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Beyond Penn's Treaty

Baltimore Yearly Meeting Indian Committee Minutes

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Brethren As we have already told you so we again
repeat it, it is only by the cultivation of your lands
and rearing of stock that you can ever raise your
selves from the situation which you have here
tofore been in. the white people find it necessary
to do so in order to get food and cloathing for
themselves.

Brethren There are some amongst us who are
not industrious and will not work these cannot
earn the comforts for themselves which industrious
people do but are often in great distress and poverty
so that we clearly see it is by industry that a
comfortable living must be obtained.

Brethren We believe it right to employ our horses
and oxen in tilling our lands, they are strong and
one of them can do more work in a day than
many men. We believe that the good spirit gave
them to us in order to help us in this way. you ought
therefore if you wish to adopt our mode of living use
your horses & oxen in ploughing and other work which
they can do

Brethren listen we have never felt any sentiment
but friendship for of course are not afraid to speak
to you as brethren who love each other ought to do.
Therefore we now tell you that we believe Whiskey
to be one of the greatest evils which the Bad Spirit
has introduced into the world it brings more misery
& poverty along with it than any other thing that has
ever been found in this Country

Brethren We intreat you not to suffer any of this
Poison to be brought to your towns you have seen the
effect of it and must know its destructive consequences
Whiskey not only corrupts the minds of those that
drink it but also occasions great poverty & distress in
the families of those men who get drunk because it
destroys their reason and disqualifies them for work