Читать книгу American Environmental History - Группа авторов - Страница 61

(Excerpt from Remarkable Providences 1600–1760, ed. with Introduction and notes by John Demos. New York: Braziller, 1972.)

Since prior occupancy gave Indians a title to North America in the minds of many European thinkers, various colonial writers tried to rationalize such rights away. In this 1622 justification for English claims to Indian land, note the ways in which Robert Cushman, a colonist, regards Indians as nomadic wanderers who do not farm the land or “order” it. In fact, as William Cronon pointed out, New England Indian villages were often farming communities. Why did colonists like Cushman refuse to recognize them as such? Is there a connection between these early colonial understandings of Indians as rootless wanderers and popular perceptions of all Indians as nomadic hunters? What other reasons does Cushman give for seizing Indian land? Is there a connection between Cushman’s religious enthusiasm and his understanding of Indians and the New England countryside?

* * *

Letting pass the ancient discoveries, contracts, and agreements which our Englishmen have long since made in those parts, together with the acknowledgment of the histories and chronicles of other nations who profess [that] the land of America from the Cape de Florida unto the Bay Canado (which is, south and north, three hundred leagues and upwards; and east and west, further than yet hath been discovered) is proper to the king of England, yet letting that pass – lest I be thought to meddle further than it concerns me or further than I have discerning – I will mention such things as are within my reach, knowledge, sight, and practice, since I have travailed in these affairs.

And first, seeing we daily pray for the conversion of the heathens, we must consider whether there be not some ordinary means and course for us to take to convert them, or whether prayer for them be only referred to God’s extraordinary work from heaven. Now it seemeth unto me that we ought also to endeavor and use the means to convert them; or they [ought to] come to us. To us they cannot come, [for] our land is full; to them we may go, [since] their land is empty.

This then is a sufficient reason to prove our going thither to live lawful: their land is spacious and void, and they are few and do but run over the grass, as do also the foxes and wild beasts. They are not industrious, neither have [they] art, science, skill, or faculty to use either the land or the commodities of it; but all spoils, rots, and is marred for want of manuring, gathering, ordering, etc. As the ancient patriarchs therefore removed from straiter places into more roomy [ones], where the land lay idle and wasted and none used it, though there dwelt inhabitants by them (as in Gen. 13:6, 11, 12, and 34:21, and 41:20), so is it lawful now to take a land which none useth and make use of it.

And as it is common land or unused and undressed country, so we have it by common consent, composition, and agreement, which agreement is double: First, the imperial governor, Massasoit, whose circuits in likelihood are larger than England and Scotland, hath acknowledged the king, majesty of England, to be his master and commander, and that once in my hearing, yea, and in writing under his hand to Captain Standish – both he and many other kings which are under him, [such] as Pamet, Nauset, Cummaquid, Narrowbiggonset, Namaschet, etc., with diverse others that dwell about the bays of Patuxet and Massachusetts. Neither hath this been accomplished by threats and blows or [by] shaking of sword and sound of trumpet; for as our faculty that way is small and our strength less, so our warring with them is after another manner, namely, by friendly usage, love, peace, honest and just carriages, good counsel, etc. – that so we and they may not only live in peace in that land, and they yield subjection to an earthly prince, but [also] that as voluntaries they may be persuaded at length to embrace the prince of peace, Christ Jesus, and rest in peace with Him forever.

Secondly, this composition is also more particular and applicatory, as touching ourselves there inhabiting; [for] the emperor [of the Indians] by a joint consent hath promised and appointed us to live at peace where [ever] we will in all his dominions, taking what place we will and as much land as we will, and bringing as many people as we will, and that for these two causes. First, because we are the servants of James, King of England, whose the land (as he confesseth) is; second, because he hath found us just, honest, kind, and peaceable, and so loves our company. Yea, and that in these things there is no dissimulation on his part, nor fear of breach (except our security engender in them some unthought of treachery, or our incivilities provoke them to anger) is most plain in other relations, which show that the things they did were more out of love than out of fear.

It being then, first, a vast and empty chaos, secondly, acknowledged the right of our sovereign king, [and] thirdly, by a peaceable composition in part possessed of diverse of his loving subjects, I see not who can doubt or call in question the lawfulness of inhabiting or dwelling there. But [it is clear] that it may be as lawful for such as are not tied upon some special occasion here to live there as well as here; yea, and as the enterprise is weighty and difficult, so the honor is more worthy, to plant a rude wilderness, to enlarge the honor and fame of our dread sovereign, but chiefly to display the efficacy of power of the gospel both in zealous preaching, [and in] professing, and [in] wise walking under it, before the faces of these poor blind infidels….