Benjamin Franklin [1750 
the Indians are an independent people, over whom 
they have no power, and for whose actions they are, 
therefore, not accountable. Surely circumstances so 
widely different may reasonably authorize different 
demands of security in America from such as are 
usual or necessary in Europe. 
The Remarker, however, thinks that our real de- 
pendence for keeping “France or any other nation 
true to her engagements must not be in demanding 
securities, which no nation whilst independent can 
give, but on our own strength and our own vigi- 
lance.” * No nation that has carried on a war with 
disadvantage, and is unable to continue it, can be 
said under such circumstances to be independent; 
and, while either side thinks itself in a condition to 
demand an indemnification, there is no man in his 
senses but will, ceteris paribus, prefer an indemnifi- 
cation that is a cheaper and more effectual security 
than any other he can think of. Nations in this 
situation demand and cede countries by almost every 
treaty of peace that is made. The French part of 
the island of St. Christopher’s was added to Great 
Britain in circumstances altogether similar to those 
in which a few months may probably place the 
country of Canada. Farther security has always 
been deemed a motive with a conqueror to be less 
moderate; and even the vanquished insist upon se- 
curity as a reason for demanding what they acknow- 
ledge they could not otherwise properly ask. 
The security of the frontier of France on the side 
of the Netherlands was always considered in the 
1 Remarks, p. 25. 
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