New-York daily tribune., 1846-01-28
THE TRIBUNE.
The seneca Indians and the Ogden Land
COInpnHy.

La Injustice praciiced by the Ogden Land Com
,srv and the agents OF the United States Govern
mont ON the Seneca Indians residing in the West
| o-n mart of this State. 1t is subject which al
mos, all our people are perfectly ignorant. Our
,;tzens have slumbered and the Press has been 81
lon. until before our very eyes niquity has been
,lnos, consummated which has parallel in the
history Of our Government. BY series OF infa-
moas treaties large part of the Seneca nation will
on the first of April be compelled against their will,
| 20 leave their homes without place in the world
proyiaed for them receiving for the lands which
thew surrender but tenth OF their value, and with
no prospect before them but misery and want. j
propose to give 70 the public the facts in this case,
and an opportunity will be offered TO all our citizens
by a petition to be circulated throughout the State,
10 express their opinions and desires on this subject
in view of these facts And, Fellow Citizens,
treat your earnest attention while lay before you
the details of wrong, the enormity OF which will
bring the blush of shame. and burning indignation
10 the cheek of every honest man.
Ii NAV be well first TO examine the history, and
privileges OF this Company.
After the Revolution bo;h Newly York and Massa-
chcsetts claimed land in the Western part OF TINS
State under royal charters. By agreement effected
at Hartford Dec. 10th, 1885, and sanctioned by Con-
eress In 1877. the sovereignty this tract
signed To New York. and TO Massachusetts was
gwen the right eXtnguish by purchase the claims
Of the resident Indians This right Massachusetts
might transfer To individuals, " provided that no
purchase from the native lndinns by any such gran
lee or grantees shall be valid unless the same shall
be made in the presence Of aud approved by SUI
perinlendent appointed for such purpose by the
Commonvp pealth OF Massachusetts and having no in
,cres, in such purchase and unless the shall be
confirmed oy the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
This pre6mpiivc right as defined by ali our ursta.
is simply exclusive 'ight to buy when the original
occupants owncrs disposed TO sell, and nothing
more In March 1891, MASSACHUSETTS, contracted 10 sell
ia right ui preemplion Samuel Ogden. Tne owners
oltas title are known as The Ogden Land Company.
b treaty made III 1874 the United states guaranteed 10
e.eb of ib SIX Nations the peaceable enjoyment OF it's
own reservations, and conferred upon eacL nation the
b, M el nny or all ot its land nj irs discretion 10 any
rizeu or citizens oi the CUvd States. With the sales
by the Indians the grantees Of Massachusetts under
this treaty before 1883 have nothing to DO Up 70
this time the Senecas had steadily and uuitedly resisted
every effort 10 obtain from them lner reserTaiions
These reservations known rs the Tcnawanda. the
buffalo Creek the Ca,tsraugus and the Aleganv reser
rsious containing together li50O0 10000 acres Of
land and worth at least two millions OF dollars. In
1857 the United States induced 10 send commits
sioper feet treaty with the SenscHs, and on the
18th Of January, 1885 treaty was made, supGa'ing
that the Indians should remove West oi the state of
Missouri and that Government should give them 500.
O0 acres oil land and 100000 dollars Tor lands
Green Bay former gilt 20 the nation Before entering
on this negotiation, the OF tho Ogden Land Com
pany had offered many Of the Chiefs large bribes in
money others threatened with iorcib!e removal
lived free and even in some cases fee simple titles
given condition that they would sign The treaty
aud Use their iuiiuence in lis favor. How many other
contracts have come 10 lsnt ttc VIII leI Atei
signed by only minority of Chiefs but never
theess Washington with preamble stating
that it had been properly signed council The Indians
followed 1t with re,uonstJance disclosing the fraud,
and injustice, and alsehood, and the Senate refused to
rary IL. II was however remodecd and rs character
cntrely changed and unanimous vote OF the Senate
again offered TO the Senecas for acceptance, provided
that the shall have force or effect whatever @s
relates any OF the tribes nations or bands ol Indians
In the State fNew York until the same with the amend
proposed, shall be submitted and fully ana iary
explained by Commissioner :d the lniteu states 10
each said tribes bands separately assembled IN
oHc aud they have given their tree ana voluntary as
sent thereto" Let us SEE how this regarded.
The commissioner, Mr. Gileit, now proceeded to the
Seneca country and IN express violation oil the reso!H
ton erected one general council house and summoned
the Chiefs TO one general council August l7ih, lSS.
Few attended and Adjourned the council tor three
days during which time the council house was barued
down lie built another, and summoned new council.
and cxplancd the treaty and amendments. But 10
Chiefs found after r the bribery and promises
by the Company, who would sign the treaty IN open
council - more were necessary To majority even nc
cordlng 10 the commissioner estimate.
Finding tha; promises could nOt induce them to leave
their homes he told them, wha, ne must nave known 10
be utterly false tha, whether they signed this treaty or
uot they had already sold their lands 10 the Company
and Government would force them to remove Nothing
was gained by this falsehood Geueral Dearborn, the
superintcpdcut present the part OF Massachusetts
pronounced ii untrue a Chief proposed that Ternoi
he signed OF the commissioners tl!s
he refused 10 allow and abruptly a6uurned the council
SiNy.hrec Chiefs and head men, however Immediately
signed IL aud Witnessed by General Dearborn ana
returned to the Senate The commissioner had now
done all that he authorized 70 do lie had explained
the treaty in council and by overwhelming majority
The Chiefs had refused accepst. All his aer acts
were Illegal. lie now discovered that 1t was not neces
tary that the treaty be signed in council but IN tavern
orawigwarn il would be just as well He accordlnsy
ANNOUNCED that any who wished To sign the treaty III
private might do by calling at his lodgings III faTeEh
% o.
no one came. Aud now commences scene 50 out
raseous aud exhibiting SO reckless determination that
wiling unwilling the Chiefs should sign the treaty
that us an American am ashamed 10 record It.
Runners aud scouting parties were hired 10 bring IN
he Chiefs. There longer any ST for them Day
and night their wigwans were invaded They were
swsked from sleep bcsieged by the way, ana in their
beds, and chased down attempting 10 Tee from i'm,
por;Gnny. They made drunk, and briocd. and
Threatened, aud deceived BY these and every other
means which wickedness iupced by ovsricc could IN
vent IS more signatures obtained AZ the tavern.
aad two al private houses making IN All 81 Inc council
had been ke, open this way nearly weeks AZ great
loss 10 the Indians. the season OF their corn
nsvest And now. having violated his Instructions and
The resolution oi the Senate. and the repeated treaties
(which the Indians were promised security from mo
esta,ion Their reservations the commissioner goes
sWashiugton with treaty signed by minority Of the
Chiefs Ne sent back by the Secretary OF War
with directions 10 obtain majority OF signatures He
returned aad opened has rtrd;e apartment again the
Reception OF signatures Every former cxpcdent hav-
Ing been tried arsin without the requisite the
commissioner made another discovery that II was by
means necessary that the nauousi usSscs OF the voice OF
,ne nsUn oGC be observed IN the creation oil Ca!eS
He therefor collected few OF his uinous nj private
house in Buffalo, and proceeded 10 elect new Chiefs
who inlmedaIcy .igGcd the instrument making Al sig
natures The whole number OF Chiefs Claimed oy both
Parties was o. The number OF UudispCted Chiefs was
"a OF these but ~ sgued Jho treaty. lhe commissioner
decided that there 80 Chiefs OF which number he
had msjory Three OF these be il remembered were
OF his creation. and after dared assert
thsir aahoruy. three Were never recognized as
Chiefs Others soenny dcposed thai they never
tn. n,ttbu yrygt In
lheu the treaty. Inc acceptance oil which was thus
Procured 10 Washington. and laid before the
seuAte- And ask in al the annals OF treaty
making who read infamous transaction n this
Where is the man. excepting always the members Of
Ae Ogden Land Company. and their tools. who does
"o1 haog MS bead the thought that this viainy
accomplished by Americans, American soil We're II
o supported by conclusive testimony it were too out
ieseous Tor belief We snail continue recital IN
saotner article and we cal. upon the Compsny who
" he oooh Oh MI sais baseness to disprove II they
q Iect Nnlcn 10 here asserted CAARTER