cupidity toward their own Indians than the Georgians
have toward the Cherokees. We earnestly exhort
the Marshpeeians to abstain from all acts of violence,
and to rely with full confidence upon the next
Legislature for redress. That body has heretofore
treated their claims too lightly, but there is
a growing disposition to hear and relieve their grievances.
A memorial from the tribe, setting forth the wrongs
of which they complain, would unquestionably receive
prompt attention. The laws by which they are
exposed to the cupidity of their white neighbors,
are extremely defective, and require a thorough
reform. Our correspondent, who we believe
speaks the sentiments of the tribe, shall be heard
for himself, and we hold our columns free to publish
any facts, on either side of this question, which
may be offered to the public.
“MARSHPEE, AUG. 5, 1833.
MR. HALLETT,
Dear Sir—With regret I say that your white brethren still think it a privilege to impose upon us here. The men upon our plantation were gathering their rye harvest, and the poor women whose husbands were at sea, who had let out their land, confidently expected to have their share, but it was taken from them by unjust men, and not so much as a spear of it left to sustain them, or even the promise of help or aid in any way; it was not taken for debt and no one knows for what. The overseers have now become displeased, and choose at this time to use their great power. I hope we shall not have to call upon the State to protect us, but if we are imposed upon in this manner, we believe we shall. And while we are willing to be still and peaceable, we think that those of our white friends, with the light they possess, ought to show as much of the spirit of kindness as poor ignorant Indians. The Legislature has bound the poor Indians as they have. The Indians would propose one thing. We have some white men here who will smuggle rum, and sell it to the Indians, and as they have no license, they ought to be stopped. We are happy to say that many of our Indians are temperate, but we wish them all to be, and we want some way to have a stop put to these things, for these white men are ten times worse than any of the Indians. I might name a Fuller, a Chadwick, and a Richardson; we really wish that the honorable Legislature would place guardians over them, to keep them from wasting our property in this way. While I was absent, there was a man that sued me for trespass, and tried the case without my information. What kind of law is this? I had the liberty of baiting my horse in a field. A man had rye in a field he did not hire, but took it upon shares. My horse got in his rye, but six cents would pay all the damage. But the action is not damage, but trespass, and that done unknown to me.
It is impossible to give you the details of wrongs imposed upon the Indians. We are to be accused by our enemies, tried by them, and condemned by them. We can get redress no where, unless we trouble the government all the while, and that we are delicate to do.
Now we believe that some of
these things published abroad
would do good, and we should
have more peace.