Mr. Loring of Hingham hoped the idea could not be entertained that they wished to throw this subject out of the House.  He wanted the whole subject should be brought up, and not that this petition should go in first.  It was not his wish to prevent the petitioners being heard.

The Speaker put the question, shall the petition be read? and it was carried in the affirmative, nearly every hand in the House being raised.  In the negative we saw but five hands.  The petition was then read by the Speaker.

Mr. Roberts of Salem moved that it be laid on the table and printed for the use of the House, as there must be a future action of the House upon it.  The motion was carried without objection.

The attempt to prevent the petition of the Marshpee Indians from being read, was repelled in the House with an unanimity which shows the value the Representatives place upon the right of petitioning.  The poor Indians are without advice or counsel to aid them, for they have no means to fee lawyers, but they will evidently find firm friends in the House ready to do them justice.  This is no party question.  It involves the honor of the State.  Let all be done for them that can be wisely done in a spirit of paternal kindness.  Let it not be shown that our sympathy for Indians extends only to those at the South, but has no feeling for our own.

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    [From the same.] THE MARSHPEE INDIANS.

The laws which regulate this remnant of a once powerful tribe of Indians, are not familiar to many, and it is one great defect in the present system, that these laws are so difficult of access, and so complex that the Indians neither know nor comprehend them; and it cannot be expected that they should live contentedly under oppressive regulations which they do not understand.  Should any new laws be passed, they ought to be as simple as possible, and be distributed for the use of the Indians.

By the Act of 1788, Ch. 38, Vol. 1 of Laws, page 342, new provisions were made, the previous act of 1788, Ch. 2, being found insufficient “to protect them and their property against the arts and designs of those who may be disposed to take advantage of their weakness.”  The wisdom of the whites, at that time, invented the following provisions for that purpose: 

SECTION 1.  A Board of five Overseers was established, (afterwards reduced to three,) two to be inhabitants of Barnstable County, and three from an adjoining County. (Now two are inhabitants of Barnstable and one of Plymouth County.) These Overseers were vested with full power to regulate the police of the plantation; to establish rules for managing the affairs, interests and concerns of the Indians and inhabitants.  They may improve and lease the lands of the Indians, and their