To the Committee on Indian affairs

Organization Information

at N. York

Dear Friends,

In compliance with the request of Red Jackit

one of the chiefs of the six nations of Indians, I have
undertaken to represent to you the wishes of the indians
residing at Tontewanda, communicated to me and
several other friends of Farmington at a conference
with us the part summer or faul. He stated that for a long
time he had been strongly opposed to their becoming
civilized or christianized, but that of late he had become
convinced, as both fishing and hunting, in that part of the
country, was nearly at an end, that unless they went to work
and adopted the habits of civilized life, they must starve
He stated also that some feint attempts had been made
both by the indians and families towards their civilization but without much ef-
fect, and that now it was necessary for both friends &
indians to be in earnest. As a necessary step towards
the accomplishment of it he conceived it would be
proper to establish a school, for the education of their chil-
dren at or near Tontewanda village.

He further stated that from long experience they had
become convinced that full confidence might be placed
in the society, and enjoined it on us to make their
sentiments known.

Some time previous to the conference above mentioned
I went in company with three other friends, to visit the in-
dians at the abovementioned place, at their particular
request. From what we observed while there of their regular
deportment, the improvements they had made, as well as
the prudent use they have made of the tools that were given