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By Frank R. Stockton
Originally published in 1896
It is a law of nations, founded then upon the same
principles of justice as it stands upon now, that discovery
by a nation, or the agent of a nation, of unknown
lands entirely uninhabited, gives the discoverers
the right to those lands; and, in accordance with that
law, the Lenape became the discoverers and original
owners of New Jersey.
We will not now allude to the rights they then acquired
to the country which is now Pennsylvania and
other States, because we are confining ourselves to
what relates to the country of Scheyichbi, the land
where their eastward migrations ceased. Now, they
could go no farther towards the rising sun, and they
were satisfied to stop.
These Lenape, or "Grandfather Tribe" as they
were often called, were not merely cruel and ignorant
savages: they had many admirable traits of character,
and some of their manners and customs might well
have been imitated by those who found them here.
They had an admirable system of government; and
at regularly appointed periods their wisest men met
at the great "Council House" to make laws, and arrange
the affairs of the nation. Their conduct in their
councils was far more decorous and becoming than
that we often hear of among legislators of the present
day, whether they are met together in Congress, Parliament,
or Reichstag. These chiefs, chosen for their
wisdom and experience, treated each other with the
highest regard and respect. When one of them arose
to address his fellow-legislators, every man in the
council room paid the strictest attention to what he
said; and interruptions, jeers, and ridicule, such as
legislators often make use of at the present day, were
totally unknown among these grave and earnest
Indians.
There can be no doubt that the Lenape were superior
to other Indian nations, and worthy of the proud
title which they gave themselves ; and in later years,
when the river was named after Lord De la Warre,
and they were called the Delawares, they were considered the noblest of the Indian tribes.
This Web version, edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2003
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