Civilization of the Indian Natives / or, a Brief View of the Friendly Conduct of William Penn Towards Them in the Early Settlement of Pennsylvania

by Halliday Jackson

Nor were these all the evils that seemed to threaten their repose. They were generally represented, in war, as a ferocious, unrelenting people; and hence it was natural to conclude, that jealousies would exist among their surrounding white neighbours, and prejudices be excited, which it would be difficult to remove.

Their fears were not groundless in this respect; for soon after war was proclaimed, many of the surrounding inhabitants became very uneasy, and divers left their settlements, and removed to places more remote from the natives. This circumstance caused some alarm among the Indians. They apprehended that their sincerity and friendly dispositions were suspected; in consequence whereof, a council was held between them and their white neighbours, to endeavour to eradicate the fears and jealousies which existed between them. The result of this was, that the Indians promised to take no part in the war, and the whites agreed not to molest them in their peaceable possessions.

This conclusion, however, did not stand long, on the part of the Indians. They were called upon by the United States to engage in the contest, and to take up arms against their brethren in Canada, who were, no doubt, excited to this unnatural war, by the British government. Some of the young warriors, who had never before seen the dreadful effects of such a conflict, were anxious to try their valour, and gain themselves a name; while many of their elderly people, who retained some knowledge of former wars, were more disposed to remain quiet at home. But as it is not the design of this work to give a history of the war, in all its bearings on the Indians, it is sufficient to say, that during the period the war lasted, they were at times engaged therein by parties; and in proportion to the part they acted on this occasion, their advancement in civilization was impeded.

In the autumn of this year, two of the committee visited the settlements at Tunesassa and Cattaraugus, by whom a suitable address was sent to the Indians. But they found them in a very unsettled situation, on account of the war; and said “they could not, at present, attend to their improvements—for, look which way they would, they saw nothing but war.”

As the situation of the Friends stationed among the Indians was also trying at this period, they were left at liberty either to leave them, and return home, or to remain, as they felt best satisfied to do.

In the year 1813, although frequent alarms continued to pervade the Indians’ borders, our Friends did not apprehend it sufficient cause to abandon their residence, or to relax their endeavours to establish the Indians in a more permanent advantage from the soil. The Indians, too, appeared to have a special confidence in Friends, and often consulted them on account of their own safety, stating “that if Friends removed from them, they would become uneasy, and flee also.”

Although some of the Indians attended to their business, yet the continual alarms, and frequent calls on them to assist in the invasion of Canada, very much diverted their attention from their domestic concerns; and their war excursions had a demoralizing effect, by exposing them again to the use of intoxicating liquors, which gained an ascendency over some.

Towards the close of this season, at the time Buffalo was attacked and burned by the British, the Indians became exceedingly agitated. Those of Cattaraugus, lying more contiguous to the scene of action, moved a great part of their property to the south side of the river, in order to flee in case of an attack. The consternation that prevailed among the inhabitants generally, in that country, had a tendency to increase their fears; and probably a consciousness of their having taken up arms against their brethren in Canada, naturally created apprehensions, that, if their enemies proved victorious they would have to suffer a retaliation.

The alarm, however, subsided, as there was no attack made on them, and they were permitted to remain quiet the succeeding winter, and attend somewhat to their necessary concerns.

In the fall of 1814, the settlements were visited again by four of the committee. They arrived at Cattaraugus the thirteenth of the Ninth month, and had a council on the fifteenth with the Indians. Many of them were then absent, being engaged in the war, and more were about going. But when they heard of Friends’ arrival, they concluded to stay at home.