Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-12-01

lierS. MS must have been the mean
ing OF their having lands given them
among the settlers, for the old English
doctrine Of seassng IN fee, and of the fee
being IN the King, was too metaphysical
an idea to have found a lodgment in
their unsophisticated heads. Indeed. if
is quite ridiculous to embarrass this
question with the abstract terms. and
nice distinctions, which had their origin
IN the feudal tenures of Europe. The
whole philosophy, and the whole moral
lty OF the Indian title, as opposed to the
encroachments of the European settlers,
might be thus expressed by the Indians !:
" These lands are ours. We had them
from our fathers. They are not yours.
Neither you, nor your fathers, nor your
King, ever had them. When we con-
sent to your taking them, they will be
yours. I'LL then, they belong to u.s."
If the little tribe of Indians who had
the possession of the lands at the mouth
of Savannah river, consented to the set
Element of Oglethorpe; and if their con-
sent was obtained fairly and honorably,
(which | am inclined to question: then
the founder of the State of Georgia had
a rightful possession. The lawfulness of
his possession, as against the Indians,
was founded altogether upon their con-
sent; while, in regard to the whites of
South Carolina, he might justly plead
the Kings charter.
BUT as this tribe was inconsidera-
ble," says the historian, "Oglethorpe
judged it expedient to have the other
tribes also, to join NTH them IN the trea-
to-" So it seems, that Oglethorpe sup
posed the Indians to be capable of max
ing a treaty, as all his predecessors had
done, from the discovery of America to
that day, and as all his successors con-
tinued to do, till this same Georgia con-
troversy has, within two years past, led
to the discovery, that Indians are capa-
bic Of being treated NTH. tits morally
certain, that the colony of Oglethorpe
would have been of short duration, if he
had told the Indians, that he, acting I'M
der the King of Great Britain, was the
owner of all the lands from Savannah
to Altamaha, and thence westward to
the other side of the world; and that he
could not form any compact with them,
because they were incapable of making
a bargain. Had the whites distinctly
avowed such principles of morality and
law, they would never have established
themselves on this continent, beyond the
reach OF their guns. No other refuta-
ton OF SO monstrous system seems ne
cessary, than its utter impracticability,
at the commencement of the settlements.
In other words, the emigrants from Eu-
rope could never have become strong
enough to throw off all the restraints Of
justice and honor, and disavow the most
obvious principles Of moral honesty, un-
less they had pretended to be honest
and just during period of two hundred
years.
Oglethorpe, having found an interpre-
ter, summoned meeting of the chiefs
to hold a Congress with him at Savan-
nah, in order to obtain i" their consent
to the peaceable settlement of the colo
n.y." About fifty chiefs assembled
Oglethorpe represented to them " the
great power, wisdom, and wealth of the
English nation, and the many advanta-
ges that would accrue to the. Indians in
general, from connexion and friend
ship with them and, as they had plen-
ty of lands, he hoped they would freely
resign a share Of them to his people,
who were come to settle among them
for their benefit and instruction"
This is the first overture of the colo
nists to the assembled Indians; and it
certainly does not look much like de-
handing the whole:country, in the name
Of the King Of England. 1t seems much
more like humble entreaty for per-
mission to remain, for the purpose of
doing good to the natives. The consent
of the lords of the soil was obtained,
and treaty was made, Of which the
following is an abstract:
TREATY OF SAVANNAH.
The Preamble recites the authority
of Oglethorpe, and says that certain
" articles Of friendship and commerce"
were made between him i" and the
chief men of the nation Of the Lower
viz.
/. The colony engages to let traders
carry goods into the "Creeks nation"
for sale.
2. The colony engages to make res
titution to the Greeks for any injury done
to them by white traders, and to punish
the offenders according to English law.