Indian Nullification of the Unconstitutional Laws of Massachusetts Relative to the Marshpee Tribe | Page 7

Indians, they would
now see that they had feelings as well as other men.
The petition to the corporation of Harvard set forth the general
dissatisfaction of the tribe with the missionary sent them by that
honorable body, according to the intended application of the Williams
Fund. The money was no more intended for Mr. Fish than for any other
clergyman; neither had the Indians given him a call. They thought it
right to let his employers know that he had not done his duty, because
he not only received between five and six hundred dollars from the
college, but had possession of five or six hundred acres of the tribe's
best woodland, without their consent or approbation, and converted
them to his own exclusive use, pretending that his claim and right to the
same was better than that of the owners themselves. Not liking this, the
Indians solicited his discharge. The document runs thus:
To our white brethren at Harvard College and trustees of the Williams
fund, that is under the care of that body, for the important use of
converting the poor heathen in New England, and who, we understand,
by means of that fund, have placed among us the Rev. Phineas Fish.
We thought it very likely that you would like to know if we, as a people,
respected his person and labors, and whether the money was benefiting
the Indians or not. We think it our duty to let you know all about it, and
we do say, as the voice of one, with but few exceptions, that we as a
tribe, for a long time, have had no desire to hear Mr. Fish preach,
(which is about ten years) and do say sincerely that we, as a body, wish
to have him discharged, not because we have anything against his
moral character, but we believe his labors would be more useful
somewhere else, and for these reasons,
1st. We, as a people, have not been benefited by his preaching; for our
moral character has not been built up, and there has been no
improvement in our intellectual powers, and we know of no Indian that
has been converted by his preaching.

2d. We seldom see him upon our plantation to visit us, as a people. His
visits are as follows--To one house, one visit in one year--to another,
two visits in five years--to another one in seven--and to many, none at
all. (We would here remark that Mr. Fish has not improved, but rather
lost ground; for history informs us that such was the anxiety of the
whites, that it was thought best to visit the Indians twice in one year,
and preach to them, so as to save them.)
3d. We think that twenty years are long enough for one trial. Another
reason is that you and the people think that we are benefited by that
fund, or money paid to him for preaching to the Indians--and we are not.
White people are his visitors and hearers. We would remark here that
we have no objection to worship with our white neighbors, provided
they come as they ought to come, and not as thieves and robbers, and
we would ask all the world if the Marshpee Indians have not been
robbed of their rights. We wonder how the good citizens of Boston, or
any town would like to have the Indians send them a preacher and force
him into the pulpit and then send other Indians to crowd the whites out
of their own meeting house and not pay one cent for it. Do you think
the white men would like it? We trow, not; and we hope others will
consider, while they read our distressing tale. It will be perceived that
we have no objection if hundreds of other nations visit our meeting
house. We only want fair play; for we have had foul play enough.
4th. We do not believe but that we have as good a right to the table of
the Lord as others. We are kept back to the last, merely because our
skins are not so white as the whites', and we know of no scriptures that
justify him in so doing. (The writer would here observe, that he
wonders any person guilty of a dark skin will submit to such
unchristian usage, especially as the minister is as willing to shear his
black sheep as his white ones. This being the case, ought he not to pay
as much regard to them? Should he turn them loose to shift for
themselves, at the risk of losing them?)
5th. We never were consulted as to his settlement over us, as a people.
We never gave our vote or voice, as a tribe, and we fully believe that
we are