Exertions of Thayendanegea for the moral and social improvement of his people—His religious views—Efforts for the religions instruction of his people—Letter to Sir John Johnson upon the subject of obtaining a resident clergyman—Farther correspondence—Interview of Brant with the Bishop—Disappointment—Letter to the Chief Justice—Appeal of Brant to the Lord Bishop, but without success—Application to the American church—Letter to Colonel Burr—Succeeds in obtaining the ordination of Mr. Phelps—Estimate of Brant's character by the clergy—Letter of Rev. Dr. Mason—Rev. Elkanah Holmes—Letter of Brant to the Rev. Dr. Miller—Ardent spirits—Efforts of Brant to prevent their introduction—Letter to Sir John Johnson—Interposition of the women—Address of Brant in reply—Indian games and pastimes—National game of Cricket—Great game at Grand River, between the Senecas and Mohawks—Judge Woodruff's visit to Brant's residence—Description of his person—Indian funerals—Respect for the dead—Estimate of women—Their influence—Funeral speech of Seneca-George—Death of Mrs. Claus—Speech of condolence by Captain Brant—Captain Claus in reply—Brant's visit to New-York, Philadelphia, and Hartford, in 1797—Attentions to him in Philadelphia—Dinner party of Colonel Burr—Talleyrand and other distinguished guests—Letter of introduction from Colonel Burr to his daughter—Dinner party in his honor by Miss Theodosia—His manners described by Dr. Miller and by General Porter—Designs upon his life in the Mohawk country—The late John Wells—Striking incident in Albany—Anecdotes—Brant and General Gansevoort—Brant and Colonel Van Courtlandt—Reasons of Brant for taking up arms for the King—His reasonings in defence of the Indian mode of warfare.
Had no other subjects demanded the consideration, and required the active personal exertions, of Captain Brant, during the last twelve years of his career, than those already reviewed, his life must still have been considered one of uncommon industry. But the cares upon his hands were multitudinous in other respects. His desire for the moral and social improvement of his people led him to a vigilant oversight of all their domestic concerns. Rude as was their government, it was still to be administered, and a domestic police, of some kind, was to be observed. The administration of their government, moreover, was probably attended by none the less difficulty from the peculiar position in which the Mohawk Indians were placed at that particular period of their history. Their society was in a transition state—being neither the hunter nor the agricultural, but partaking in part of both; while, notwithstanding the advice of the Duke of Northumberland, it was the strong desire of the Chief to draw them from the former to the latter course of life. Before their transplantation from their native valley, they had, many of them, made considerable advances in the pursuit of husbandry, Brant himself having cultivated an excellent farm in the neighborhood of General Herkimer's residence, near the Upper Mohawk Castle; [FN] and though the vicissitudes of war had cast them once more into a primitive forest, entirely unsubdued, the Chief had no idea of relinquishing the certainty of agricultural competence for the precarious supplies of the chase.
[FN] The author visited the plantation formerly belonging to Brant in the Autumn of 1836. Nothing of his domicile, save the cellar, remained. His orchard of apple-trees, however, was thrifty and in full bearing.
Nor was he ignorant of what alone can form the basis of an industrious and truly moral community. Whether he was himself a man of experimental religion, in the evangelical sense of the term, is a question which it is not the province of the historian to decide. There is no doubt that he was a believer in the great and essential truths of revelation, and it is equally certain that after his return from Dr. Wheelock's school, he was the subject of deep religious impressions. But whether these impressions were entirely effaced during the long years of arduous and active public service in which he was subsequently engaged, both as a warrior and a politician—in the battle-field, in the council of war, and in the Indian Congress—threading the solitudes of his native forests, or amidst the splendid gaieties of the British metropolis—is not for this writer to affirm or deny. Be this, however, as it may, he was a man of too much sagacity not to perceive the importance of education and religion, as auxiliaries in carrying forward the moral and social improvement of his nation; and the preponderance of testimony favors the opinion that he was never careless of the spiritual interests of his charge. It has been seen, that when quite a young man, he was engaged with the Episcopal and other Christian missionaries, assisting in translating the Church Prayer Book and the Holy Scriptures. And immediately after the close of the long conflict in which he had borne so active a part, he was again found recurring, of his own volition, to the same labors, and superintending the printing of the Gospel of Mark, and other religious works, in London. One of his first stipulations with the Commander-in-chief, on the acquisition of his new territory, was for the building of a church, a school-house, and a flouring mill; and no sooner had the North-western Indian wars been brought to an end, than the religious principle was again in action, and his thoughts and exertions once more directed to the means of imparting to his people a knowledge of their relation to God, and the consequences flowing therefrom. In proof of this assertion, the following letter may be appropriately introduced:—
"Captain Brant to Sir John Johnson, Bar't.
"Grand River, Dec. 15, 1797.
"Dear Sir,
"Since writing the letter accompanying this, the Chiefs have conferred together respecting the state of religion among the Five Nations, which now appears to be a subject of more serious consideration among them than formerly. We are sensible, Sir, of the goodness of Government, among other benefits, in accommodating us with a church, and we have long been desirous of having a clergyman to reside constantly with us; this, we apprehend, would be highly promotive of morality and the Christian virtues among our people. We do not complain, Sir, of the neglect of the society in this respect, as we are satisfied that their benevolent attention to mankind has been equal to their means; for this reason we have hitherto omitted making application to them upon this head. Besides, we are sensible how difficult it must be for them to find a suitable character willing to settle among us in this rude and distant quarter.
"In order to discharge my duty in this important affair, and that I may rest in peace, I have conferred with a gentleman of a liberal education, Mr. Davenport Phelps, with whose character and family I have long been acquainted, who has ample testimonials respecting his literary and moral qualifications, and who, I believe, will consent to devote his life to the service of the Church among us, provided his Lordship, the Bishop of Quebec, shall think proper to ordain him to the sacred office. Mr. Phelps with great candor observes, that from his not having been so conversant with books for a number of years past as he could have wished, particularly classical ones, he is diffident of a critical examination in the dead languages. But, Sir, from his general, I may say almost universal, character among the discerning, I consider the prospect of his usefulness among us very great; and assure you that it is the desire of the Chiefs in general, and my most ardent wish, that he may be ordained a missionary for the Five Nations on this river. And from your official relation to us, I take the liberty of begging you to communicate our wishes to his Lordship the Bishop respecting this gentleman, that we may be informed, if possible, before the opening of the Spring, whether a character of Mr. Phelps's description will be approved by his Lordship, and deemed a proper subject for ordination.