THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 257 he expected to take place but all of them must increase with the en- largement of our population, and the expansion of our settlements. This however is not all: For should _such reservations be adhered to, even the bounty of nature in providing liberally for our wants and necessities, will be converted into the most serious injury, to a large and respectable part of our population, for there are such n multitude of salt licks in the county of Howard, that many of the meritorious, and patriotic inhabitants of Boons Lick settlement, who bore the brunt of the late savage war, will be driven from those habitations, which at immense sacrifices they maintained, and de- fended, with a valor and perseverance that never has been surpassed; and one of the fairest portions of our country must remain unculti. vated, and uninhabited. Surely if Congress can be made sensible of these serious objections to their present law, some beneficial change of measures ought reasonably to be expected. The indian trade, I conceive to be of vast importance to this Terri- tory, and calculn.ted to advance its prosper~ty more rapidly and cer- tainly, than any other object within our reach. It was formerly in the hands of the inhabitants of this country, their principal support was derived from the prosecution of it, many of their houses (as may be seen in our villages) were constructed for the purpose of receiving the deposits of its proceeds: their local situation seems to give them a natural right.to participate in it-but though the gov- ernment has not declared in explicit terms, that they shall not enjoy that right, yet that such has been the necessary result, of the estab- lishment of public factories or trading houses amongst the indians, is well known to many, and has been severely felt, as is amply testi- fied by the continued empti,ness of those former depositaries of furs and peltries. 'I he present plan of the government has been tried for several years in succession, and has it is believed eventuated in a diminution of the trade itself; without having produced a single advantage to recommend its continuation; while it has greatly injured many worthy citizens and checked their laudable enterprises, which other- wise would have contributed, ·both to their own, and the public advantage. . Wishing therefore to see the public factories a:bolished, and all pretext for their continuance removed, by a total and complete exclu- sion of all British traders, from any participation in the trade with the indians, within our limits, I am decidedly in favor of render- ing that tra.de as accessable as possible, to the capital, and enterprise of our own citizens. Anxious to see our territory freed from the shackles of colonial dependence, I shall be in favor of-every measure calculnted to
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