A Statement of the Case of the Narragansett Tribe of Indians, as Shown in the Manuscript Collection of Sir William Johnson; To Which Are Added a Few Other Important Papers Illustrating the Said Case (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ...and he, the sail Sachem, Ninegret, finding that as the white people grew in said Colony and made settlements, they imposed upon said Tribe and got their settlements from them. Some by fraud and some by artful and designing bargains overreachcd them and some others forcibly encroached upon their lands. Wherefore the said Sachem, Ninegret, on the eighth day of March, 1709, did, by an instrument under his hand and seal covenant and agree with the Governor and Company of said colony, that they should have the oversight and care of his land, etc., and that he would not sell or hire out any of his lands without their consent or approbation under the penalty of forfeiting such lands by him, sold and hired, and notwithstanding which several evil minded persons for the lucre of gain, have craftily and designedly cheated the said Sachem of some of his lauds and of the profits of his other lands "So that he has not suflicient to maintain himself and people upon," as may be seen in the Law Book of said colony, page 48, and at the same time said Sachem granted a large tract of land to said colon.v for said purposes as in and by said instrument may be seen, upon which in 1713, a law was made foibidding all persons to purchase or hire lands of said Sachem, 'without the assent of the General Assembly of said colony, under a penalty and making said grant and leases void, and also disannulled all that had been made by said Sachem between the date of said instrument and the making of said law. Many other laws have been made of the like kind since, and no lands were sold by old Ninegret, or any of his property but by assent and approbation of the General Assembly, upon application made to said Assembly. till within a few years past that...