2O2 The Winning of the West 



vigorous national war as the only thing which could 

 bring the Indians to behave themselves, 86 he re- 

 ported that Washington had an entirely just idea of 

 the whole Indian business, but that Congress gen- 

 erally knew little of the matter and was not disposed 

 to act. 87 His report was correct ; and he might have 

 added that the Congressmen were no more ignorant, 

 and no more reluctant to do right, than their constit- 

 uents. 



The truth is that the United States Government 

 during the six years from 1791 to 1796 behaved 

 shamefully to the people who were settled along the 

 Cumberland and Holston. This was the more inex- 

 cusable in view of the fact that, thanks to the ex- 

 ample of Blount, Sevier, and Robertson, the Ten- 

 nesseeans, alone among the frontiersmen, showed an 

 intelligent appreciation of the benefits of the Union 

 and a readiness to render it loyal support. The 

 Kentuckians acted far less rationally; yet the Gov- 

 ernment tolerated much misconduct on their part, 

 and largely for their benefit carried on a great na- 

 tional war against the Northwestern Indians. In 

 the Southwest almost all that the Administration 

 did was to prohibit the frontiersmen from protecting 

 themselves. Peace was finally brought about largely 

 through the effect of Wayne's victory, and the 

 knowledge of the Creeks that they would have to 

 stand alone in any further warfare ; but it would not 



86 Blount MSS., Blount to Smith, June 17, 1793. 



87 Robertson MSS., Blount to gentleman in Cumberland, 

 Philadelphia, Aug. 28, 1793. 



