From John Jay to Samuel Worcester, 27 February 1821
To Samuel Worcester
Bedford—WChester County—NYork—27 Feby. 1821—
Revd. Sir
I have recd. and thank you for the Copy of Mr. J. Pickerings Essay relative to the Indian Languages of North America, which you was so obliging as to send to me.1 Altho it is a Subject which had engaged but little of my attention, yet the name of the Author and an Impression that he was the Son of Col. Pickering, induced me to read it with more Interest than I should otherwise have done. There are many things in it of which I am not a competent Judge, but there are others which I think denote Talent and judicious Investigation—
I have also recd. a Copy of Mr. Quincys address to the Peace Society, for which I presume I am indebted to you—2 That address appears to me to place the Objects of the Society within proper Limitations; and to indicate the means best calculated to promote the Attainmt. of them. His Remarks on standing armies are in my opinion just to a certain Extent— Forts for the Security of our Harbours &c. should I think be garrisoned by regular Troops under skilful officers— I presume also that I am indebted to you for the 11th. annual Report of the Commissioners for foreign Missions— for a Pamphlet entitled “view of the Missions &c.[”] and also for the Missionary Herald of Jany 1821— These Papers are rendered interesting by the benevolent Transactions to which they relate—3
Charitable Institutions have of late years been so multiplied, as that sundry of their Patrons now divide among many, what they had before allotted to a few— There is also Reason to apprehend that voluntary Contributions, even for such purposes, will be affected by the prevailing Depression of the Means which afford them. These Considerations however should not discourage those who manage the affairs of these Institutions; but they should excite more than ordinary Care that the amount of Expenditures does not exceed a reasonable and probable Prospect of adequate Supplies—
The School “for the Education in our own Country of Heathen Youth” is in my opinion an excellent Institution;4 and much good will I am persuaded result from it.
I percieve from one of the Pamphlets, that you have an agent in the City of NYork vizt Mr. John Sayre.5 I shall desire my Son to add my name to his Subscription List, for the annual paymt. of twenty Dollars, for the Benefit of that School— I am Revd. Sir your obliged & obt. Servt
The Revd. Doctr Samuel Worcester Salem—Massachusetts—
Dft, NNC (EJ: 08775). Samuel Worcester (1770–1821), minister and brother of Noah Worcester.
1. John Pickering, “On the adoption of a uniform orthography for the Indian languages of North America,” Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 4 (1818), 319–60.
2. Josiah Quincy, “Address delivered at the fifth Anniversary of the Massachusetts Peace Society, December 25th, 1820” (Cambridge, Mass., 1821).
3. American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Report of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (Boston, 1820); View of the Missions, Funds, Expenditures and Prospects of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (Boston, 1820); and Missionary Herald 1 (Boston, 1821–1934).
4. The quoted language is from the constitution of the Foreign Mission School established in 1816. See American Board of Commissioners, The American Missionary Register, 1 (1820), 261.
5. See JJ to PAJ, 5 Nov. 1816, note, above.