Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-01-15

his colony and to live on terms of friendship
with the natives. The strict justice with
which he constantly treated them enabled him
to acquire strong ascendency over them-nor
did they ever, through successive generations,
until their final disappearance from our soil
ever forget the feelings of gratitude inspired by
his character and conduct-to this fact it is
owing, that ours is almost the only State in the
union, whose annals are not disfigured by con-
constant wars with the Indians. AS long as
the influence of his illustrious example was
maintained in our negotiations with them,
peace and quiet prevailed within our borders,
and it was only when the white settlers, in vi
olation of treaties, encroached on their hunting
grounds, for which no redress could be OBJ
tanned, that they were induced to become our
enemies and make war upon US.
The charter of Pennsylvania was granted
by King Charles II on the 4th March 1851,
and in pursuance of his benevolent policy Will
lam Penn shortly after his arrival here, met
the Indians in council, and concluded several
treaties. His early purchases were of lands
in the immediate vicinity of Philadelphia, from
the Delaware tribes who were the residents
and numerous deeds of these tracts are still ex-
listing in the public offices. August 90, 1886
deed is SAID to have been made for the cele-
brated acalking purchase, which occasioned
much controversy and dissatisfaction among
the Indians;-it is however included in the
deed of 1897, which will be hereafter men,
toned. 1t is certain no such original deed was
in existence at the treaty of Easton, in 1857, and
it is with good reason denied TO have ever ex-
listed. In 1896, through the Governor of New
York, the Proprietary obtained deed of ces-
sion for all lands lying "on both sides of the
river Susquehanna and the lakes adjacent, in
or near the province of Pennsylvania" from the
Six Nations, who as before related, claimed
rights to the lands by conquest over the Della
wares--ths purchase did not include any ex-
tent of land which was left indefinite.
The foresight of Penn induced him to OBJ.
tain this grant, of the whole Susquehanna coun-
ty, though it was not designed for immediate
settlement, in order to secure it from the pre-
tensions of the neighbouring colonists, the
boundaries of his colony being as yet unknown.
Notwithstanding this purchase from the Six Ma
tions, the ri ghts of the Delawares who were
the real possessors of the soil were always ac-
knowledged, and treaties made with them as
the settlement were advanced towards the in
terror. The early Indian deeds are vague and
underlined as to their boundaries and the sta
tions cannot be precisely asterained at this
| day, these circumstances are however of no i'm
portance 10 us at present, as they were not
given for lands embraced within "Old North
ampton"-it may be observed, that the Indians
regarded their treaties with fidelity, and the
boundaries appear to have been always accu-
rately understood By them. On the 18th Sep
tember l7l7, there is deed of release from
sundry Delaware chiefs, Sassoonan and others
| for sail the lands situate between the Delaware
and Susquehanna from Duck creek, to the
mountains on this side of the Lehigh" with al
acknowledgment, that they had seen and heard
diUerS deeds of sale read unto them, under the
hands and seals Of former chiefs, their ances-
tors, by which they had granted the said lands
to VIM. Penn, for which they were content
which for further consideration of goods de-
! livered TO them, they then confirmed. 1t is to
| be observed that the Northern boundary of this
deed is expressly limited 10 the Lehigh hills
and that no allusion is made to the day and a
half's walk said to be in the alledged deed o
l666-a small portion of "Old Northampton
is included in the above purchase, and is there
fore to be noted In spite of these defined
limits, the settlers encroached on the Indian
lands beyond them, which occasioned great
anxiety and uneasiness among the Delawares
the complaints of the aged Sassoonan were
eloquent and pathetic. Preparations were made
for war but by prudence and skill, the danger
was turned aside. This was in 1928 and the
wrongs were partly committed in this neigh
borhood--in his last will William Penn had
bequeated to his grandson bearing the same
name, 10000 acres of land TO be set out in pro-
per and beneficial places in the province by has
Trustees. These 10000 acres William Allen,
an eminent citizen of Philadelphia (who was
afterwards Chief Justice of the Provincel and
a great dealer in lands, purchased, and by vr-
ture of warrant or order of the Trustees to ia
cob Taylor, The Surveyor General, to survey the
said 10000 acres, he had part of that land laid
out in the Minislnks, Immediately above the
Blue Mountains, because 1t was good land, tho
1t was not yet purchased Of the Indians. The
warrant is dated and the lands
taken up, were exclusively on the river bot
toms--commencing about Cherry Creek, and
extending many miles up the river
| Had he contented himself with securing the
| right to himself and sunered the lands IN re-