visits are as follows—­To one house, one visit in one year—­to another, two visits in five years—­to another one in seven—­and to many, none at all. (We would here remark that Mr. Fish has not improved, but rather lost ground; for history informs us that such was the anxiety of the whites, that it was thought best to visit the Indians twice in one year, and preach to them, so as to save them.)

3d.  We think that twenty years are long enough for one trial.  Another reason is that you and the people think that we are benefited by that fund, or money paid to him for preaching to the Indians—­and we are not.  White people are his visitors and hearers.  We would remark here that we have no objection to worship with our white neighbors, provided they come as they ought to come, and not as thieves and robbers, and we would ask all the world if the Marshpee Indians have not been robbed of their rights.  We wonder how the good citizens of Boston, or any town would like to have the Indians send them a preacher and force him into the pulpit and then send other Indians to crowd the whites out of their own meeting house and not pay one cent for it.  Do you think the white men would like it?  We trow, not; and we hope others will consider, while they read our distressing tale.  It will be perceived that we have no objection if hundreds of other nations visit our meeting house.  We only want fair play; for we have had foul play enough.

4th.  We do not believe but that we have as good a right to the table of the Lord as others.  We are kept back to the last, merely because our skins are not so white as the whites’, and we know of no scriptures that justify him in so doing. (The writer would here observe, that he wonders any person guilty of a dark skin will submit to such unchristian usage, especially as the minister is as willing to shear his black sheep as his white ones.  This being the case, ought he not to pay as much regard to them?  Should he turn them loose to shift for themselves, at the risk of losing them?)

5th.  We never were consulted as to his settlement over us, as a people.  We never gave our vote or voice, as a tribe, and we fully believe that we are capable of choosing for ourselves and have the right to do so, and we would now say to you, that we have made choice of the Rev. Wm. Apes, of the Pequod tribe, and have adopted him as one of ours, and shall hear him preach, in preference to the missionary, and we should like to have him aided, if you can do it.  If not, we cannot help it—­he is ours—­he is ours.

Perhaps you have heard of the oppression of the Cherokees and lamented over them much, and thought the Georgians were hard and cruel creatures; but did you ever hear of the poor, oppressed and degraded Marshpee Indians in Massachusetts, and lament over them?  If not, you hear now, and we have made choice of the Rev. Wm. Apes to relieve us, and we hope that you will assist him.  And if the above complaints and reasons, and the following resolutions, will be satisfactory, we shall be glad, and rejoice that you comply with our request.

    Resolved, That we will rule our own tribe and make choice of
    whom we please for our preacher.