A Serious Address (Fourth Edition) - 3
To apply these Doctrines to the present Case of the Indians, let us consider,
That the Indians consist of different Nations or Tribes, independent of one another; and make War or Peace separately without each other’s Consent;--Some indeed for their mutual Protections have joined in Associations, like those of the Swiss Cantons, or the united Provinces. The Conostagoe Tribe in the Year 1701, confirmed a Grant of their Land to W. Penn; and, by a solemn Treaty with this Government, agreed to live together with us as one People. A small Spot of Land was assigned to them to live upon: And, tho’ we did not make them Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water, they have continued there ever since, in no better Condition, than that of poor Basket-makers and Broom-makers. If some of them have, now and then, been guilty of Offences, they were always ready to be apprehended and brought to Tryal: And indeed, from the prevailing Odium against Indians in general, if a Jury could be presumed to be byassed, ’tis most likely they would be so in favour of the Prosecutors.
During all the Time of our late Troubles, they lived quietly and peaceably amongst us, and some of them have been employed by the Government.
But, notwithstanding all this, an enraged Body of People, irritated by the Murders of some of their Relatives, by Indians of other Nations, on the Frontiers, came to the Indian Town and Killed and scalped six of them, in cool Blood. The Residue of the whole Tribe, being fourteen in Number, in Pursuance of Promises made at solemn Treaties, immediately upon this, put themselves under the Protection of the Magistrates, and were lodged in the Work-House, which is
