164 The Winning of the West 



perish by famine or the sword. 37 At this time he 

 estimated that some fifteen hundred warriors were 

 on the war-path and that they were likely to be 

 joined by many others. 



The condition of affairs at the French towns of 

 the Illinois and Wabash afforded another strong rea 

 son for war, or at least for decided measures of some 

 kind. Almost absolute anarchy reigned in these 

 towns. The French inhabitants had become pro 

 foundly discontented with the United States Gov 

 ernment. This was natural, for they were neither 

 kept in order nor protected, in spite of their peti 

 tions to Congress that some stable government might 

 be established. 38 The quarrels between the French 

 and the intruding American settlers had very nearly 

 reached the point of a race war; and the Americans 

 were further menaced by the Indians. These latter 

 were on fairly good terms with the French, many of 

 whom had intermarried with them, and lived as 

 they did ; although the French families of the better 

 class were numerous, and had attained to what was 

 for the frontier a high standard of comfort and 

 refinement. 



The French complained with reason of the lawless 

 and violent character of many of the American new 

 comers, and also of the fact that already speculators 

 were trying by fraud and foul means to purchase 



31 State Department MSS., No. 56, p. 282. G. R. Clark to 

 R. H. Lee. 



38 State Department MSS., No. 30, p. 453, Dec. 8, 1784. 

 Also p. 443, Nov. 10, 1784. Draper MSS. J. Edgar to G. R. 

 Clark, Oct. 23, 1786. 



