New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-02-27
Tho Topowunda Indians,
Editor

ALABAMA Genesee Co. n. Y. Feb. y, 1916
To the Editor Of Tie TrijasG:
In The Tribune of the 7th inst. saw an article
upon the Treaty, by which the Ogden Land Co. are
to come into possession OF two of the last four Reser
vations of the Seneca Nation Of Indians, in the
State of New-York. believe that statement TO be
essentially correct.
One branch of this Natlon-the Tonawanda
Tribe-resides in this town. have resided in their
immediate vicinity for the past ten years, and cir
cumstances have favored with the opportunity OF
obtaining thorough knowledge of their character,
mode of life andfeelings in relation 10 theirprospect'
i've removal AS the day is not far distant when the
conditions of the Treaty with the Senecas must be
carried into effect unless the strong arm OF Justice
is stretched forth in their behalf and furthermore
as large majority OF the people OF this State are
ignorant of the gross injustice which Will be done
the Indians, by thus forcibly removing them with
out their desire consent, from all that the Indian
holds dear and sacred" The graves OF his fathers
and the home of his youth feel that duty COM
pels me to state the facts which have come under
my personal observation, and thus discover TO the
people OF NewYork the injustice and inhumanity
which powerful Company OF land spectators Is
about TO consummate upon the detenceiess rellc OF
the Aborigines of this Continent | desire to state
only what | kR0w to be true, and hence shall con-
fine my remarks chiefly to this Tribe, presumng
that their desires are true index those of the
other Tribes OF the Contederacy.
The Tonawandas have Aerer tar0red the idea OF
disposing of their ands-but indiv idual OF the
tribe ever signed the treaty of 1885 and that one was
Immediately banlshed from the tribe, the penalty be
ing death if he returned, which he has not dared TO
do Not one signed the amended treaty OF 1912, and
10 this moment they remain firmly opposed to the
conditions of that treaty, and to man, unwilling to
remove West of the Mississippi or elsewhere. They
say they have never sold their lands, nor even de-
sired to do so-that they not responsible Tor the
acts of the other tribes (which is not probably 80
considered by the .. s. Government and that the
Government will violate its plighted faith, to pro-
tect and defend them, by thus permitting them to be
forcbly removed. against their wishes, and with no
Just grounds for doing it. Yet they do not appeal to
the sympathies of the people or rulers OF this Ma
tion-they ask not for paty-they are too proudly
conscious OF their national rights and dignity, ana
the Injustice which is about 10 be perpetrated upon
them to ask or even desire such humiliaing consd-
eratons as these. All they seek is simply that Jus
tice may be meted out to them They consider It
peculiar hardship that, under Government which
processes to protect and defend the weak against the
expressions of the more powerful. their reserved
rights be secured from INVASION and they be
permitted to occupy, in peace, this prtance OF the
broad domain of their ancestors, particularly when
no overt act of theirs has alienated their title.
About $50 Indians reside upon this Reservation,
which contains Il, 800 acres, nearly the whole OF
which Is arabic auQ WORM OH average u iedst -AO
per acre for which the Indians will receive from
the Company about one dollar and fifty cents per
acre.
They have made considerable advances IN civil l
cation and in their personal habits and mode OF NE
they have almost entirely forsaken The customs OF
their ancestors and conformed to those OF civilized
society. If permitted TO remain upon their lands;
they are willing and even DESTROYS TO DC invested
with the rights Of citizenshp-pay taxes and exer,
else the elective franchise-as the Oneldas and
Onandagas have already done -
Their morals are much purer and their moral
senses much more acute than would be supposed,
considering the evil example and influence OF the
vicious whites around them. and the demorallzing
and debasing effects of the Indians most insdioqs
and deadly enemy, the Fire Water But there is i
now much less immortality and inebriation praciced
among them than ten years since. This is an en-
couragipg consideration, it goes to Substantial
the fact that Notwithstanding all the degrading infu.
ences by which they surrounded, they are still
capable of progressing toward virtuous civilza