When Mr. Hutchinson's history of Massachusetts bay first appeared, one of the most common criticisms upon it, was the slight, cold and unfeeling manner in which he passed over the Indian wars. I have heard gentlemen the best informed in the history of the country, say, "he had no sympathy for the sufferings of his ancestors," "otherwise he could not have winked out of sight, one of the most important, most affecting, afflicting and distressing branches of the history of his country."
There is somewhere in existence, as I hope and believe, a manuscript history of Indian wars, written by the Rev. Samuel Niles of Braintree. Almost sixty years ago, I was an humble acquaintance of this venerable clergyman, then, as I believe more than four score years of age. He asked me many questions, and informed me, in his own house, that he was endeavouring to recollect and commit to writing an history of Indian wars, in his own time, and before it, as far as he could collect information. This history he completed and prepared for the press: but no printer would undertake it, or venture to propose a subscription for its publication. Since my return from Europe, I enquired of his oldest son, the Hon. Samuel Niles of Braintree, on a visit he made me at my own house, what was become of that manuscript? He laughed, and said it was still safe in the till of a certain trunk; but no encouragement had ever appeared for its publication. Ye liberal christians! Laugh not at me, nor frown upon me, for thus reviving the memory of your once formidable enemy. I was then no more of a disciple of his theological science than ye are now. But I then revered and still revere the honest, virtuous and pious man. Fas est et ab hoste doceri. And his memorial of facts might be of great value to this country.
What infinite pains have been taken and expenses incurred in treaties, presents, stipulated sums of money, instruments of agriculture, education? What dangerous and unwearied labours to convert the poor ignorant savages to christianity? And alas! with how little success? The Indians are as bigotted to their religion as the Mahometans are to their Koran, the Hindoos to their Shaster, the Chinese to Confucius, the Romans to their Saints and Angels, or the Jews to Moses and the Prophets. It is a principle of religion, at bottom, which inspires the Indians with such an invincible aversion both to civilization and Christianity. The same principle has excited their perpetual hostilities against the colonists and the independent Americans.
If the English nation, their parliaments and all their kings have appeared to be totally ignorant of all these things, or at least to have vouchsafed no consideration upon them; if we, good patriotic Americans have forgotten them, Mr. Otis had not. He enlarged on the merit of our ancestors in undertaking so perilous, arduous, and almost desperate an enterprize, in disforresting bare creation; in conciliating and necessarily contending with Indian natives; in purchasing rather than conquering a quarter of the globe at their own expense, at the sweat of their own brows; at the hazard and sacrifice of their own lives; without the smallest aid, assistance or comfort from the government of England, or from England itself as a nation. On the contrary, constant jealousy, envy, intrigue against their charter, their religion and all their privileges. Laud, the pious tyrant dreaded them, as he foresaw they would overthrow his religion.
Mr. Otis reproached the nation, parliaments and kings with injustice, ungenerosity, ingratitude, cruelty and perfidy in all their conduct towards this country, in a style of oratory that I never heard equalled in this or any other country.
JOHN ADAMS.
FOOTNOTES
[1] One of the Regiments then in Boston.—Note by the Publishers.
[2] Salus populi, was the motto of one of his essays.