Native Debt
Our system is to live in perpetual peace with the Indians, to cultivate an affectionate attachment for them by everything just and liberal which we can do for them within the bounds of reason and by giving them effectual protection against the wrongs from our own people. When they withdraw themselves to the culture of a small piece of land, they will perceive how useless to them are the extensive forests and will be willing to pare them off in exchange for necessaries for their farms and families. To promote this, we shall push our trading houses, and be glad to see the good and influential individuals among them in debt, because we observe when these debts go beyond what the individual can pay, they become willing to lop them off by a cession of lands. But should any tribe refuse the proffered hand and take up the hatchet, it will be driven across the Mississippi and the whole of its lands confiscated.
Exerpt from a letter written to
Indiana Territory governor
William Henry Harrison (9th President)
– This above quote was found in the introduction to the book That Dark and Bloody River by Allan W. Eckert
Damn. Thats an amazing picture, Jim. Where was that?
November 9th, 2009 at 3:39 pm