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A Serious Address (Second Edition) - 6

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But, notwithstanding all this, an enraged Body of People, irritated by the Murders of some of their Relatives, by Indians of other Nations, on the Frontiers, came to the Indian Town and Killed and scalped six of them, in cool Blood. The Residue of the whole Tribe, being fourteen in Number, in Pursuance of Promises made at solemn Treaties, immediately upon this, put themselves under the Protection of the Magistrates, and were lodged in the Work-House, which is Part of the Publick Goal in Lancaster. But this was in vain; for a Party of fifty Men came to the Goal in broad Day-light, broke it open, and barbarously murdered those Indians, not sparing a Woman Seventy-seven Years of Age, nor a Child sucking it’s Mother’s Breast. Now I appeal to every Man, who will give himself Leave to consider, if such an Act be not contrary to the Laws both divine and human, which I mentioned before.

But the immediate apparent Consequences of this tumultuous Riot, and attrocious Murder, is an additional Proof of the Infatuation of these People and their Abettors.

It appears, from the publick Papers, that Negociations for a general Peace with the Indians were in great Forwardness, which these unlucky Affairs must greatly retard, if not altogether prevent; for how can Indians, who have been at War with us, confide in the Promises of the Government, when they find that Government unable to protect the friendly Indians, who have always been at Peace and have claimed it’s Protection, from the Outrages of our own bad People! To exterpate the Indians is impracticable: It has been said (and I believe with a great deal of Reason) that all the Forces in Europe could not totally destroy them. The Canaanites will still be in the Land. And, while we continue at Enmity with them, they will be Thorns in our Sides, and Briars in our Eyes.--We have a long extended Frontier, to defend all of which from the Attacks and Incursions of Savages, is impossible.--And these unhappy People who have committed this Outrage, if they had not been demented, ought, from their exposed Situa-

Contents of this annotation:

  1. A Serious Address (Second Edition) - 6