The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-10-24

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were not well pleased, and were decidedly
opposed to meeting again on such an &C,
casion. We did not however feel satisE.
ed to leave without seeking an opportuni.
Ity with them, and accordingly appointed a
time when We would like to meet them a,
one of their own houses; and when the
time came we met some ten or fifteen Of
them and addressed them on subjects re.
iatlng TO their moral and religious welfare;
to all of which they expressed their salts
faction, saying they were g lad TO hear us
talk and hoped they should mind what had
been said to them. Although these fierce
looking warriors had previously made
some severe threats against the first man
that should name these subjects to them,
they offered no violence or unkind treat
ment TO us, bu appeared very attentive and
willing TO hear us speak wllh freedom on
all the subjects realing 10 heir welfare T.;
and then they addressed US in kind man
ner; The head chief saying, he was glad
10 see his dear brothers and hear them
talk and hoped they should mind what was
said to hem. We then parted with them
feeling much relieved, and they manifest
ing much affectionale feeling toward US.
! The Moravians, Methodists and Bap-
fists have each separate missions among
| the Delawares. The Baptsls have
small school, where some ten or fifteen
children are annually receiving some in
struction. The Moravans are educating
a large number in that portion of the tribe
called Munsees. The Baptist school was
not in operation when we were there.
The Methodists have missionary among
them, but no school. A few of the Della
ware children are receiving some educa-
ton at the several schools in the Shaw
nee nation. The Munsee Indians consist
ing ofaboat two hundred, are branch of
the Delaware nation, and formerly resided
on the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania |
and as we understood, these Indians are
the descendants of the tribe that made the |
treaty with William Penn under The great
elm tree.
This memorable event has been handed
down by tradition from generation to gen.
Grafton; and there are now number who
can give pretty correct account of the
transactions of that remote period. The
Moravian Brethren have extended a care
toward portion of this tribe for more
than half century. Teachers and miss
sionaries have, during that time been EN-.
pIoyed amongst Them; and at the time of
our visit, there were two men and their
wives engaged in giving them some liter.
airy, moral and religious Instruction.
They appeared to be pious persons and
honestly engaged i'll the discharge ofther
arGuous duties. They received US cordi-
ally, and manifested a willingness TO as
slst us in promoting the object of our Wis.
1t. Owing to the unsettled state of these
Indians, their wandering habits and unwil.
lingness to work on the land, and the small
annuity paid them by the Government,
there has not been tina! improvement that
might be reasonab y looked for, when we !
take into account the great amonnt OLA.
Dor bestowed upon them. Most of them
have log or timber houses, and cultivate
more or less land, and raise corn for their
own supply during the year. Some few
cultivate wheat and potatoes. They keep
horses, cattle, hogs and fowls. and have
some furniture in their houses, such as
poor beds, tables, chairs, some cooking
utensils &c. They all wear the blanket
and In many respects dress in st, t
about half way between the whites and 8
Indians. They are great smokers, and +
some of them drink whiskey 10 excess
1t is said they are kind hearted people, ,
md d number Of them have embraced a
and joined with The Moravi. r
ms, Methodists or Episcopaians. The t
Moravlans have small meeting house and a
school house on their land.
We met sixty or seventy of these Ind.
ms oil both sexes at their meeting house o
N First day evening. They behaved with S
ooIlety and christian gravity, and after c
We had freed our minds, aud our certif Il
ates had been read, one of The chiefs Of ri
ne Delawares after having spoken few D
words to his associate chief, (both of whom !;
we're at previous meeting of ours,) rose 9,
nd delivered the following remarks: ~
"Brotbers. we are glad you have come e,
D see US and have given US such good ad.
ice, and 10 talk with US and tell US about 81
wing better and becoming better men and II
elter women. Brothers, hope I shall +
o better myself, and that my people WIN p'
o better also. Brothers, our fathers and
our fathers lived together as friends and C
rothers; they never shed each others .,
lood, no, they never scratched each 9th. II,
r. am glad that this friendship contin> "
nues even to the present time, and
lat the blood now runs freely in our W
ems" Afterwards, one OF the principle nj
zen belonging 10 the Munsees made few
cling remarks, expressive OF his satisac- Oh
on with The meeting and the interview
osed.
Second day morning, being informed
Y the MoraYian missinnaru lhnI thu nsr