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P. E. THOMAS TO WORTHINGTON

Baltimore 11 Mo. 26 1811

Esteemed friend

Enclosed I forward to thee a Pittsburgh News Paper, which notices the arrest & imprisonment of one of the persons who lately kidnaped and carryed off a family of Black people from the State of Delaware. This is one instance of the existence of this trade -- I will continue to hand thee further proofs

I called to day to see thy little daughters and found then both well, but they appear quite low spirited, I wishes to engage them to spend the evening with us, but was informed by the Mistress that this evening they would take lessons in music, and would be at liberty tomorrow evening to come. I intend therefore to go for them tomorrow, and I have no doubt but in a very little time when they will have formed some acquaintances here, and become more familiarised to our city they will recover their usual cheerfulness and be altogether reconciled to their situation - We shall do every thing in our power to make their time agreeable, and I shall tell they mistress to let them come to see us, as often they may wish, I wish thee would also give her the same direction: and as they will not be engaged on First days (sundays) in their studies, if it will add any thing to their comfort or meet thy wishes we shall be very much pleased to have their company regularly on that day of the week

I regret very much the melancholy consequences of the late, military operations to the westward -- I have not a shadow of doubt but a different course towards the poor deluded wretches who had collected upon the Wabash might have saved the eff- usion of the blood already spilt. At present it is impossible to calculate the issue of this unhappy affair, but I greatly fear a general system of retaliation may be adopted which will probably terminate in the total destruction of the Indians, and the loss of many innocent inhabitants on our own frontier

I am very sincerely thy real friend

P. E. Thomas

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