1766.] SPEECH OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON. 303 



to your young people, and keep it fresh in your 

 minds. 



" Children, you begin already to see the fruits of 

 peace, from the number of traders and plenty of 

 goods at all the garrisoned posts ; and our enjoying 

 the peaceable possession of the Illinois will be 

 found of great advantage to the Indians in that 

 country. You likewise see that proper officers, 

 men of honor and probity, are appointed to reside 

 at the posts, to prevent abuses in trade, to hear 

 your complaints, and to lay before me such of them 

 as they cannot redress.^ Interpreters are likewise 

 sent for the assistance of each of them ; and smiths 

 are sent to the posts to repair your arms and imple- 

 ments. All this, which is attended with a great 

 expense, is now done by the great King, your 

 father, as a proof of his regard ; so that, casting 

 from you all jealousy and apprehension, you should 

 now strive with each other who should show the 

 most gratitude to this best of princes. I do now, 

 therefore, confirm the assurances which I give you 

 of his Majesty's good will, and do insist on your 

 casting away all evil thoughts, and shutting your 

 ears against all flying idle reports of bad people." 



The rest of Johnson's speech was occupied in 

 explaining to his hearers the new arrangements for 

 the regulation of the far-trade ; in exhorting them 



1 The Lords of Trade had recently adopted a new plan for the man- 

 agement of Indian affairs, the principal feature of which was the confine- 

 ment of the traders to the military posts, where they would conduct their 

 traffic under the eye of proper officers, instead of ranging at will, without 

 supervision or control, among the Indian villages. It was found extremely 

 difficult to enforce this regulation. 



