Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/363

 An Account of the Choktah Nation. 35*

in the prefent trying sera of blefled memory, fo long as the heavenly rays Ihali beam upon us !

As the power and happinefs of Great Britain greatly depends on the' profperity of her American colonies, and the heart-foundnefs of her civil and ecclefiaftical rulers and as the welfare of America hangs on the- balance of a proper intercourfe with their Indian neighbours, and oan never be continued but by obferving and inforcing on both fides, a drift adherence to treaties, fupporting public faith, and allowing only a fufficient number of fuch faithful and capable fubjecls to deal with them, as may gain their affedlions, and prove faithful centinels for the public fecurity I prefume that the above relations, and obfervations, inftead of being thought to be foreign, will be deemed eflential to an hiftory of the. Indians. The re marks may be conducive alfo to the public welfare. Ignorance, or felf-in- tereft, has hitherto wrongly informed the community of the true fituation* of our Indian affairs weftward.

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