Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora IndiansJohnson, Elias
History
Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians
Johnson, Elias
Iroquois Indians; Tuscarora Indians
RESPECTED FRIEND, PHILIP E. THOMAS:--Permit us to address you a few
lines, and, through you, the committee of the four-yearly meetings of the
Society of Friends, in reference to the condition of our suffering
friends and brethren still remaining in the country west of the
Mississippi. We suppose the committee are already thoroughly acquainted
with the means used to decoy those Indians off, in contravention of the
instructions of the Government to the removing agent. They were flattered
with prospects of almost unbounded prosperity. The country was described
as a paradise; and they were told that there friends here, who might now
refuse to accompany them, would soon be compelled to follow, and that it
would be better to go now and get well started in their improvements,
&c., as soon as possible. But, when they reached that country, instead of
being a paradise, they found it rather a land of desolation, disease and
death, and a large proportion of them are now lying beneath the turf. The
survivors are discouraged and broken-hearted, in addition to the
sufferings from the disease which has swept off their companions, and
they are anxious to return. Application has been made to the Government
in their behalf, without obtaining relief, and, from a recent letter from
Dr. Wilson, we learn that a similar application to the Legislature of
this State is likely to fail. We cannot make any appropriation from our
national funds until the meeting of our national council, as a law has
been passed which would forbid it, but if we delay till that meeting it
will expose our friends to the horrors of the sickly season once more,
and doubtless many more of them will perish in consequence. Under these
circumstances we see no other resource but to look again to those kind-
hearted friends who have done somuch already to relieve us in our
distresses. Our obligations are already very great, and we cherish deep
feelings of gratitude for past favors. We would not willingly burden your
kindness now were it not for the peculiarly difficult and perplexing
condition of things just at the present time. But we feel that humanity
towards our own people demands of us to make this application in their
behalf, as well as of ourselves, for we will always cherish a lively
remembrance of your kindness.
Wishing you the reward of the benevolent in the great day, we subscribe
ourselves your obliged and sincere friends,
In presence of Asher Wright,
HENRY TWO GUNS,
WILLIAM KROUSE,
GEORGE X BUTTON,
JOHN X GREENBLANKET,
ABRAHAM X JOHN,
JAMES SPRING,
DANIEL TWO GUNS.
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