1625-1750.] THE QUAKERS AND THE INDIANS. 81 



to the tomahawk, or wielding the carnal weapon, 

 in glaring defiance of their pacific principles. In 

 paying the Indians for the lands which his colo- 

 nists occupied, — a piece of justice which has heen 

 greeted w4th a general clamor of applause, — Penn, 

 as he himself confesses, acted on the prudent coun- 

 sel of Compton, Bishop of London.^ Nor is there 

 any truth in the representations of Kaynal and 

 other eulogists of the Quaker legislator, who hold 

 him up to the world as the only European who 

 ever acquired Indian lands by purchase, instead of 

 seizing them by fraud or violence. The example 

 of purchase had been set fifty years before by the 

 Puritans of New England ; and several of the other 

 colonies had more recently pursued the same just 

 and prudent course.^ 



With regard to the alleged results of the pacific 

 conduct of the Quakers, our admiration will dimin- 

 ish on closely viewing the circumstances of the 

 case. The position of the colony was a most for- 

 tunate one. Had the Quakers planted their colony 

 on the banks' of the St. Lawrence, or among the 

 warlike tribes of New England, their shaking of 

 hands and assurances of tender regard would not 



1 " I have exactly followed the Bishop of London's counsel, by buy- 

 ing, and not taking away, the natives' land." — Penn's Letto- to the Min- 

 istry, Aug. 14, 1683. See Chalmer's Polit. Ann. 666. 



'-^ " If any of the salvages pretend right of inheritance to all or any part 

 of the lands granted in our patent, we pray you endeavor to purchase 

 their tytle, that we may avoid the least scruple of intrusion." —/nsfruc- 

 tions to Endicot, 1629. See Hazard, State Papers, I. 263. 



" The inhabitants of New England had never, except in the territory 

 of the Pequods, taken possession of a foot of land without first obtaining 

 a title from the Indians." — Bancroft, Hist. U. S. II. 98. 



6 



