Those Nations
Which Have So Lately Emigrated From The Midst Of Our Settlements
To Live Upon Our Western Borders, And
Have made some progress in
agriculture and the arts of civilization, have, in the property
they have acquired, and the
Protection and aid extended to them,
too many advantages to be induced readily to take up arms against
us, particularly if they can be brought to the full conviction
that their new homes will be permanent and undisturbed; and there
is every reason and motive, in policy as well as humanity, for
our ameliorating their condition by every means in our power. But
the case is far different with regard to the Osages, the Kanzas,
the Pawnees, and other roving hordes beyond the frontiers of the
settlements. Wild and restless in their character and habits,
they are by no means so susceptible of control or civilization;
and they are urged by strong, and, to them, irresistible causes
in their situation and necessities, to the daily perpetuation of
violence and fraud. Their permanent subsistence, for example, is
derived from the buffalo hunting grounds, which lie a great
distance from their towns. Twice a year they are obliged to make
long and dangerous expeditions, to procure the necessary
provisions for themselves and their families. For this purpose
horses are absolutely requisite, for their own comfort and
safety, as well as for the transportation of their food, and
their little stock of valuables; and without them they would be
reduced, during a great portion of the year, to a state of abject
misery and privation. They have no brood mares, nor any trade
sufficiently valuable to supply their yearly losses, and endeavor
to keep up their stock by stealing horses from the other tribes
to the west and southwest. Our own people, and the tribes
immediately upon our borders, may indeed be protected from their
depredations; and the Kanzas, Osages, Pawnees, and others, may be
induced to remain at peace among themselves, so long as they are
permitted to pursue the old custom of levying upon the Camanches
and other remote nations for their complement of steeds for the
warriors, and pack-horses for their transportation to and from
the hunting ground. But the instant they are forced to maintain a
peaceful and inoffensive demeanor towards the tribes along the
Mexican border, and find that every violation of their rights is
followed by the avenging arm of our government, the result must
be, that, reduced to a wretchedness and want which they can ill
brook, and feeling the certainty of punishment for every attempt
to ameliorate their condition in the only way they as yet
comprehend, they will abandon their unfruiful territory and
remove to the neighborhood of the Mexican lands, and there carry
on a vigorous predatory warfare indiscriminately upon the
Mexicans and our own people trading or travelling in that
quarter.
"The Indians of the prairies are almost innumerable. Their
superior horsemanship, which in my opinion, far exceeds that of
any other people on the face of the earth, their daring bravery,
their cunning and skill in the warfare of the wilderness, and the
astonishing rapidity and secrecy with which they are accustomed
to move in their martial expeditions, will always render them
most dangerous and vexatious neighbors, when their necessities or
their discontents may drive them to hostility with our frontiers.
Their mode and principles of warfare will always protect them
from final and irretrievable defeat, and secure their families
from participating in any blow, however severe, which our
retribution might deal out to them.
"The Camanches lay the Mexicans under contribution for horses and
mules, which they are always engaged in stealing from them in
incredible numbers; and from the Camanches, all the roving tribes
of the far West, by a similar exertion of skill and daring,
supply themselves in turn. It seems to me, therefore, under all
these circumstances, that the apparent futility of any
philanthropic schemes for the. benefit of these nations, and a
regard for our own protection, concur in recommending that we
remain satisfied with maintaining peace upon our own immediate
borders, and leave the Mexicans and the Camanches, and all the
tribes hostile to these last, to settle their differences and
difficulties in their own way.
"In order to give full security and protection to our trading
parties circulating in all directions through the great prairies,
I am under the impression that a few judicious measures on the
part of the government, involving a very limited expense, would
be sufficient. And, in attaining this end, which of itself has
already become an object of public interest and import, another,
of much greater consequence, might be
brought about, namely, the securing to the States a most valuable
and increasing trade, now carried on by caravans directly to
Santa Fe.
"As to the first desideratum: the Indians can only be made to
respect the lives and property of the American parties, by
rendering them dependent upon us for their supplies; which alone
can be done with complete effect by the establishment of a
trading post, with resident traders, at some point which will
unite a sufficient number of advantages to attract the several
tribes to itself, in preference to their present places of resort
for that purpose; for it is a well-known fact that the Indians
will always protect their trader, and those in whom he is
interested, so long as they derive benefits from him. The
alternative presented to those at the north, by the residence of
the agents of the Hudson's Bay Company amongst them, renders the
condition of our people in that quarter less secure; but I think
it will appear at once, upon the most cursory examination, that
no such opposition further south could be maintained, so as to
weaken the benefits of such an establishment as is here
suggested.
"In considering this matter, the first question which presents
itself is, where do these tribes now make their exchanges, and
obtain their necessary supplies.
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