In the Current of the Revolution 73 



tribes of warlike Indians ; he wished above all things 

 to convert the inhabitants into ardent adherents of 

 the American Government. 



So he explained at length that, though the Ameri- 

 cans came as conquerors, who by the laws of war 

 could treat the defeated as they wished, yet it was 

 ever their principle to free, not to enslave, the people 

 with whom they came in contact. If the French 

 chose to become loyal citizens, and to take the oath 

 of fidelity to the Republic, they should be welcomed 

 to all the privileges of Americans ; those who did 

 not so choose should be allowed to depart from the 

 land in peace with their families. 



The mercurial Creoles who listened to his speech 

 passed rapidly from the depth of despair to the 

 height of joy. Instead of bewailing their fate they 

 now could not congratulate themselves enough on 

 their good fortune. The crowning touch to their 

 happiness was given by Clark when he told the 

 priest, Pierre Gibault, in answer to a question as to 

 whether the Catholic Church could be opened, that 

 an American commander had nothing to do with 

 any church save to defend it from insult, and that 

 by the laws of the Republic his religion had as great 

 privileges as any other. With that they all returned 

 in noisy joy to their families, while the priest, a 

 man of ability and influence, became thenceforth 

 a devoted and effective champion of the American 

 cause. 



The only person whom Clark treated harshly was 

 M. Rocheblave, the commandant, who when asked 

 VOL. VI. D 



