Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-12-02

It is not generally known out Of
Massachusetts, that there IS remnant
of sborigines yet Existing in that State,
who amount to about three hundred
persons, and who occupy i tract Of
ten thousand acres of wood lying along
the sea coast, in the southern corner Of
Massachusetts,. Even the people Of
Massachusetts,, except those who made
money by keeping them under guar
dianship, might have forgotten their
existence but for the laws 10 the Mas-
sachusetts statute book, made from
time to time for regulating the affairs
Of the Narshpee Indians, as they are
called.
The Boston Advocate gives some
remarkable statements concerning the
improvement which has lately been
effected in the condition Of this tribe,
by simply allowing them the same
liberty with other citizens. For up
wards ofseventy years. says that print,
they had been treated by the legisa-
ture Of this State. as paupers and min
ors, although they possessed properly
abundantly sufficient for their support
if their own industry could be applied
to it instead of the profits going into
the hands oftheir neighboring whites,
who had grown rich and built fine
houses by cutting the wood of the In
dams and using them almost as slaves,
for mere trife to go upon whaling
voyage and other occupations. The
oyerseer system was little better or
milder as it regarded the liberty Of the
Indians, than the overseership Of ne
gro plantation at the South.
In 1884, this tribe applied to the
Legislature of Massachusetts, for re-
dress. They Rad no money to pay
lawyers, but Mr.. Hallet undertook
their cause. An old charter, granted
in 1863, enfranchising the Marsbpee
Indians, and incorporation their terri
tory as free district, was discovered
in the Office Of the Massachusetts Sc
cretary of State. This charter was
obtained from the king Of England, by
Phillip Cognehue, Marshpee Indian,
who crossed the. Atlantic for that pur-
pose. The Massachusetts, Legislature
took the matter into consideration, and
abolished the guardianship under which
the Indians had been retained notwith-
standing the charter, and Marshpee was
incorporated as district.
The recoyeryof their liberty, accord
| ing to the Boston Advocate, had most
favorable influence on the condition Of
the Marshpee Indians. The follow
ing particulars are from that print:
They have planted more than they
ever did before, and their crops come
in well. Industry is thriving with
them, and idleness and intoxicatior
are fast disappearing. The impulse o.
earning and owning propeaty for them.
selves is making them sober and in.
dustrious. They now cut and cart al
! of their own wood. When they wen
first Incorporated, as district, Their.
was scarce team on the plantation
Now they own nearly twenty. They
have good schools, and their children
are enjoying excellent advantages
The enterprise Of the Indians have
been remarkably developed the las
summer in the building Of vessels t.
transport their wood to Nantucket
Heretofore all the profits Of this busi.
ness have gone to the whites. The
Indians resolved to try their hand At
it. They have accordingly built, rig
ged and manned, beautifullittle sloop,
which was launched the other day ii
Marshpee Harbor, called Poppanesset.
Five-eights Of the vessel are owned by
the Indians, the other three-eights, SUI
fcient to get the rigging and sails, are
owned in Nantucket. The sloop is
appropriately called the Native Of
Marshpee,' and is commanded by So
,Iomon Attaquin, pure Indian, and 4
your man as well qualified for the
services As any whiteiman in the coun-
try. Mr.. Attaquin is one Of the select
men of the district. Her crew also
viii be natives, and her timber came
from the forest Of Marshpee, Success
to her. This is the first instance Of a
vessel, built and manned by descen-
dants Of the Aborigines Of this coun-
try, and this has been done in but three
years after these Indians were taken