I am fully persuaded, that if we were upright and just in all our Transactions with them; if our Trade with them was put into the Hands of faithful Men, who would deal justly by them; and if they were supplied with all Necessaries for themselves and Families at a moderate Price, it would not be in the Power of all the _French_ at _Canada_ (subtle as they are) to alienate them from us. The _French_ are not upon equal Ground with us in this Affair. For their Northern Climate is much more inhospitable and severe than ours is: Their Country is not so productive of those Fruits, which the _Indians_ very much live upon, as ours: Nor can they afford Goods which are proper and necessary for the _Indians_ at so cheap a Lay as we can: Therefore we can give them those Advantages which _Canada_ cannot. We can, without Damage to ourselves, make it their Interest to adhere to us: And when Experience has once taught them, that their Interest lies with us, they will want no other Inducement to engage them to us: Yea, it will not only attach those of them to us, who are not yet gone to _Canada_, but it will induce those who are, to return to their Brethren, for the Sake of the Profit they might reap by it; especially if we give them all the Advantage we can, consistent with our own. As unjust and abusive Treatment of the _Indians_ tends naturally to alienate them from us, and to turn them off to the _French_; so a Series of just and faithful Dealing with them would be likely to attach them to us, and to make them our fast Friends. This again appears from the Temper and Conduct of that Part of the _Tribe_ of the _River Indians_ who live at _Stockbridge_. For tho’ they were, for a considerable Time, extremely jealous, that we had some ill Design upon them, even in the Favours they received at our Hands (a Jealousy founded, I suppose, upon the ill Usage the _Natives_ have too often been the Subjects of) yet by the just Treatment they, for a Course of Years, have met with from the _Government_, from Mr. _Sergeant_, Mr. _Woodbridge_, and others, they are become our hearty Friends; willing to live or die with us, whether in Peace or War. It is very true, that in order to obtain the End proposed, our Trade with the _Indians_ must not be in private Hands. It must not be in the Power of every private Person to treat them as he pleases. We may upon good Grounds despair of their being treated with Equity and Justice, if every one may gratify his avaricious Temper in dealing with them. Our Trade therefore must be of a publick Nature, and must be committed to the Care and Management of faithful Men: Not to such as will seek the Service, and make Friends to procure the Post for them; (certain Indications of a Self-seeker) but Men of Uprightness and Integrity must be sought out; such, and such only, must be trusted with Business of such Importance: Good Instructions must be given them, which must be carefully adhered to.