Sunday 22d. Went to St. Pauls Chappel in the forenoon—heard a charity Sermon for the benefit of the Orphans School of this City.
Had a good deal of conversation in the Evening with the above Commissioners on the more minute part of their transactions at the Treaty with the Creek Indians and their opinion with respect to the real views of Mr. McGillivry—The principles of whose conduct they think is self-Interest, and a dependence for support on Spain. They think also, that having possessed himself of the outlines of the terms he could Treat with the United States upon, he wished to Postpone the Treaty to see if he could not obtain better from Spain. They think that, though he does not want abilities, he has credit to the full extent of them and that he is but a short sighted politicion. He acknowledges however, that an Alliance between the Creek Nation & the United States is the most Natural one, & what they ought to prefer if to be obtained on equal terms. A Free port in the latter seems to be a favourite object with him.
This benefit was conducted to aid the Charity School operated by Trinity Church. The school consisted of “eighty-six scholars, viz. fifty-six boys and thirty girls. The children are instructed in the principles of the Christian Religion and in Psalmody; they constantly attend divine service at church on week days as well as on Sundays and the greatest attention is paid to their morals. . . . The school is regularly visited the first Monday in every month, and the children carefully examined by a committee of the Corporation of Trinity Church.” The sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Benjamin Moore, and £80 8s. 10d. was collected for the Charity School (N.Y. Daily Advertiser, 16 and 23 Nov. 1789).