Some writers have questioned Champlain’s prudence touching the alliance which he made with some Indians for the purpose of fighting the aggressive Iroquois.  We have already shown that if Champlain desired to maintain his settlement at Quebec, such an alliance was not only prudent, but essential.  The Hurons and allied tribes, it is true, were barbarous, though not to so great an extent as the Iroquois, but they had the same vices and were as perfidious.  The least discontent or whim would have been sufficient for the whole band to have swept the fort away.  By making an alliance with them, and promising to assist them against their inveterate foes, it became to their advantage to support Champlain, and thus to render his people secure against attack.  Moreover the numerical strength of the settlers in the early days was not sufficient for Champlain to have imposed terms by force of arms, and as it was necessary for his people to trade with the Indians, he could not have done better, under the circumstances, than to form this alliance, which insured business relations and protection for his countrymen.

This alliance was undoubtedly made at a sacrifice to Champlain, and he had to suffer many humiliations and privations thereby.  We cannot imagine that he found any pleasure in going to war with a lot of savages, or in fighting against a ferocious band, with whom neither he nor his people had any quarrel.  It is certain that Champlain did not encourage them in their wars, and he was careful not to put any weapons into their hands.  The same amount of prudence was not exercised by those who came after the French and endeavoured to colonize New England and New Netherland.

Champlain’s policy was one of conciliation.  He desired peace, harmony and charity above all things.  As a respectful and obedient child of his mother, the Catholic Church, he was very anxious that her teachings and advice should be observed by those who were placed under his authority.  Although in his early life he had followed the career of a soldier, still he regarded the profession of arms as useful only to put into question the ancient axiom, Si vis pacem, para bellum.  Wars and quarrels had no attraction for Champlain, and he always preferred a friendly arrangement of any difficulty.  He was a lover of peace, rather than of bloodshed, and the kindly nature of his disposition prevented him adopting vigorous measures.

Nevertheless, in the fulfilment of his duty as a judge, he was just, and would punish the guilty in order to restrain abuses or crimes.  At this period there was no court of justice in New France, but Champlain’s commission empowered him to name officers to settle quarrels and disputes.  There was a king’s attorney, a lieutenant of the Prevote, and a clerk of the Quebec jurisdiction, which had been established by the king.  Champlain, however, was often called upon to decide a point of law, and we learn from his history that he was unable on account of death to settle a point which had arisen between two of Robert Giffard’s farmers.