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Show 71 6 2 2 INDIAN LAND CESSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES [KTH.AKN.18 And I doe hereby bind myself, my heires and successors, to niaintainc all and every of their peaceable enjoyment of tho foresaid lands from any other claimo or bar-gaine whatsoever. And I do hereby authorize Saunkussecit alias Tom of Wauehi-liioqut to lnarko trees and set the bounds of tho land aforesaid in case that great meadow at or about Loqusqusitt fall not within the bounds aforesaid, yet it shall bo for them to onjoye the said inedow forever.' Deed from the successors of Canonicus and Miantonomi, IC'iS. This bo known to all that it may concerne, in all ages to come, that I Caujani-qu. ninte, sachem of the Narragansetts, ratify and continue to the men of Providence, and to the men of Pawtuxcctte, their landes, and deed, that my brother Meautono-meah made over and disposed to them, namely, all tho landes, between Pawluckette river and Pawtuxcctte river, up the streams without limit for their use of cattle.2 This was acknowledged and confirmed by the other sachems interested. Deed to the Island of Aquedneck (llhnde Island), March 24, 1637. MEMOHAXHUM. That we Cannonnicus and Miantunnomu yc two chicfe Sachems of the Nanhiggansitts, by vertue of our generall command of this Hay, as allso the pellicular subjectinge of the dead Sachims of Acquednecke and Kitackainuckqutt, themselves and land unto us, have sold unto Mr. Coddington and his friends united unto hiin, the great Island of Acquednecke lyingefn.m hence Eastward in this Bay, as allso the marsh or grasse upon Quiiuuiicutt aud the rest of the Islands in tho Day (exceptingo Cliibachuwesa formerly sould unto Mr. Winthrop, the now Governour of the Massachusetts aud Mr. Williams of Providence)/' January 12, 1642, Miantonomi sold, to the inhabitants of Shawomot (Warwick): " Lands lyinge uppon the west syde of that part of the sea called Sowhomes Bay, from Copassanatuxett, over against a little island iu the sayd bay, being the north bounds, and the utmost poiutof that neck of land called Shawhomett; being the South bounds ffroin the sea shoare of each boundary uppon a straight lyne westward twentie miles." As the same system 'of dealing with the Indians prevailed in the Ehode Island as in the Providence settlement, and also in the colony after the union of the two, the above examples will suffice to show the practical methods adopted in carrying out their policy. This method of obtaining the Indians' right was carried on until practically all the lands included iu the state as at present bounded were obtained. It would seem from some laws which were passed at a comparatively early date, that the vicious practice of individual purchases began to make its appearance in the otherwise prudent and commendable policy. These orders or laws were passed for the purpose of puttiDg a stop to this practice. The first of these found on the record was passed in 1651, and is as follows: Ordered: That no purchase shall be made of any Land of y* natives for a plantar tion without the consent of this State, except it bee for the clearinge of the Indiana i Rhode Island Colonial Records, vol. i, pp. 31-32. 'Ibid.,p. 35. 'Ibid., p. 45. |