part12-第8章

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people　in　their　government；　and　thus　to　proceed　in　the　drudgery　of

removal　farther　than　would　have　been；　had　not　their　own　hostile

enterprises　rendered　it　necessary　in　self…defence。　　But　I　think　it

will　not　be　long　before　the　whole　nation　will　be　consolidated　in

their　ancient　principles；　excepting　a　few　who　have　committed

themselves　beyond　recall；　and　who　will　retire　to　obscurity　&　settled

disaffection。




　　　　　　　　Altho'　you　will　receive；　thro'　the　official　channel　of　the　War

Office；　every　communication　necessary　to　develop　to　you　our　views

respecting　the　Indians；　and　to　direct　your　conduct；　yet；　supposing　it

will　be　satisfactory　to　you；　and　to　those　with　whom　you　are　placed；

to　understand　my　personal　dispositions　and　opinions　in　this

particular；　I　shall　avail　myself　of　this　private　letter　to　state　them

generally。　　I　consider　the　business　of　hunting　as　already　become

insufficient　to　furnish　clothing　and　subsistence　to　the　Indians。　　The

promotion　of　agriculture；　therefore；　and　household　manufacture；　are

essential　in　their　preservation；　and　I　am　disposed　to　aid　and

encourage　it　liberally。　　This　will　enable　them　to　live　on　much

smaller　portions　of　land；　and　indeed　will　render　their　vast　forests

useless　but　for　the　range　of　cattle；　for　which　purpose；　also；　as　they

become　better　farmers；　they　will　be　found　useless；　and　even

disadvantageous。　　While　they　are　learning　to　do　better　on　less　land；

our　increasing　numbers　will　be　calling　for　more　land；　and　thus　a

coincidence　of　interests　will　be　produced　between　those　who　have

lands　to　spare；　and　want　other　necessaries；　and　those　who　have　such

necessaries　to　spare；　and　want　lands。　　This　commerce；　then；　will　be

for　the　good　of　both；　and　those　who　are　friends　to　both　ought　to

encourage　it。　　You　are　in　the　station　peculiarly　charged　with　this

interchange；　and　who　have　it　peculiarly　in　your　power　to　promote

among　the　Indians　a　sense　of　the　superior　value　of　a　little　land；

well　cultivated；　over　a　great　deal；　unimproved；　and　to　encourage　them

to　make　this　estimate　truly。　　The　wisdom　of　the　animal　which

amputates　&　abandons　to　the　hunter　the　parts　for　which　he　is　pursued

should　be　theirs；　with　this　difference；　that　the　former　sacrifices

what　is　useful；　the　latter　what　is　not。　　In　truth；　the　ultimate　point

of　rest　&　happiness　for　them　is　to　let　our　settlements　and　theirs

meet　and　blend　together；　to　intermix；　and　become　one　people。

Incorporating　themselves　with　us　as　citizens　of　the　U。S。；　this　is

what　the　natural　progress　of　things　will　of　course　bring　on；　and　it

will　be　better　to　promote　than　to　retard　it。　　Surely　it　will　be

better　for　them　to　be　identified　with　us；　and　preserved　in　the

occupation　of　their　lands；　than　be　exposed　to　the　many　casualties

which　may　endanger　them　while　a　separate　people。　　I　have　little　doubt

but　that　your　reflections　must　have　led　you　to　view　the　various　ways

in　which　their　history　may　terminate；　and　to　see　that　this　is　the　one

most　for　their　happiness。　　And　we　have　already　had　an　application

from　a　settlement　of　Indians　to　become　citizens　of　the　U。S。　　It　is

possible；　perhaps　probable；　that　this　idea　may　be　so　novel　as　that　it

might　shock　the　Indians；　were　it　even　hinted　to　them。　　Of　course；　you

will　keep　it　for　your　own　reflection；　but；　convinced　of　its

soundness；　I　feel　it　consistent　with　pure　morality　to　lead　them

towards　it；　to　familiarize　them　to　the　idea　that　it　is　for　their

interest　to　cede　lands　at　times　to　the　U　S；　and　for　us　thus　to

procure　gratifications　to　our　citizens；　from　time　to　time；　by　new

acquisitions　of　land。　　From　no　quarter　is　there　at　present　so　strong

a　pressure　on　this　subject　as　from　Georgia　for　the　residue　of　the

fork　of　Oconee　&　Ockmulgee；　and　indeed　I　believe　it　will　be　difficult

to　resist　it。　　As　it　has　been　mentioned　that　the　Creeks　had　at　one

time　made　up　their　minds　to　sell　this；　and　were　only　checked　in　it　by

some　indiscretions　of　an　individual；　I　am　in　hopes　you　will　be　able

to　bring　them　to　it　again。　　I　beseech　you　to　use　your　most　earnest

endeavors；　for　it　will　relieve　us　here　from　a　great　pressure；　and

yourself　from　the　unreasonable　suspicions　of　the　Georgians　which　you

notice；　that　you　are　more　attached　to　the　interests　of　the　Indians

than　of　the　U　S；　and　throw　cold　water　on　their　willingness　to　part

with　lands。　　It　is　so　easy　to　excite　suspicion；　that　none　are　to　be

wondered　at；　but　I　am　in　hopes　it　will　be　in　your　power　to　quash　them

by　effecting　the　object。




　　　　　　　　Mr。　Madison　enjoys　better　health　since　his　removal　to　this

place　than　he　had　done　in　Orange。　　Mr。　Giles　is　in　a　state　of　health

feared　to　be　irrecoverable；　although　he　may　hold　on　for　some　time；

and　perhaps　be　re…established。　　Browze　Trist　is　now　in　the

Mississippi　territory；　forming　an　establishment　for　his　family；　which

is　still　in　Albemarle；　and　will　remove　to　the　Mississippi　in　the

spring。　　Mrs。　Trist；　his　mother；　begins　to　yield　a　little　to　time。　　I

retain　myself　very　perfect　health；　having　not　had　20。　hours　of　fever

in　42　years　past。　　I　have　sometimes　had　a　troublesome　headache；　and

some　slight　rheumatic　pains；　but　now　sixty　years　old　nearly；　I　have

had　as　little　to　complain　of　in　point　of　health　as　most　people。　　I

learn　you　have　the　gout。　　I　did　not　expect　that　Indian　cookery　or

Indian　fare　would　produce　that；　but　it　is　considered　as　a　security

for　good　health　otherwise。　　That　it　may　be　so　with　you；　I　sincerely

pray；　and　tender　you　my　friendly　and　respectful　salutations。







　　　　　　　　MACHIAVELLIAN　BENEVOLENCE　AND　THE　INDIANS




　　　　　　　　_To　Governor　William　H。　Harrison_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　February　27；　1803_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　While　at　Monticello　in　August　last　I　received　your

favor　of　August　8th；　and　meant　to　have　acknowledged　it　on　my　return

to　the　seat　of　government　at　the　close　of　the　ensuing　month；　but　on

my　return　I　found　that　you　were　expected　to　be　on　here　in　person；　and

this　expectation　continued　till　winter。　　I　have　since　received　your

favor　of　December　30th。




　　　　　　　　In　the　former　you　mentioned　the　plan　of　the　town　which　you　had

done　me　the　honor　to　name　after　me；　and　to　lay　out　according　to　an

idea　I　had　formerly　expressed　to　you。　　I　am　thoroughly　persuaded　that

it　will　be　found　handsome　and　pleasant；　and　I　do　believe　it　to　be　the

best　means　of　preserving　the　cities　of　America　from　the　scourge　of

the　yellow　fever；　which　being　peculiar　to　our　country；　must　be

derived　from　some　peculiarity　in　it。　　That　peculiarity　I　take　to　be

our　cloudless　skies。　　In　Europe；　where　the　sun　does　not　shine　more

than　half　the　number　of　days　in　the　year　which　it　does　in　America；

they　can　build　their　town　in　a　solid　block　with　impunity；　buthere　a

constant　sun　produces　too　great　an　accumulation　ofheat　to　admit　that。

Ventilation　is　indispensably　necessary。　　Experience　has　taught　us

that　in　the　open　air　of　the　country　the　yellow　fever　is　not　only　not

generated；but　ceases　to　be　infectious。　　I　cannot　decidefrom　the

drawing　you　sent　me；　whether　you　havelaid　off　streets　round　the

squares　thus：　（Illustration　omitted）　or　only　the　diagonal　streets

therein　marked。　　The　former　was　my　idea；　and　is；　I　imagine；　most

convenient。




　　　　　　　　You　will　receive　herewith　an　answer　to　your　letter　as　President

of　the　Convention；　and　from　the　Secretary　of　War　you　receive　from

time　to　time　information　and　instructions　as　to　our　Indian　affairs。

These　communications　being　for　the　public　records；　are　restrained

always　to　particular　objects　and　occasions；　but　this　letter　being

unofficial　and　private；　I　may　with　safety　give　you　a　more　extensive

view　of　our　policy　respecting　the　Indians；　that　you　may　the　better

comprehend　the　parts　dealt　out　to　you　in　detail　through　the　official

channel；　and　observing　the　system　of　which　they　make　a　part；　conduct

yourself　in　unison　with　it　in　cases　where　you　are　obliged　to　act

without　instruction。　　Our　system　is　to　live　in　perpetual　peace　with

the　Indians；　to　cultivate　an　affectionate　at