Brewer's: Bury the Hatchet

Let by-gones be by-gones. The “Great Spirit” commanded the North American Indians, when they smoked the calumet or peacepipe, to bury their hatchet, scalping-knives, and war-clubs in the ground, that all thought of hostility might be buried out of sight.

“It is much to be regretted that the American government, having brought the great war to a conclusion, did not bury the hatchet altogether.” —The Times.

Buried was the bloody hatchet; Buried was the dreadful war-club; Buried were all warlike weapons, And the war-cry was forgotten Then was peace among the nations.

Longfellow: Hiawatha, xiii.

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