We also beg leave to remind your Honors that our fathers shed their blood for liberty, and we their children have had but little benefit from it.  When a continental regiment of four hundred men were raised in Barnstable county, in 1777, twenty-seven Marshpee Indians enlisted for the whole war.  They fought through the war, and not one survives.  After the war our fathers had sixty widows left on the Plantation, whose husbands had died or been slain.  We have but one man living who draws a pension, and not a widow.  We pray you, therefore, to allow to Marshpee, out of the School Fund, a larger amount in proportion than is allowed to other towns and districts who have had better means of education, and to allow us a certain sum per year—­and as in duty bound, will ever pray.

        EZRA ATTAQUIN, :  Selectmen and School
        ISAAC COOMBS, :  Committee of Marshpee
        ISRAEL AMOS, :  District.

* * * * *

    To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives in
    General Court assembled: 

The undersigned beg leave to represent in aid of the petition of the Selectmen and School Committee of the District of Marshpee, praying for a specific appropriation from the School Fund for the support of public schools in said district, that we are acquainted with the facts set forth in said petition, and believe that the cause of education could no where be more promoted in any District in the Commonwealth than by making a specific annual allowance to said Marshpee District.  The Legislature have made a specific annual appropriation of fifty dollars to the Indians on Martha’s Vineyard for public schools, and the undersigned are of opinion, that an annual appropriation of double that amount, would be no more than a fair relative proportion for the District of Marshpee.  It is highly important that the District should be able to employ competent white teachers, until they can find a sufficient number of good teachers among themselves, which cannot be expected until they have enjoyed greater means of education than heretofore.  The undersigned therefore pray that the petition of said Selectmen may be granted, by giving a specific annual allowance to said District.

        BENJ.  F. HALLETT, Counsel for the Marshpee Indians. 
        CHARLES MARSTON, Commissioner of Marshpee.

Here it will be seen that the missionary for the Indians on Martha’s Vineyard, did not go to sleep over his flock, or run after others and neglect what ought to be his own fold, as did the missionary, Mr. Fish, whom Harvard College sent to the Marshpees, and pays for preaching to white men.  Mr. Bayley, the white missionary on the Vineyard, as I understand, took pains to send a petition to Boston, and he got fifty dollars a year for our brethren there, of which we