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importance　of　these　circumstances　will　not　be　duly　weighed

without　taking　into　consideration　the　state　of　opinion　then

prevalent　in　England。　　The　general　principles　of　government

were　there　little　understood　and　less　examined。　　The　whole

substance　of　human　authority　was　centred　in　the　simple

doctrine　of　royal　prerogative；　the　origin　of　which　was　always

traced　in　theory　to　divine　institution。　　Twenty　years　later；　the

subject　was　more　industriously　sifted；　and　for　half　a　century

became　one　of　the　principal　topics　of　controversy　between　the

ablest　and　most　enlightened　men　in　the　nation。　　The　instrument

of　voluntary　association　executed　on　board　the　〃Mayflower〃

testifies　that　the　parties　to　it　had　anticipated　the　improvement

of　their　nation。



Another　incident；　from　which　we　may　derive　occasion　for

important　reflections；　was　the　attempt　of　these　original　settlers

to　establish　among　them　that　community　of　goods　and　of　labor；

which　fanciful　politicians；　from　the　days　of　Plato　to　those　of

Rousseau；　have　recommended　as　the　fundamental　law　of　a

perfect　republic。　　This　theory　results；　it　must　be　acknowledged；

from　principles　of　reasoning　most　flattering　to　the　human

character。　　If　industry；　frugality；　and　disinterested　integrity

were　alike　the　virtues　of　all；　there　would；　apparently；　be　more

of　the　social　spirit；　in　making　all　property　a　common　stock；　and

giving　to　each　individual　a　proportional　title　to　the　wealth　of

the　whole。　　Such　is　the　basis　upon　which　Plato　forbids；　in　his

Republic；　the　division　of　property。　　Such　is　the　system　upon

which　Rousseau　pronounces　the　first　man　who　inclosed　a　field

with　a　fence；　and　said；　〃This　is　mine；〃　a　traitor　to　the　human

species。　　A　wiser　and　more　useful　philosophy；　however；　directs

us　to　consider　man　according　to　the　nature　in　which　he　was

formed；　subject　to　infirmities；　which　no　wisdom　can　remedy；　to

weaknesses；　which　no　institution　can　strengthen；　to　vices；

which　no　legislation　can　correct。　　Hence；　it　becomes　obvious

that　separate　property　is　the　natural　and　indisputable　right　of

separate　exertion；　that　community　of　goods　without

community　of　toil　is　oppressive　and　unjust；　that　it　counteracts

the　laws　of　nature；　which　prescribe　that　he　only　who　sows　the

seed　shall　reap　the　harvest；　that　it　discourages　all　energy；　by

destroying　its　rewards；　and　makes　the　most　virtuous　and　active

members　of　society　the　slaves　and　drudges　of　the　worst。　　Such

was　the　issue　of　this　experiment　among　our　forefathers；　and　the

same　event　demonstrated　the　error　of　the　system　in　the　elder

settlement　of　Virginia。　　Let　us　cherish　that　spirit　of　harmony

which　prompted　our　forefathers　to　make　the　attempt；　under

circumstances　more　favorable　to　its　success　than；　perhaps；　ever

occurred　upon　earth。　　Let　us　no　less　admire　the　candor　with

which　they　relinquished　it；　upon　discovering　its　irremediable

inefficacy。　　To　found　principles　of　government　upon　too

advantageous　an　estimate　of　the　human　character　is　an　error　of

inexperience；　the　source　of　which　is　so　amiable　that　it　is

impossible　to　censure　it　with　severity。　　We　have　seen　the　same

mistake　committed　in　our　own　age；　and　upon　a　larger　theatre。　

Happily　for　our　ancestors；　their　situation　allowed　them　to

repair　it　before　its　effects　had　proved　destructive。　　They　had　no

pride　of　vain　philosophy　to　support；　no　perfidious　rage　of

faction　to　glut；　by　persevering　in　their　mistakes　until　they

should　be　extinguished　in　torrents　of　blood。



As　the　attempt　to　establish　among　themselves　the　community

of　goods　was　a　seal　of　that　sacred　bond　which　knit　them　so

closely　together；　so　the　conduct　they　observed　toward　the

natives　of　the　country　displays　their　steadfast　adherence　to　the

rules　of　justice　and　their　faithful　attachment　to　those　of

benevolence　and　charity。



No　European　settlement　ever　formed　upon　this　continent　has

been　more　distinguished　for　undeviating　kindness　and　equity

toward　the　savages。　There　are；　indeed；　moralists　who　have

questioned　the　right　of　the　Europeans　to　intrude　upon　the

possessions　of　the　aboriginals　in　any　case；　and　under　any

limitations　whatsoever。　　But　have　they　maturely　considered　the

whole　subject？　　The　Indian　right　of　possession　itself　stands；

with　regard　to　the　greater　part　of　the　country；　upon　a

questionable　foundation。　　Their　cultivated　fields；　their

constructed　habitations；　a　space　of　ample　sufficiency　for　their

subsistence；　and　whatever　they　had　annexed　to　themselves　by

personal　labor；　was　undoubtedly；　by　the　laws　of　nature；　theirs。　

But　what　is　the　right　of　a　huntsman　to　the　forest　of　a　thousand

miles　over　which　he　has　accidentally　ranged　in　quest　of　prey？　

Shall　the　liberal　bounties　of　Providence　to　the　race　of　man　be

monopolized　by　one　of　ten　thousand　for　whom　they　were

created？　　Shall　the　exuberant　bosom　of　the　common　mother；

amply　adequate　to　the　nourishment　of　millions；　be　claimed

exclusively　by　a　few　hundreds　of　her　offspring？　　Shall　the　lordly

savage　not　only　disdain　the　virtues　and　enjoyments　of

civilization　himself；　but　shall　he　control　the　civilization　of　a

world？　　Shall　he　forbid　the　wilderness　　to　blossom　like　a　rose？　

Shall　he　forbid　the　oaks　of　the　forest　to　fall　before　the　axe　of

industry；　and　to　rise　again；　transformed　into　the　habitations　of

ease　and　elegance？　　shall　he　doom　an　immense　region　of　the

globe　to　perpetual　desolation；　and　to　hear　the　howlings　of　the

tiger　and　the　wolf　silence　forever　the　voice　of　human　gladness？　

Shall　the　fields　and　the　valleys；　which　a　beneficent　God　has

formed　to　teem　with　the　life　of　innumerable　multitudes；　be

condemned　to　everlasting　barrenness？　　Shall　the　mighty　rivers；

poured　out　by　the　hand　of　nature；　as　channels　of

communication　between　numerous　nations；　roll　their　waters　in

sullen　silence　and　eternal　solitude　of　the　deep？　　Have　hundreds

of　commodious　harbors；　a　thousand　leagues　of　coast；　and　a

boundless　ocean；　been　spread　in　the　front　of　this　land；　and　shall

every　purpose　of　utility　to　which　they　could　apply　be　prohibited

by　the　tenant　of　the　woods？　　No；　generous　philanthropists！

Heaven　has　not　been　thus　inconsistent　in　the　works　of　its

hands。　　Heaven　has　not　thus　placed　at　irreconcilable　strife　its

moral　laws　with　its　physical　creation。　　The　Pilgrims　of

Plymouth　obtained　their　right　of　possession　to　the　territory　on

which　they　settled；　by　titles　as　fair　and　unequivocal　as　any

human　property　can　be　held。　　By　their　voluntary　association

they　recognized　their　allegiance　to　the　government　of　Britain；

and　in　process　of　time　received　whatever　powers　and

authorities　could　be　conferred　upon　them　by　a　charter　from

their　sovereign。　　The　spot　on　which　they　fixed　had　belonged　to

an　Indian　tribe；　totally　extirpated　by　that　devouring　pestilence

which　had　swept　the　country　shortly　before　their　arrival。　　The

territory；　thus　free　from　all　exclusive　possession；　they　might

have　taken　by　the　natural　right　of　occupancy。　　Desirous；

however；　of　giving　amply　satisfaction　to　every　pretence　of

prior　right；　by　formal　and　solemn　conventions　with　the　chiefs

of　the　neighboring　tribes；　they　acquired　the　further　security　of　a

purchase。　　At　their　hands　the　children　of　the　desert　had　no

cause　of　complaint。　　On　the　great　day　of　retribution；　what

thousands；　what　millions　of　the　American　race　will　appear　at

the　bar　of　judgment　to　arraign　their　European　invading

conquerors！　　Let　us　humbly　hope　that　the　fathers　of　the

Plymouth　Colony　will　then　appear　in　the　whiteness　of

innocence。　　Let　us　indulge　in　the　belief　that　they　will　not　only

be　free　from　all　accusation　of　injustice　to　these　unfortunate

sons　of　nature；　but　that　the　testimonials　of　their　acts　of

kindness　and　benevolence　toward　them　will　plead　the　cause　of

their　virtues；　as　they　are　now　authenticated　by　the　record　of

history　upon　earth。



Religious　discord　has　lost　her　sting；　the　cumbrous　weapons

of　theological　warfare　are　antiquated；　the　field　of　politics

supplies　the　alchemists　of　our　times　with　materials　of　more

fatal　explosion；　and　the　butchers　of　mankind　no　longer　travel　to

another　world　for　instruments　of　cruelty　and　destruction。　　Our

age　is　too　enlightened　to　contend　upon　topics　which　concern

only　the　interests　of　eternity；　the　men　who　hold　in　proper

contempt　all　controversies　about　trifles；　except　such　as　inflame

their　own　passions；　have　made　it　a　commonplace　censure

against　your　ancestors；　that　their　zeal　was　enkindled　by

subjects　of　trivial　importance；　and　that　however　aggrieved　by

the　intolerance　of　others；　they　were　alike　intolerant　themselves。　

Against　these　objections；　your　candid　judgment　will　not　require

an　unqualified　justification；　but　your　respect　and　gratitude　for

the　founders　of　the　State　may　boldly　claim　an　ample　apology。　

The　original　grounds　of　their　separation　from　the　Church　of

England　were　not　objects　of　a　magnitude　to　dissolve　the　bonds

of　communion；　much　less　those　of　charity；　between　Christian

brethren　of　the　same　essential　principles。　Some　of　them；

however；　were　not　inconsiderable；　and　numerous　inducements

concurred　to　give　them　an　extraordinary　interest　in　their　eyes。　

When　that　portentous　system　of　abuses；　the　Papal　dominion；

was　overturned；　a　great　variety　of　religious　sects　arose　in　its

stead　in　the　several　countries；　which　for　many　centuries　before

had　been　screwed　beneath　its　subjection。　　The　fabric　of　the

Reformation；　first　undertaken　in　England　upon　a　contracted

basis；　by　a　capricious　and　sanguinary　tyrant；　had　been

successively　overthrown　and　restored；　renewed　and　altered；

according　to　the　varying　humors　and　principles　of　four

successive　monarchs。　　To　ascertain　the　precise　point　of　division

between　the　genuine　institutions　of　Christianity　and　the

corruptions　accumulated　upon　them　in　the　progress　of　fifteen

centuries；　was　found　a　task　of　extreme　difficulty　throughout

the　Christian　world。



Men　of　the　profoundest　learning；　of　the　sublimest　genius；　and

of　the　purest　in