At a Meeting of the committee on Indian
concerns 8 mo 8 1808 present 14 members

The friends appointed to visit the Indians
at and in the neighbourhood of our settlement
on the Wabash reported that they left Baltimore

the 4 of the 4 Month, 1808 & arrived at Fort Wayne
the 10th of the 5th Month on their route they
passed by the residence of David Grave of
Westland &Benjamin Idings residing on the
West Branch of the Great Miami who both
accompanied them whilst the remained amongst
the Indians. Having on their arrival concluded
it would be best to have a general conference
with the Indians at that place, they were
invited to attend in council 10 days from
that time, in the mean time the committee
made a visit to the Indians residing at
Dennis Station at which place the Indians
manifested a friendly disposition towards
them. They have found that some of the Indians
had made considerable progress in the cultivation
of their lands by the aid of White Men hired
out of their annuities, and a few of them
by their own labour. But the insatiable desire
these people have for spirituous liquors, and the
quantity they obtain from the state of Ohio
renders it a matter of doubt in the opinion
of the Committee whether much progress
will be made in civilization whilst it remains