591. ASTOR'S SETTLEMENT, Protection of.—
I learn with great pleasure the
progress you have made towards an establishment
on Columbia river. I view it as the germ
of a great, free, and independent empire on that
side of our continent, and that liberty and self-government
spreading from that as well as from
this side, will insure their complete establishment
over the whole. It must be still more
gratifying to yourself to foresee that your name
will be handed down with that of Columbus and
Raleigh, as the father of the establishment and
founder of such an empire. It would be an
afflicting thing, indeed, should the English be
able to break up the settlement. Their bigotry
to the bastard liberty of their own country, and
habitual hostility to every degree of freedom
in any other, will induce the attempt; they
would not lose the sale of a bale of furs for the
empire of the whole world. But I hope your
party will be able to maintain themselves * * *
and have no doubt our government will do for
its success whatever they have power to do
and especially that at the negotiations for
peace, they will provide, by convention with
the English, for the safety and independence
of that country, and an acknowledgment of
our right of patronizing the Indians in all
cases of injury from foreign nations.—
To John Jacob Astor. Washington ed. vi, 247.
(M.
1813)
See Fur Trade.
