196 APPENDIX TO BEITISH COUNTER CASE. 



were ceded ; but above all, 4. That all faith was broken with the In- 

 dians who inhabit that part of the country; the trade was lost be- 

 cause we could no longer command it. It must now, said his Lord- 

 ship, depend on accident, rivalship, jealousy, caprice, self-interest, 

 even on mutual friendship, to be permanent. 



The noble Lord gave a view of the present and past state of the 

 Province of Canada ; by which he showed that in this new regulation 

 of boundaries the lakes were given up, and the harbours without 

 even a stipulation for a free navigation : the forts which had cost the 

 nation so immense a sum were also delivered up. After expatiating 

 on the impolicy of this conduct, he asked, why if the forts were to be 

 given up, it> was not at least stipulated that they should be dis- 

 mantled why not take care that when they are to be put into the 

 hands of a rival they shall be as little injurious to us as possible? 

 As it was, they were delivered up, and through them we were to hold 

 our Canada trade in future at the mercy of the United States. He 

 particularly mentioned the important fort of Missilimachinac ; this 

 was the rendezvous for the trade of the whole province, and this 

 was forty miles within the American line of boundary ; the communi- 

 cation between the Lakes Superior and Huron was delivered up; 

 and we were to navigate the lakes also on the most disadvantageous 

 side; the current set in on our shore, and therefore that side was of 

 no use to traders; the eddy set in upwards on their shore. The Lake 

 Michigan was commanded by Missilimachinac: he dwelt on the use 

 and the importance of that lake ; the Indians subsist around it, there 

 they hunt, and there the skins are to be purchased ; it communicates 

 with the Mississippi, and its value was therefore very great ; nothing 

 could be so absurd as to stipulate for the navigation of the Missis- 

 sippi, and yet cut off all communication with it. What was meant 

 by the navigation of Mississippi as agreed on in the treaty, he pro- 

 fessed he could not tell; it would have been a valuable provision if 

 properly managed ; if we had had the possession of the lakes ; if the 

 communication had been preserved to us, it would have been truly 

 beneficial; for its means of internal navigation were immense 'from 

 its tributary lakes and rivers. On the whole, he said, the precarious 

 state of the fur trade would be the means of its total annihilation. 

 Merchants would not adventure on a traffic so clogged, and he begged 

 to inform noble Lords that this was a very important branch of our 

 commerce, the exports from hence to Canada were 500,0002. per an- 

 num ; and the imports nearly half as much. 



******* 



With respect to the Indian nations, the Iroquois were cut off from 

 us for ever, as well as all their tributaries and allies. The cruelty 

 and perfidy of this fact was beyond his feeble powers of description : 

 they engaged in all our wars; in the present contest, they were 

 invited by the most flattering and seductive professions. General 

 Burgoyne's proclamation promised them rewards in proportion to 

 their zeal. They accepted the condition ; in their answer they prom- 

 ised obedience ; they refused the offers made them by America ; they 

 served us well, as a testimony of which he begged their Lordships 

 to refer to the letters of Colonel Butler. What was the reward which 

 they were to receive? What was their present situation? Their 

 calamities were little known ? but they were unspeakable. They were 

 driven completely from their country, and were encamped, 4,000 in 



