156] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



settlements, by degrees, through 

 the State of Indiana and the IIU- 

 nois to that of Missouri. A simi- 

 lar, and equally advantageous 

 effect will soon be produced to the 

 south, tlirough the whole extent 

 of the States and territory which 

 border on the waters emptying 

 into the INIississippi and the Mo- 

 bile. In this progress, which the 

 rights of nature demand, and no- 

 thing can prevent, marking a 

 growth rapid and gigantic, it is 

 our duty to make new efforts for 

 the preservation, improvement, 

 and civilization of the native in- 

 habitants. The hunter state can 

 exist only in the vast, xmculti- 

 vated desert. It yields to the 

 more dense and compact form, 

 and greater force, of civilized po- 

 pulation ; and of right it ought 

 to yield ; for the earth was given 

 to mankind to sup[)ort the great- 

 est number of which it is capable, 

 and no tribe or people have a 

 right to withhold from the wants 

 of others more than is necessary 

 for their own support and comfort. 

 It is gratifying to know, that the 

 reservations of land made by the 

 the treaties with the tribes on 

 Lake Erie, were made with a 

 view to individual ownershipamong 

 them, and to the cultivation of 

 the soil by all, and that an annual 

 stipend has been pledged to supply 

 their other wants. Jt will merit 

 the consideration of Congress, 

 whether other provision, not sti- 

 pulated by the treaty, ought to be 

 made for these tribes, and for the 

 advancement of the liberal and 

 humane policy of the United 

 States towards all the tribes within 

 our limits, and more particularly 

 for their improvement in the art 

 of civilized life. 



" Among the advantages inci- 

 dent to these purchases, and to 

 those which have preceded, the 

 security which may thereby be af- 

 forded to our inland frontiers is 

 peculiarly impoitant. With a 

 strong barrier, consisting of our 

 own people, thus ])lanted on the 

 Lakes, tlie Mississi])])i, and the 

 Mobile, with the protection to be 

 derived from the regular force, 

 Indian hostilities, if they do not 

 altogetlicr cease, will henceforth 

 lose their terror. Fortifications in 

 those quarters, to any extent, will 

 not be necessary, and the expense 

 attending them may be saved. A 

 people accustomed to the use of 

 fire-arms only, as the Indian tribes 

 are, will shun even moderate 

 works, which are defended by can- 

 non. Great fortifications will, 

 therefore, be requisite only, in 

 future, along tlie coast, and at 

 some points in the interior, con- 

 nected with it. On these will the 

 safety of our towns, and the com- 

 merce of our great rivers, from 

 the Bay of Fundy to the Missis- 

 sippi, depend. On these, there- 

 fore, should the utmost attention, 

 skill, and labour, be bestowed. 



" A considerable and rapid aug- 

 mentation in the vahie of all the 

 public lands, proceeding from 

 these and otlier obvious causes, 

 may henceforward be expected. 

 The difficulties attending eai'ly 

 emigrations will be dissipated even 

 in tne niost remote parts. Several 

 new states have been admitted into 

 our union, to the west and south, 

 and territorial governments, hap- 

 pily organized, established over 

 every other portion in which there 

 is vacant land for sale. In ter- 

 minating Indian hostilities, as must 

 soon be done, in a formidable 



shape 



