1. I am to shew, that it is of vast Importance, that we be in good Terms with the Natives; and that we engage them in our Interest. I freely grant, that the Indians, simply considered, are not of such great Consequence to us. We can subsist without them. But yet, their Trade is a considerable Article, worthy the Care of any politick People, and managed as it might, and ought to be, would yield us great Profit. But if we consider them with Relation to Peace and War, as attached to us, or to our Enemies, they are of the last Importance to us; for they certainly have the Ballance of Power in their Hands, and are able to turn it for or against us, according as they stand affected to us. Canada, inconsiderable as it is, and from which, separate from the Indians, we have little or nothing to fear in Time of War; Canada, I say, would be more than a Match for us, in case they join with them against us. He must be a great Stranger to, and very ignorant of, the Circumstances both of the English and Indians, who is not sensible of this. Our Circumstances are such, that we cannot guard ourselves against the Incursions of such Enemies in Time of War; for our Frontiers are of vast Extent, and border upon the adjacent Wilderness; which, tho’ almost inaccessible to us, yet is the very Element in which they delight to live. They are at Home in it. The People therefore who inhabit our Frontiers, while they follow their necessary Business, are exposed to be an easy Prey to them; and many of them have been surpriz’d in their Fields and Houses, and in a most barbarous Manner put to Death. A small Number of Indians, encouraged and supported by the French (which they are ready enough to do) can easily keep us in a constant Alarm, put us to an immense Charge, destroy many, and impoverish more, in our exposed Places, and not put themselves at all out of their Way; yea, find their Account in it; for as they live by Hunting, so where Game is most plenty they are best off: And where can they find a better Supply, than among our Cattle, Sheep, and Corn-Fields? There they live at Ease, distress and impoverish us, and the adjacent Wilderness is their Refuge. By retiring into it, they are soon out of our Reach; and long Experience has taught us how ineffectual the Measures we have taken for our Safety and Defence have proved.
Some, I am sensible, will say, let us not be at any Cost and Pains to gain the Friendship of such a perfidious Crew, but let us destroy them all. Quickly said indeed, but not so soon nor so easily effected. Those Persons who are for destroying them would doubtless soon do it, were they first bound and delivered up to them. But one Question here is, how we shall get them into our Power? And another is, Whether it would be so humane, generous and Christian-like, to take away their Lives, were that in our Power, as it would be to cultivate Friendship with them, and to seek their best Good? If we should be so sanguine as to endeavour to destroy them, it would doubtless prove a vain Attempt; and serve only to drive them to the French, who would be very ready to receive and protect them. If we neglect them, and take no Measures to engage them in our Interest, or to cultivate Friendship with them, this will probably render them indifferent to us, and dispose them to hearken to the enticing Insinuations of Romish Emissaries; and our Situation must be very unhappy, when they become engaged in the French Interest.
If it be objected, that the French have already gained a large Number of Indians to their Interest, and therefore if we use our best Endeavours to gain others, it will avail nothing; for those who are devoted to the French, will nevertheless distress us in Time of War. I reply,
It is very true, that the French of Canada, thro’ their Policy and Vigilance, have taken the Advantage of our Neglect, and gained a large Number of the Natives to their Interest, and are gaining more and more every Year; and some even from among our own Indians. They spare neither Cost nor Pains to accomplish their Designs of this Nature, being sensible enough how advantageous it is to them, and how injurious to us; and if they continue to be active, and we negligent, as in Times past, is it not too probable that they will, in a little Time, attach to themselves all the Indians in North-America? Does it not then concern us to use proper and vigorous Endeavours to prevent this apparent Mischief, by counter-working the French? who are, I suppose, tampering with all the Tribes of North-America, to engage them in their Interest. And should we succeed in our Endeavours (as it is highly probable we might, if proper Steps were taken) so as to engage the Five Nations, and some other Tribes, in hearty Friendship with us; and especially if we should bestow such Favours upon them, as would induce them to settle upon our Frontiers; it would in all Probability prevent the Evil spoken of in the Objection; for the Indians from Canada would not molest us, if a Number of the Natives, in hearty Friendship with us, were placed in our Borders. Of this we have had a very plain Proof the last War, in the Safety of Stockbridge, and the adjacent Places, from any Attempts of the Enemy from Canada.
Stockbridge is in the very Road of, and more exposed to, the Indians from Canada, than any other Place whatever; and yet we see that the Enemy turned off East to Connecticut-River, and West to the Dutch Settlements, where they did much Mischief; while Stockbridge, Sheffield, New-Marlborough, and Number One, tho’ more exposed, were not molested. This, so far as we can discern, was owing to a small Number of Indians dwelling at Stockbridge, who are our hearty and fast Friends; which the Enemy being sensible of, cared not to come within their Reach, lest they should be taken in their own Snare. And if we should encourage the Settlement of other Indian Towns upon our Frontiers, where Hunting is most handy to them, as Stockbridge has been encouraged; should we give them Townships of Land suitable for their Improvement, build a Meeting-House and School-House in each Town, and support Ministers and School-Masters in them; would not this convince them that we are their true Friends, and seek their Good? Would it not induce them to settle in our Borders? especially those of them who are desirous that they themselves and their Children should be instructed? Would they not be a Guard to us in Time of War? And if, after all, we should meet with some Trouble from the Indians of Canada, might it not be effectually prevented, by playing our Indians upon them, as they do theirs upon us? And would not the Charge of all this be a Trifle, compared with that of defending ourselves in Time of War? But if we neglect them, and take no Measures to cultivate Friendship with them, and especially if we deal injuriously by them, shall we not put an Advantage into the Hands of the French (which they will not fail of improving) to engage them in their Interest, and to employ them against us in Time of War? which would prove a very great Calamity to us, if not our utter Ruin. These Things considered, is it not of very great Importance, that we be at good Terms with the neighbouring Natives?
2. I will, in the next Place, endeavour to shew what are the likely Methods to bring this to pass: Or what Measures we must take with the Indians, if we would engage them in hearty Friendship with us.
And here, in general, our Conduct towards them must be such as shall make them sensible that we are indeed their hearty Friends; and such also as shall convince them that it is their Interest and Advantage to be in Friendship with us. Nothing short of this, I apprehend, will attach them to us, so as to answer the Ends proposed. If we often treat with them, renew the Friendship, and bestow upon them large Presents: Or, as they phrase it, Smoke together, brighten the Chain, or put the Brands together, to kindle up the former Fire; and yet leave Room for them to suppose that this proceeds not from true Friendship, but rather from Fear of them, or from Suspicion that they will join with our Enemies, &c. this will never be sufficient to engage them; the utmost we can rationally expect from it is, that they will not openly break with us, but keep up a Shew of Friendship, that they may have the Benefit of future Presents at our Hands.
Again, if we should by any Means convince them that we are their true Friends, and yet not go into such Measures with them as should turn to their Advantage, they would hardly be engaged for us. As all other People are governed by Interest, so are they. And the principal Handle we can take hold of, to attach them to us by, is their Interest, and that would not fail of doing it. If a Tribe of Indians can sell their Skins to us for Twenty Shillings, and buy their Blankets for Ten Shillings; they will never go to Canada where they must sell their Skins for Ten Shillings, and give Twenty Shillings for a Blanket. Convince them that it is much for their Interest and Advantage to be our Friends and Allies, and we need not fear but that they will be so. Now, in order to convince them that we are truly their Friends, and that it is their Interest to be ours, we must,
In the first Place, treat them according to the Rules of Equity and Justice. We must not defraud and oppress them, but be honest and just in our Dealings with them.
The Natives, with whom we have to do, are Persons of so much Sagacity, that they can distinguish between just and injurious Treatment, as well as other Men. They are also as ready to resent, and perhaps more forward to revenge Injuries, than any other People under Heaven. If therefore we treat them in an unjust Manner, we may rationally expect that they will be so far from being our Friends, that they will join with our Enemies, and seek Opportunities of Revenge.