American colonies—A description of the Floridas, and the Missisippi
lands, with their productions—The benefits of colonizing Georgiana,
and civilizing the Indians—and the way to make all the colonies more
valuable to the mother country.
APPENDIX.
ADVICE TO STATESMEN;
Though Great Britain hath been many years invested with the
Missisipi-possessions, and which she purchased at a very high price;
little hath been done to improve them. Every friend to his country and
mankind, must wish administration to pay a due regard to the inestimable
value of the American colonies—which is best done in engaging the
colonists, by wise and prudent conduct, to exert themselves to promote
her interest in the same manner they faithfully did, till arbitrary
power assailed their maritime ports, to their grief, and her own immense
loss. In proportion as a mother loves, or hates her children, and
strives to make them either happy or miserable, they in the same degree
will exert their endeavours to make a suitable return.
Whatever scheme is unjust, it is unwise in statesmen to form, or attempt
to put in execution. Instinct moves the brutal creation to defend their
young ones and property at the peril of their lives. The virtue of
Britons will not allow them to do less for themselves and their
children. As British legislators must be convinced that honesty is the
best policy, it is to be hoped they will studiously apply themselves to
promote the general good of their fellow-subjects, and engage the
northern colonists cheerfully to bend their force in supplying Great
Britain with such staple commodities {451} as bountiful nature has given
to them, but which through a strange kind of policy, she now chiefly
purchases from foreigners, particularly timber and iron. The
North-American trees are better in quality, than those which are brought
from the Baltic, and in a far greater variety: and ships of a proper
construction, might soon carry American timber to England as cheap as
she has it from thence. The colonists could build either merchant-men,
or men of war, of any size, much cheaper than can possibly be done in
any European country, which would always insure them a ready market.
French gold for their ships, would be of no disservice to Great Britain,
though perhaps it might be as disagreeable to her, as the Spanish gold
and silver was from the hands of the British Americans: however, to
consign their ships to some British merchants, would sufficiently
silence those who might find their present account in opposing the
public good.
Natural causes produce natural effects. They who sow well, reap well;
and as nature has planted a great plenty of iron ore through the
American high lands, we hope the time will soon come, to allow her to
take in so weighty a harvest. The consequence is great, and the
application ought to be proportioned to the high value of so inviting,
and complicated an acquisition. Their hills not only abound with
inexhaustible mines of iron ore, but lie convenient to navigable rivers;
such a commodious situation would soon enable them to sell it cheaper
than Britain can ever expect from the Russians, who carry it from a
distance to Petersburgh, as far as from Georgiana on the
Missisippi,[271] to the city of New York. We have been assured by
gentlemen of veracity, that on repeated experiments, they found the
American iron to be equal in goodness to that of Russia, or Sweden.
Common sense directs Britain to live independent of such supplies,
within her own prodigious empire, and not lay herself at the mercy of
any foreign power, lest necessity should compel her a second time, to
pay as dear for her left-handed wisdom as she did in the year 1703, for
Swedish tar in Swedish bottoms,—which was nearly four hundred per cent,
more than she in a short time paid to the American planters for the
like, with her own manufactures, to the advantage of her merchants, the
employment of her ships, and the increase of her seamen. {452}
If Britain feels a decay of her former American trade, on account of
attempting to introduce among her friendly colonies, illegal and
dangerous innovations, it is high time to retract. She hath it yet in
her power by a prudent and maternal conduct to enlarge her trade, to a
far greater extent than it ever attained, by making it the interest of
the northern planters to saw timber, and work in iron, for the British
yards and merchants. She should invite the young, and unsettled
families, to remove to the fertile lands of the Missisippi, and raise
those valuable staple commodities she needs most. The Americans say,
that, though their hearts burn with a seraphic fire, for constitutional
blessings—ever sacred and inviolable; yet their tender feelings for the
unhappy situation of their free-minded brethren in Great Britain and
Ireland, are by sympathy, equal to their own for the sickened condition
of their mourning provinces—that the fraternal tye will always incline
their hearts to promote their welfare, if instead of endeavouring to
oppress them, they make them such a return as brethren might justly
expect on the like interesting occasion. If British legislators design
to promote the true interests of their country, they will pay a steady
regard to the real channel of her great wealth and power,—adopt such
measures, as wisdom and honesty readily direct to, and endeavour to
dispel those uneasinesses from the hearts of all the American colonists,
produced by the unjust and invidious representations of men, whose garb
and station ought to have kept them, even from the suspicion of ever
fomenting so dangerous a controversy.
Great Britain, on account of her extensive American possessions, might
soon and easily repair her decayed trade, and increase it beyond
conception, on a sure and permanent foundation, by upright measures. The
opposite means to whatsoever caused its decay, would gradually recover
it—But when once the channel of trade is stopped by violent methods, it
is exceedingly difficult to make it flow again in its former cheerful
course. Force can never effect it, for that she utterly contemns. No
mistress is more sagacious and coy. She must first be courted, and
afterward treated kindly: if folly uses any violence, or makes any
material breach of good faith to her, she soon flies, and never returns,
unless she is strongly invited back, and can reasonably hope for better
usage. A powerful maritime state may gain new colonies by the sword, but
can never settle and continue such extensive ones as the American, by
force of arms,—except over people of dastardly spirits, {453} and in the
enfeebling regions of the south. Even there, when the springs of the
state-machine are any considerable time over-stretched, the sharp
feelings of the people naturally rouse, and force them to conquer their
timorous disposition, and exert their powers to break the torturing
wheels, and free themselves of their pains. The voice of nature is
against tyranny. It execrates the abettors, and consigns them to
punishment.
As the lands in Virginia, and Maryland, are greatly exhausted by raising
that impoverishing weed, tobacco,—Great Britain may expect to feel a
gradual decay of that valuable branch of trade, in proportion to the
increase of the people in those provinces, unless new colonies are
settled on the Missisippi. Besides this tract, there is not a sufficient
space of fertile land in North America, to invite planters to raise that
staple commodity. Though the Ohio settlements are now numerous, and
increasing fast, the settlers will only consult their own ease, as
nature is there very prolific of every convenience of life; except
government wisely encourages them to raise such products as would suit
the mother-country, and reward them for their labour. Were proper
measures adopted, the desire of gain would induce them to plant with the
utmost assiduity: and smiling industry would soon beget a spirit of
emulation among the planters, prompting each to excel his neighbour in
the annual quantity and good quality of those staple commodities they
were invited to fix upon. The vast tracts of fertile woods, which are
now shamefully allowed to be only the haunts of wild beasts, and wolfish
savages seeking for prey, might far easier be turned into valuable fine
plantations by bounties, than the marshes and barren lands in Britain
were, into their present flourishing condition, by the repeated
encouragements of the Royal Society, and of parliament. Any thing that
promotes greatly the public good, ought always to be done at the expence
of the public; otherwise it will never be done, especially by labouring
individuals. Charity begins at home, and every one’s domestic affairs
demand his close attention. To preserve the Ohio lands, cost Great
Britain, and our colonies in particular, a river of blood, in
consequence of the blindness and obstinacy of a haughty general. A legal
constitutional form of government, ought immediately to be established
there, both for the general welfare, and preventing evils that may
reasonably be expected to grow up among a remote, and numerous body of
people,—hardy and {454} warlike,—without any public religion or civil
law,—in a healthful climate, and very extensive and fertile country.
Young glittering courtiers may think their merit exceedingly
depreciated, to have the offer of the Ohio government conferred on
either of them—as it is now chiefly inhabited by long-legged, tawny
hunters, who are clothed in winter with the shaggy skins of wild beasts,
and are utterly unlearned in the polished art of smiling, when their
hearts are displeased at the rash conduct of high-headed rulers: but
unless they learned the difficult lesson, “know thyself,” and were
endued with a frank open spirit, experience would soon convince them
that they were unequal to the task of governing, or inducing the people
to promote the general good of the community. The court sophistry of
extending the prerogative of the crown, will never do in America—Nothing
will please the inhabitants, but the old constitutional laws of Britain.
Colonel Philip Skene, who gained wreaths of laurel under General
Johnson, and now lives at Lake Champlain, is highly esteemed in the
extensive circle of his acquaintance, and revered by all his savage
neighbours, because in him is displayed the intrepid warrior, and the
open friend to all.—These, together with his knowledge of agriculture,
render him as proper a person as any for the office—and it is to be
wished that the government would appoint him to preside over the
valuable district of Ohio, and he think proper to accept it. Such a
measure could not fail of adding greatly to the true interests of
Great-Britain and her colonies: thus, the present inhabitants would be
incited to promote the public good, and multitudes of the northern
people would remove to settle those fruitful lands, and cheerfully apply
themselves in raising such commodities, as would prove beneficial to the
community. Though the Ohio is far distant from any navigable port, yet
we have full proof that every article of luxury will bear great expence
for its culture, carriage by land, and freight by water: and, as the
fertility of the soil by the stream and small branches of the
Missisippi, is well known through North America, and the colonists
cannot remove there with their live stock, through the country of the
mischievous Muskohge; doubtless numbers of industrious families would
come by the Ohio, and soon enrich themselves by increasing the riches of
the public. {455}
Any European state, except Great Britain, would at once improve their
acquisitions, taken and purchased by an immense quantity of blood and
treasure, and turn them to the public benefit. At the end of the late
war, the ministry, and their adherents, held up East and West Florida
before the eyes of the public, as greatly superior to those West-India
islands, which Spain and France were to receive back in exchange. The
islands however are rich, and annually add to the wealth and strength of
those respective powers: while East Florida, is the only place of that
extensive and valuable tract ceded to us, that we have any way improved;
and this is little more than a negative good to our other colonies, in
preventing their negroes from sheltering in that dreary country, under
the protection of Fort St. Augustine. The province is a large peninsula,
consisting chiefly of sandy barrens; level sour ground, abounding with
tussucks; here and there is some light mixt land; but a number of low
swamps, with very unwholesome water in general. In proportion as it is
cleared, and a free circulation of air is produced, to dispel the
noxious vapours that float over the surface of this low country, it may
become more healthful; though any where out of the influence of the sea
air, the inhabitants will be liable to fevers and agues. The favourable
accounts our military officers gave of the pure wholesome air of St.
Augustine, are very just, when they compare it with that of the sand
burning Pensacola, and the low stagnated Mobille: St. Augustine stands
on a pleasant hill, at the conflux of two salt water rivers, overlooking
the land from three angles of the castle, and down the sound, to the
ocean. Their relation of the natural advantages of this country, could
extend no farther than their marches reached. I formerly went volunteer,
about six hundred miles through the country, with a great body of
Indians against this place; and we ranged the woods to a great extent.
The tracts we did not reach, we got full information of, by several of
the Muskohge then with us, who had a thorough knowledge, on account of
the long continued excursions they made through the country in quest of
the Florida Indians; and even after they drove them into the islands of
Florida, to live on fish, among clouds of musketoes. The method these
Indians took to keep off those tormenting insects, as their safety would
not allow them to make a fire, lest the smoke should guide their
watchful enemies to surprise them, was, by anointing their bodies with
rank fish oil, mixed with the juice or ashes of indigo. This perfume,
and its effluvia, kept off from them every kind of {456} insect. The
Indians likewise informed me, that when they went to war against the
Floridians, they carried their cypress bark canoes from the head of St.
John’s black river, only about half a mile, when they launched them
again into a deep river, which led down to a multitude of islands to the
N. W. of Cape Florida.
As this colony is incontestably much better situated for trade than West
Florida, or the Missisippi lands, it is surprising that Britain does not
improve the opportunity which offers, by adding to these unhealthy low
grounds a sufficient quantity of waste high land to enable the settlers,
and their families, to raise those staples she wants. The Muskohge who
claim it, might be offered, and they would accept, what it seems to be
worth in its wild state. Justice to ourselves and neighbours, condemns
the shortening the planter’s days, by confining their industrious
families to unhealthy low lands, when nature invites them to come out,
to enjoy her bountiful gifts of health and wealth, where only savage
beasts prey on one another, and the bloodier two-footed savages, ramble
about to prey on them, or whatsoever falls in their way. Under these,
and other pressing circumstances of a similar nature, does this part of
America now labour. A west north-west course from the upper parts of
Georgia to the Missisippi, would contain more fertile lands than are in
all our colonies on the continent, eastward. As most of these colonies
abound with frugal and industrious people, who are increasing very fast,
and every year crowding more closely together on exhausted land, our
rulers ought not to allow so mischievous and dangerous a body as the
Muskohge to ingross this vast forest, mostly for wild beasts. This
haughty nation is directly in the way of our valuable southern colonies,
and will check them from rising to half the height of perfection, which
the favourableness of the soil and climate allow, unless we give them
severe correction, or drive them over the Missisippi, the first time
they renew their acts of hostility against us, without sufficient
retaliation. At present, West Florida is nothing but an expence to the
public.—The name amuses indeed, at a distance; but were it duly extended
and settled, it would become very valuable to Great Britain; and
Pensocola harbour would be then serviceable also in a time of war with
Spain, being in the gulph of Florida, and near to Cuba. Mobille is a
black trifle. Its garrison, and that at Pensacola, cannot be properly
supplied by their French neighbours though at a most exorbitant price:
and, on account {457} of our own passive conduct, the Muskohge will not
allow the inhabitants of Georgia to drive cattle to those places for the
use of the soldiers. Neither can the northern merchant-men supply them
with salt and fresh provisions, but at a very unequal hazard; for the
gulph stream would oblige them to sail along the Cuba shore, where they
would be likely to be seized by the Spanish guarda costas, as have many
fine American vessels on the false pretence of smuggling, and which, by
a strange kind of policy, they have been allowed to keep as legal
prizes. In brief, unless Great Britain enlarges both East and West
Florida to a proper extent, and adopts other encouraging measures, for
raising those staple commodities which she purchases from foreigners,
the sagacious public must be convinced, that the opportunity of adding
to her annual expences, by paying troops, and maintaining garrisons, to
guard a narrow slip of barren sand-hills, and a tract of low
grave-yards, is not an equivalent for those valuable improved islands
our enemies received in exchange for them.
We will now proceed to the Missisippi, and that great extent of
territory, which Great Britain also owns by exchange; and shew the
quality of those lands, and how far they may really benefit her, by
active and prudent management. As in Florida, so to a great distance
from the shore of the gulph, the lands generally consist of burning
sand, and are uninhabitable, or of wet ground, and very unhealthy. But,
a little beyond this dreary desart, are many level spots very fertile,
and which would suit people who are used to a low situation, and prove
very valuable, both to planters, and the inhabitants of a trading town.
As the river runs from north to south, the air is exceedingly pure in
the high lands of this extensive tract. The soil is generally very rich;
and, to the distance of six hundred miles up, from the low lands of the
sea coast, it is as happy a climate as any under heaven, quite free from
the extremities of heat and cold. Any product of the same clime from 31
to 45 degrees N. L. might be raised here in the greatest perfection, to
the great profit of the planter and the public. Many thousands of us
would heartily rejoice to see administration behave as wise men—leave
their mean, or mad policy, and promote a spirit of emigration among the
families of the crowded northern colonies. Thus the industrious poor in
Britain, would find more employ in manufactures; and the public would
receive from their brethren, what they now purchase chiefly from rival
powers with gold and silver, with the balance of trade greatly against
them. {458} This fine country, Georgiana, invites Great Britain to smile
upon it, and in return to receive its grateful tribute of tobacco, hemp,
silk, flax, cotton, indigo, wine and tea, in plenty, besides many other
valuable products. Hops grow wild on the Missisippi—and the tobacco
raised at the Nahchee old settlement, was esteemed of superior quality
to any belonging France. The lands on the extensive ramifications of the
Missisippi lands are capable of producing the like. All kind of
vegetables planted, or sowed in their fields, gardens, and orchards,
either for profit or pleasure, would grow to greater perfection, and
with less art and labour, in this tract, than any in Europe, so fruitful
is the soil, and favourable the climate. As the savages live in a direct
line between our northern colonies, and this, to the distance of four
hundred miles above New Orleans; our northern people will be obliged to
make a winding course by the Ohio, before they can reach it with their
families and necessary moveables; which shews that it requires public
spirit, and the support of government to settle a flourishing colony
here. The two Floridas, and this, which to the great loss of the nation,
lie shamefully neglected, are the only places in the British empire,
from whence she can receive a sufficient supply of those staples she
wants. The prosperity, and even the welfare of Great Britain, depends on
sundry accounts, in a high degree, on improving these valuable and dear
bought acquisitions; and we hope her eyes will be opened soon, and her
hands stretched out to do it—she will provide for the necessities of her
own poor at home, by the very means that would employ a multitude of
useless people in agriculture here, and bring the savages into a
probable way of being civilized, and becoming christians, by contracting
their circle of three thousand miles, and turning them from a lonely
hunt of wild beasts, to the various good purposes of society. Should
Great Britain duly exert herself as the value of this place requires, by
the assistance of our old Chikkasah allies, the other Indian nations
would be forced to pursue their true interest, by living peaceably with
us; and be soon enticed to become very serviceable both to our planters,
and the enlargement of trade.
As the Missisippi Indians are not likely to be soon corrupted by the
haughty stiff Spaniards, and are mostly of a tractable disposition,
consequently they might be civilized, and their wants so greatly
extended as to demand every kind of British manufactures, in imitation
of their friendly, industrious, and opulent neighbours: and, as the
small profits of hunting would not be sufficient to purchase a variety
of such new necessaries, they might be easily {459} induced to cultivate
those commodities that would best answer their demands. Raising of silk,
would extremely well agree with them, on account of its easy process;
mulberry trees grow spontaneously to a considerable height here, and in
the low lands through all our southern colonies; which, were they
topped, and transplanted near to the houses, would serve to feed the
silk worms with their leaves. The easy culture of this valuable
commodity, silk, would not hinder the planter from attending the
inviting products of the field. Thus the Indians would be gently led out
of their uncultivated state of nature, and a fair opportunity would be
given to discreet, sensible and pious teachers to instruct them in the
plain, and easy principles of christianity.