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A Yankee trick in the mean time had been discovered,
disgraceful to the land of steady habits, even though
it was at the expense of the English government; and
they might be considered as deserving no favour, and
scarcely fair dealing. But it is one thing to merit punishment,
by retributary injury, and another, to have the right
of inflicting it. Hearing that the scalps of families of the
United States, were in request in Canada, a premium
being paid for these, by the British government, two
young men of Connecticut, having entered into partnership,
devised the scheme of cutting up into patches of
a proper size, with the hair on, the furs of muskrats,
and martins newly flayed, with a view to make the appearance
of green scalps; and to vend them to John
Bull. They were called to an account before the Chief
Justice; they justified themselves on the ground, that
the British government in Canada were in the habit of
counterfeiting treasury notes, and bank bills of the United
States; and why not forge or counterfeit scalps, in
return? Could John Bull complain that false scalps
were passed upon him, for which his premium in gold
and silver was received; since this was done without actually
scalping a human being. The Chief Justice did
not see well what could be said to this defence. It
was a kind of retaliation, and might have the effect of
lowering the price of scalps, and thereby reduce the demand,
which would in that degree lessen the taking
them. It might also contribute to breed a difference between
them and their scalp-taking auxiliaries, or allies,
by an imputation upon Tecumsey as privy to the fraud.
For scalps having got into the market, it could not readily
be distinguished what had been sold by the Indian
tribe, or by brother Jonathan trading with his cart. On
these foundations of public policy, the young men were acquitted,
and dismissed, but it was recommended to them,
to be cautious in the business, and not to scalp any human
person by mistake, especially of that settlement. If they
should scalp a few Johnny Bulls of their own country,
who justified old John in all things, it would not be so
much matter. But to license such a thing on the part

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of the government would not do; or even to go so far as
to give it countenance; because in carrying the thing
into effect, great abuses might take place. If it could
be confined to leaders, O— P—, &c. &c. &c. it
would be of little moment. Old Bull, it is true, might
resent the fraud doubly, as taking his own scalps to palm
them upon him for those of the democrats.

A little round Englishman, who had been tooth-drawer
to a lap-dog, but was now in this country, said it would
have been determined otherwise, according to the law of
nations, by a court in England.

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