and a man of Learning tho Rusticated by 30 years residence in a Wild Country-He thinks that I could serve him by mentioning him to you, and I hope that his importunity in consequence of that opinion will apologize for the Liberty I have taken in Giving you this Trouble. Sir SIR WM. JOHNSON TO THE REVD. WM. SMITH. Johnson Hall Jany 3d 1769. The return of Mr McClay affords me a good opportunity of answering your favor of last month on the subjects you mention on some of which Mr Peters & I have conversed, and to whom I have wrote fully the other day as well concerning Mr Murray, as of the Two Young men you mention for Orders your Sentiments on which I greatly approve. I long since informed the Society that if his Majestys permission was obtd I would use my Interest to get a valuable Tract of Land for the Church but have never since received any thing concerned it, I however lately secured a purchase made by myself for these purposes, & if the Society will use their Interest to obtain the Royal Grant, I will still endeavor to get a large purchase to the Northward where the Line is not yet Closed. Mr. Barton and yourself may be well assured of my friendly regards, and of my inclination to do you any good office in my power, I am likewise Sensible of your care of my Son, and your good inclinations towards him, and wish I could obtain the Tract you require in a Convenient place. The Line as I before observed is not closed to the Northward so that Lands there must lye till his Majestys pleasure is known, and for the rest it is Ceded to the King by the late Treaty, so that it is hard to know what will be the Channell for Patents in future, and the fees here are Extremely high-at the late Treaty nothing was done with regard to Lands but what related to the boundary, or had been before determined on, should any Tract answer that may be had on a reasonable lay, worthy your attention, I shall VOL. IV. 26 be very Glad to serve you in it. I am much obliged by the honor done me in Choosing me a Member of the Philosophical Society, and altho' my Necessary Avocations must deprive me of much of the pleasure I might otherwise receive as one of that Body. I cannot but accept it with many thanks, heartily wishing that their Institution may be attended with that Utility to the public & Reputation to the founders which may be reasonably expected from the Transactas of Gentlemen who apply themselves to studies of such Importance. Be assured, Sir, of the perfect Esteem with which I am always. &c. Rev Dr. SMITH to whom the above letter is addressed, was a native of Scotland and graduated at Aberdeen in 1747. He then immigrated to this country, and on being invited to take charge of the College in Philadelphia, returned to England and received orders in the church of England in December 1753. In May following he was placed at the head of the Philadelphia institution. He revisited England in 1759 when the degree of D.D. was conferred on him by the University of Oxford. After a life of much usefulness he died in Philadelphia, A.D. 1803, aged 76 years. His works in 2 v. 8vo. are in the State Library. ED. JOSEPH CHEW ESQ. TO SIR WM. JOHNSON. New London Janry 24th 1769 Dear Sir Nothing could make me so happy as to hear of your health, indeed I am Extremely impatient for this as I have not heard anything from the Hall since I left Albany. I was at New Haven last week where the General Assembly of this Colony were setting and heard Colo Dyer make his application to them for a Deed of the susquehanna Lands—in doing this he was pleased to say somethings that I knew were not true and informed several of the House of it & Could I have stayed untill he Came out should have told him so-I have since heard the Assembly did not Choose to give any Deed-One Keeny who says he has been a Missionary or Preacher, with the Indians has told many of them here that you have ordered all the dissenters out of the Indian Country and will suffer none but Church men to preach to or have any thing to say to them-Numbers of the Saints have applyed to me I informed them that I heard the Seneca and Onondaga Sachems say none of them should Come amongst them untill the Oneida's grew better & Reformed their manners. Some Gentlemen that may be depended on who I have seen within these few days from Boston Report that the People there who were such Hero's in August & Sept. last are now under the most terrible apprehensions for fear of being Called to Great Britain by virtue of a Lord Chief Justices Warrant-for Calling & meeting at a Famous Convention and other matters of the same Nature-Some Letters from London Mention that Lord George Sackvile is talk't of to succeed Mr Barnard I have sent you with the Boston papers one Published in this Town which I think a very curious one indeed I can't help being of opinion that the Resolutions of this Parliment will put a stop to many things of this sort. I have wrote two or three Letters to Colo Croghan but have not had an answer-hope my good friends in the Neighbourhood of Fort Johnson are very well also those at the Hall and beg my Respects to them-Mrs Chew presents hers to you and I offer all the good wishes in my Power for your health & Happiness and am most sincerely and Respectfully Dear Sir your most Obedt & Most Hble Servt JOS CHEW. The Honble Sir Wm Johnson Bart. Sir SIR WM. JOHNSON TO REV. DR. AUCHMUTY. Johnson Hall Jany 25th 1769. I am to thank you for your favor of the 4th Inst, and for the particulars you communicated concerning the Conduct of the Gentleman & party therein mentioned, relative to which I by the same post received some farther accounts of a personal Nature which obliged me on his lately applying for my Interest at the ensuing Election, to address him particularly on the score of the Liberties I heard he had taken, which in a letter, in Answer he denys and explains his Conduct in that matter, however I shall take the first opportunity to Let him know something more of my Mind; As to the present Election It was appointed so Suddenly by the Sheriff that it was impossible to Collect the Voters of this extensive County particularly as the roads are so bad & the Rivers impassible it being a very uncommon Season in these parts, besides I find no other persons inclined to set up, and as to my Son tho' he is very much obliged to his friends for the desire they Express in his favor, it is a Station he by no means inclines to. I imagine that the new Assembly does not promise long duration for if they take the same affair in hands I presume the Govr will be obliged to dissolve them unless these matters are settled at home in the interim. There will probably be more time given should there be another Election soon, & some persons may start up as Candidates worthy encouragemt, but I have had such long Experience of the Views and Interests of some partys amongst you, that I imagine one or two Members from hence however otherwise inclined would prove of little service as to any thing to be done in the House, particularly as to politicks, in Matters of Religion indeed, the Church of England is on so respectable a footing at New York that I hope & have reason to think it will now Succeed & that it will Extend itself and flourish, to which any Consistent endeavors of mine that might be at all deemed necessary should not be wanting. As to the person you particularly Mention he applied to me at his first entrance into the House, & as I had nothing then to urge against him, I made no Stirr, nor had he any opponents, If his Conduct since will Justify me I shall at another opportunity do what is needfull, as I have the pleasure to find that a Conduct which gives me inward satisfaction has produced me an Influence & Interest in this Country of which it is not in their power to deprive me, and of which I shall never make an ill use. HUGH GAINE TO SIR WM JOHNSON INDIAN PRAYER BOOK COMPLETED. Sir This you'll receive by Col. Croghan, who will at the same Time deliver you one of the Indian Common Prayers: Agreeable to my Promise I had them compleated by Christmass, and they are now in the Hands of the Binders, and I expect to have them ready to send up by the first Sloops that go up in the Spring. On Enquiry I found that no Books printed in the Colonies, could be sent to Great Britain, but at a very great Expence, and shall therefore endeavour to get 2 Dozen done here in Morroco, which I hope to get compleated to Satisfaction. The Bible and other Articles you wrote for shall accompany the Common Prayers. The Revd Mr Ogilvie says he must have at least half Dozen of the Common Prayers, which he intends for some of his Friends in England. What must be done in this Case? I only wait your Orders, and am Sir New-York Feb. 2, 1769. Your humble Servant CHURCHWARDENS OF SCHENECTADY TO SIR WM JOHNSON. Sir Schenectady 25th Febry 1769. On Thursday last we Recd the inclosed Letter, by which you'll understand, that all our Expectations, as to Mr Murray are at an End, you can't immagine how the Disappointment affects us, and will be attended with the Consequences of losing some part of our Congregation by their Joining the Dissenters, as they have provided themselves with a Gentleman who is much admired, And as we are at a Loss how to proceed farther for the speedy provision of a Missionary We make bold to Crave your |