ut the subject
was before the House, and ought to receive the attention due
to it.

Mr. Lucas of Plymouth, said (as far as we could hear him) that
the difficulty in the Marshpee tribe had been caused by an
itinerant preacher, who went there and urged them to declare
their independence. They proceeded to extremities, and the
Governor and Council sent a commissioner to examine the
affair, and he made a report to the Council, and until that
was heard, he hoped nothing would be heard from the Indians.
It ought first to come before the House. The petition
originated no doubt, from the itinerant preacher, who had been
pouring into their ears discontent until they had a riot, and
the rioters were prosecuted with the preacher among them,
and he was convicted and imprisoned. Whether any of the
petitioners were among those rioters or not, he did not know.

Mr. Allen of Pembroke, said he had not heard the gentleman
from Plymouth. It was not his wish to prevent the petitioners
being heard at a proper time, but he thought the House ought
to hear the other side, before any course was taken.

Mr. Robinson of Marblehead, hoped that the attempt would not
be persisted in, to withhold from these Indians the common
indulgence of having their petition read.

Mr. Loring of Hingham, understood that this was the same
petition which went before the Governor and Council, [Mr. L.
was misinformed; It is a different petition,] and as it was
very long, it would take up time unnecessarily to read it. He
hoped it would be laid on the table.

Mr. Allen of Worcester, thought those who opposed the reading
were in fact increasing the Importance of the petition by that
course. If the House should refuse to hear it read, a
course he did not remember had ever been adopted toward any
respectful petition, from any quarter, it would become a
subject of much more speculation than if it took the ordinary
course.

Mr. H. Lincoln of Boston, was surprised to hear an objection
raised to the reading of this petition. It was due to the
character of the House, and to our native brethren the
petitioners, whose agents were here on the floor, that they
should be heard, and heard patiently. He hoped that out of
respect to ourselves, and from justice to the petitioners,
their petition would find every fa