Jeremiah Halsey, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1768 April 25

Author Halsey, Jeremiah

Date25 April, 1768

Call Number768275.2

abstractHalsey writes that he has seen a document in which Whitaker vastly overestimates the number of Indians in America, and that people unfriendly to the design will take advantage of the opportunity to ridicule the school.

handwritingHandwriting is small and informal, yet mostly clear and legible. The trailer is in an unknown hand.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with moderate staining, creasing and wear. There is evidence of old repair work at the top of the central vertical crease.

inkBlack.

signatureThe signature is abbreviated.

Persistent Identifier

 Revd & Dr Sir
I have been lately at Boſton. There I had full
opportunity of obſerving the spirit that prevails reſ:
pecting your school; I saw plainly that some gentle
men (for reaſons beſt known to themſelves) would
not be diſpleaſed if the whole affair should drop
into non exiſtence. Mr. Mairhead, who seems to be
a sincere freind of yours, communicated to me the
Scots magazine for June 1767; in the frontbeginning of this
I obſerved a memorial of Dr Whitaker's to the
Scots society for propagating chriſtian knowledge
in foreign parts
; there to impreſs the gentlemen
of the society with the importance of his miſsion,
he aſserts the number of Indians in the conti:
nent (the northern continent of America he muſt
mean, for he know we had no connections with the
southern) to be [illegible] suppoſed to be twenty millions.
This number is undoubtedly twenty, if not forty
times too large. Nobody to the weſtward Suppoſes that Indians in all
thoſe parts of the continent to which we have any
aceſs, to exceed five hundred thouſand, if they come
any thing near to that number. This I think muſt
be given up as a miſtake: & you know, Sir very
well the wretched improvement that some will
make of it; the more candid will impute it to
Dr Whitaker's ignorance, but I fear too many will
call it a pious fraud. This has given me much  uneas.
ſinſe: I cannot but look upon it as a moſt

 unhappy blunder. We have no reaſon to expect any
thing elſe from the temper some men have manifeſted, [illegible]
but that they will do all the miſchief they can with it. If
your friends on the other side the water find that there
has not been given a true repreſentation of facts either
by yourſelf or Dr Whitaker, they will naturally grow
suſpicious of the whole affair, and your Truſt, to whom
you have conveyed such ample powers) may think it un:
ſafe to truſt the many on this side the water. We may
certainly depend upon it that perſons will not be wanting
to sow the seeds of prejudice and [illegible][guess: raiſe] them up to the
moſt enormous height. Prejudices you know, if they once
take place, are not eaſily eradicated, eſpecially if they reſ:
pect the management of public monies; [illegible]the greater part
of mankind are [illegible]villains in heart; their own concien:
ces tell them that if they had an opportunity of defraud;
ing, they should defraud. Hence they will not readily see
how another man can be honeſt in like circumſtances;
for few bad men are willing to believe there are any better
than themſelves. Therefore I cannot but think it of [illegible]
great importance that this miſtake should be rectified as
soon as poſsible. Mr. Whitaker had better candidly confeſs
it by somithing publiſhed in the same magazine. It
certainly will not anſwer to attempt to maintain it;
[illegible][guess: B]becauſe you doubtleſs know that it can never be [illegible]shewn
to be conſiſtent with truth; such an attempt will surely
be regarded by the world as betraying either great ignorance
or great impudence. Your school may be eaſily repreſented

in a sufficiently important light withouth exaggerat:
ing the number of the Indians. It is evidently the
happieſt scheme that ever was contrived to [illegible] engage the af:
fections of the Indians, & so to prevent indian wars, & pro;
mote the rapid extenſion of our settlements, & finally to
eſtabliſh the pure religion of Jeſus in theſe uncultivat;
ed deſarts. Excuſe Dr Sir, the freedom I have uſed: [illegible][guess: impart]
it to a tender concern leſt so intereſting and benevolent a
deſign shou'd be in any wiſe [illegible][guess: burthend ] or obſtructed.

I am D.r Sir ever yours
 moſt affectionately

 Jer. Halſey
P.S. My kindeſt regards to Mr. Kirtland. Tell him
tho' abſent in body, I am often preſent with him in
spirit. My love to your Son: & to your worthy neighbou[below]r
Mr. Lockwood, to all enquiring friends in your parts.
[below]Dr Wheelock
M.r Jer: Halsey's
 April 25. 1768

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