Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 1.djvu/515

 aborigines had no interest in the lands of Virginia, but only a general residence there like the wild beasts of the country. The True Declaration doubtless expressed the sentiment of a large number in describing the country as a new Goshen for the English Israel, and in repeating the remark of Plato, that there was no injustice in removing the sword from the hands of a bad man. That this view was entertained by a majority of the members of the Company so far as it involved the appropriation of the soil, is shown by their course as an organization; as long as they remained a corporate body, they resented promptly and even bitterly the slightest admission, either direct or by inference, that the Indians possessed the smallest tittle of property in the ground. They upheld with the utmost firmness their right of absolute disposition under the terms of their charters. The only conveyances from the aborigines allowed to pass without their animadversion, occurred previous to the first step that was taken to distribute the soil in fee simple among the English settlers, and in reality were wholly nominal. In 1609, a large area of country situated in the vicinity of the Falls was at the solicitation of Smith conferred by Powhatan on Captain West and his soldiers, who were stationed at that point, in consideration of a small amount of copper, but the grant was rejected by the latter, the authority of Smith not being acknowledged. This action of Smith in