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Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America is a pamphlet written by Benjamin Franklin in 1784. With his writing, Franklin explores some aspects of the Native American culture, such as the transition of knowledge between Indians, and their attitude towards the White people. He contraposes the Indians’ culture with the British culture, and is not in the favor of the latter. Moreover, when Franklin compares and contrasts some differences in the perception of civility in two nations, he exposes the hypocrisy the colonists often display towards the Native Americans. By highlighting certain cases of this hypocrisy, Franklin demonstrates how false is exactly the belief that Indians are uncivil savages.
The first example of hypocrisy resides in the religious grounds. According to Franklin (1784), “the Indians hear with patience the truths of the Gospel explained to them, and give their usual tokens of assent and approbation; you would think they were convinced” (pp. 6). Due to their impeccable politeness, they do not refuse the Christian truths but see them as interesting folklore, and treat the missionaries with respect and reverence. However, when Indians tried to repay the missionaries the favor by telling them the tales of Native American culture, the missionaries refused to acknowledge their religion as valid and equal to Christianity.
Another aspect of such hypocrisy lies in the colonists’ perception of Native Americans as some kind of curiosity – when Indian people come to towns, they are immediately crowded, and their privacy is violated. Franklin (1784) claims that “this Indians esteem great rudeness, and the effect of the want of instruction in the rules of civility and good manners” (pp. 8). He states that Native Americans refrain from such behavior towards the White people.
Finally, there was the aspect of hospitality, as told by Franklin. While the Indians treat visiting strangers as dear guests, providing them with everything they could or might need, be they Native Americans or White people, they are refused the same courtesy from the colonists. Franklin (1784) writes from the perspective of an Indian man that “if the white people met so often in church to learn good things, they would certainly have learned some before this time” (pp. 10). Still, despite the Christian beliefs teaching the White people to be generous and kind, they remain ignorant towards the Natives, while simultaneously visiting the church and deeming themselves proper people.
Reference
Franklin, B. (1784). Remarks concerning the savages of North America. Passy Press.
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