Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/384

 372 An Account of the Chikkafah Nation.

intellects, or has felf-interefted purfuits in view, incompatible with the pub lic good, he will firft opprefs the Indian traders, and mifreprefent all under his government who oppofe him ; and then adopt and purfne the low and tyrannical court maxim " divide, and you will fubdue and rule them.*"" Whether the animofities that fubfifted among the inhabitants of Georgia, when Mr. Ellis went to prefide there, fprung from any fuch caufe, I will' not fay, but I well know that by his wifdom, cheerful and even temper, and an eafy winning behaviour, he foon reconciled the contending parties in his gay and friendly hall.

The grateful and polite in that colony, have taught their rifing families to revere his name, on account of his generous and patriotic fpirit. Hein- ftructed the inhabitants of that infant colony, by example, how to fortify .themfelves againft hoftile dangers. The people were few, weak, harrafied, and 'difheartened : but as foon as the father and general put to his helping hand, their drooping fpirits recovered. Then, defentible garrifons fprung up, after the manner of ancient Thebes, but as he knew that peace with the numerous nations of neighbouring Indians- was effential to the welfare of a trading colony, he acted the part of the Archimagus, or great beloved man, with the fwan's wing, white pipes, and tobacco, between the mif- chievous Mufkohge and our colonies, at Savanah, in concert with the two worthy gentlemen before-mentioned. At that time our Indian affairs in general wore a moft dangerous afpect and the public (lock was ex pended: when the governor faw that he could not fhake hands with the Indians, empty handed, he cheerfully fupplied their difcontented head-men with his own effects, and even his domeftic utenfils. They fet a high value on each gift, chit-fly for the fake of the giver, whom they adopted as brother, friend, father. He gave the colony a ftrong example of public fpirit, by facrifking his eafe, and private intereft, to the welfare of the people, whom he faithfully patronized (during his too fliort ftay) according to the paternal intentions of his late Majefty. He was never ordered by his Prince to inform the legiflative body of the colony, that, if the electors peti tioned his majefty for the liberty of chufing reprefentatives, he, through his own grace and goodirefs, would order his governor to inform them hewaspleafed to indulge them in the object of their fubmiffive prayer. But had it been other- wife, Mr. Ellis would have deemed fuch a minifterial order, a grofs attack upon his honour, if not on the conilitutional rights of Britifh fubjofb, and 3 have

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