seems to have been confined to actual possession and power of
commanding it. It is the creature of convention; of social laws and
artificial order. Our ancestors, however, did not amuse themselves,
nor puzzle themselves with these refinements. They considered the
Indians as having rights; and they entered into negotiations with
them, purchased and paid for their rights and claims, whatever they
were, and procured deeds, grants, and quit claims of all their lands,
leaving them their habitations, arms, utensils, fishings, huntings
and plantations. There is scarcely a litigation at law concerning a
title to land, that may not be traced to an Indian deed. I have in
my possession, somewhere, a parchment copy of a deed of Massasoit
of the township of Braintree, incorporated by the legislature in
one thousand six hundred and thirty nine. And this was the general
practice through the country, and has been to this day through
the continent. In short, I see not how the Indians could have
been treated with more equity or humanity, than they have been in
general in North America. The histories of Indian wars have not been
sufficiently regarded.
When Mr. Hutchinson's history of Massachusetts bay first appeared,
one of the most common criticisms upon it, was the slight, cold and
unfeeling manner in which he passed over the Indian wars. I have
heard gentlemen the best informed in the history of the country, say,
"he had no sympathy for the sufferings of his ancestors," "otherwise
he could not have winked out of sight, one of the most important,
most affecting, afflicting and distressing branches of the history of
his country."
There is somewhere in existence, as I hope and believe, a manuscript
history of Indian wars, written by the Rev. Samuel Niles of
Braintree. Almost sixty years ago, I was an humble acquaintance of
this venerable clergyman, then, as I believe more than four score
years of age. He asked me many questions, and informed me, in his own
house, that he was endeavouring to recollect and commit to writing an
history of Indian wars, in his own time, and before it, as far as he
could collect information. This history he completed and prepared for
the press: but no printer would undertake it, or venture to propose
a subscription for its publication. Since my return from Europe, I
enquired of his oldest son, the Hon. Samuel Niles of Braintree, on a
visit he made me at my own house, what was become of that manuscript?
He laughed, and said it was still safe in the till of a certain
trunk; but no encouragement had ever appeared for its publication.
Ye liberal christians! Laugh not at me, nor frown upon me, for thus
reviving the memory of your once formidable enemy. I was then no more
of a disciple of his theological science than ye are now. But I then
revered and still revere the honest, virtuous and pious man. _Fas
est et ab hoste doceri._ And his memorial of facts might be of great
value to this country.
What infinite pains have been taken and expenses incurred in
treaties, presents, stipulated sums of money, instruments of
agriculture, education? What dangerous and unwearied labours to
convert the poor ignorant savages to christianity? And alas! with
how little success? The Indians are as bigotted to their religion as
the Mahometans are to their Koran, the Hindoos to their Shaster, the
Chinese to Confucius, the Romans to their Saints and Angels, or the
Jews to Moses and the Prophets. It is a principle of religion, at
bottom, which inspires the Indians with such an invincible aversion
both to civilization and Christianity. The same principle has excited
their perpetual hostilities against the colonists and the independent
Americans.
If the English nation, their parliaments and all their kings have
appeared to be totally ignorant of all these things, or at least to
have vouchsafed no consideration upon them; if we, good patriotic
Americans have forgotten them, Mr. Otis had not. He enlarged on the
merit of our ancestors in undertaking so perilous, arduous, and
almost desperate an enterprize, in disforresting bare creation; in
conciliating and necessarily contending with Indian natives; in
purchasing rather than conquering a quarter of the globe at their own
expense, at the sweat of their own brows; at the hazard and sacrifice
of their own lives; without the smallest aid, assistance or comfort
from the government of England, or from England itself as a nation.
On the contrary, constant jealousy, envy, intrigue against their
charter, their religion and all their privileges. Laud, the pious
tyrant dreaded them, as he foresaw they would overthrow his religion.
Mr. Otis reproached the nation, parliaments and kings with injustice,
ungenerosity, ingratitude, cruelty and perfidy in all their conduct
towards this country, in a style of oratory that I never heard
equalled in this or any other country.
JOHN ADAMS.