A QUESTION AND AN ANSWER.
• [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—In bat week's Spectator Mr. T. E. Harvey writes :- "When the other English Colonies lived in constant feud with their Indian neighbours, and protected. themselves against them. by force of arms, individual families amongst. -them fell victims to the cruelty and list of the savage warriors, but for-sixty years the Quaker settlers of Pennsylvania lived unarmed and uninjured,
trusting to the answering response which their faith evoked in the hearts of men Whom all others treated as cruel barbarians."
Francis Parkman in chap. iii.. of his Conspiracy of Pontiac says: " With regard to the alleged results of the pacific conduct el' the Quakers, our admiration. will .diminish on closely viewing . the circumstances .of the case. The' position-of the Colony was a, most fortunate one. Had the Quakers planted their. settlement on- the banks of the St. Lawrence, or -among the-warlike tribes of New England,•it-may well be doubted whether their shaking of .-hantLs and assurances of tender regard -would.long -have availed to save them from the visitations of the scalping-knife. But the Delawares, the people on whose territory their Colonynvas planted, were, like themselves, dobarretl4he use of arms. - The Iroquois bad conquered them, and reduced Aftu to abject submission, wringing from. Wont a yearly „tribute, disarming them' • facing - -them to adopt the opprobrious name of women,' and forgo the right of war. The humbled Delawares were-but too'happyto receive the hand extended .to them; and, dwell in -friendship; with; their. pacific neighbours!: since, to have; lifted the hatchet, would. have‘ -brought upon. their heads the .vengeance of their conquerors, . whose - goodwill Pouts had taken pains to secure."
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