Ebenezer Cleveland, journal, 1768 October 18
Date18 October, 1768
Call Number768568.1
abstractCleveland reports on the Indian Congress at Fort Stanwix.
handwritingThe document is written in Wheelock’s hand; it is informal, small and cramped. The signature appears to be in Cleveland's hand.
paperLarge single sheet is in poor condition, with heavy staining, creasing and wear that results in some loss of text. There is also damage from remnants of tape along both sides and the bottom. There is some tape remaining on the central horizontal crease.
inkBlack ink is faded in spots.
noteworthyThis document is possibly a copy or draft.
Lebanon Oct.r 18. 1768
from the Revd Doctr Wheelock I Sat out with M.r Allen Mather on a
Tour to wait upon ye honble Sir William Johnſon Baronet Superintendant of
Indian affairs in North America, and their Excellencies the Governers of the
Several Provinces concernd in the Buſineſs of the Congreſs of the Several Tribes
Sd Governors
‐cing Miſsionaries & Schoolmaſters among their Remote Tribes. &c.
Delawares, Shawaneſe, and Some from Cognawaga & others to the Number of
and mutual Speaches and Belts of Peace to Strengthen & brighten the chain of Friendſhip,
which was the Buſineſs of two Days, being paſt. I Soon found the Attention of the
Cheifs to the Buſineſs of the Congreſs, was Such, as forbid any treaty with them publickly on mattrs of Religion, till
that was finiſhed. I continued eleven days and converſed with Numbers and
ma
way to ye chriſtianizing them. 1. Such a long Cuſtom
has made them even a 2.d Nature and Such atachment to them as nothing but
the Power of Divine Grace can altar. — 2. their Manner of living being Such as
Naturally creates and promotes in ym an inſatiable thirſt for Strong Drink. So that
the Nearer they live to their almoſt Heathen Uropean Neighbours
and unleſs this evil can be remidied they muſt continue to Waſt away as the
Dew before the riſing Sun.
3. The Generality of Their Neareſt Uropean Neighbours appearing to be far from any deſire to promote
true Religion
them, and some Gentlemen
affairs, and whoſe Examples are moſt likely to influence them, being Irreligious
a bad Idea of the people who profeſs the knowledge of the True God, and naturally
Settles them in a better opinion of their Paganiſm which has not So much Debauchery
in it — and in an abhorrance of the chriſtian Religion.
4. The Tribes who live Neareſt & moſt exposd to Europeans being
moſt corrupted thereby
who
as may hardly deſerve
Mohocks who are Surrounded by Such white ppll who have had the Gospel preached to them more than Others were made
worſe by it, and that they themſelves were waiting to See a better Effect before
they would
Incouraging. 1. that the Onoidas to Whom the Gospel has been Succeſsfully preachd
encamped by themſelves and looked behaved & talkd like Chriſtians, excepting a few of them
their air, and Temper was modeſt, kind, humble &c inſomuch that Strangers took notice
of it, a Number of them appeard much grieved & their Souls vexed
wickedneſs y.t was committed round about them. I diſcourſed with a Number of them
of the things of Religion, & they Seemd glad of the Opportunity, and Appeard to be
truly & genuinely Affected with the Same. Which
‐penſated all
2.
have Miſsionaries & School Maſters come among them. And choſe that they
Should come upon their Ground in order to Settle the Affair of their Receiving them, as the
Buſineſs of ye congreſs would not allow them
[gap: tear] it at that Time. Towards the close of ye congreſs M.r Kir[gap: tear][guess: tland]
[gap: tear][guess: Chr]iſtian Indians received him with all poſsible Expreſsions of Joy. his [gap: tear]
his coming and Solicited him, as did others of the Senecas to viſit that Tribe again. —
get his Son into D.r Wheelocks School, and manifeſted a great deſire to Send him
I told him there was talk of the School's going to cowas. he Said if it ſhod
be fixd there he beleived that many of that Tribe wod Send y.r children to it.
— while the Buſineſs of The Congreſs laſted Rum was withheld, and
harmony & decency was maintaind through the whole. y.e whole was conducted
with great Deliberation and great care taken
when the Buſineſs of the Congreſs was Ended before the
Sir William Johnſon & his Family
Safeſt for all ye Engliſh to remove as Soon as they could which they accordingly
did. I tarried till about 10' oClock in ye morning it being Sabath Day when the Rum had been
delivered out
awfull & horrid to deſcribe. the Whole Streat & place of Parade was filld with
Drunkeneſs nothing to be heard or Seen but hollaring Yelling and fighting as tho'
hell itſelf had broke looſe, in which we heard that four were killd before we came
away & in this the Mohocks were not behind any of their Brethren — here the Behaviour of the few Sober and godly perſons among them did
in the Strangeſt Light exemplify those metaphors used for Such a purpoſe viz. as the Apple Tree among the
Trees of the wood &c: as the lilly among Thorns — as Sheep Among Wolves. &c
and they Separated themſelves from among them as faſt as they could. — this Scene as it
was no more than
‐ſideration
they would not likely have the like Occaſion for a Congreſs for many Years to come, and the
Mohocks who were the worſt of the Tribes, will likely never have another occasion as
all the
800 miles in Length & 100 in Bredth.
would be done to them by the Tribes who were to return thro' that Town.—
‐ianizing them have
from falſe Brethren, and Such obſtinate prejudices, and mountanous Difficulties
as that the Remnant that are Saved will commonly appear to be Brands pluckd
out of the Burning.
and his promiſe to countenance and Suitably encourage all Such Miſsionaries and
School Maſters as D.r Wheelock Shall See fit to Send among them.
to My underſtanding and Apprehenſion
I have here unto Set my Hand this 21 Day of Novemb.r 1768.