ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 65 



As the successor of England to her original North Ameri- 

 can possessions, the policy of the United States since the 

 adoption of the Federal Constitution has followed the pre- 

 cedent established by the mother country. 



In the treaty of peace in 1783, between Great Britain and 

 the United States, the former relinquished all claim to all 

 the country south and west of the great northern rivers and 

 lakes as far as the Mississippi. During the period between 

 the conclusion of this treaty and the year 1789, it was held 

 by Congress that the relinquishment of territory thus made 

 by Great Britain, with no saving clause guaranteeing the 

 Indian right of occupancy, carried with it an unqualified 

 fee-simple title, unembarrassed by any intermediate estate 

 or tenancy. 



The Indians were even required to acknowledge the abso- 

 lute title of the United States in the treaties of 1784 and 

 1786, with the Six Nations and Shawnees respectively. 



The breadth and boldness of the territorial claims thus 

 asserted by the United States were not long in producing 

 their natural effect. Joseph Brant succeeded in reviving 

 his favorite project of an alliance between the Six Nations 

 and northwestern tribes. A grand council was assembled at 

 Huron Village, opposite Detroit, in 1786, which resulted in 

 the formulation of an address to Congress by the Indians, 

 expressing a desire for peace, but firmly insisting that all 

 treaties with the United States must be with the general 

 voice of the whole confederacy, and that the Ohio River 

 must be the boundary between Indian Territory and the 

 United States. This address purported to represent the Five 

 Nations, Hurons, Ottawas, Twichtwees, Shawnees, Chippe- 

 was, Cherokees, Delawares, Pottawatomies, and the Wabash 

 Confederates. 



Considering the weakness of the Government under the 

 old articles of confederation, and the exhausted condition 

 immediately following the Revolution, such a remonstrance 

 caused a profound sensation, and Congress hastened to make 



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