Wabash, given them by the Miamies above one hundred years since. One object, among others, of the Stockbridge Indian Mission, in years past, was, to get this title well established, which has been partly done by Capt. Hendrick, in the document below.* "A report was published in your Boston paper, about a year since, that "the Delawares had sold out their rights on White river," which greatly alarmed my people. They immediately wrote, by mail, to the Delawares, to know the truth of the report, and received the answer, a copy of which I shall enclose, accompanied by a string of Wampum. We were also informed by a letter from *Thomas Jefferson President of the United States, to whom it may concern. Whereas it appears by the declaration of Captain Hendrick, a Chief, and Agent for the Delaware Indians, and is confirmed by the acknowledgment made to me personally by the Little Turtle, a Chief of the Miamies. That the said Miamies have granted to the Delawares and Moheakunnuks and Munsees, and their descendants forever, a certain portion of their lands on White river, for the sole use and occupation of the said Delawares, Moheakunnuks and Munsees, and their descendants forever; but under the express reservation and condition, that neither they, the said Delawares, Moheakunnuks and Munsees, nor their descendants, shall ever alienate the lands to any other persons or purposes, whatsoever, without the consent of the said Miamies, and the said Chiefs before named having desired me to bear witness to their declarations and acknowledgments aforesaid. Now therefore, know ye, that I the said Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, do testify, that the declarations and acknowledgments before mentioned by the said Chiefs of the Delawares and Miamies, before named, were made in my presence, and on my interrogation in the exact tenor before stated. SEAL. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, at the H. DEARBORN, + Doings of the Council at Wappecommehroke. Grand Children, the Moheakunnuks. WHITE RIVER, July 21st. 1817. Your Grand Fathers, the Delawares, beg leave to address you. Grand Children, We have received your speech forwarded us by Mr. Johnson of Piqua. Grand Children, We gently take away the flying report, that is in your ears, put in by some bad person. Grand Children, Dont listen to any more false reports; but hold fast the covenant that has existed these many years between the two nations of Wanponnoohkees. Mr. Johnson, the Indian Agent, that "there would be no attempt at present, to buy out and remove the said Indians.*" If nothing takes place unfavourable, I judge the Stockbridge Indians will all remove into that country in the course of eight or ten years. They say they must send a few families there this summer, to take possession of the country, and satisfy the Delawares. As soon as this takes place, there will be an agreeable home at once, for a missionary, and a most excellent stand for the establishment you propose. It is altogether probable, that in the course of a few years the Delawares from Upper Canada, and the Munsees from various parts, will remove to White river, probably making upwards of two thousand souls. The Brotherton Indians, so called, are about to remove to this place. Some families are already gone. Two families of the Stockbridge Indians removed last summer. It is expected three families will remove this summer, three Grand Children, Your Grand Fathers have at two different times, given you a seat on White river. Grand Children, Dont listen to false news; but prepare in haste, and come and set down on the ground your Grand Fathers have given you. When you approach White River, you will see your Grand Fathers sitting where they have set these many years. Grand Children, You have now heard your Grand Fathers' words, which are candid; that you ought to know, we shall from this time, when we rise in the morning, have our eyes fixed towards the way you are to come, in expectation of seeing you coming to sit down by us, as a nation. Our respects to our Grand Children at large, the Moheakunnuk Nation. The whole of their lands were purchased for the government the October of the year following!! [Laws of U. S. 2d, session, 15th Congress, p. 24.] men and three women, professors of religion. Your missionary will have a Church at once; and perhaps the best station for missionary exertions in the United States. It is the earnest wish of my people, that your society, as soon as may be, secure this station. My people wish your Society to use their influence with the President of the United States, that no Commissioners should be appointed to buy out the Indian claim to this country. You will judge best how to proceed; but if the Committee of the Society should write to the President for his approbation and patronage of your proposed establishment, it might answer a valuable purpose. "The Delawares, who live among us, have determined to remove to White river, probably not till next year. They are waiting to sell the remainder of their lands in New-Jersey, to enable them to remove. B. Calvin, their principal man, who has had a liberal education, and is a man of good talents, wishes me to inform your Society, that he would wish to be employed as an Interpreter and school master by your society. "The Stockbridge Indians unitedly agreed to petition the government of this State, to appoint men to sell part of their townships, partly with a view to raise money to remove certain families to White river; but it is expected their petition has failed of success.* The Government of this State do not feel towards the Indian rights to landed property, as they have always felt in the New-England States. They buy out the Indian title for one price, which they fix without consulting the Indians; and sell it at another and advanced price, thus making a gain, often a large one, out of the Indians. The Stockbridge tribe, have a good title to their lands, and understand the value of such property, and are not willing to sell their "birth rights, for a mess of pottage." "I intend to communicate to your Society my ideas, at some length, concerning Missionary Establishments among the natives of America. At present I can state a few things in short. If desired, some future day, I will give some further suggestions. 1. With regard to the Missionary; he ought to be a man of *It did fail. See Journal of Assembly, 1820. p. 383. good abilities and extensive learning; a man of prudence, and with all, of common sense. 2. He ought to be instructed to learn the language of the natives. It is not so barren, but that every doctrine of the gospel can be communicated to them in their own language. 3. Some books ought to be printed in their language, and children taught to read them. This plan is now in operation among the Oneidas. 4. My people, I find, can read their own language very fluently, when they pronounce English very indifferently. This will always be the case, so long as they speak their own language in their families. 5. If they lose their own language, they will lose with it their national pride and respectability. This is the case with the Brotherton Indians. They have lost their language; and are now, perhaps, more corrupt than any Indians in the country. 6. Their Reservations ought to be large, and at least twenty miles from white or black inhabitants. 7. Civilization and religion must go hand in hand, as I have read with regard to Africa. "The plough and Bible must go together." As soon as they can feel and taste the sweets of a civilized life, their disposition to hunt and wander will cease. I am decidedly of the opinion, that if the good people in your state, had fallen into this plan in Apostle Elliot's time, there might now have been large and flourishing towns of natives in the vicinity of Boston. It is a settled point, that they cannot flourish where white people are allowed to mix among them. In order, therefore, to have religion and civilization flourish among Indians, the societies and Missionaries mast use their influence with the government, to keep them at a distance from all immoral squatters on Indian land. JOHN SERGEANT." To Rev. Drs. MORSE and WORCESTER, Members of the Prudential Committee of the board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. In a letter, dated June 29th 1818, Mr. Sergeant writes thusRev. and kind Sir, "About five families of my people will start for White River in three weeks. With the divine blessing they may arrive there the beginning of September. Three male members, and four or five women of my church will go. It would be very desirable, if your Society could employ some Missionary to visit them the latter part of October, by which time they may possibly get into a settled state, and it will be desirable that the sacrament of the supper should be administered to them. It is reported that the Indiana Government,* this season, intend to purchase the lands on the White river. It is my opinion, that they will not be able to do it, by fair means. If they should be able to do it by a stretch of unlawful power, the proposed plan will be at an end. Partly on this account, I would recommend that your Society employ some missionary, visiting the Ohio, or Indiana Territory, or some minister in the vicinity, to spend a few weeks among my people, and from the Chief, who is going, the Missionary will be able to report to your Society all necessary information respecting your Missionary establishment. I should be unwilling to have Capt. Hendrick go next spring to assist in your proposed plan, if it could be avoided, as I fear the tribe will go to destruction without him. He grows old, and at present, I am of the opinion, that the new chief, who is going, can do nearly as well. He is a very steady religious man. I understand the Delawares on White river are strongly averse to white people coming among them; therefore it is thought that a young man should be placed at the head of the establishment, and be empowered to employ some of my people, or pious Indian youth, in the establishment. This would be the most likely way to succeed. This Young Missionary would soon acquire the native language, which would be very popular among heathen Indians. I am well informed that the Tuscaroras, living near Buffalo, are about to remove to White river; and by a late letter from Buffalo, I understand a number of the Munsees will go on with my people. All these will be friendly to a religious establishment. I am, &c. JOHN SERGEANT." The Government of the United States have the exclusive right to purchase Indian lands. The "Indiana government' have no authority to do what is here attributed to them. |