THOMAS] NEW jersey's POLICY TOWARD THE INDIANS 589 



Society, made a parcliase on tbeir behalf of the lauds between Cohau- 

 sick creek and Morris river. Other purchases, not necessary to be 

 mentioned here, were made before aud afterward. 



The two divisions having been united into one province in 1702, by 

 order of Queen Anne, Lord Cornbury was appointed governor. One 

 of the numerous instructions given him is as follows: "You shall not 

 permit any other person or persons besides the said general proprietors 

 or their agents to purchase any land whatsoever from the Indians 

 within the limits of their grant." 



In 1703 the following act was passed: 



AX ACT for regulating the purchasing of limd from tbo luilians. 



Whereas, several ill disposed persons within this i)rovince have formerly presumed 

 to enter into treaties with the Indians or natives thereof, and have purchased lands 

 from them, such person or persons deriving no title to any part of the soil thereof 

 under the Crown of England, or any person or persons claiming by, from or under 

 the same, endeavoring thereby to Subvest her Majesty's dominions in this country. 



Sec. 1. Be it therefore enacted hij the (lorernor, Council and General Assembh/, now 

 met and asscmhled, and l))j aiithorilj/ of the same, That no person or persons whatso- 

 ever, forever hereafter, sliall presume to buy, take a gift of, purchase in fee, take 

 a mortgage, or lease for life or number of years, from any Indians or natives for 

 any tract or tracts of lands within this province, after the first day of December, 

 1703, without first obtaining a certificate under the hand of the proprietor's recorder 

 for the time being, certifying such person hath a right, and stands entitled to a pro- 

 priety, or share in a propriety, such person or persons shall produce such certificate 

 to the governor for the time being, in order to obtain a license to purchase such 

 quantities of land or number of acres from the Indians lor natives aforesaid, as 

 such certificate mentions. 



Sec. 2. Be it fnrther enacted hy the authority aforesaid, That if any person or per- 

 sons shall presume to buy, purchase, take gift, or mortgage, or lease of any land, 

 contrary to this present act, he or they so oS'ending shall forfeit/or/y shillimjs, money • 

 of this province for each acre of land so obtained, to be recovered by any person or 

 persons who shall prosecute the same to effect, by action of debt, in any court of rec- 

 ord within this province, one half to the use of her Majesty, her heirs and successors, 

 towards the support of the government, and the other to the prosecutor: Prorided 

 always. That such purchasers, their heirs aud assigns shall forever hereafter be 

 incapable to hohl plea for the said land in any court of common law or equity.' 



The Indian troubles in Pennsylvania having caused fear among the 

 people of New Jersey iu regard to the disposition of the natives of this 

 colony, and some complaints having been made by them in reference 

 to certain lands, the legislature, in 175G, appointed commissioners to 

 examine into the treatment the Indians had received. In 11 ol an act 

 was i)assed to remedy the grievances by laying a penalty upon jjersous 

 selling strong drink to them, and declaring all Indian sales or pawns 

 for drink void; that no Indian should be imprisoned for debt; that no 

 traps of larger weight than 3.^ pounds should be set, aud that all sales 

 or leases of lands by the Indians, except in accordance with said act, 

 should be void. 



As the Indians specified quite a number of tracts which had been 



> Laws of Colonial and State Governments in Regan! to Indian Affairs (1832), p. 13:!. 



