556 INDIAN LAND CESSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES [eth.ann. 18 



approved by liim. As these indicate a reform in the system which had 

 prevailed, they are given here : 



Draft of an Instruction for the Governors of Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, New 

 York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia forbidding them to 

 Grant Lands or make SettliMneuts which may interfere with the Indians bordering 

 on those Colonies. 



Whereas the peace iiud security of Our C(douie8 and Plantations upon the Conti- 

 uent of North America does greatly depend upon the Amity and Alliance of the 

 several Nations or Tribes of Indians bordering upon the said Colonies and upon a 

 just and failhfuU Observance of those 'J'reaties and Compacts which have been here- 

 tofore solemnly entered into with the said Indians by Our Royall I'redecessors Kings 

 it Queens of this Kealm. And whereas notwithstanding the repeated Instructions 

 which have been from time to time given liy Our Royal Grandfather to the Govern- 

 ors of Our several Colonies upon this head tlie said Indians have made and do still 

 continue to make great complaints tliat Settlements have been made and possession 

 taken of Lands, the property of whicli they have by Treaties reserved to themselves 

 by persons claiming the said lands uuder pretence of deeds of Sale and Conveyance 

 illegally fraudulently and surreptitiously obtained of the said Indians ; And Whereas 

 it Las likewise been represented unto Us that Dome of Our (iovernors or otherCliief 

 Officers of Our said Colonies regardless of the Duty they owe to Us and of the Wel- 

 fare and Security of our Colonies have countenanced such unjust claims and pre- 

 tensions by passing Grants of the Lands so pretended to have been purchased of the 

 Indians We therefor taking this matter into Our Koyal Consideration, as also the 

 fatal Etfeets which would attend a discontent amongst the Indians in Ihe present 

 situation of affairs, and being determined upon all oecasious to Bui)port and protect 

 the said Indians in their just Rights and Possessions and to keep inviolable the 

 Treaties and Compacts which have been entered into with them. Do hereby strictly 

 enjoyn & command that neither yourself nor any Lientenant Governor, President 

 of the Council or Commander in Chief of Our said ^"^'"^ of do 



upon any pretence whatever upon pain of Our highest Displeasure and of being 

 forthwith removed from your or his ollice, pass any Grant or Grants to any persons 

 whatever of any lauds within or adjacent to the Territories possessed or occupied 

 by the said Indians or the Property Possession of which has at any time been 

 reserved to or claimed by them. And it is Our further Will and Pleasure that you 

 do publish a proclamation in Our Name strictly enjoining and requiring all persons 

 whatever who may either wilfully or inadvertently have seated tliemselves on any 

 Lands so reserved to or claimed by the said Indians without any lawful! Authority 

 for so doing forthwith to remove therefrom And in case you shall fiud upon strict 

 enquiry to be made for that purpose that any person or persons do claim to hold 

 or possess any lands within Our said 'c","^'' upon pretence of purchases made 

 of the said Indians without a proper licence first had and obtained either from 

 Us or any of Our Royal Predecessors or any person acting uuder Our or their 

 Authority you are forthwith to cause a prosecution to be carried on against such 

 person or persons who shall have made such fraudulent purchases to the end that 

 the land may be recovered by duo Course of Law And whereas the wholsome Laws 

 that have at different times been passed in several of Our said Colonies and the 

 instructions which have been given by Our Royal Predecessors for restraining per- 

 sons from purchasing lauds of the Indians without a Licence for that purpose and 

 for regulating the proceedings upon such purchases have not been duly observed, 

 It is therefore Our express Will and Pleasure that when any application shall bo 

 made to you for licence to purchase lands of the Indians you do forbear to grant such 

 licence nntill you shall have first transmitted to Us by Our Commissioners for Trade 

 and Plantations the particulars of such applications as well as in respect to the 

 situation as the extent of the lands so proposed to be purchased and shall have 



