The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-11-11

forbid, on pain of our displeasure, all our loving
subjects from making any purchases or Settle
ments whatever, or taking possession OF any OF
the lands above reserved, without our special
leave and lcence for that purpose first obtained:
The lands now in dispute between georgia
and the Cherokees are within the description
which is printed in italics; and were therefore
reserved I" for the use of TIE Indians" Thus
matters remained, so far as the British Govern
ment was concerned, till the close of the Revo-
lutionary war. BY the peace of 1888, the Colo
nv of Georgia was acknowledged to be one oil
the Independent States of America. There can
be no doubt, that the State of Georgia thence
forward might exercise, within her proper linn.
its, all that authority, in regard TO the Indians
or any other subject, which either the Colony
of Georgia, or the British Government might
have previously exercised. 1t is to be under
stood, however, that any notifications of her
power, which Georgia made either by entering
into the old confederation, or by adopting the
present national Constitution, are to be duly
regarded.
There are no means within my reach, by
which the claims of the British Government, in
regard to the possessions of the Indians can be
accurately known. Nor is it of any consequence
that they should be known. Unless they were
founded in reason and justice, they could be OF
mo validity and in regard to what is founded
in reason and justice, impartial, disinterested
,'ali GENT men of the present day, can form as
correct an opinion, as could be TUTmv0 ey tI.u
kings of England.
1t is admitted on all hands, and is even siren
uousiy commended for by the people of Georgia,
that the Indians were considered by the British
crown, as under its protection. From this claim
of the crown, it is inferred, that the Indians
held their lands by permission of the crown
Now humbly conceive, that here Is too large
a leap from the premises to the conclusion.
eli bat
ton and usurping unlimited control over rights
and property. How many small States remain.
ed for hundreds of years under the protection
of the Roman republic? The greatest men in
that republic were always proud of their good
faith to their dependent allies, so long as these
allies remained faithful. The right of retaining
their territory, laws, customs, and habits of liv-
ing, was not invaded. How many small States
are there in Europe, at this moment possessing
limited sovereignty, and remaining under the
protection of larger States, yet exercising the
right of administering their own government,
in regard to most essential things, as truly as
the State of Massachusetts,, or South Carolina,
administers its own governments?
Would it not be safer to infer, that the Indians
were claimed 20 be under the protection of Great
Britain because they had important rights, achich
needed proteeti0n9 rights which were in dan
ger from the Entertainments of other European
nations, the avarice and fraud of spectators,
and the hostile Vaccinations of neighboring
tribes A guardian is the acknowledged protec-
tor of his ward Is it sound law, therefore, that
the guardian is the sole owner of her wards
property and may set the helpless orphan
adrift in the world The father is the protector
of his children: may he, therefore, Cypress
them, dishearten them, and thus prepare them
to become outcasts and vagabonds' husband
is the protector of his wife may he, therefore,
abuse her, repudiate her without cause, and
drive her from her own house, and her patrimo-
NAL inheritance
As to the power of Georgia within her own
limits, some remarks will be made in future
number. WILLIAM PENN.