Indian Nullification of the Unconstitutional Laws of Massachusetts

This is an account of political trouble involving the Mashpee written by a lawyer who was adopted by the tribe, and it details their struggle in Massachusetts. From the intro: “For a long time the Indians had been disaffected, but no one was energe ... Read more

This is an account of political trouble involving the Mashpee written by a lawyer who was adopted by the tribe, and it details their struggle in Massachusetts. From the intro: “For a long time the Indians had been disaffected, but no one was energetic enough among them to combine them in taking measures for their rights. Every time they had petitioned the Legislature, the laws, by the management of the interested whites, had been made more severe against them. DANIEL AMOS, I believe, was the first one among them, who conceived the plan of freeing his tribe from slavery. WILLIAM APES, an Indian preacher, of the Pequod tribe, regularly ordained as a minister, came among these Indians, to preach. They invited him to assist them in getting their liberty. He had the talent they most stood in need of. He accordingly went forward, and the Indians declared that no man should take their wood off their plantation. APES and a number of other Indians quietly unloaded a load of wood, which a Mr. SAMPSON was carting off. For this, he and some others were indicted for a riot, upon grounds extremely doubtful in law, to say the least. Every person on the jury, who said he thought the Indians ought to have their liberty, was set aside. The three Indians were convicted, and APES was imprisoned thirty days.” Less