“Brothers, it is now many years since you have taken us by the hand, and have yearly given us advice. We intend to follow the advice we have heard from you; but some of our old men have been drawing towards the missionaries, and keeping the First-day.
“Brothers, we hope you fully understand what we have said, and wish the chain of friendship still may be kept bright between us and you—and that you will not be displeased at what we have said to you.”
A chief, named Strong, of the opposite party, then spoke nearly as follows:
“Brothers, yesterday we deliberated among ourselves, and we wanted to have our minds made up and united. When our younger brother proposed the foregoing questions to be put to our brothers the Quakers, we were glad; hoping they would make the thing straight among us.
“Brothers, I will now tell you our minds about it, and the reason why we have undertaken to keep the First-day of the week. Last season we went to a council at Buffalo, our agent P——, showed us a paper which came from the President, which stated that he wanted his brothers, the Indians, to take hold of improvements, and also to keep the First-day of the week. He also wanted our children to learn their books. He told us that Congress had made an appropriation for the purpose of improving the condition of the Indians, and he wished to know whether they would accept it. We told the agent we had the Quakers living beside us, with whom we were satisfied; and if any help came from the President, we wished it to come through the Quakers. Our agent told us, the Quakers, he knew were friends to us; they have property of their own to help you. Congress has also appropriated money to assist you, and you should leave it to the President to dispose of that, as he thinks best for your benefit. We, therefore, concluded to pay attention to both the Quakers and the President, and have friends of both. We saw that many of the different nations of Indians were becoming civilized, and that the Seneca nation still remained in their old habits. We saw that the Quakers and the ministers, (meaning missionaries,) both observed the First-day. We concluded, as they did so, it must be an appointment of the Great Spirit to keep that day holy. We then thought, that as he had appointed it we must observe it also. Some of our people were wicked. They stole, and committed many bad actions. We thought we would endeavour to have our children instructed, while young, which would be better for them. We have been told, the world had been made a long time, when the Great Spirit sent his son, who brought light into the world, and wished that knowledge might be spread among mankind. Your brothers have often told us, there was but one God over all—we, therefore, thought our friends would be pleased if we should endeavour to christianize our children. We then inquired among our people who were prepared for keeping First-day. Many of them were pleased with it, and prepared to observe it, and others were not. And after a while, a minister came along, and wanted to know if they wished to hear him preach. We consulted among ourselves, and concluded that when a minister came of his own accord, if he was a good man, he ought to be heard, but if he wanted to come and live amongst us and preach to us steadily, we would not accept him, or have a minister that our children could not understand. But we rather concluded to have some of our own people to give good advice to our children, on First-day, that they might improve and grow better. Some of our people have often heard of the accounts given in the Bible, and we thought it was right for us to keep First-day and hear good advice, or be read to, out of the Bible. The ministers who come here are different from our friends the Quakers. They are only travellers. Our friends the Quakers have given us a writing on parchment, stating that they would never bring any charge against us for what they have done.”
Friends, in their former council, had impressed upon the Indians the necessity of having their children instructed in school learning, and offered to supply them with a teacher, provided they would erect a school house, and send their children. The chief warrior, in reply, stated, that on consulting among themselves, both parties were willing to have their children instructed, and would endeavour to procure a house for that purpose. He also made some remarks on the advantages they had already received from the instruction of Friends, and among other things said,
“Brothers, in your good advices, you have cautioned us against the use of strong drink. There is a great alteration among us in that respect, and many of us are much improved both in this, and in industrious habits. Long ago we had no fences, no cattle, and were destitute of many other things which we now enjoy. We see a great difference in our people. We think we shall get along, though perhaps it may be slowly.