General Jeffery Amherst assumed chief command of British forces in North America in September 1760. William Johnson served as Superintendent for Indian Affairs for the Northern Colonies, an office created during the Seven Years’ War to help the crown coordinate its relations with Native Americans. Johnson, a New York trader with long experience in Indian affairs, was steeped in the traditional practices of diplomacy in North America. These included regular meetings with Native American allies, during which condolences were offered, grievances aired, requests for assistance made, and diplomatic gifts exchanged. Amherst had no experience with Indian affairs, but he was appalled at the expense of the diplomatic meetings that occurred at the end of the war. He also believed that it would be in Great Britain’s interest to limit Indians’ access to guns, powder, and lead. In the following letter to Johnson, written in August 1761, Amherst outlines his reasoning.
You are sensible how averse I am, to purchasing the good behavior of Indians, by presents, the more they get the more they ask, and yet are never satisfied; wherefore as a Trade is now opened for them, and that you will put it under such Regulations as to prevent their being imposed upon, I think it much better to avoid all presents in future, since that will oblige them to Supply themselves by barter, & of course keep them more Constantly Employed by means of which they will have less time to concert, or Carry into Execution any Schemes prejudicial to His Majestys Interests; and to abolish entirely every kind of apprehension on that account, the keeping them scarce of Ammunition is not less to be Recommended; since nothing can be so impolitick as to furnish them with the means of accomplishing the Evil which is so much Dreaded.
Source: James Sullivan et al., eds., The Papers of Sir William Johnson, 14 vols. (Albany, 1921), 10:284–86.
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