New-York daily tribune., 1843-05-03
Political IliStory.---NO. WI.
.e....a =. n.ha r,ihnno ~ Ennrn WILTON.

Political IliStery---No. WI.
Prepared Tor The Tribune by EpwN WriLu'i'.
,r,o r,,, r,ss,rorv OF TIE coLoyrrs-rSpiAN aE-
LArIoYS~EtcHts sNp PRIVILEGES OF iiik 1oh'-
IsIM TREATMENT BY ENGLAND
TnE original title to the territory o. ah liie
European Colonies in America was founded OH
the right Of discovery, right winch was helo
among the Christian powers of Europe just and
sufficient foundation for their respective claims
to the countries OF the New World The doc
tric that priority OF discovery coniers an eSclu-
siyc right to territory was adopted as rule oy
European nations, to which they appealed IN the
settlement of controversies which arose on the
subject bctweon them, and the principle received
universal aequicscence In regulating the flSh's
OF sovereignty and settlement.
Although the claim to territory from the night
OF discovery seems Just and equitable as appllca-
bic to uninhabted countries, 1t would be difiicui'
TO show what authority II could have over inc
aborigncs OF America, whether existing III COM
munilics or scattered IN hunting Tribes over The
wilderness Tire Indian tribes ln1abIing ihs
continent when it was discovered clumed e&clu-
sive possession and occupancy oi their respective
territories as sovereigns and absolute proprietors
OF the soil. This right of dominion they have
ever since asserted and maintained as lar as they
have had the means, and yielded 1t up only when
lost by conquest or transferred by cesslon.
.The European nations found little difficulty
sn reconcing themselves TO the adoption of any
principle which gave ample scope 10 their ambi-
tion, and employed little reasoning to support II.
f,C thor IN
tcress, their prejudiccs, and their passons and
felt no necessity of vindcating their conduct be-
tore cabinets, which wcrc already eager to rocog
nizc its Justice and its policy. The Indians were
a savage race, sunk III the depths OF ignorance
and hoa,henism. If,hey might not be eStirpated
unight be reclaimed from their errors. They were
bound TO yield to the superior genus of Europe
and in exchanging their wild and debaslng habits
for Civilization and Christianity, they were deem
TO gain more than an equivalent for every saca
ficc and suffering. The Papal authority, too,
was brought in aid Of these great designs; and,
for the purpose of ovcrlhrowing heathcmsm and
propaeating the Catholic religion, Alexander the
Sixth, by a Bull iesucd in 1893, granted to the
Crown of CASTLE the whole of the immense ter
ritory then discovered or to be discovered, be
tween the poles SO far as it not then possessed
by any Christian Prince" (Storg)
The Europeans thus founding Their own title
on the right of discovery, viewed the rights OF
the natives as subordinate TO the discoveries
with permission to occupy or use The soil until
wanted bv the European government claiming 1t;
a. a.,
or those OF any other nation 20 acqaue amy night
TO the soil by any grant from the natives, without
obtaining the night from the European sovereign
Il was deemed night exclusively belonging 10
The government III It's sovereign capacity to ex-
,nguisll the Indian title, and TO perfect its own
dominion over the soil, and dispose Oft accord
ng TO ITS own good pleasure
The Spaniartis and Portuguese took possession
OF the countries in America discovered by them,
with the most uscrupuous disregard of the rights
OF the natives who inhabited them. Far from
purchasing the right of soil OF the Indians, they
either enslaved or ex,ermiuacd them. The mon,
archs of England were also wholly unmindlul OF
the interests of the ahonglnes IN partiuonlng the
vast regions OF North America among mercantile
companies and rapaciouS courtlcrs. The whole
country claimed by Great Britain, now the Unit
ed States, was granted hy the crown while IN the
occupation of the Indians. These grants purpori
to convey the soil as well as the nigh, Of dominion
to the grantees, Almost every utle within the
original thirteen States is dependent on these
grants. In those Colonies which were dcnomi
mated royal, when the right OF soil was not vested
IN individuals, but renamed IN the crown, or was
vested in the Colonial government, the King
claimed and exercised the right of granting lands,
and of dis,nembering the government AZ his Will.
The settlers in the British Colonies, however,
acted in very different spirit from that in which
the royal patents were framed. They purchased
with their own estates the supposed tue OF the
natives. Almost every foot of territory occupied
by the whites in New England, at the distance Of
many wears from the commencement OF their
communities. and until wars of eStcrmlnatlon
were commenced against the colonists by the In
dams, was thus scqaircd, Doctor Dwight was
of opinion tha, fair value was pad 10 the Ind
ans for then lands, under the circumstance
Abundant and welmerited honor mas been pad
to William Penn for his Conscientious dealings
in this respect. As much is due, however. (ssys
My. Walsh 10 the founders OF The New-England
colonies; TO those Of Maryland, New-Jessey and
North Carolina. The Plymouth colony In 1921,
md that az Massachusetts IN 1929: Calvert and