ened by i We have beaven upon earth here. Conversions are multiplied, and clearer and better fruits, I never saw. J. Sreypucing-and not more than one or two of our number, but are under great impressions of one kind or the other. B. Mr. Frisbie you may be more fully informed of our state. In a letter of March 17th, he writes thus : The affairs of this seminary appear as agreeable as ever. Sateen joaned this church the last sabbath, and I hope the wine Jump will be leavened, and all resolve, at all hazards, n be folowers of the Lamb of God. My Dear Sir, To the same. Dartmouth College, March 20, 1775. With much confidence in your well known and long experraced benevolence, and with a hope that you may point out to me some way of relief under my present straits, I think proper to give you the trouble of a short representation of my mecessities and difficult case. To support the expensive northern missions; my Indians at school here; Thomas Walcott to learn their language in the wilderness, &c. I have drawn on the Hon. Trust in London, before I was aware of it, for near £600 sterling, more than was deposited in their hands. The bills are noted and will be protested if not paid. But I cannot take the blame of this error, if there was any, wholly to myself, for I did not know how much there was in their hands; as I hoped and expected that additions greater than I find, had been made to the ori ginal sum; and also, as I had desired that care might be taken to prevent such an error, and that I might be seasonably advised when there should be dangers. These drafts, you will easily conceive, in addition to the weight of charge daily upon me in this wilderness, must needs involve me in great straits; but these I might now be easily delivered from, could I have the benefit of the money which was collected for this purpose, in the hands of the Honorable Society in Scotland, viz. about £2500 sterling: but that is di-verted at present from my use, as they have determined it shall be disposed of only through the hands, and by the direction of their Boston and New Jersey boards; and so it is turned quite out of my reach. This I understand by abstracts of letters from Europe, has been effected by private slanders, without the least intimation of so much as a suspicion, of the smallest blame in me, in any respect, from the first to this day. If I could have the use of that money to pay the past expence of those missions, and the support of these boys, which I take to be the very design of the pious donors, (and which I make no doubt the Hon. Society would readily grant if there was one they could rely upon to give them a true representation of the case) I might at once get clear of the debts. And if these boys and missions might be supported by that money for a few years to come, there is a prospect I may soon effect the plan of supporting the whole by the cultivation of these lands, without such dependence on foreign aid; but I am left at such a time and so involved in debts, that unless God shall mercifully appear, (and in him only do I hope) these boys must be sent home, or suffer here; but this is a backward step, pregnant with very shocking consequences, both to this cause, and to the country, at this distressing day. I have now with me, boys from all the most respectable tribes in Canada; and this connection with this school with them, and that friendly and continual intercourse between them and us, by means of this school, I esteem to be, under God, the surest bulwarks, these new settlements, and this seminary in particular, can have against the invasion of a northern army of savages, &c. which we are threatened with.* • Doctor Wheelock, in his letters and printed narratives, uses the phrase Seminary, and sometimes Institution, as comprehensive of the College and School. For this reason, notwithstanding my present distress, I have sent My Deant to itinerate as a missionary this spring, among their tribes, to strengthen that friendship, and cultivate that acquaintance, which has lately commenced between us, and to bring more of their children, if he can, with him this springs to this school; among whom I hope to have the young sachem, who was lately elected and crowned at Cagnawaga, whom his father promised to send to receive an education here. We understand by missionaries and others, that some of their warriors are in high spirits, to take part in the controversy, on one side or the other; and if they be not secured on this, they likely will on the other side; and then what will be the distress of these infant and unarmed frontiers? And how much of the strength and wealth of the country below us, must be turned this way, to secure us? Mr. Dean's thorough acquaintance with the language and customs of the Six Nations, (having as you know, been early naturalized and brought up among them) his great interest in their affections, as well as many other singular, natural, and acquired accomplishments, render him, in my opinion, the fittest man I know upon earth, to be employed in the affair; and I make no doubt, could he be properly authorized and encouraged, might be instrumental to attach all the Six Nations, and likely the northern tribes, about Canada, to our interest; so that we should have nothing to fear from their siding in any invasion, that should be made or attempted, against these Colonies. I wish the gentlemen of the Continental: Congress could be fully availed of the importance of the things, I now suggest. And I wish, my dear sir, you could, for I know you will, if you can, point out some way for redress of my present necessities. Will it do to send these promising boys home, and take no more from thence, though they are very desirous of coming? And send no more missionaries, though many are Now of Deansville, State of New York. willing to hear them? And thus appear at once to desert and wholly cast them off? This is such a step as appears to me shocking, under our present circumstances, while we have reason to fear it might prove an occasion of inspiring any of their warriors to join against us. I have sent down to Connecticut, upon the almost hopeless errand, to hire £600 sterling, and propose to mortgage my patrimony, and all my interest there, if required, as security for the use of that money, three or four years, and trust that kind providence, which has hitherto appeared for me, to repay it, rather than to send these boys away. You know what my interest in Connecticut is; and are able to assure any gentleman, that I am able to secure that sum, by my lands and buildings in Windham and Lebanon. If you can find one here, who has that money in bank in England, it may be he would be willing and glad, as affairs are at present, to embrace such an opportunity, to bring the same on this side the water. Or if you could by any means be instrumental to my relief, in that way in which I had reason to expect it, viz. by removing prejudices from the minds of the Honorable Society, that would be much better. I am so well acquainted with your prudence, and assured of your friendship, that I am not afraid to give you full liberty to use what I write, as you shall judge to be necessary and best. I trust the great importance of the subject will excuse my detaining you so long, and that I need only add that I am, dear man; my Yours very affectionately, ELEAZAR WHEELOCK. To the same. My Dear Sir, Dartmouth College, June 16, 1775. Mr. Storrs, my bookkeeper, designs to set out with the post, and to bespeak your assistance in procuring a small assort¬, ment of goods for the supply of the necessities of the Indians and others here. I hope Mr. Henderson will find it in his way to let me have goods reasonably for the £40 sterling draft, I committed to him two years ago, which he is lately advised is accepted by the Society in Scotland. And a mission to Canada, and the support of boys from thence, being now recommended to that Society, by the board in the Jersies, (which was the condition they required) I trust there will be no objection against my future and necessary drafts for that purpose. And I hope that, upon the credit of such a bill, Mr. H. will be willing to advance as many goods as I shall want. And when Mr. S. comes, I hope it will be in your power to exercise your usual benevolence in affording him such advice and assistance, as shall be necessary for one, no more acquainted with such affairs. The state of the College, at present, is very agreeable; but of this part of the province, it is quite otherwise. There appears to be at and about Coos, a large combination, who, under pretence of defending the cause of liberty, are furiously acting in direct opposition to those who are soberly contending for it. They seem not to be contending for those constitutional rights, which we have quietly enjoyed heretofore; but to break up the very constitution itself, and all the invaluable privileges we have had, and enjoyed under it. Some of them appear to be inspired to a great degree, but not from on high, nor with a spirit that disposes them to an imitation of the meek, patient, and humble Immanuel. Yesterday, I received letters from London. My friends rejoice in a prospect that overtures are making and will be made from that side, which will restore the peace between us and them. The Lord grant they may be successful! Give my love to Mr. Frisbie, when you see him. ELEAZAR WHEELOCK. |