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PAPERS RELATING TO THE SIX NATIONS.

REV. MR JOHNSON TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

To Sir W m Johnson Governour Franklin Col Grahom Col Butler and other RespectableGent n Intrested & concerned at their Congress.

Hon le &, Respectable

As I am here in behalfe of D r Wheeloclc in the cause of Propegateing the Gospel among the Indiansof these Nations I must be Faithful To let you know that whereas the D r Especially & some otherswith him have laid out much Labor & cost with a view to spread the Gospel among the Indianswe are extremely loath to see the cause dye under our hands and a fund at Home of above ,£12000Sterling that was raised by Noble generous & charatable benefactors and additions therunto in thiscountry be lost or diverted from the design of the Doners which we Imagin must be in whole or ingreat part if the Indians & especially these Onoida’s yield up their Lands We therfore ask that aDoor may be kept open to them where the Gospel has been preached and Schools set up that wemay know where to find them & not have to ramble all over the world after them or Find themvassals on other mens Land And as we propose to propegate the Gospel in the most open Christian& catholick manner imaginable we are quite unwilling to be circumvented in any way whatsoeverbeing assured our Design is good whatever our success may be And therfore pray you most Hon 10Gent n duely & deeply to consider & weigh the Cause not for man but for God to whom you & Imust soon give an account I am ready to confer with any of you Gen ,n & others who would knowfarther of these things or would make any Proposals about them which I have thus in gen 11 hinted at

who am with all due Respect yours

Fort Stanwix octob 30 1768. Jacob W s Johnson.

SPEECH OF REV. M R JOHNSON

INTENDED TO BE DELIVERED TO THE SIX CONFEDERATE NATIONS AT FORT STANWIX, 31st OCTOBER, 1768.

Know Ye That Whereas The Rev d D r Eleazer Wheelock of Lebanon in the Colony of Connecticut in New England Minister of Jesus Christ is about to Set up a College or Great School for the benefitof the Indians which generous & good design is favourd by your Royal Father the King of GreatBritain The Earl of Dartmouth together with many wise as well as great & good men And a placeis now Searching out whearon to set up s d College and many great oifers made in Lands & Monieswherwith to endow s d College in several of the neighbouring English Goverments but no placeresolv’d upon as yet to set up s d College. —

These are therfore to ask of you Fathers & Brethren if it be your minds and what you wouldchoose to appropriate & devote a certain tract of your Land or country for this great & good purposeon or near The Mohawk River or wherever you in your Wisdom may think most convenient of suchextent and worth as may be sufficient with what monies & other Benefactions & Charities may begiven to endow s d College That it may be of a most Public & extensive use & benefit to the severalNation of Indians And this proposal is made with no view to acquire your Lands for any private useof any person or persons no Fathers & Brethren we dont want your Lands for ourselves but for thismost public use & benefit to the Indian Nations if it shall be your Desire to have it set upon