Stateside With Rosalea: New Jersey

The third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution was New Jersey. Nowadays, it’s the most densely populated state, with the second-highest median income—although both those statistics might have changed since Wall Street imploded and the many financial industry workers and traders who live in NJ have had to move on in one way or the other.

The 13 states who ratified the U.S. Constitution between December 1787 and May 1790 were all considered sovereign states of the Confederation that was formed after the 1776 Declaration of Independence. The Articles of Confederation (1777) that preceded the U.S. Constitution styled those sovereign states as “the United States of America” and it is this incarnation of the U.S. of A. that has a special place in New Jersey history.

On September 17, 1778, the US government signed its first treaty with another nation—the Lenape (len-NAH-pay) Indians who had lived in the area for centuries. “Lenape” simply means “people”; the colonists called them Delawares. Theirs was a matrilineal society and it generally played the role of peacemaker. The full text of the treaty is here but a couple of the treaty’s Articles are of particular interest in shedding light on why the treaty was negotiated and what the Lenape hoped to gain from it.

ARTICLE 3. And whereas the United States are engaged in a just and necessary war, in defence and support of life, liberty and independence, against the King of England and his adherents, and as said King is yet possessed of several posts and forts on the lakes and other places, the reduction of which is of great importance to the peace and security of the contracting parties, and as the most practicable way for the troops of the United States to some of the posts and forts is by passing through the country of the Delaware nation, the aforesaid deputies, on behalf of themselves and their nation, do hereby stipulate and agree to give a free passage through their country to the troops aforesaid, and the same to conduct by the nearest and best ways to the posts, forts or towns of the enemies of the United States, affording to said troops such supplies of corn, meat, horses, or whatever may be in their power for the accommodation of such troops, on the commanding officer's, &c. paying, or engaging to pay, the full value of whatever they can supply them with.

ARTICLE 6. Whereas the enemies of the United States have endeavored, by every artifice in their power, to possess the Indians in general with an opinion, that it is the design of the States aforesaid, to extirpate the Indians and take possession of their country: to obviate such false suggestion, the United States do engage to guarantee to the aforesaid nation of Delawares, and their heirs, all their territorial rights in the fullest and most ample manner, as it hath been bounded by former treaties, as long as they the said Delaware nation shall abide by, and hold fast the chain of friendship now entered into. And it is further agreed on between the contracting parties should it for the future be found conducive for the mutual interest of both parties to invite any other tribes who have been friends to the interest of the United States, to Join the present confederation, and to form a state whereof the Delaware nation shall be the head, and have a representation in Congress: Provided, nothing contained in this article to be considered as conclusive until it meets with the approbation of Congress. And it is also the intent and meaning of this article, that no protection or countenance shall be afforded to any who are at present our enemies, by which they might escape the punishment they deserve.

So, in exchange for assistance in defeating the British, the Delawares were offered the lead role in a new state with representation in Congress. The treaty was signed at Fort Pitt, which had been first a French and then a British outpost in those countries’ wars with the Indians. At the time of the treaty signing, it was the headquarters of the western theatre of the American Revolutionary War. The site was significant; in 1763, the British had begun building up the fort in clear violation of a treaty it had signed with the locals in 1758.

As part of that 1758 Easton Treaty, some Lenape—also known as Unami—sold the rights to their remaining land in exchange for the creation of a self-supporting community in what is now known as Indian Mills in Burlington County, NJ. It was the first Indian reservation in what was to become the United States. According to “New Jersey: A guide to Its Present and Past”--

“The rapid decline of the Indian population after the coming of the white men was due principally to sale of their lands, to disease, and to liquor. By 1758 there were but a few hundred scattered over the entire Colony. In that year the Colony purchased 3,000 acres of land for a reservation at the present village of Indian Mills in Burlington County. Here were collected almost 100 Indians, mainly Unamis, who agreed to surrender their title to all unsold lands, and attempted to form a self-supporting community. Governor Bernard appropriately named the community Brotherton. The Colony erected private homes, a meeting house, a general store, and a sawmill. The Indians kept their rights to unrestricted hunting and fishing.”

But the last word should go to “Lenape Lady” from her website about Lenape treaties:

“To date, the Lenape people, now located in Oklahoma and Canada, have suffered betrayals, massacres, and at least seven "Trails of Tears," all marked by multiple treaties and multiple relocations. Originally located in the river valleys and woodland mountains of Delaware, NY, New Jersey, and some areas of Pennsylvania, the Delaware peoples have achieved an extraordinary record of negotiations with both the United States and Canadian governments. They also have achieved an extraordinary record of physical and cultural survival.”

http://members.tripod.com/~lenapelady/deltreaty1.html

rosalea.barker@gmail.com

--PEACE--

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