REV. DR. COLMAN* TO REV. ELIPHALET ADAMS. A Coppy of a Parragraph of a Letter Sent by D'. Coleman of Boston to Mr Adams of New London. Mr Mason+ and Barber hath been down here this ten days, and Mr Prince has been all this while Getting Ready some Accot of the Moheags to be read to the Commiss., I think this afternoon. I am not like to be among them, being under a Great Cold, almost Choaked with my Catar last Night, and what they will do upon hearing Mr Mason I am not able to guess. The Complaint I fear will fall heavy at Last upon Your Colony, for the Injury done the Indians in their Laws. I have as high a Resentment of such Injustice as any one, and Againe am as loath to apply home in any complaint for a Relief to the poor Natives, alwais friendly and faithfull to us, never to be Enough Acknowledged by us. We have complained to Your Gov'm' in Vaine. I know nothing more threatening to your charter than a wrong of this Nature, well proved, but what heart or hand can I willingly have Rev. Benjamin Colman was born in Boston, Oct. 19, 1673; Harvard College, 1692; after graduation he spent several years in England, and on returning in 1699 became pastor of the Brattle Street Church. This church had its origin in the dissatisfaction with some of the prevailing usages of the churches in New England, and Mr. Colman received ordination from the Presbytery in London before sailing. Mr. Adams was employed as Mr. Colman's assistant from 1701 to 1703. He was a Fellow of Harvard, and obtained much foreign patronage for the college. He was one of the most popular preachers of his day, was frequently employed in civil affairs, and was one of the Commissioners for New England of the Society for Propagating the Gospel in New England. He died Aug. 20, 1747. — Annals of the American Pulpit, I. 223-29. +"Nov. II, 1735. A Memorial of Cap: John Mason read, Setting forth the encroachments by the English on the Lands belonging to the Mohegan Indians, & showing that notwithstanding the judgment of a Court of Comis: authorised by the Late Queen Anne & his repeated Application to the General Court of Connecticut Colony he can have no Redress. Wherefore he is necessitated to pray the Advice & Assistance of the Commis: in the affair, Voted, That the Treasurer be directed to prepare a Letter to Gov Talcot to be laid before the Commiss at their next meeting." MS. Minutes, &c. in a piece of Justice which may bring on you so heavy a Revenge. What would it be it be for Your Province to do the Indians Right, and bear the loss among them. I beseech you beg Your Rulers to Consider on it, and that timely. NOVR 10th, 1735. The Above is a True Coppy. Test John Richards. [Indorsed in Gov. Talcott's hand-writing] Copy Paragh of Doct' Coleman's to Mr Adams of N. London, Novem 10th 1735. GOVERNOR TALCOTT TO GOVERNOR BELCHER OF MASSACHUSETTS. May it please Your Excellency: The general interest of this Colony having been lately very much deposited in your hands, and the tender regard you had to it while it was so, and the often repeated assurances I have had from you of your great readiness and chearfulness to serve us in everything possible to you, emboldens me to address myself to you at this time, in an affair that threatens to give us disturbance. Capt John Mason, Schoolmaster to the Moheagen Indians, his Ancestors obtained from Uncass under Distress, and Owanaco in Drink, four Deeds of all the Indian lands, saving that for planting, &c., by which he has formerly been very troublesome to this Colony, and a great disservice to the Indians. Of late I have heard nothing of it, till now Ben Uncase the present Sachem complains to me that he is now upon the same design, and after some attempts upon the said Sachem to grow uneasy with and complain of the Govt here, in which the said Sachem would not join with him, but told him he was well satisfyed, Capt Mason is gone to Boston, and preparing himself for Great Britain, to enter a Complaint in the name of the Indians against this Colony, that they have wronged the Indians in their lands; and for as much as the said Sachem and his people are against him in that design, Capt Mason is making a tool of one Mahomett, that is of the family of Owanaco,* to serve his purpose, and designs to carry Mahomett with him to Great Britain, as the Sachem of said Indians. This, if not prevented, may prove of mischievous consequence, for there have been three succeeding Sachems of the Moheags solemnly installed by the Indians, and approved of by our Assembly,t contrary to the pretensions of Capt Mason about this Mahomett, and Ben Uncass the present Sachem is now in the full possession of the Government, and has the hearts of his people. If Cap. Mason should any ways prevail to make any alterations [in] their Government, it would undoubtedly produce much hatred and many murthers amongst them and hinder and divert them in their present inclinations to receive the truth as it is in Jesus. The Cap''s designs have been carryed on so privately that I have but just now any acct of them, and how his design is laid is yet much in the dark with us; but that he has such a design is very obvious. I would therefore entreat you to enquire into it at Boston, and use your endeavor to prevent it. This will give us a fresh testimony of your respect for us, and be a good discharge of the trust reposed in you by the Society for Propagating the Gospell. I have wrote more * Mahomet, or Mamohet, was the son of Mamohet, son of Oweneco, who died before his father. - Gov. Talcott's letter to Francis Wilks, Feb. 17, 1735-6, Page 336. DeForest's History of the Indians of Connecticut, 315. + Cæsar, the youngest son of Oweneco; Major Ben Uncas, youngest brother of Oweneco, and illegitimate son of the great Uncas; Ben Uncas, son of Major Ben Uncas. — Colonial Records, VI. 409, 428 ; V'II. 75. largely to D' Coleman; therefore shall not need further to enlarge, but that I am Yr Excellency's Most Humble and Obedient Serv1. J. TALCOTT. To His Excellency, Jonth Belcher, Esq', Gov', &c., JanTM 5th, 1735. GOVERNOR BELCHER OF MASSACHUSETTS TO GOV ERNOR TALCOTT. Honoble Sir: My last was 20th of October, Express to New Haven, and in answer to yours of 29th Sept', making mention of sending your Plates, &ca, for the better convicting those, that this Governm1 have taken up for counterfieting your Bills of Credit, and my communicating of your letter to his Majesty's Council was the occasion of the Express that went to you: the Government here was therefore the more surpriz'd at the answer they reciev'd, and our Judges are very doubtful whether the persons will be convicted, and from the want of what you mention'd in your letter, as above. I am now, Sir, to own your favour of the 5th currant, which came to my hands the 9th, P Whiting, respecting the affair of Capta John Mason, Schoolmaster to the Mohegan Indians, who was here some time since, and brought the Indian you mention to my house, and then talk'd of taking a voyage to Great Britain, and to carry that man with him. What he principally said to me was, that the Indians had been greatly wrong'd of their lands, and that he had expended on that accott 6 or 700 £., which he thought he ought to be reimburst. I had then a pretty deal of business on my hands, and so did not make any great inquiry about the matter, and the less, because he said he intended to be down again in a little time. I now take a particular notice of all your Honour says in your letter to me on this affair, and which I have communicated to Col°. Winthrop and to Dr Colman, and so have they to me what you wrote and sent to them, and to which you have their answers herewith; and our present thoughts are, to ask of Capta Mason, (when he comes) the State of his Case in writing, if he should advise with any of us in the matter. And as we have got yours already (in behalf of the Colony) we may then be better able to make a judgment, and to talk with Capt Mason, who I think won't presume to go for England without coming to the Commissioners for letters, &ca, and I believe you may most assuredly depend, he will have no countenance from us in any attempt, that may carry the least face of injustice to the Colony, or to the Indians. After he comes hither, we may be able to write you more particularly, and in the meantime I remain, with much Respect to yourself, and to all the Gentlemen of your Government, Sir, BOSTON, Your Honour's (and Their) Most Faithful Friend and Servant, Gov TALCOTT. GOVERNOR TALCOTT TO GOVERNOR BELCHER OF MASSACHUSETTS. May it Please Your Excellency: I have just now the favor of yours of Jan's 12th, 1732, noted the contents, and am assured by your Excellency that Capt Mason will have no encouragement from the Commissioners in any attempts that may carry the least face of injustice towards the Colony, or the Indians. And as to what you write respecting his former discourse with you, of his being at 6 or 700 £ cost in defence of the Indian rights, |