laws, may be presented to the legislature. I, also
send thee a work published some years ago, contain-
ing an account of the prisons.

D. A. Ogden

, and others, have purchased of the Hol-
land Company, the presumptive rights to all the
Indian reservations in this state, and they are con-
triving to get the Indians to sell to them for a small
sum; the poor Indians have been always cheated,
except by William Penn, who uniformly done them
justice, and thus preserved the high esteem and
regard of the natives, by which means peace was
preserved in his province, and no war or bloodshed
for seventy years; and this would have continued, if his
grand children, in 1756, had not attempted to cheat
the Indians, in purchasing their land. In short, I am
perfectly satisfied, that in every war that has occur-
red between the whites (Christians!) and Indians,
the former has been aggressors. The condition of
these poor people is shamefully neglected, and is
truly deserving our sympathy and commiseration.
We enjoy, in a full extent, every blessing of Heaven,
on the very land they formerly occupied, in security,
peace, and plenty, as to game, fish, &c.; we have
abundance, whilst they often suffer for want of food,
clothing, &c. Under these considerations, it appears
to me, we ought to do all in our power to meliorate
their condition, to protect them from the violence and
imposition of the white people, and generally to con-
tribute to their comfort and happiness, as far as cir-
cumstances will permit. I will take the liberty to
state hints of a plan, that, in my opinion, might be
productive of lasting benefit to the Indians.

A board of seven or eight commissioners, to be
selected from the different religious societies, and
appointed to take into consideration all matters and
things relative to the Indians within the state, with-
out salary.

1st. To meet annually during the sitting of the
Legislature.