I believe that Sir Francis Head entertained an enthusiastic admiration
for the Indian character, and was sincerely interested in the welfare of
this fated people. It was his deliberate conviction that there was no
salvation for them but in their removal as far as possible from the
influence and dominion of the white settlers; and in this I agree with
his Excellency; but seeing that the Indians are not virtually British
subjects, no measure should be adopted, even for their supposed benefit,
without their acquiescence. They are quite capable of judging for
themselves in every case in which their interests are concerned. The
fault of our executive is, that we acknowledge the Indians our _allies_,
yet treat them, as well as call them, our _children_. They acknowledged
in our government a _father_; they never acknowledged any master but the
"Great Master of Life," and the rooted idea, or rather instinct of
personal and political independence in which every Indian is born or
reared, no earthly power can obliterate from his soul. One of the early
missionaries expresses himself on this point with great _naivete_. "The
Indians," he says, "are convinced that every man is born free; that no
one has a right to make any attempt upon his personal liberty, and that
nothing can make him amends for its loss." He proceeds--"We have even
had much pains to undeceive those converted to Christianity on this
head, and to make them understand that in consequence of the corruption
of our nature, which is the effect of sin, an unrestrained liberty of
doing evil differs little from the necessity of doing it, considering
the strength of the inclination which carries us to it; and that the law
which restrains us brings us nearer to our first liberty in seeming to
deprive us of it."
That a man, because he has the free use of his will and his limbs, must
therefore necessarily do evil, is a doctrine which the Indian can never
be brought to understand. He is too polite to contradict us, but he
insists that it was made for the pale-faces, who, it may be, are
naturally inclined to all evil; but has nothing to do with the red
skins, whom the Great Spirit created free. "Where the spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty;"--but about liberty there may be as many differing
notions as about charity.
Of the number here I can form no exact idea; they say there are about
two hundred. At present they are busied in preparations for their voyage
up Lake Huron to the Great Manitoolin Island to receive their annual
presents, and one fleet of canoes has already departed.
* * * * *