Treaty of Casco (1678)
Treaty of Casco (1678) brought to a close the war between the eastern Indians and the English settlers of Massachusetts Bay Colony. Moreover, it sought to re-establish the friendly relations between the Indians and settlers that had characterized the northern settlements previous to the outbreak of King Philip's War in 1675. Based on the terms of the accord, all captives were to be surrendered without ransom. The treaty also stipulated that the English should give the Indians one peck of corn annually for each family settled on Indian lands, with the exception of Maj. Phillips of Saco, a great proprietor, who was required to give a bushel. It should be noted that the MA Bay Colony (official name of government changed several times) at the death of King Philip and his appointed leaders of the Pokanoket Tribe/Pokanoket Federation, did issue a decree that any person 14 years of age or over who stated they were Pokanoket were subject to being executed. The Pokanokets were scattered to the four winds, many executed, endentured and the survivors had to secretly exist and could only use the name of Wampanoag which included dozens of tribes is general terms. Their Royal Line exists today in a fully functioning tribe (see www.pokanoket.us). The point of this information is that the Treaty of Casco was an action to end the hostilities of the King Philip War which continued after his death by other tribes of the Pokanoket Federation and non-affiliated tribes. Some surviving Pokanokets went North to continue the fight against the British, as well as others for inconspicious survival purposes. Due to the fact that Royal House/line of the Pokanokets who remained and secretly assumed the leadership position of the Pokanket Tribe should have been a signatory on the Treaty of Casco in 1678 but their presence to be a signatory wasn't possible due to the decree of the British Colonists that if they idenitfied themselves as being Pokanoket they would be executed. Under this circumstance, due to suppression, intimidation and the Colonial intent to anilalate the Pokanonket's, the Treaty of Casco was in fact a document which included the Pokanoket Tribe in absentee due to suppression and threat of execution. Their rightful signatory was thus illegally prohibited yet by law and inherent right does include the Pokanoket Tribe/Pokanoket Federation. This is recognized under operation of law in the present times.
See also
Source
- James Truslow Adams. Dictionary of American History. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1940.