The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-06-10

| people under Heaven. Accordingly we do
not find that their mother country, Ger
many, ever pretended to tax them nor is
Ii likely, if I1e had, that they would have
paid it. So far then the level is clear for
unleis Great Britain had property in the
lands of America, before the colonifis went
thither, it doea not appear how they could
take lands of her to hold on any terms.
Nov the fact is we'll known, that Britain
had not foot of land in New-England !;
and that when the frR fettlers went into
that country, they found it poHefed by vac
rious tribes of Indians, from whom they
e4her purChafed or conquered what they
now enjoy. European nations have i'm
deed pretended, lome, that the Pope could
give them right to the lands of America
others, that failing along the coat there,
landing on lome beach unfeen by the ma
tives, and branding poR with the arms of
their own country, created right to as
much of the internal territory as they fhould
afterwards think proper to claim. But one
would hardly imagine, az your writer fays,
that fuch nonfenfe could hnd advocates
And yet he himfelf tells US, the lands on
the eahern bank of the Miiiilippi are fbt
pyspOy of the people of Great-Britain.'
Thar is the French claimed them, becauie
one of their nation difcovered them by fail.
ing down that river in canoe, and at the
end of the laif war gave up that claim to
the Engllfh. Whatever right this con-
queR conferred, give me leave to fay, 10 40
much right Of the colonies 80 Of Great
Britain; for they had man for man with
her in the armies that fought for it.
But if Englilhmen houId come with
this parchment right in their hands, and
bid an Indian nation lettled there, removs
in confequence of il, l believe they would
fay, what your correspondent fays on the
other 6de of the quefion, that it is di.
really contrary TO the nature of things,
and to common fenfe.' Thus Celfai the
French Astronomer dilcovsred with his
telefcope that difria in the moon, which,
| in honour of his Iovereign, he called Lsm.
Gass. BY fuccefsful war, perhaps, we
might oblige Lsni, to give il up, and a.
gree that il hould hencefosth, in all maps
Of the moon be called NsVa Brifaais, and
be held by King Gsygs as truffes for the
people OF Great-Britain. But If EnRllfh-
men could as well as Jail, and arriving
there ihouid claim the country upon that
righss the native inhabitants, to acknow-
ledge and fdbmit to it, mutt be LgH0tieS
indeed.
In faa, neither the grsntor nor grantees
of thefs ehimerieal rights, ever underRood
more by them than that they were an ex-
cIufioR of other EngIifhmen from the re-
(peeive boundaries of each grant, The
Grantees to obtain fome title, were oblig-
ed to purchaGe of the Indians, or conquer
them at their cum charger. And If they
had Unified that the crown fhouId put
them in poheflion of what was granted, the
grant would probably never have been
made. This Purchafe and conqusf, with
the expence OF fettling and clearing the
lands, have occahoned many of the grants
10 be relinquifhed, as not worth holding.
And mott of taofe who went through with
their undertakings, find they have dearly
earned or paid for what they now poHeEs.
And yet Notwithstanding what this writer
fays, ] believe ne cannot produce an in
tance fince the Settlement Of the country,
Of any one coloriit's refulAlfo pay the FL
puated quit-rent to the grown, on any
pretence whatever. His sccufstion, there
foe, in this point is injurious and quite
without foundation.
Since good undertaking between the
paris OF a grezt empire, is the frength of
the who'e, what beneficial erd can il an