Michigan historical collections. [Vol. 17]

596

EXPEDITION TO DETROIT, 1793.

Two of them attacked a third, and stabbed him to death with their
knives. A sorrowful instance of the shocking, horrid effects of this
man-bane, (distilled spirits.) This has been the great engine, and
mainspring, which has prepared the way and led to thousands of acts
of hostility, and murders without number. It has evidently appeared
to me to be the greatest obstacle in the way of the civilization and
happiness of the Indian natives-the removal of which, loudly calls for
the united exertions of our government, and that of Great Britian,
together with the unremitting endeavours of all Christians, and lovers
of mankind. I consider this important object of so great magnitude.
as hardly to be equalled by any terrestrial achievement. Oh! that
legislators would lay it more deeply to heart, and the professed followers of Jesus *lift up a glorious ensign against this mighty destroyer of
mankind! Instead of which sorrow is now added to affliction, until
blood touches blood, by furbished swords, harnessed men and horses,
glittering spears, sounding drums and trumpets-while elated captains,
colonels, and generals, glorying in their multitude and their pomp,
forget that "Tophet is ordained of old" for those, and that they should
descend into it-forgetting also "the sword that is bathed, and that
shall come upon the mountains of Idumea"-forgetting too the God of
armies, who is able, by the diminutive fly or worm, to lay the glory
and pomp of all nations in the dust-nor considering that it is righteousness which exalteth a nation.
This town is picketted all round. It consists of about one hundred
and fifty houses, crowded together. The fort lays adjoining the town,
on the north side. Watchmen are placed at four gates leading into
the town; sentinels also stand on the ramparts and bastions of the
fortifications, who cry from one to another, every fifteen minutes, from
nine in the evening to three o'clock in the morning, all is well, and
the last cries, all is very well. But it appeared a superficial sound to
me. This day we dined at W. F.'s, which I think nothing could have
induced us to attempt, but the remembrance of our great Example
being a friend of sinners. The old man treated us with generous hospitality, which we requited with plain dealing.
26th. Twenty-eight Indians arrived to-day, from Mackinoi, [Michilimackinac] on their way to the Council. Dined at John Askin's, one
of the most respectable merchants in this place. We were entertained
in a pleasing manner. His wife is a French woman, of an amiable,
easy, graceful deportment. We had the company of Dr. Wright, lately
married to commodore Grant's daughter, a discreet young woman, who
was present; also lawyer Smith, a British merchant, John Askin's