Samuel Lightfoot's letter to friends at Opeccon

              To Friends living in Opeccon
Dear Friends
Upon being inform'd how matters Succeeded with General Forbes
Israel Pemberton who was possess'd of a large quantity of Indian Goods
concluded that such goods would immediately be wanted to the westward either
for Trade or to give as a Present to the Indians and therefore sent them to 
Susquehanna as soon as they could be conveyed thither and afterward imployed
me to take some care about geting[sic] them forwarded to where they might be deli-
vered to the Indians and went himself to meet the General who tho he much
approved of Israel's conduct yet did not resolve to order the Goods immediately 
forward and they are therefore lodged in Stores at Fort Frederick and I am desir'd
by Israel to come over and see you and inform my Self whether you could 
furnish waggons or Pack-horses which ever might be judged most proper to
use in conveying the Goods to the proper place when the General's pleasure
may be known respecting them for which he is willing to pay you the full
value unless you upon considering the matter should be willing to contribute so
much towards a work in which many of our Society have spent much time 
and treasure tho' their so doing subjected them to many difficulties and hard
censures for a time. He also desireth that I would propose to you to collect 
a quanitity of Indian corn at some place from whence it might readily 
be conveyed back and given to the Indians as a present from you with a 
proper speech to inform them whom gave it and what ever else might in pru-
dence be said to them in order to excite them to be at peace and exchange 
mutual good offices with the English as heretofore.
In order to perform this part of my business I came here &
went to some of your houses but perceiving that manner of seeing you was
attended with some disappointment and that it did not seem proper for me
to wait so long as as 'till you weekday meeting I thought this method of
addressing you might in some measure answer the ended intended And I do
desire you may consider of the above and inform me by writing or otherwise 
how far you are willing and able to be active therein.
It will also be necessary for as many of you as can to attend in person
at any conference with the Indians that may hereafter be procured especially
when you deliver any present to them.
The expediency of these things I believe you are so well satisfied of that
I need not say anything to enforce it for I suppose many of you are well-
inform'd that had it not been for the intervention mediation and assiduous