Digital Paxton: Digital Collection, Critical Edition, and Teaching Platform

Copy of a Letter From Charles Read - 5

remove from one Place to another; while they comply with the Laws in Force, their Treatment ought to be the same with other Subjects in like Circumstances; their Persons and Effects equally claim the Protection of the Laws; and to murder or assault one of them, is a Crime equal to the doing of the same to another of His Majesty’s Subjects, the Colour of the Skin can make no essential Difference; to have a yellow one in the present Circumstances, may be a Misfortune, but not a Crime. I confess the Lancaster Massacre has raised in me a very high Resentment; and whatever the Indians may have done treacherosly [sic], I really think this Act, and the destroying in cool Blood three Indian Guides, who undertook to pilot the Paxton Voluntiers (who were starving when they met with them) to Fort-Augusta, and by whose Assistance the whole Party were undoubtedly saved from perishing by Famine; to destroy these Persons, who, at their Intreaty, had done them such eminent Service, and saved their Lives, equals any thing we have met with; nor can any Person show that In-

Contents of this annotation: