His death was the seed of the war of 1675,
--for how, under these circumstances, could Canonchet, his son and
successor, be other than the enemy of the English, the ready and
efficient ally of Philip.
But aside from particular incidents in the relations of the English to
the Indians there were three ever-operating causes of hostility.
1st. The mutual disposition of the English and the Indians to traffic
with each other. The colonies passed the most stringent laws for the
suppression of this traffic, or to make it a monopoly in their own
hands, and the government at home issued two or more proclamations.
These laws and proclamations had no great practical value, and the
Indians were constantly supplied with spirits, clothing, munitions and
weapons of war, either by the English, French, or Dutch. Thus trade
furnished an occasion for hostility, and the means of gratifying the
spirit of war.
2nd. There was a universal tendency in the people and governments of
the colonies to acquire land.
There was, however, a settled purpose on the part of the company in
England and the governments here to make this spirit conform to the
principles of honor and justice. In the company's letter of
instruction of April 17, 1629, Endicott and his Council were told that
"If any of the savages pretend right of inheritance to all or any part
of the lands granted in our patent, we pray you to endeavor to purchase
their title, that we may avoid the least scruple of intrusion.
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