LOUISIANA. 253 



Juftice being thus done, the chief harangued 

 the young people, and recommended it very 

 ftrongly to them, to keep their hands from the 



French^ 



diam afl upon principle, by avenging the death of their 

 countrymen upon any other perfon of the nation to which 

 the murderer belongs j for, on account of their confined ideas, 

 and ignorance, they think the fame conftitution and manners 

 take place among the Europeans, as are ufual amoh^ thera- 

 felves ; and as they look upon their whole nation as a body of 

 brethren, and a fingle family j they are, therefore, of opi- 

 nion that all the Europeans mull be anfwerable for the death 

 of one of their brethren. But as the Europeans boall to be 

 civilized, inftruded and Chriftians, they ought to a£l ac- 

 cording to the principles of their religion, the knowledge 

 and inftrudlioa they enjoy, and their own conftitution ; 

 all thefe oblige them to fhew the Indians, by their example, 

 the fuperiority of their religion, knowledge and conftitution ; 

 make them fenfible, that if they adled like Indians they would 

 commit an open injuftice ; and to enforce the return of 

 fuch aftions in fimilar cafes. The Europeans inftead of in- 

 fiilling principles of humanity into the minds of the poor 

 Indians, very frequently fcandalize them by their uncharita- 

 ble and barbarous manners ; and thus the high refinements of 

 our manners, our boafted civilization, our pride, founded 

 upon the fuperiority of our knowledge, and that real great 

 advantage of being inftrudled in a religion founded upon 

 reafon and charity, inftead of bringing our immortal minds 

 to that pitch of excellence they are capable of, according 

 to the true intention of thefe advantages, prove only our 

 deep corruption, and the wilful depravity of our hearts, aod 

 I may fay, the barbarity of cur manner?, F. 



