To the Hon. General Lyman. May it please your Honor, Lebanon, April 9, 1763. The narrative herewith enclosed will give you some account of the success of the feeble endeavors I have used in the affair therein related; and you will see that if the number, in this school, continues to increase, as it has done, and as I think our prospects are, we shall soon have occasion to build, in order to accommodate them, and accordingly to determine upon the place where to fix it, most for the advantage of the great design we have in view. Several places have been proposed, viz. among the new settlements, in the western part of the Province of New Hampshire. And to encourage it, Governor Wentworth made me an offer of a tract of land, if I would carry it there. There has also been some talk of the western part of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. But I have several objections against each of those places. And as your honor's character and influence at home and abroad; and your thorough acquaintance with the state of the continent, and particularly with Indians and Indian affairs, enables you above any man I know in New England to serve and promote the design, so your moral character, and especially your benevolent disposition towards mankind, encourages and emboldens me with much confidence to solicit your friendship and assistance, by your consent and advice, upon this occasion. And I shall accordingly, relying upon your candor, expose myself and the affairs to you, in the most open manner, and submit to your consideration and censure the following proposal*. I have wrote General Aupon this head, and to the same purpose, and if your honor will please to let me know your mind in the affair, and advise me of any thing you shall think useful to me, I shall be greatly obliged to you. * See the preceding letter to General A I bless God that he has preserved your valuable and important life, in your late dangerous expedition, and given your family and friends an opportunity and occasion to rejoice your safe return. in Please to accept most sincere esteem and respect from, Sir, I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter by Mr. Sof the 9th instant, and am very much obliged to you for your generous sentiments of me; and assure you I shall always be very glad to serve you personally, and much more, the generous design you have undertaken. I have not time to digest the subject, to give you my thoughts in particular, nor do I think you want them, who have so long turned your mind on that affair, and are so well able to judge of the matter; but I assure you I am well pleased with the thoughts you suggest, and am in hopes they will issue well, when put in execution. I shall write more particular before I go home, and being in haste, Your most obedient And humble servant, P. LYMAN. Rev. Eleazar Wheelock. To the Hon. General Lyman. May it please your Honor, Lebanon, April 9, 1763. The narrative herewith enclosed will give you some account of the success of the feeble endeavors I have used in the affair therein related; and you will see that if the number, in this school, continues to increase, as it has done, and as I think our prospects are, we shall soon have occasion to build, in order to accommodate them, and accordingly to determine upon the place where to fix it, most for the advantage of the great design we have in view. Several places have been proposed, viz. among the new settlements, in the western part of the Province of New Hampshire. And to encourage it, Governor Wentworth made me an offer of a tract of land, if I would carry it there. There has also been some talk of the western part of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. But I have several objections against each of those places. And as your honor's character and influence at home and abroad; and your thorough acquaintance with the state of the continent, and particularly with Indians and Indian affairs, enables you above any man I know in New England to serve and promote the design, so your moral character, and especially your benevolent disposition towards mankind, encourages and emboldens me with much confidence to solicit your friendship and assistance, by your consent and advice, upon this occasion. And I shall accordingly, relying upon your candor, expose myself and the affairs to you, in the most open manner, and submit to your consideration and censure the following proposal*. I have wrote General A— upon this head, and to the same purpose, and if your honor will please to let me know your mind in the affair, and advise me of any thing you shall think useful to me, I shall be greatly obliged to you. * See the preceding letter to General A I bless God that he has preserved your valuable and important life, in your late dangerous expedition, and given your family and friends an opportunity and occasion to rejoice in your safe return. Please to accept most sincere esteem and respect from, Sir, I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter by Mr. Sof the 9th instant, and am very much obliged to you for your generous sentiments of me; and assure you I shall always be very glad to serve you personally, and much more, the generous design you have undertaken. I have not time to digest the subject, to give you my thoughts in particular, nor do I think you want them, who have so long turned your mind on that affair, and are so well able to judge of the matter; but I assure you I am well pleased with the thoughts you suggest, and am in hopes they will issue well, when put in execution. I shall write more particular before I go home, and being in haste, Your most obedient And humble servant, P. LYMAN. Rey. Eleazar Wheelock. SIR, From His Excellency General Sir Jeffrey Amherst, Barni. New York, May 23, 1763. This morning, Mr. S delivered me your letter of the 21st April, with the narrative enclosed, which I have perused. The design is a very commendable one, and I should be extremely happy in having it in my power, to be any ways instrumental in civilizing the Indians, and promoting seminaries of learning in this country; but as the disposal and settlement of the conquered lands in America must be determined by His Majesty, and that there is reason to believe the same is now under consideration at home; I can only advise you to make application there; for I have no authority whatever, to dispose of any lands in this country. You cannot have a better patron than the nobleman to whom you have dedicated your narrative, and I shall be very glad to hear that your application is attended with success. I am, Your most obedient servant, Rev. Eleazar Wheelock. JEFFREY AMHERST SIR, To the Right Hon. William, Earl of Sterling. Lebanon, Connecticut, December 12, 1763. Your Lordship will see, by the enclosed narrative, (which begs your candid acceptance) the design which has been on foot, and to what it has risen, by the blessing of God. And by the enclosed printed copy of a brief, I obtained of the Hon. General Assembly of this government last May, in which they were unanimous, your Lordship may see the friendly disposition of the ruling and leading part of this Government, towards |
