The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

ETr. 58.] LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 467
United States. There were various grounds of policy
for this refusal, but probably the most operative was a
secret hope, that the western inhabitants, weary of these
obstacles to their commerce, and dissatisfied with the
national government for not removing them, might
sooner or later dissever themselves from the Union,
and form a separate republic, which would easily fall
under the control of Spain.
Other circumstances, growing out of the relations
with England and Spain, were extremely injurious to
the,interests of the country. During the war, the Indians on the borders of the United States had almost
everywhere been allied with the enemy. When peace
came, it found them in the attitude of hostility, their
savage spirit roused, and their vindictive tempers eager
for slaughter and revenge; and the United States were
left to appease and conciliate them as they could. In
any case this would have been an arduous task, but
the difficulty was soon perceived to be increased by a
foreign influence, keeping alive their enmity, and stimulating them to acts of outrage. British agents and
traders on the northern frontier furnished the Indians
with arms, ammunition, and clothing. In Florida the
Spaniards tampered with the Creeks and other Southern Indians, and kept them at variance with their white
neighbours. These acts were not acknowledged, possibly not authorized, by the English and Spanish governments, but they were certainly not restrained, and
they were repeated long after full representations had
been made.
The effect was a protracted and expensive war.
Washington's policy in regard to the Indians was
always pacific and humane. He considered them as
children, who should be treated with tenderness and
forbearance. He aimed to conciliate them by good