516 
of 1] e Todians in the sonthern parts o! the 
United States. It is dated Creek Ocon- 
ne, January 22, 1809:— 
Your favour of the 29d of October was re- 
ceived on the last of December ; and my not 
acknowledging the receipt of it sooner, has 
been owing to a painful indisposition, which 
rendered writing difficult. This letter is the 
first fruit of my recovery. Just after the pe- 
riod of our first acquaintance, (about thirteen 
years ago,) I was appointed by the President 
of the United States, an agent for Indian af- 
fairs south of Ohio, and especially charged 
with the plan of civilization, I have ever 
since been occupied in this important concern. 
I will not give you my opinion of the plan of 
the missionaries heretofore sent among the 
Indian tribes, or of their success 3 nor will I, 
to a man of your benevolent mind. attempt to 
contrast my humble occupation with the pass- 
ing scenes of the civilized world; my endea- 
Vours to civilize the aboriginal men of Ame- 
rica, (scarcely meriting a paragraph in a 
newspsper,) with the learning, ingenuity, 
and accomplishment of ages, incessantly oc- 
cupied in rivgting the shackles ot slavery on, 
and deteriorating the men of Europe—there 
the honoured subject of the historic page, 
and the theme of the poet’s song. But I will 
tell you my plan, how I have pursued it, and 
My prospect of certain ultimate success, 
I began with the pastoral life, my. charge 
being hunters. I recommended attention to 
raising stock, particularly cattle and hogs. 
Our climate suits both; and we abound, 
Winter and summer, in grass, reed, or cane. 
Tt is not so favourabl to the propagation of 
horses, though we have great numbers of them. 
Ivnext recommended agriculture, and raising 
of fruit-trees, particularly the peach ; then 
domeszic Manufactures; then figures; and 
lastly, letters, I set examples in all things 
inyself, and teach the objects of my care also 
by precept: I teach them morality; to be 
true to themselves; to respect their own 
rights, and those of their neighbours ; and to 
be useful members of the planet they inhabit. 
On all fit occasions, I inculcate, above all 
things, an aversion to war, as the greatest 
Curse which can afflict a nation; to be just; 
to be generous 3 and, particularly, to protect 
the stranger and traveller in their land. I 
leave the affairs of another world to be intro- 
duced by the Father of all Worlds, or such 
of his benevolent agents as to his wisdom may 
seem meet. : 
Thus acting, I have prevailed on q fourth 
part ef my charge, to leave their clustered 
situation in the old towns, and moye out, for 
the greater conveniency of raising stock, and 
employing good land in cultivation; to make 
fences ; to piant fruit-trees ; to raise and spin 
cotton, and,in geveral instances, to weave it; 
to depend on their fgrms for food; and, aided 
by the whee] and the loom, for clothing ; to 
geek, ia their improvements, for the neces- 
Lvverary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
; [ Dec.. I; 
saries of life; and in hunting, for amusement 
only. 
For the first three or four years, I experi- 
enced a continued rudeness of opposition. In 
the succeeding three or faur, success was 
slowly progressive ; but even during this pe- 
tiod, I reaped scarcely anyother than a har- 
vest of ingratitude. At length, however, by 
persevering in the course J had adopted, [ 
have brought the Indian mind to yield, though 
Slowly and reluctantly, to the evidence of 
facts; and the plan is now no longer proble« 
matical. 
Several of the Indians have sowed wheat, 
planted fruit-trees, and used the plough, 
Several of them have made spinning- wheels 
and looms; and some weave cloth. Among 
the Lower Creeks, we have more than twenty 
looms in use; and, of these, eight were made, 
as well as are wrought, by the hands of In- 
dians. Of blankets made by an Indian, supee 
rior to the Yorkshire duffell, a sample’ has 
been sent to government ; and the whole pros 
cess, from the sheep to the blanket, was the 
work of Indians, the irons for the loom ex< 
cepted. We lave homespun cotton cloth, of 
five or six hundred, equal to that of ourneigh- 
bours, and the dyesand stripes, in some instan- 
ces, good: and I believe we have now nearly 
three hundred spinning wheels, occasionally 
in use by Indian women. Although the last 
year was unconimonly uufavourable to raising 
cotton, the demand for wheels, cards, looms, 
ploughs, and other implements of husbandry, 
is greater than I cap supply. Some few of 
the Indians have tanned leather, and made 
saddles. Several have made ornaments for 
themselves ; and some butter and cheese. 
When I first came here, there were not.ten 
women in the Oconnee who wore petticeats 
lower than the knees ; and now the long pet- 
ticoat isin general use. The women were the 
only labourers ; but now the men partake in 
the labours of the field, as well as in spinning 
and weaving. 
At the Oconnee, I havea large farm, where 
We raise corn, peas, wheat, barley, rye, TiC€s 
oats, flax, cotton, potatoes, (sweet and Trish, } 
melons, pumpkins, -turnips. &c. I have 
peaches in great variety, and ef excellent 
quality; and all the varieties of garden-roots 
and vegetables. Jhave a gristanda saw-mill, 
a tan-yard, a shoe and boot-maker, a tinman, 
a cooper, two wheelwrights,a cabinet- maker, 
an instructor in spinning and _Weaying, a. 
loom and weaver, a set of blacksmiths, and a 
school-master. We have sadlers, and shall 
soon bave a hatter. One family of eighty 
persons are clothed in our homespun. Our 
wool, flax, and cotton, are of our own raising ; 
as are our dye stuffs. Our wheels and looms 
are also of our own manufacture; and we have 
introduced the flying shuttle into general use 
among the Indians. From this state of im- 
provement, you will readily believe it is be- 
come the common topic of conversation among 
them, 
Thg » 
