express to them our strong desire for their help and en-
couragement, it might enable
them to move in a labor, in which, from its probable length toil
and exposure, they might possible be fearful and re-
luctant to engage but which we reverently hope
would be owned by the great Head of the Church.

If these Friends should see it right to give themselves
up to the service it does appear to us best that they
should be prepared to pay the Indians in their extensive
location west of the Mississippi, a journal visit
and be very minute in their observations, to gather
all particulars of Indian manners and customs,
situation, schools, religious engagements, governments,
and policies, and to encourage them to pursue agricul-
ture and mechanical employments, and to recom-
mend such measures as would promote there and
other peaceful objects, and to discouregement of a war
Spirit and jealousies amongst tribes; in short, to and
particular notes as far as would be practiceable

so that these documents might be
laid before our respective Committees for publication,
or not; as might be thought advisable.

It is easy to see, that such a statement would
be exceedingly interesting to Friends, both in our own
land, and to our dear brethren on the other side of the
Atlantic, as will as to the public generally; and further
move, it would be casting in our mite towards laying
off an immeasureable debt which the white people owe
to the aborigenies of this land, for the great injustice
and oppression of which they have been so long and so
unjustly the unhappy subjects.

Providence 10 mo. 15th. 1841 Mahlon Day
Dear friend

Thy letter of the 8th ult. on behalf
of the Committee of your Yearly Meeting on the concern of
the Indians located west of the Mississippi was duly received
and in accordance with the suggestion contained in it, we
have corresponded with our friends John D. Lang

and
Samuel Taylor jun. on the subject of their engageing in a
visit to the Indians to carry out the concern of New York
and New England Yearly Meetings--and the result of this
correspondence is that we find the minds of our friends
are turned to this important service. At a meeting
of our Committee held on the 12th inst (at which John D.
Lang was present) there was a very full expression of unity
with our friends in this engagement and they were
incouraged to pursue it whenever they should
that the time had come for them to enter upon it.

Should the prospect continue to rest upon their minds
and they to receive the unity of their friends therein, it
is not probable they will think it best to engage in it before
another season. In the mean time any information
that you may be able to obtain, as to the best time of
the year for visiting the Indians--the most suitable
mode of travelling this their country, and any other
information that might be useful to friends thus
engaged would be very acceptable to them.

Truly thy friend
Samuel Boyd Tobey

Our friend John D. Lang

is now about to engage in a religious
visit to some remote settlements in the State of Maine.