Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-07
rNprAN TREATY DEFEATED.
Onondagas in Council over the Meas
ure-Fighting Intermingled with Fot-

onondagas in Council over the Meas
ure-Fighting Interningled with Yot-
ing.
The greatest excitement known on the
Onondaga Indian reservation for scores
of years, says a Syracuse y. y. special
Of the Attn instant to the New Y ork Herald,
prevailed from early morning TO late IN
the evening yesterday. The Chiefs, war
Iiors and young bucks crowded the coun-
Gil house all day, while the squaws, youth
and pappooses braved the storm outside
and stood silent listeners 10 the storm
that increased within. The council was
called for 10 q. ln.. and continued without
interruption. except by the tumult and
Warllke demonstrations. Until evening.
No lntermissiOn was allowed. and at mid
night warriors and squaws were seen re-
turning to their cabins in the forests, fol-
lowing their narrow. crooked trails
through the snow, and either grunting
their satisfaction or displeasure with the
result Of the council.
Last fall Gov. Cleveland appointed
commission of three white men TO act
with committee of five Indians from the
( OnOndagas TO frame new treaty with the
state. The committee consisted Of three
pagan and two Christian Indians. The
tcl ms u 4 treaty were NIIANEu ats III
/ which the Christians fully conceded, and
with which the pagans were supposed to
Z be satisfied. 1t provided for a division OF
the lands of the reservation, laws relative
TO marriage. schools and government, the
latter Of which was to do away with
part Of the power of the chiefs. There
We're also sections for the protection OF
the forests and extensive stone quarrles.
The white Commissioners and three Of
Z f#r.o no
treaty, the other two chiefs. Daniel Laforte
and Orrls Farmer. would not sign it
/ until they had submitted its provisions to
their people. Ii by a majority vote the
treaty was ratified by the Indians then
( Gov. Cleveland was to sign it. LafOrte
! and Farmer were decidedly opposed to it,
as it would curtail their powers as chiefs,
so they decided to have the council held
/ yesterday.
Soon after daybreak sialwart braves
were seen stalking toward the traditional
council house, followed at a distance by
their squaws and pappOOses. The council
! house is a long, low wooden building, the
ratters Of which are black with smoke,
and its floor has done service for ages.
| Only those who were entitled to vote were
| admitted. There was hardly a word
/ spoken. There was no caucusing or but
1 tOnhOllng, and only an occasional grunt
could be heard until the hour for organic
ing. Then Baptist Thomas, in a low.
| cultural tone, moved that Chief Daniel
| Laforte act as Chairman. He declined. as
| he thought that 1t would not be for his IN
| terest, and IL. feeling Immediately began
1 to show itself There We're excited ges-
/ lures and expressions in their native
! tongue. When quiet was restored Jarvis
| Pierce took the chair. amid many grunts
/ of approval. Cusic Albert was appointed
/ Secretary; Baptist Thomas and Samuel
I Isaacs, tellers; Daniel Laforte and Jami-
son /. Thomas, counters, and Jacob
/ Shenandoah. inspector. ). Griffin acted as
| interpreter of the proceedings, as has
( been his custom for the last twenty years.
Each section Of the treaty was voted on
/ separately, the one curtailing the power
( OF the chiefs being first. The Interpreter
/ explained it at great length. a ballot
! was taken and the Council became di-
| Yided, wild gesticulatlOns followed, and,
! before interference could be made, there
/ were several hand to hand cOmbats. and
/ the general disorder increased until il
! seemed as If the old times Of barbarism
! had returned. The crowd took up the
! CRY from the outside, and the council
/ house was fairly besieged. Bloodshed
/ seemed imminent during the more than
/ two hours which passed before anything
/ like quiet was restored Threats were
frequent against one auOther's lives, but
some of the chiefs who were more cool
/ headed again succeeded in restoring or
/ der. The result Of the ballot was declared
a . against the treaty, II for it and 6
blanks. There was the same excitement
and cOmmotion over every ballot, but the
I Christians would not acknowledge their
I defeat till twelve ballots had been taken.
J The same result was announced on each
{ ballot, and accordingly the treaty is de-
feated and the Indians viii plod along
in the same nut as has been their wont
for years back. &c is a great disappoint-
ment to all Of the citizens of OnOndaga
county, who are acquainted with Indian
ways and the general immortality which
exists on the reservation.