Select Item below to DOWNLOAD - Once item is selected, right click and choose 'save as'
336c653a-3d84-4dcc-aee7-4a4ab9f9a179
Thomas Foster to Charles Sumner, 16 December 1873
Printed document from Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Affairs
[First page: Printed letter from Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Affairs, Washington, June 6, 1873, to Dr. Thomas Foster of Minnesota, regarding "Instructions to Special Agent for the Collection of 'Statistics and Historical Data Respecting the Indians of the United States.'"]
[Letter written on Department of the Interior Office of Indian Affairs stationery, letterhead Historiographer’s Desk, Office of Indian Affairs.]
To Hon Charles Sumner of Massachusetts
Washington, Dec 16, 1873.
Sir:
I experienced much pleasure in my return from a trip amongst the Indian tribes of the Upper Missouri, (whom I visited in my capacity of “Special Agent for the Collection of Statistics and Historical Data respecting the Indians of the United States”.) to find on my table a letter form you (dated “Cotuit. Mass. 16th Sept /73”) acknowledging the receipt of my articles on the Early History of Arkansas, the pretext for them being an examination of the rather trivial (?) question whether the name of the State was “Arkansas” or Arkansaw”? I had but a few extra copies by me of the article, which I had secured for immediate friends; but I sent one to Charles Dummer on general principles, that as a literary man as well as Statesman, he wd probably like to peruse them. That he did so gratifies me, and that he thought fit to specially write me his approbation of them honors me while adding to my pleasure.
In my recent trip up the Missouri, I secured, by patient labor, Indian Vocabularies upon a more precise [seplain] of alphabetic notation than ever before attempted, and I think my forthcoming of Report (through the Indian Bureau) in Congress will he deemed the most scientific ever presented on the subject - that is of the [comedin] definition of [p. 2] Science be, “through knowledge systematically arranged”
The intention is, as you may be aware, to eventually group these Annual Reports to Congress (if Congress sees fit to have them continued.) in a “National Encyclopedia of Indian Affairs”, to serve as a readily accessible and reliable aid to governmental affairs in dealing with them, and also to serve as a Memorial of the Race when they have ceased to exist as Indians.
I should like very much to interest you in the project and [eslutrit] to you some of my work (as the Vocabularies, etc) at such time as I might receive notice would be acceptable to you for me to call upon you, with them.
If this opportunity of carrying on this work is not now seized by Congress, it may be long before another person will be found qualified like myself to carry it on, by a 25 years special apprenticeship on the frontiers, and by actual residence amongst several Indian tribes. Senator Ramsey is my friend, who has known me intimately for 30 years, and can testify to you as to my qualifications, etc.
Trusting to hear from you, as to when you will be at leisure to receive me.
I am, Yours Very Respectfully,
Thomas Foster
At
No 1219 “F” St. N.W.
Washington, DC.
[On back in pencil:] What say you to this? Please return.
C.S.
To Hon Charles Sumner of Massachusetts
Washington, Dec 16, 1873.
Sir:
I experienced much pleasure in my return from a trip amongst the Indian tribes of the Upper Missouri, (whom I visited in my capacity of “Special Agent for the Collection of Statistics and Historical Data respecting the Indians of the United States”.) to find on my table a letter form you (dated “Cotuit. Mass. 16th Sept /73”) acknowledging the receipt of my articles on the Early History of Arkansas, the pretext for them being an examination of the rather trivial (?) question whether the name of the State was “Arkansas” or Arkansaw”? I had but a few extra copies by me of the article, which I had secured for immediate friends; but I sent one to Charles Dummer on general principles, that as a literary man as well as Statesman, he wd probably like to peruse them. That he did so gratifies me, and that he thought fit to specially write me his approbation of them honors me while adding to my pleasure.
In my recent trip up the Missouri, I secured, by patient labor, Indian Vocabularies upon a more precise [seplain] of alphabetic notation than ever before attempted, and I think my forthcoming of Report (through the Indian Bureau) in Congress will he deemed the most scientific ever presented on the subject - that is of the [comedin] definition of [p. 2] Science be, “through knowledge systematically arranged”
The intention is, as you may be aware, to eventually group these Annual Reports to Congress (if Congress sees fit to have them continued.) in a “National Encyclopedia of Indian Affairs”, to serve as a readily accessible and reliable aid to governmental affairs in dealing with them, and also to serve as a Memorial of the Race when they have ceased to exist as Indians.
I should like very much to interest you in the project and [eslutrit] to you some of my work (as the Vocabularies, etc) at such time as I might receive notice would be acceptable to you for me to call upon you, with them.
If this opportunity of carrying on this work is not now seized by Congress, it may be long before another person will be found qualified like myself to carry it on, by a 25 years special apprenticeship on the frontiers, and by actual residence amongst several Indian tribes. Senator Ramsey is my friend, who has known me intimately for 30 years, and can testify to you as to my qualifications, etc.
Trusting to hear from you, as to when you will be at leisure to receive me.
I am, Yours Very Respectfully,
Thomas Foster
At
No 1219 “F” St. N.W.
Washington, DC.
[On back in pencil:] What say you to this? Please return.
C.S.
Archives Number: 1002/9.3-159#035
U. S. National Park Service
Permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this website.
Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site; Archives Number 1002/9.3-159#035
Public domain
Collected Materials (1002/009), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Miscellaneous Famous People (1002/009.003), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Sumner, Charles (1811-1874) Papers, 1837-1870 (1002/009.003-159), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Miscellaneous Famous People (1002/009.003), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Sumner, Charles (1811-1874) Papers, 1837-1870 (1002/009.003-159), (LONG-FileUnitName)
Image
Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Code: LONG
Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
Title: Finding Aid to the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Dana (1881-1950) Papers, 1744-1972 (bulk dated: 1850-1950)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#HWLD
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#HWLD
2022/12/20
12/16/1873
Manuscript letter in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Dana Papers, Series IX. Collected Materials, C. Miscellaneous Famous People. (1002/9.3-159#035)
Public Can View
Organization: Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
Tuesday, February 20, 2024 11:19:17 PM
Tuesday, February 20, 2024 11:19:17 PM
1002-9-3-159 067.jpg
jpg
3.0 MB
Historic