The consequence is, that the Indians, and
particularly the Creeks, finding themselves so encouraged, have passed,
without the least provocation on our part, from a state of peace, which
appeared to be well settled, to that of serious hostility. Their murders
and depredations, which, for some months, we were willing to hope were
only individual aggressions, now assume the appearance of unequivocal
war. Yet such is our desire of courting and cultivating the peace of
all our Indian neighbors, that instead of marching at once into their
country and taking satisfaction ourselves, we are peaceably requiring
punishment of the individual aggressors; and, in the mean time, are
holding ourselves entirely on the defensive. But this state of things
cannot continue. Our citizens are entitled to effectual protection, and
defensive measures are, at the same time, the most expensive and
least effectual. If we find then, that peace cannot be obtained by the
temperate means we are still pursuing, we must proceed to those which
are extreme, and meet all the consequences, of whatever nature, or from
whatever quarter, they may be. We have certainly been always desirous to
avoid whatever might disturb our harmony with Spain. We should be still
more so, at a moment when we see that nation making part of so powerful
a confederacy as is formed in Europe, and under particular good
understanding with England, our other neighbor.
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