On the 13th. Inst, I recd. your Letter of the 28th. ult— together with the Copy of your Report on Indian affairs— The Copy of the Constitution of “a New Society for the Benefit of Indians” the Copy of a Resolution of the American Board of Comrs. for foreign missions—and the Prospectus of the New York Observer, which you had the Goodness to send with it—1

Understanding that your Report on Indian affairs might be had at New York I sent for & obtained it. I did recieve from you a Copy of the Constitution of the new Society, with a Note inviting a full Communication of my Views & opinions on the Subject. In my Letter to you of the 10th. of June last,2 I observed that my Health neither was, nor probably would be such as to enable me to take comprehensive Views of those Subjects, and Form mature & satisfactory opinions on the various Topics which they embrace. Your Report, which I afterwards recd., convinced me that the Difficulties I apprehended were real. It would give me pleasure to write to you such a Letter as you desire “expressing at some Length my Views of our Indians—of their Character—Capacity for Improvement, and of the Duties we owe them”— To do this in a proper Manner would require such an Examination of your Report—such select abstracts from it—and such an arrangement of Statements & corresponding Remarks, as would be necessary to convey the requisite Information, and lead to correct Conclusions— I am not in capacity to undertake such a Task— The Infirmities of Age (being now in my 79th. Year) together with a Disease of fourteen years Duration, have reduced me to a State of Debility which admits of but little Exertion, & affords no Prospect of Convalescence. Unless the national Governmt should give decided Patronage to the Society, and Public Opinion excite the Efforts of Individuals throughout the Nation to support it, I suspect its Progress will be languid— Of the present State in these Respects I have no Information—3

The New York Observer and your Connection with the Editors4 did not escape my in ^A^ttention—; and I should have been a Subscriber had not my Daughter Mrs. Banyer, who resides with me, subscribed for it without my Knowledge. We recieve it regularly, and hope it will not only continue to be reputable, but also be profitable to the Editors— If your other Son5 should permit no works to go out of his Hands but such as merit Commendation, He will have no Reason to regret his settling in ^the City of^ New York— I wish him Success, and opportunities of promoting it shall not be neglected—

With Respect to your intended Continuation of Trumbulls History of the United States from 1765 to 1792,6 and your Request that for such Aid as Documents in my Possession may afford, it is proper for me to mention the following Circumstance— I have been informed that Congress has directed the Correspondence of their Ministers during the Revolution to be published—7 Whether they will publish the whole, or only select parts I have not been able to learn. ^On this Subject I wish for particular and well founded Information.^ If the whole of my Correspondence is to be published, there can be no Objection to my communicating it to you—but if partially, I should previously know what parts have been selected for the Press. You will probably be able to acquire and give me exact Information on these points. My opinion of your “General American Geography”8 &c—render me desirous that your proposed Work may be facilitated and perfected; and will induce me to lay before you any material Documents in my possession which it may not be improper for me to communicate— Be perfectly assured that Visits from you will always give Pleasure to Dr Sir, your Friend & obt. Servt