianity. They also recommended them to instruct their youth in modes of living more conformable thereto, than had heretofore been customary with them, and especially warned them against the pernicious effects of using spirituous liquors.
A number of the chiefs expressed great satisfaction with these interviews. Some of them said they remembered to have heard of such a people as the Quakers; but the account remained with them an uncertainty, until now they had witnessed its reality; that the sentiments and advice communicated, was such as they had never heard before; that it had sunk deep into their hearts, and that they wished it conveyed to their people more extensively by personal visits from some of the Quakers. One of them remarked particularly on the counsel imparted not to revenge injuries, and gave repeated assurances, “that although he had heard of two of his people being killed, he was determined not to retaliate, but to adhere to peace.”
An ancient chief of the Creek nation, among many other things said, “Brothers, I am an old man, yet I have travelled much this year to promote peace. I went many hundred miles to the treaty on the frontiers of Georgia, held by the commissioners of the United States, and of the State of Georgia, with my nation, where several matters were adjusted to my satisfaction. I then returned home, but in a short time, came by invitation to this city, to make the chain of friendship still brighter. On my way, and since coming here, I have met with nothing unpleasant; nor do I regret all the toil and fatigue of a long journey to establish a firm peace. I believe the Great Spirit above made both white and red men; but I suppose it is because we are red men, that the white men impose upon us, and try to get our land, which we do not want to part with.
“Brothers, I am glad to find there are a people who love peace, and give such good advice to red men. I was a stranger to you, till since my coming here. You kindly took notice of me. A few days ago one of your women delivered a talk which I have hid deep in my heart. I never heard such an one before. I want to tell it to my nation, after I get home--and for fear I should forget some of it, I should like to have it in print that it might be fully explained to them.”
In the First month, 1798, the Little Turtle, a chief of the Miami nation, and some other western Indians, were introduced to the committee by a letter from General James Wilkinson, then commander-in-chief of the army of the United States, to his brother-in-law, Owen Biddle, of Philadelphia. In this letter, he wrote as follows, “When we contemplate the fortunes of the aborigines of our country, the bosom of philanthropy must heave with sorrow. What would not that man, or that community merit, who reclaims the untutored Indian--opens his mind to sources of happiness unknown, and makes him useful to society--since it would be in effect to save a whole race from extinction? For, surely, if these people are not brought to depend for sustenance on their fields instead of their forests, it will be found impossible to reclaim their present habits; and the seeds of their extinction already sown, must be matured.
“The bearer of this letter, the Little Turtle, is forcibly impressed with these truths, and is anxious to co-operate in a fair experiment on his tribe. It is with this view that I introduce him particularly to you, in hopes you may think proper to recommend him to the patronage of the benevolent society of which you are a member.”
Friends had satisfactory interviews with these Indians, and suitable presents were given to them. The Little Turtle expressed a strong desire for the improvement of his people, and hoped Friends would use their endeavours to promote the work of civilization among them.
The committee embraced this opportunity of addressing a general letter to the Miami Indians, and other nations united with them, in which they reminded them of the ancient friendship that subsisted between their forefathers and Friends, in the early settlement of this country--that the chain of friendship had been kept bright for more than one hundred years, by mutual acts of kindness to each other, and that while Friends had the chief direction of public affairs in Pennsylvania, there was no war between the white people and Indians in that state: but since those times of brotherly kindness, some men had given way to the power of the bad spirit in their hearts, so as to become desperately wicked, coveting their neighbours’ goods, and even thirsting for blood. This had caused wars and fightings, and produced much misery in the world--and that the society of Friends were concerned to persuade their rulers to do justly, and maintain peace with the Indians, and with all men--and were also very desirous that the Great overruling Spirit of love, might so influence and direct the councils of the Indian nations, and so dispose their hearts to peace, that the sound of war might no more be heard in their land.
They were, also, in this address, especially warned against the pernicious effects of spirituous liquors, which concern may be understood to have been particularly attended to in most of their communications to the Indians.
In the summer of this year, Friends received a letter from the Little Turtle, giving them an account of the safe arrival of the articles sent to his nation. They also received one from the Creek nation, giving an account of the reception of the implements of husbandry forwarded to them, for which they expressed a sense of gratitude for the great benefit to that nation.
In the Twelfth month, this year, Friends had a satisfactory interview in Philadelphia, with two chiefs of the Ottawa nation, two chiefs of the Pottawattamies, and the principal chief of the Chippewa nation, who were accompanied by Jonathan Sheffelin, agent and Indian interpreter, being then on an embassy to the president of the United States.
At the conclusion of a speech made by Kekis, (the Sun) the principal chief of the Pottawattamies, on behalf of the three nations, he presented six strings of white wampum as a token of brotherly regard for the society of Friends.
Among other things, in his speech, he says--
“Brothers, we are an ignorant people, and don’t know what is right as well as you do. We have often been persuaded by the white people to join in their wars against one another. A great while ago, the French set us against the English. They should have taught us better things. I hope, however, our hearts will become as white as the wampum in my hand. The Great Spirit above has made us, as well as you; though we are not of one colour. He has put it into our hearts to live in peace with the white people. I believe it is his will that we should meet together in the centre of this great island. I am sensible your hearts are good towards your brothers the red people.
“Brothers, when you came to see us at Detroit,[1] we wanted to see you; but other people would not suffer us to take you by the hand. If they had been of our minds, you would have had us round you then, as you are now round us. Colonel M’K.[2] prevented us. We return you thanks for the good you came for. Our wives and children shed tears because they could not come to you. When they said we will go, he said, you will be disappointed, they will not give you so much as a needle full of thread. We believed it--our dependence was on them.
“Brothers, we hope you will continue your friendship to us, and help us to keep our lands. I speak from my heart. We know you are not capable of giving bad advice. The Great Spirit hears what we say, and it will be known among our people, so long as red men shall remain upon this island.
“Brothers, these six strings of wampum, in the sight of the Great Spirit, are to sweep all the bad things away from between us.
“If the white people should want to spill our blood again, we hope you will use your endeavours to preserve peace.”
These Indians also presented a large belt of ten strings of white wampum from the Delaware nation, with a speech of considerable length in writing, from which we extract the following.
After acknowledging the kindness of Friends, and the good advice communicated in the speech which they had received by the hands of the Miami chief, the Little Turtle, they say--
“Brothers, you strongly recommend peace--we are much inclined to peace. The war axe is long since buried deep in the bottom of the great lake--so very deep, that we hope the evil Spirit will never be able to take it up again. There we hope it will ever remain, and never be thought of by any of us. We hope that the master of life, who disposes of all things according to his will and pleasure, may also so dispose the hearts and minds of his white brethren, as they used to be at that time when our forefathers first met on this great island, and smoked the pipe of peace with your grandfather Onas, (Penn) on the very same spot where your great village (Philadelphia) now stands.
“Brothers, at that time the hearts and minds of men were white and good. The evil spirit who works in the inside of the bodies of men, had then no power over them. Our villages were peaceful, and our paths, at that time, were covered with flowers, and we knew nothing of war. But soon after, the bad spirit fixed himself deep in the hearts and minds of our white brethren. They made war against each other, and soon taught us to be as wicked as themselves, and, like themselves, cruel and unjust. It was them who took the pipe of peace out of our hands, and it was them who put the destructive war axe into our hands, to strike against their white brethren and their helpless women and children. They only are the cause of all our misfortunes--the destruction of our villages, the death of our young warriors and helpless women and children--the loss of our lands and our happiness.
“Brothers, we are told by you, in your speech to us, that you wish to know our situation, and in what manner you could be of service to us--we are poor and pitiful indeed--destructive war has caused many of our families to be scattered abroad in the wilderness, insomuch, that we can scarcely find their places of residence. Our once peaceful villages exist no more. Our paths, which once were covered with flowers, are now full of thorns, and stained with the blood of our young warriors and our helpless women and children. We have almost considered ourselves as last men, and thrown our bodies away, but by the advice of our brother, Jonathan Shefflin, and the assistance of the Great Spirit, we will now assemble ourselves together, and form an extensive village on the plains of the White river. Speeches are this day sent to our brethren for that purpose, and we hope that by the next summer, we shall all be assembled at that place, when we will point out the means of your assisting us.
“Brothers, may the great regulator of all things, he who knows the hearts and minds of all men, so dispose the hearts and minds of our Quaker brethren, that they may never be induced to withdraw their friendship and counsel from men who by their ignorance, are easily led astray by the songs of the bad birds--men who are real objects of pity, and who require the protection of their white brethren more at this time than ever.”
Signed by Buckingeheles, and six other Chiefs of the Delaware nation.
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These Indian chiefs, before alluded to, were presented with suitable presents previous to their leaving Philadelphia, as a token of brotherly regard entertained for the natives of the land,--and some time after the committee wrote to the Delaware nation, strongly recommending them to betake themselves to the cultivation of the earth to procure sustenance, and in allusion to the time of their first intercourse with Friends in the early settlement of the country, they say:
“Brothers, at that time the white inhabitants were few and inclined to peace; since then, they have increased to a great number, amongst whom we and our brethren are but as a handful. Yet the good Spirit who taught our forefathers to cultivate peace with the Indians and all men, still teaches us the same; therefore, we can take no part in the war with any people, and our influence in the great councils of our nation is very small--but we use our endeavours to persuade men to live in peace, and have brotherly love towards each other.”
In the First month, 1802, the Little Turtle and several other chiefs of the Miami and Pottawattamie nations, again visited Philadelphia, when Friends had satisfactory conferences with them, in which the Little Turtle renewed in a pathetic manner his request for some assistance to be given his nation, to accelerate their improvement in civilization. Suitable advice was given them on this subject, accompanied with some presents: but these nations lived more within the vicinity of Friends of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, who had formed similar plans to improve the condition of the Indian natives; it was therefore concluded by their committee, to extend aid to some of the nations north-west of the river Ohio--of which some account may be given hereafter.
Early in the spring of 1802, a number of the Indians of the Delaware and Shawaneese nations came to Philadelphia, and in their conferences with Friends, renewed their requests for assistance in procuring some necessary articles, and particularly that they might be furnished with a schoolmaster in their towns to instruct their children.
These people, being the immediate descendants from those tribes who were very friendly and kind to our ancestors in the early settlement of Pennsylvania, seemed to have a special claim upon Friends. Accordingly, they were furnished with a considerable amount in money, and goods adapted to their wants. Suitable advice was given them, encouraging them to cultivate their land, and raise cattle, hogs, and other useful animals. They lived at so remote a distance, that Friends had no expectation of any one of their people going among them in the capacity of schoolmaster.
In the conclusion of their reply to Friends, they say:
“May the great good Spirit above protect you for the favours you have shown us. The present you have made us will put us in grateful remembrance of you for ever.”