MADNESS in any Society of Peo­ple is generally a Fore-Runner of their Destruction. For, before the Almighty destroys a Nation or People, he permits them first to be so infa­tuated as to run into Extravagancies, which by natural Consequences, bring Destructi­on upon them. The Massacre of the In­dians at Lancaster, and the too general Ap­probation it has met with, are Evidences of very great Madness: And that Calamities, by Occasion thereof, are impending over us, will appear from the following Con­siderations, viz.

To put any Man to Death (tho' in open War) when he may be made a Prisoner, is contrary to the Laws of Nations.

UNDER the Mosaic Dispensation, we find the Jews, who were under the immediate Direction of GOD himself, observing and performing their Treaties with great Punc­tuality.—Thus the Gibeonites were spar­ed, because of the Publick Faith of the [Page 4] Isralites plighted to them, tho' the same was obtained by Fraud and Falshood. And we find the good old Patriarch Jacob, by divine Inspiration, on his Death-Bed; bit­terly cursing two of his Sons; because of the Murder of Schechem and his Family, in cool Blood, after Peace had been con­cluded; tho' before he had committed a Crime worthy of Death.

IT is a fundamental Law of all civil Go­vernments, that no Person shall put another to death by his own Authority, let him have committed what Crime he may, if he can, with Safety be apprehended, so as to be brought to Tryal by the Laws of the Community.

To make War on one Nation for the Offences of another Nation; or to slay one Man for the Crime of another, seems con­trary to natural Justice. But to butcher Infants at the Breast, in capable of distingu­ishing between Right and Wrong, for the Crimes of their Parents, or of the Nation to which they belong, or perhaps only for the Crimes of other Nations of the same Colour, is shocking to every Person who has the common Feelings of Humanity. The [Page 5]Visiting the Iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children can only be understood of such Children, who, from the Examples of their Fathers (which is too commonly the Case) pursue the same vicious Courses. For to understand it otherwise, would be incon­sistent with the moral Government of the Divine Being; who, by the Prophet has forbid to use this Proverb; "the Fathers have eaten sower Grapes, and the Childrens Teeth are set on Edge: Because the Soul that sinneth, shall die, and the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father."

To apply these Doctrines to the present Case of the Indians, let us consider;

THAT the Indians consist of different Na­tions or Tribes independent of one another, and make War or Peace separately without each others Consent,—Some indeed for their mutual Protections have joined in Associations, like those of the Swiss Can­tons, or the united Provinces. The Ca­nostogoe Tribe in the Year 1701. con­firmed a Grant of their Land to W. Penn; and, by a solemn Treaty with this Govern­ment, agreed to live together with us as [Page 6]one People. A small Spot of Land was assigned to them to live upon: And, tho we did not make them Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water, they have continu­ed there ever since, in no better Conditi­on, than that of poor Basket-Makers and Broom-Makers. If some of them have, now and then, been guilty of Offences, they were always ready to be apprehended and brought to Tryal: And indeed, from the prevailing odium against Indians in general, if a Jury could be presumed to be byassed, 'tis most likely they would be so, in Favour of the Prosecutors.

DURING all the Time of our late Troubles they lived quietly and peaceably amongst us, and some of them have been employed by the Government.

BUT, notwitstanding 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, [Page 7]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 atroci­cous Murder, is an additional Proof of the Infatuation of these People and their A­betors.

IT appears, from the publick Papers, that Negotiations 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 [Page 8]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 extir­pate 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 Situation, to have been the most cautious of doing any Act which might prevent such a Peace. On the contrary their Friendship might be of very great Benefit to us.—The Skins and Furrs are great Weights in the Ballance of Trade between Great-Britain and us. Exchange is there­by lowered, and consequently the Prices of Goods which we import.

ANOTHER apparent bad Consequence is, [Page 9]unless the Indians have more Humanity than some of us, who profess, to have re­ceived the Light of the Gospel, and to be Followers of the Prince of Peace; We can­not expect but that the Prisoners, of our own Blood, who are now amongst them, will share the same Fate with the unhappy Wretches in Lancaster Goal.

THIS Province has been a Land of Li­berty; and Justice has hitherto been ef­fectually administred, without Assistance of a Military Force. It has also been an A­sylum for People of tender Consciences, who removed hither for the Liberty of worshipping the Supream Being, in the Manner they believed most agreeable to Him. These inestimable Privileges in­duced our Ancestors to leave their Native Land, to encounter the Dangers of the Deep, and settle in this Howling Wilder­ness; which is now become a fertile Field, a Land of Plenty. But alas! is it likely we shall long enjoy these Privileges? Can you imagine that Great-Britain will suffer the Administrations of Justice in so valu­able a Province as Pennsylvania to be inter­rupted; the Goals broke open; the Civil [Page 10]Officers insulted; Trade rendered pre­carious; and every Thing put into Con­fusion, by a Mob? No certainly!

INSURRECTIONS which had but small Be­ginnings have often arose to great Heights; Because, when once a Mob have broke through the Limits prescribed by the Laws, 'tis uncertain, how far they will wander in the Fields of Anarchy and Confusion; and what Extravagancies they will run into which at first they did not Design. If these People should take it into their Heads, not to pay Taxes, or not to pay the Proprie­taries for their Lands, or the Merchants for their Goods; what would be the Con­sequence? Is it not highly probable, that, to prevent the like, the English Govern­ment will oblige us to maintain a Military Force to support the Civil Authority; and dragoon us into our Duty, at our own Expence! The Iron Rod of Military Power must correct those who are deaf to the Voice of Reason and superior to the Fear of the Laws.—Great is the Law, it must, and it will prevail. Whoever thinks himself exempted from the civil Juris­diction only gnaws a File, which will [Page 11]break his Teeth.—Besides, as 'tis currently reported, that these Outrages, Tumults and Insurrections have been excited ex­ecuted, and abetted, principally and chiefly, if not altogether, by Persons dis­senting from the Church established in England; it is too likely, if they are re­peated and encouraged, that every Person who would bear an Office must conform to the Rites of that Church, in the same Manner as in England.

FROM all these Hints, which I have thrown together, without Order or Me­thod, I hope you will be convinced, that it is your Duty to Use your Influ­ence with these deluded People, to de­sist from their intended Enterprize; and that you will endeavour to convince them of their Error in what they have already done. Why should they be rendered desperate by having a Price set upon their Heads, like Wolves? Why should they have a Mark set upon them; and wander like Fugitives and Vagabonds in continual Fear? Or why should we be put to the Expence of maintaining an Army in Time of Peace, which we [Page 12]might have done without? Or pay Tithes, &c. to Clergy, whom many of us do not choose to hear preach? Or why should you deprive yourselves of filling the Posts you are otherwise qualified for, by vindicating a wrongheaded Mob?

THE lower Sort of People are very imitative of their Superiors.—They watch their Motions, Looks and Eyes:—If there­fore the more sensible Part of you would openly avow your Disapprobation of these Measures, you will find this Rage and Clamour will soon subside; These People will disperse; they will crumble like the Dust, and disappear [at least in a hostile Manner] like the Snow that melted yester­day.