Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to William Livingston 1765 May 13

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date13 May, 1765

Call Number765313.2

abstractWheelock updates Livingston about the resolution of charges against Occom, and requests assistance in securing passes for missionaries going among the Indians.

handwritingHandwriting is informal, yet mostly clear and legible. There are, however, several additions and deletions, and letter case is frequently difficult to decipher.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light creasing, staining and wear.

inkBlack-brown.

noteworthyThis document is likely a draft.

EventsMason Land Case, Jewett Controversy

Persistent Identifier

My dear Sir.
Sometime Since the Date of my laſt, Yours of 6th
March
came to hand; in which you breath forth that ſame
ſpirit of Frendſhip towards the Sinking Cauſe of Zion
which has hitherto animated all your Endeavours for
her Proſperity.
 I am truly affected with that Party Spirit & Bigotry
which So Sadly diſtempers your City. and am ready to ſay
Strange it Should be ſo in Such a quarter & at Such a
Time o’ Day. but alaſs! well were it for the Nation if
that Evil w[illegible]aſ confind to You! but ſo far i[illegible] it from that,
is y.e caſe that [illegible]by all accots, you have but faintly decypherd the
true Spirit and Genius of the Leading part of the Kingdom
at the preſent day. and So it is (which is enough forever to quiet
us) that Zions King, and Head, on whom She and by
whom She has livesd and will live through all Storms, has
ſeen it Neceſsary and beſt for her all along that ſhe
ſhould be more or leſs under Preſsures. and bleſsed be
his Name her Tribulations & Tryals are for glorious
Purposes, and but for a Limited Time. —
 M.r Occom has been Slanderd in this Government, to a
great Degree, inſomuch that a public Proceſs againſt
him before our Board of Commiſsrs was thought ne[illegible][guess: c]ſsy,
ion which Tryal he made [illegible][guess: a] Defence much to his Honour
and appeard clear in all the Articles alledged againſt
him. Excepting that he was blamed (only on account of
his Miniſterial Character) that he had wrote & Signed as a wittneſs,
with his Tribe, to the Truth of, a Repreſentation made
of Some things relative to the Maſon Affair. which he
fully
fully and freely R[illegible][guess: ela]ted confeſsed as being Raſh and unadviſed,
imprudent & sinful / as it needleſly expoſed him to [illegible] the Diſpleaſure of the
Publick and thereby injured his usefulneſs — He now
ſtands in a good Light before this Board. Yet it ſeems
they will not let him above. but I hope God will
in due Time vindicate his cauſe

 I inclose Several votes of this Board by one of
which You may See the Amount of the Subſcriptions
in Hebron And in this Place.
 But that ſir which more Eſpecially occaſions you this
Trouble is the neceſsity we ſtand in of a renewed in‐
‐ſtance of your Friendſhip & kindneſs towards our Indian
Deſign. We Suppose it to be in the Power of Gen.l Gage
to grant to our Miſsrs & School Maſters them ſuch a paſs, or Commiſsion, or whatever
it may be calld as may [illegible][guess: grant] not only warrant them
in the performance of their Miniſterial work; and much
Serve for their Protection therein where they are going. but, also without
Injuſtice or Injury to the Crown, be of Service towards their ſup‐
‐port, when they are within reach of the Kings Stores.
This Favour was readily granted to M.r Occom by genl
Amherſt
and he found great Benefit by it in his Miſsn
[left]ye Revd M.r Williams of this Town has at the Deſire of our Board
wrote Genl Gage Soliciting this Favour for these and has deſired
[left]Honle Willm Smith Esq.r to joyn with You to inforce the Same. and
if your Endeavours Should be Succeſsful pleaſe to make
Return by the Poſt as ſoon as may be.
The Names of the n[illegible][guess: e]w ordained Miſsrs are Titus Smith. and Theoph.s
Chamberlain
. and of the Indian School Maſters. David
Fowler
, Joseph Woolley & Hezekiah Calvin. and of the
Boys appointed to Serve as ushers under the Conduct
and direction of the Miſsionaries. are Abraham 1.mus
Abraham 2dus. Moses. Johannes. Peter. & Jacob Fowler.
We have also appointed M.r Occom to a Miſsion a‐
‐mong the 6 Nations provided he ſhall not accompa
‐ny M.r Whitefield, or M.r Charles Jeffry Smith; or ſome
other who may be appointed by us to Europe.
pleaſe [illegible]
 I am Senſible of have underſtood that you are very full
of Buſineſs, and am afraid be being So free a Beggar
as to be burden [illegible][guess: fully Free] to You, if that be the caſe pleaſe
to hint it to me. and pleaſe to accept without reſerve & be aſured yt I am
 I am dear ſir with Sincere much Reſpect and Eſteem.

Your Obliged &
very Humble Servant

Eleazar Wheelock


To Will.m Livingſton Esq.r
May 13. 1765. —
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