Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-03-24
tErom the Rochester Americana
A Day among the A borIgines.

Among the few things worth seeing in llii-
country is an Indian Council. organized and
conducted according to the ancient usages o
| the Six Nations. We went on Friday to q
small council az the Tonawanda Reservation
of the Seneca Nation, It was called for the
purpose of consulting with John II. Ma,ndale
Esq, the legal adviser Of The Nation. The in.
terpreter aud chief Of the council was Mr.. Ely
). Parker, Of this city, the head sachem of tlr
lropuis.
I he reservation includes 1880 acres in the
Western part Of Genesee county, and the &C.
cess from here Is by the central road to Batavia,
and thence by the Canandaigua and Falls road
to Pembroke or Akron, which places are four
miles from the Council House The council
was. held in the church on the Reservation, and
was attended by.some 60 or 70 Indians chiefs,
"privates" and women.
The council opened with the usual invoca-
ton of the Great Spirit, and thanks to him -
This was followed by a speech from chief in
this Seneca language, which was duly interpre-
ted by Mr.. Parker. Mr.. Marindsle then ad-
dressed the council, his remarks being transla-
ted into Seneca by the interpreter. Perfect si-
lencc prevailed, except when some striking
thought was offered, when a general "ughh
came forth from the depths Of the Indian lungs,
and smile frightened on their grim visages.
The solemn Senecas filed the pews, in every
variety Of clothing, and in the back part OF the
house and in the gallery sat in stern silence, Il
number of squuws, carefully blanke,ed, and
moccasined; their garments rich with beads
and tinsel. The venerable sachcn, jimmy
Johnson, was there, and the grim old priest
and the hard vsaged prophet Athletic young
men were there, and peering from behind their
blankets were the bright black eyes Of some
young daughters of the forest 1t Was, alto
gether, an interesting occasion, and well de-
serving the attendance of ''paleface.'
There are some 200 Indians on this reserva-
tion-the remnant of the once powerful tribe
of the >enecas. But the white man presses
upon them; he covets this small fragment Of
their once noble Inheritance; he usurps their
possession, and intrudcs upon their lands. The
legal proceedings now in progress, look to the
ultimate restoration of the reservation, III its
integrity to them. Volumes might be filled
with a detail of the outrogcs inflicted upon
them, by those once styled by an indignant
Seneca, educated, civilized, Christian, scoun-
drels." The law and the government pretends
TO GUARD them, but they are almost helpless in
their ignorance and barbarism. 1t Is well they
have two such strong friends in their legal ad-
vser and IN their chief, Mr.. Parker, who is
fully educated in all the wisdom of the "pae
faces" and who is thus best fitted tv be their
ruler.
Now is the season of the New Y ear festivl-
ties among the lndiahs. 1t is the time OF burn
ing the white dog. when all their ussgcs and
customs are observed with fidelity. These are
being conducted now at the council house, and
II is general gala time with them. The white
dog is sacrificed in the midst OF pagan rites,
and with wild dances and wilder music.