TO THE HONOURABLE GENERAL OGLETHORP E. SIR, HE Indian Affairs have ever Tappeared appeared to your your Judgment of fuch Importance to the Welfare of our own People, that you have ever carefully applied your Thoughts to them; and that with fuch Success, that not only the prefent Generation will enjoy the Benefit of your Care, but our latest Pofterity bless your Memory for that Happiness, the Foundation of which was laid under your Care, provided that the People here, whose Duty Duty and Interest is chiefly concerned, do on their own Parts fecond your Endeavours, towards fecuring the Peace, and advancing the Profperity of their Country. The following Account of the Five Indian Nations will fhew what dangerous Neighbours the Indians have once been; what Pains a neighbouring Colony (whofe Intereft is oppofite to ours) has taken to withdraw their Affections from us; and how much we ought to be on our Guard. If we only confider the Riches which our Enemies receive from the Indian Trade (though we were under no Apprehenfions from the Indians themfelves) it would be highly imprudent in us to fuffer fuch People to grow Rich and Powerful, while it is in our Power to prevent it, with much lefs Charge and Trouble, than it is in theirs to accomplish their Designs. Thefe Thefe Confiderations alone are fufficient to make the Indian Affairs deserve the most serious Thoughts of every Governor in America. But I well know, befides; that your Excellency's Views are not confined to the Intereft of one Country only. The Five Nations are a poor and, generally called, barbarous People, bred under the darkeft Ignorance; and yet a bright and noble Genius fhines through thefe black Clouds. None of the greatest Roman Heroes have discovered a greater Love to their Country, or a greater Contempt of Death, than these People called Barbarians have done, when Liberty came in Competition. Indeed, I think our Indians have outdone the Romans in this Particular; fome of the greatest of thofe have we know murdered themfelves a felves to avoid Shame or Torments; but our Indians have refused to die meanly, or with but little Pain, when they thought their Country's Honour would be at Stake by it *; but have given their Bodies, willingly, to the moft cruel Torments of their Enemies, to fhew, as they faid, that the Five Nations confifted of Men, whose Courage and Resolution could not be fhaken. They greatly fully, however, thofe noble Virtues, by that cruel Paffion, Revenge; this they think it not only lawful, but honourable, to exert without Mercy on their Country's Enemies, and for this only it is that they can deferve the Name of Barbarians. But what, alas! Sir, have we Christians done to make them better? We have indeed Reason to be ashamed, that This will appear by feveral Inftances in the Second Part of this Hiftory. thefe |