Creating the United States

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Madison’s Thoughts on Black and Native Americans

Madison’s Thoughts on Black and Native Americans (116.02.00)

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Writing to Thomas McKenney (1785–1859), former federal superintendent of Indian Trade and a strong advocate for “new-modelling the Indian character,” James Madison stated that “Next to the black race within our bosom, that of the red on our borders is the problem most baffling to the policy of our country.” Madison suggests that it would be useful to know more about “the susceptibility of the Indian character” in order to devise the treatment best suited to it.
Writing to Thomas McKenney (1785–1859), former federal superintendent of Indian Trade and a strong advocate for “new-modelling the Indian character,” James Madison stated that “Next to the black race within our bosom, that of the red on our borders is the problem most baffling to the policy of our country.” Madison suggests that it would be useful to know more about “the susceptibility of the Indian character” in order to devise the treatment best suited to it.