Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-30


unsettled, and licth open to the said sav0ges."
thcsc motives Tor planting the new colony a..
Incompatible with the lofty IDEAS of granting th
S"iI and all it's Inhabitants from sea 10 sea- The,
demonstrate the truth that these grants asserted
tile tins' Europeans only, aud were considered
rs blank paper, far the rights OF the natiYcS
were concerned. The power OF war is given only
| for defence, not for conquest.
/ ne charters contain passages, showing one OF
t"c'r objects 20 be the civilization Of the Indians,
ana thcr conversion TO OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 10 be
accomplished by concating conduct, and good
example: not by determination.
Inc actual state OF things, and the practice Of
i1uforean nations, on much of tho American
| continent as lies between the Mississippi ard the
hu'huc' OK pllins their claims and the charter
| 'hcy granted. Their protcnSions unavoidable in.
'e''c'c" "i'A each other; though the discovery Of
o'c was ADMITTED 10y all To exclude the cha i'm OF any
"lhcr, the extent OF That discovery was the subject
"t unceasng contest Bloody conflicts arose be.
."trh 'hei', winch gave Importance and security
10 me ncighborng nations. Fierce and wurlIhc
| III lh'ir character they might be Formidable re-
mes, or effective Friends. Instead Of rou.;n~
their resentncn's, by asserting claims 10 thor lands
or 10 dominion over their PERSONS their alliance
| "'t So"g", ny hdttcrng professions, and purchns
cu by rich presents. The English, the French
| ANA TIE SpaniarGS, equally councillors for
Their friendship and their aid. Not we'll acquaint-
| ed with the exact meaning of words, nor surposnr
1t to be material whether they were called the sub
lectS, or the children of their her in Eurouc-
lavish in professions OF duty and affection in re-
turn ior the rch presents .hey received so long as
their actual independence was untouched and
Their right to se!!-gOvcrnment acknowledged they
were willing To profess dependence on the Powc-
which furnished supplies of which they were in
absolute need, aud restrained dangerous irtrudcrA
| from entering their country and this was proba-
MY the sense III which the term was underso God by
| them.
Certnin il is that our history furnishes no exam
| pie, from the first settlement of our country Of
any attempt on the part of the Crown, to Interfere
with the internal Affairs Of the Indians farther th IN
TO keep out the agents of foreign Powers wno as
traders or otherwise, might scduce them into TO-
reign alliances. The King purchased their lands
when they were willing to sell, at u price they
were willing to take; but never coerccd a surrcn
der OF them. He also purchased their alliance and
dependence by subsidies but never ntruded no
the interior OF their affairs intcrcrcd with their
sell government, far as resi- cctcd themselves
only.
The general views of Great Britain, with regard
TO the Indians, were detailed by MIR. Stuart super
lh'end"nt OF Indian ail.irs, in speech delivered
NJ Mobile, in the presence of several persons Of
distinction, soon after the peace Of 1853. To
wards the conclusion he SAYS, lastly, | inform
you, that II ~ the Kings order 10 all his Govern
orS and subjects, to treat the Indians with Justice
and humanity, and to rorbcar all entertainments on
The territories allotted to them; accordingly all in
divIduals are prohibited from purchasing any Of
your Lands; but you know, that your white be
thrcn cannot feed you when YOU visit than unless
you give them grounds to plant it expected that
you viii cede lands TO the King for that purpose -
But, whenever You shall be pleased to surrender
any OF your territories TO bis Majesty, it must be
done, Tor the future, at public meeting of your M
t"h, when the Governors of tn: Provinces, or the
superintendent shall he present, and obtain tie
consent ct all your people. The boundaries OF
your hunting grounds will be accurately fixed. and
n" settlement permitted TO he made upon them
y you may DC n~surnd that all treatirs with Won
VIII he faithfully kept it is cNurct.' fla: IN;
also, will he careful strictly to observe them"
Inc proclamation issued by the King of Great
Britain, III 1863, after the ratification of the
art lccs of peace, forbds the Governors of any of
the colonies 10 grant warrants of survey or pass
patents upon any lands whatever, which not hav. |
ing been coded 10, purchased by Che KING as |
Aforesaid are reserved to the said Indians, any
of them.
The proclamation proceeds ''aud i've do further |
declare 1t our royal will and pleasure, for the pre-.
SENT as aforesaid, to reserve under our sovereign
W, protection and dominion, for the OF the
SAID Indians, all the lands and territories" Giving
to the westward OF the sources of the rivers which
fall INTO the sea from the west and northwest as
aforesaid: and we DO hereby strictly forbid, on pain
OF our displeasurc, all loving subjects from
making any pUrchas cs settlements whatever or
taking possession Of any of the lands above rGscrv
ed, without our special leave and liccncc for that
purpose first obtained"
land we DO further strictly cnoin ard require
all persons whatever, who have either wiltGl!v or
inadvertently, seated themselves upon any lands |
within the countries above described, or upon any
other lands which, not having been ceded to- or |
purchased by us, are still reserved to the said Ia.
dIGnS, as aforesaid, forthwith to remove them
selves from such settlements.
proclamation, issued by Governor Gage, in |
Ii'2, contains the following passagc-"W here ls, |
many persons, contrary to the positive orders OF
the hing, upon this subject, have undertaken TO
make settlements beyond the boundaries fixed hv
the treaties made with the Indian nations, which
boundaries ought TO serve as barrier between th"
whites and the said natuns;'' particularly on the
Ouahachc, the proclamation orders such persons Il
quit these countries without DELAY.
Such was the policy of Great Britain towards
the Indian nations inhabitnC the territory from
which she excluded all other Europeans; such her
claims, and such her practical exposition Of the
charters she has granted: she considered them as
nations capable Of maintaining the relations of
peace and war; of governing themselves under
her protection; ana she made treaties with them
the obligation of which She acknowledged.
This was the settled state of things when the
war of our Revolution commenced. The nnU-
cncc OF our enemy establishes; her resources
enabled her to keep up that influences: and the CO.
lonIsts had mach cause for the apprehension that
the indian nations would, as the allies Of Great
Britain. add their arms TO hers. This, az was 10
be expected, became an object Of great solicitudo
to Congress. Far from advancing a claim to
their lands, or asserting any right OF dominion O.
yer them Congress resolved ''that the securing
and preserving the friendship Of The Indian ma
tlons, appears to be subject Oft utmost inomcnt
10 these colonies"
The carly journals Of Congress exhibit the most
anxious desire to couciliptc the Indian nations.
Three Indian departments were established; and
commissioners appointed in each, "io treat with
the Indians in their respective departments, in the
name and behalf of tho united colonies, in or
der to preserve peace and friendship VIII the said
Indians, and to prevent their taking any part in
the present CommOticns"
Tho most strenuous cEcrilons were made to
procure those supplies which Indian friend
snip was supposed TO depend, ana every thing