What is called Penn's particular policy toward the Indians, and the
means of his successes in that regard, existed in practical force
scores of years before he arrived. His celebrated treaties with them,
as far as they were fact, were but continuations and repetitions
between them and the English, which had long before been made between
them and the Swedes, who did more for these barbarian peoples than he,
and who helped him in the matter more than he helped himself.
We are not fully informed respecting all the first instructions given
to Governor Minuit when he came hither with Pennsylvania's original
colony in 1637-38, but there is every reason to infer that they
strictly corresponded to those given to his successor, Governor
Printz, five years afterward, on his appointment in 1642, about which
there can be no question. Minuit entered into negotiations with the
Indians the very first thing on his landing, and purchased from them,
as the rightful proprietors, all the land on the western side of the
river from Henlopen to Trenton Falls; a deed for which was regularly
drawn up, to which the Indians subscribed their hands and marks. Posts
were also driven into the ground as landmarks of this treaty, which
were still visible in their places sixty years afterward.
In the appointment and commission of Governor Printz it was commanded
him to "bear in mind the articles of contract entered into with the
wild inhabitants of the country as its rightful lords." "The wild
nations bordering on all other sides the governor shall understand how
to treat with all humanity and respect, that no violence, or wrong be
done them; but he shall rather at every opportunity exert himself that
the same wild people may gradually be instructed in the truths and
worship of the Christian religion, and in other ways brought to
civilization and good government, and in this manner properly guided.
Especially shall he seek to gain their confidence, and impress upon
their minds that neither he, the governor, nor his people and
subordinates, are come into those parts to do them any wrong or
injury."
This policy was not a thing of mere coincidence. It was the express
stipulation and command of the throne of Sweden, August 15, 1642,
which was two years before William Penn was born; and "this policy was
steadily pursued and adhered to by the Swedes during the whole time of
their continuance in America, as the governors of the territory of
which they had thus acquired the possession; and the consequences were
of the most satisfactory character. They lived in peace with the
Indians, and received no injuries from them. The Indians respected
them, and long after the Swedish power had disappeared from the shores
of the Delaware they continued to cherish its memory and speak of it
with confidence and affection."[35]
Governor Printz arrived in this country in 1642, and with him came
Rev. John Campanius as chaplain and pastor of the Swedish colony. His
grandson, Thomas Campanius Holm, many years after published numerous
items put on record by the elder Campanius, in which it appears that
the commands to Printz respecting the Indians were very scrupulously
carried out.
According to these records, the Indians were very familiar at the
house of the elder Campanius, and he did much to teach and
Christianize them. "He generally succeeded in making them understand
that there is one Lord God, self-existent and one in three Persons;
how the same God made the world, and made man, from whom all other men
have descended; how Adam afterward disobeyed, sinned against his
Creator, and involved all his descendants in condemnation; how God
sent his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ into the world, who was born
of the Virgin Mary and suffered for the saving of men; how he died
upon the cross, and was raised again the third day; and, lastly, how,
after forty days, he ascended into heaven, whence he will return at a
future day to judge the living and the dead," etc. And so much
interest did they take in these instructions, and seemed so well
disposed to embrace Christianity, that Campanius was induced to study
and master their language, that he might the more effectually teach
them the religion of Christ. He also translated into the Indian
language the Catechism of Luther, perhaps the very first book ever put
into the Indian tongue.
Campanius began his work of evangelizing these wild people four years
before Eliot, who is sometimes called "the morning star of missionary
enterprise," but who first commenced his labors in New England only in
1646. Hence Dr. Clay remarks that "the Swedes may claim the honor of
having been the first missionaries among the Indians, at least in
Pennsylvania."[36] "It was, _in fact, the Swedes who inaugurated the
peaceful policy of William Penn_. This was not an accidental
circumstance in the Swedish policy, but was deliberately adopted and
always carefully observed."[37]
When Mr. Rising became governor of the Swedish colony he invited ten
Indian chiefs, or kings, to a friendly conference with him. It was
held at Tinicum, on the Delaware, June 17, 1654, when the governor
saluted them, in the name of the Swedish queen, with assurances of
every kindness toward them, and proposed to them a firm renewal of the
old friendship. Campanius has given a minute account of this
conference, and recites the speech in which one of the chiefs, named
Naaman, testified how good the Swedes had been to them; that the
Swedes and Indians had been in the time of Governor Printz as one body
and one heart; that they would henceforward be as one head, like the
calabash, which has neither rent nor seam, but one piece without a
crack; and that in case of danger to the Swedes they would ever serve
and defend them. It was at the same time further arranged and agreed
that if any trespasses were committed by any of their people upon the
property of the Swedes, the matter should be investigated by men
chosen from both sides, and the person found guilty "should be
punished for it as a warning to others."[38] This occurred when
William Penn was but ten years of age, and twenty-eight years before
his arrival in America.
And upon the subject of the help which the Swedes rendered to Penn in
his dealings with these people in the long after years, Acrelius
writes: "The Proprietor ingratiated himself with the Indians. The
Swedes acted as his interpreters, especially Captain Lars (Lawrence)
Kock, who was a great favorite among the Indians. He was sent to New
York to buy goods suitable for traffic. He did all he could to give
them a good opinion of their new ruler" (p. 114); and it was by means
of the aid and endeavors of the Swedes, more than by any influence of
his own, that Penn came to the standing with these people to which he
attained, and on which his fame in that regard rests.