INDIAN LAND CESSIONS IN THE 

 UNITED STATES 



By Charles Kov('e 



INTRODUCTION 



r>y Cyrus Thomas 



RIGHT TO THE SOIL DEPENDENT ON DISCOVERV 



Among tlie various problems forced ou European nations by the 

 discovery of America was tliat of determining tbeir respective rights 

 iu regard to the territory of the newly discovered continent. The fact 

 that the country was inliabited by and iu ])Ossession of a native popu- 

 lation does not appear to have been taken into consideration in the 

 solution of this problem. 



Each of the great nations of Europe was eager to appropriate to 

 itself so much of the new continent as it could ac(]uire. Its extent 

 afforded an ample field for the ambition and enterprise of all, and the 

 character, low culture-status, and leligious beliefs of the aborigines 

 afforded an apology for considering them a people over whom the 

 superior genius of Euroi)e might rightfully claim an ascendency. The 

 sovereigns of the Old World therefore found no difiQcultyin convincing 

 themselves that they made ample compeusatiou to the natives by 

 bestowing on them the benefits of civilization and Christianity in 

 exchange for control over them and their country. However, as they ■ 

 were all in pursuit of the same object, it became necessary, in order to 

 avoid coutlictiug settlements and consecjuent war with one another, to 

 establish a principle which all would acknowledge as the law by which 

 the light, as between themselves, to the acquisition of territory on tiiis 

 continent, should be determined. This principle was, that discovery 

 of lauds gave title therein to the government by whose subjects or by 

 whose authority such discovery was made, agaiust all other European 

 or civilized governments, which title might be consummated by pos- 

 session. This is clearly shown, not only by the express declarations 

 ofiflcially made in beimlf of the different powers, but also by the word- 

 ing of the various giants and chaitcis allowed by them. However, the 



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