122 The Winning of the West 



military and civil, disliked the intruders as much 

 as they did the Indians, stigmatizing them as "a 

 banditti who were a disgrace to human nature." 

 There was no unnecessary harshness exercised by 

 the troops in removing the trespassers; but the 

 cabins were torn down and the sullen settlers them 

 selves were driven back across the river, though 

 they protested and threatened resistance. Again and 

 again this was done; not alone in the interest of 

 the Indians, but in part also because Congress 

 wished to reserve the lands for sale, with the pur 

 pose of paying off the public debt. At the same 

 time surveying parties were sent out. But in each 

 case, no sooner had the Federal Commissioners and 

 their subordinates begun to perform their part of 

 the agreement, than they were stopped by tidings 

 of fresh outrages on the part of the very Indians 

 with whom they had made the treaty; while the 

 surveying parties were driven in and forced to 

 abandon their work. 9 



The truth was that while the Federal Govern 

 ment sincerely desired peace, and strove to bring 

 it about, the Northwestern tribes were resolutely 

 bent on war; and the frontiersmen themselves 

 showed nearly as much inclination for hostilities 

 as the Indians. 10 They were equally anxious to 

 intrude on the Government and on the Indian lands ; 

 for they were adventurous, the lands were valuable, 



9 State Department MSS., No. 30, p. 265; No. 56, p. 327; 

 No. 163, pp. 416, 418, 422, 426. 



10 Do., Indian Affairs. Letter of P. Muhlenberg, July 5, 

 1784. 



