1764.] MEMORIALS ON INDIAN AFFAIRS. 157 



machinations of the defeated French ; who, to 

 revenge themselves on their conquerors, were con- 

 stantly stirring up the Indians to war. A race so 

 brave and tenacious of liberty, so wild and erratic 

 in their habits, dwelling in a country so savage and 

 inaccessible, could not be exterminated or reduced 

 to subjection without an immoderate expenditure 

 of men, money, and time. The true policy of the 

 British government was therefore to conciliate ; to 

 soothe their jealous pride, galled by injuries and 

 insults ; to gratify them by presents, and treat 

 them with a respect and attention to which their 

 haughty spirit would not fail to respond. We 

 ought, they said, to make the Indians our friends ; 

 and, by a just, consistent, and straightforward 

 course, seek to gain their esteem, and wean them 

 from their partiality to the French. To remove the 

 constant irritation which arose from the intrusion 

 of the white inhabitants on their territory, Croghan 

 urged the expediency of purchasing a large tract 

 of land to the westward of the English settlements ; 

 thus confining the tribes to remoter hunting-grounds. 

 For a moderate sum the Indians would part with as 

 much land as might be required. A little more, 

 laid out in annual presents, would keep them in 

 good temper ; and by judicious management all 

 hostile collision might be prevented, till, by the 

 extension of the settlements, it should become 

 expedient to make yet another purchase.^ 



This plan was afterwards carried into execution 

 by the British government. Founded as it is upon 



1 MS. Johnson Papers. 



