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Contributions of the Iroquois, 9karl h schwerin (schwerin@UNM.EDU)Tue, 2 Jul 1996 10:29:11 -0600
cut the gifting allowed by their Indian agents. The Iroquois were no longer crucial as a buffer between French and English territories, and they were no longer in a position of maintaining the balance of power. Rumors began to spread that the British intended to enslave the Indians. At the same time, settlers continued to move into their territory. Chief Pontiac went to war against the squatters. Nervous colonists from Paxton in western Pennsylvania attacked the Indian settlement at Conestoga and massacred the inhabitants. Franklin was outraged, characterizing the Paxton men as "Christian White Savages." He helped organize an impromptu militia of Quakers and traveled westward to put down the frontier insurgents. "As Franklin later explained in a letter to Lord Kames, the Scottish philosopher: "I wrote a pamphlet entitled A Narrative &c (which I think I sent you) to strengthen the hands of our weak Government, by rendering the proceedings of the rioters unpopular and odious. This had a good effect, and afterwards when a great Body of them with Arms march'd towards the Capital in defiance of the Government, with an avowed resolution to put to death 140 Indian converts under its protection, I form'd an Association at the Governor's request....Near 1,000 of the Citizens accordingly took arms; Governor Penn made my house for some time his Head Quarterws, and did everying by my Advice." Although he saved the lives of the 140 Indians, Franklin made many enemies among the frontier whites (Johansen 1982:81-82). Karl Schwerin SnailMail: Dept. of Anthropology Univ. of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131 e-mail: schwerin@unm.edu There are people who will help you get your basket on your head because they want to see what is in it. -- African proverb
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