Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-10-22

L nuVe I'D pOsscssi"H ""'Ptc P'V' VI tuV
correctness Of the following facts
During the last session OF Congress,
Van Buren signed and proclaimed, az
the law Of the land, a treaty which re-
quircs The Seneca Indians OF New York
To deliver within three years to the
Ogden Land Company, Of which one Of
his sons is said 20 be woprietoy, all 81
their lands in New York, comprising
about 900 acres some Of which
adjoining tho city Of Buffalo, Is said To
be wolth fiom one to five hundred dollars
per acre, and il is worth probably upon
an average IL dollars per acre and the
United States Government il bound by
the treaty to pay 100000 dollars to the
Indians relinquisbing their claims to
Green Bay lands--but the Indians de-
clare that they have no claim upon such
lands. The philosophy or treachery OF
thus making Government pay tor lands
that The Ogden Company are to receive,
is more ihnn can develope. L merely
stale what | learnt from the Indians ;
responsibls white men vouch for It's cor
reciness.
Previous to the ratification of this sin
gular treaty, the Seneca Nation sent a
delegation of four Of their head chiefs,
and three responsible white agents 10
Washington, who testified to the Senate
and President of the United States, that
the lresty which the President had lnid
before the Senate for consideration was
not nor could not be binding upon the
Seneca Indians for il wasnot the trem-
ty Of that nation, but only the treaty of
minority OF its chiefs who had been
brbed and unlawlulIy enticed to sign
the said treaty. Aud that the majority
of the chiefs Of their nation, and fifteen
ou, OF sixteen Of its members discIaiincd
the treaty. Among the deleg CATION was
one Of the brIbed chiefs, who testified
against himself, that the act of signing
the treaty was Unauthorized and ihero-
fore not binding upon his nation. They
exhibit the affidavit Of John General,
a chief OF the Seneca nation, residing
nt Buffalo, which deposed that while
Commissioner Gilbert was III Buffalo,
Gan Indian runner for the Ogden compa-
N.Y. eniiced him into n tavern IN Buffalo,
where he was pressed To drink some ar
dent spirits, which he did, and finally
became intoxicated, in which state he
was strong ly pressed to sign the assent
to the amended treaty, winch he COLI
stanty refused, and that he has since
been info,med his name is affixed to it
and he soIcmnly declares that he never
SO fixed it, unless when 50 drunk that
he did not know it, and has never since
remembered il % by an affidavit sign
ed by eight Of the chiefs they showed
that three Indians OF their nation had
attached their names 10 the treaty ns
chiefs, who obtained their election by II
sham election in tavern in Buffalo.
lty sundry documents they exhibited,
that to eight of their chiefs, the payment
of S2l 600 was promised upon the faith
Of written articles, duly executed by
the Agent Of the Ogden Company, Ms u
reward Tor signing the treaty, and scduc-
ing their fellow chiefs to do the sAre--
this money to be paid within three months
after the ratification OF the ireaty.
But the time has expired, and the con-
tracts have not been paid d--and II is now
found that the bribing agent is alone
holden, and he is worth nothing.
The Senate's Committee on Indian
Affairs, after learning tho foregoing facts,
reported against tho ratification Of tho
treuty. But still, through some influence
or other, (the rich Ogden Of New York.
was at Wasbington) the Senate was
equally divided, and tho Vice President
gave the casting vote and with knOwl-
edge OF all the bribery and corruption
attending that treaty, Martin Van BursD
signed 1t rs President Of the United
Siat.s.
To me, it seems rs though every Sen
ator, as well as the Vice President and
President IN sanctioning that treaty, en-
dorsed all the bribery, ,reachcry, aud
wlckedness Of its origin and therefore
for me to support either Of them for
public office, without knowing that they
had repenied OF and confessed this pub
lie SIN, would render NE participates
vi the same.
The time has come, in my opinion, fov
Christians to hold pablo ncn response
BILE for their public sins, and 10 have no
fellowship with them, but rather reprovs
them by voting against them. Unless
this course rs pursued, aad christian p,,p-
cisie and influence are brought 10 bear
upon public men, our csuu,ry, | fear, "
destined to destruction ! Under ienr-
lul aud wcighty apprehension OF this
kind, invite the friends Of Liberty and
Justice To throw their influence across
the paths Of political gamblers.
The policy of tho Administration Of
our Government is, that the Indians
shall go west oi the Mis.i,sippi. The
prosecution Of tho policy Ivy foul nennS
has already produced The Black Hawk
and Florida Wars, and expended per-
haps fifty millions OF money, with tho
d .struclion OF two ihou,upd lives Aud
tue result Of iorciJle removal OF the
New York Indians, | have no doubt,
would be a general Iadlsn Was upn
our western frontiers. One oi the heads
of The Seneca Nation said to me-, lf
The Whites are determined 10 have omr
lands, let them come aud ioinshawk W,
and bury-us by our fnthsrs, aud noe thus
ncanly drive us from om aomss"
Believing that the slsciaoa of Csner-