4th
November 1767.
Reverend, and dear Sir
The unmerited
friendship you have shown to me, and the generous
regard you seem to have for mankind in general; especial‐
ly
the poor Heathen of the Land, discovered in your
indefatiga‐
ble
endeavours after their
salvation, has, I confess, brought
me under some obligations of love and
friendship to yourself,
And I am
constrained to own, (that while you seem
disinterested
in your views, while exercising
your kind offices to others) that
I feel myself, strongly
attached to your
interest in all its Branch
es: accompanied, with my constant Prayers. for the
blessing of Heaven on your
person, and
family, and that
your endeavours for the
conversion of the Poor Heathen might meet
with success. I could willing, at this time give you
a narrative of some
conversation which passed at a gentleman's
table, the other Day, at
Middletown,
concerning your
person
and interest, as also
some
account, of the mortification, and
pain I endured
at the
discove‐
ry of that malevolent
disposition, harboured in the
breast's of
too too many gentlemen, pretenders to honour, and
Christianity.
Did I not foresee how much my officiousness might be liable
to be misconstrued into a meanness, which rather becomes
a meddling Fool, than a hearty Friend. but the confidence
I place in your charitable disposition, joined with the testimo
nies of my
grateful
friendship as expressed above shall
serve in
the room of any further apology at this time.
I dined the other Day with several gentlemen
whose
conversation ran for some time on indifferent things, and
finding my place quite at the lower end of the Table, I thought
my wisest part to learn my distance
and to use my Knife
and fork handsomely, than to let my Tongue run, especially, as
I heard nothing uttered
worthy of my attention until
the
Reverend
Mr.
Wheelock's Name was brought on the Board
neither can I persuade
myself I should then have been
so
saucy, had you been present to have spoken for yourself.
While the gentleman of the
house was only pleased
to observe that
Mr.
Wheelock was a very cunning
Man, and one who took care to Look before he leaped
and that he did not commonly act without
design
I dont know but I could have borne that well enough
but when he came to deride your Plan for Christianizing
the
heathen, and to
insinuate as though
your love for the
heathen was
a pretence only, and sprang from the
mean Motives of
avarice, and a desire of worldly wealth
principally, I must
confess I lost all patience. 'Twas well the
several
gentlemen
were so well pleased with the
countenance of each other
as that they took no notice of mine: otherways they would
have discovered
the emotion of my Heart by the Blood in my face
while I was chiding my Heart for having offered to have betrayed
an angry party— the aforesaid
gentleman was giving it
as his humble Opinion; that the only way to Christian‐
ize
the Heathens was first to civilize them. The other gentleman
replied, that he humbly conceived that Powder and Ball were
the
best
ingredients to affect either. Having banished as I
hoped, that officious
thing could anger, who is apt sometimes
to intrude himself, when his company would do more hurt
than good, and summoned
reason into her office, I boldly de‐
manded of them what they
thought would have become of
us gentiles: if so be the Lord Jesus
and his Apostles had said
the
same of us and
so have denied us the
means of salvation.
Upon this bold question, the company
seemed to start, and look
at each other, as much as to say, who have we got here? but
the
gentleman who was just now, so free with his Powder and Ball,
having recollected himself, as boldly demanded of me if I were a
Married Man? upon my answer in the
affirmative, he demand
ed again; that if in case I were
single, could I consent to Marry
an Indian squaw? I am sure you will not blame me, if I own
I took time to deliberate what answer to give. My antagonist
perceiving
me, first to pause, then about to reply; prevented me, with an air of
insult, Why (said he) your put to your Trumps, now, it seems?
Why, I thought by such a question, I should
soon
prove
your
Love to the Indians? but let me inform you (continued he)
that the only way to civilize
the Indians, is first to Marry and in‐
ter-marry with them: unless we have recourse to Powder and Ball
as I just now hinted. Ah rejoined
the other gentleman. you per‐
fectly accord with my Judgment, 'twas ever my opinion they
must in this way, first be civilized, before Christianized: but
as I am
so well acquainted with human nature, as to know
the irreconcilable
aversion, that white people must ever have
to black, I think I am warranted to judge of
Mr.
Wheelock's attempts
as altogether absurd
and
fruitless. For continued he,— so long as the Indians
are despised by the
English we may never expect success in Chris‐
tianizing of them. I replied that what he said
last might
probably be true, but then I was at a loss to account for the
conclusion they seemed to draw from this premise, viz. That because
I could not Marry a squaw, I must therefore of necessity
despise
the Indians. They both warmly replied, that this must be
the
necessary, and
unavoidable
consequence of not Marrying and
inter-marrying with them, and that for their own parts
they could never respect an Indian, Christian or no Christian
so as
to put him on a level with white people on any account especially
to eat at the
same Table. no— not with
Mr.
Occom
himself be
he ever so much a Christian or ever so Learned. I was not suffered
to make a reply neither can I say I much desired it, but was more
glad to make my Exit so
soon as the Table was dismissed. I most
desire giv‐
ing you my private reflections on this discourse
'til further opportunity
Meantime beg leave, dear Sir— to subscribe
myself
your affectionate Friend and very Humble Servant
David Crosby
East Hartford 1767.
PS I've not forgotten the encouragement
Mr.
Wheelock gave me of an honourable
employment, nor the
reasons for which I suspected he might alter his mind