over without bringing forward facts which I felt no capacity to manage, without giving offence to one whom I had every reason to regard as a friend.  Brant had been the scourge of my native State during all the long and bloody war of the Revolution; and his enormities had the less excuse to be plastered over on account of his having received a Christian education, and speaking and writing his own language.  He was doubtless a man much above his red brethren generally, for mental conception and boldness.  It is true, I had heard all the terrific details of his cruelties from the lips of my father, who was an actor in the scenes described, at an age when impressions sink deep.  But I had outlived my youthful impressions, and felt disposed to regard him as one of the most celebrated individuals of his race, which race I had learned to regard as one of the peculiar types of mankind.  But I thought it injudicious to lay the story of the Revolution on his shoulders—­with the real causes of which his life had about as much to do as the fly on the wagon-wheel, in turning it.  I therefore on broad grounds declined it.

The establishment of the University of Michigan and its branches over the State, now excited considerable attention, and I began to receive letters from various quarters on the subject.  “At a meeting of the people of this county (Kalamazoo),” says A. Edwards, Esq., “very advantageous offers were made to the Board, in case it was by them deemed proper to establish here one of the two branches contemplated within the senatorial district.”

Mr. Daniel B. Woods, Dorchester, Mass., writes me respecting an article for the “Christian Keepsake,” which has passed to the hands of the Rev. Mr. Clark, of Philadelphia.

25th.  Letters were received to-day from the Secretaries of the Presbyterian, and from the Methodist Boards of Missions at New York, proposing the establishment of missions for the Ottawas and Chippewas, under the fourth article of the treaty of 1836.  I advised Mr. Lowry, the organ of the former, and also the Methodist Society, to select positions south of this island in Lake Michigan.

27th.  The first snow falls for the season.

30th.  The chiefs of the Ottawas at L’Arbre Croche request that I would procure and send them vaccine matter, having heard that the small-pox existed at Grand River, and at Maskigo,

An Ottawa Indian, called Mis-kweiu-wauk (Red Cedar) brought a counterfeit half dollar, saying that he had received it at the payments, from Major Garland.  It seemed to me that such was not the fact, but that he had been sent by some saucy fellow.  But I thought prudent to give him a good half dollar in its place.

Nov. 4th.  Information was received, that a strong party of Boisbrules and Indians, who went west from Red River early in the fall, to hunt the buffalo agreeably to their custom, were met and attacked by the Gros Venters and Sioux of the plains, and one hundred of their number killed in the affray.