OF THE ABORIGINES. 
483 
the Colonists towards them. I have pointed out 
the tendency of their own habits and customs, to 
prevent them from rising in the scale of improve- 
ment, until we can acquire an influence sufficient to 
counteract these practices ; and I have shewn that 
thus situated, oppressed, helpless, and starving, we 
cannot expect they should make much progress in 
civilization, or pay great regard to our instructions, 
when they see that we do not practice what 
we recommend, and that we have one law for 
ourselves and another for them. The good results 
that have been produced when an opposite and 
more liberal system has been adopted (limited as 
that system was) has also been stated. It is only 
fair to assume, therefore, that these beneficial effects 
may be expected to accrue in an increasing ratio in 
proportion to our liberality and humanity. 
My own conviction is, that by adopting the system 
I recommend, an almost unlimited influence might 
be acquired over the native population. I believe 
that the supplying them with food would gradually 
bring about the abandonment of their wandering 
habits, in proportion to the frequency of the issue, 
that the longer they were thus dependent upon us 
for their resources, the more binding our authority 
would be ; that when they no longer required their 
children to assist them in the chase or in war, they 
would willingly allow them to remain at our schools ; 
that by only supplying food to natives in their own 
districts they would, in some measure, be weaned 
2 i 2 
