The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-12-01
house bills Nos. 3l6 and $3.50 ought not
to pass. GEORGE A. BILL,
EDWIN FISHER, ,,,...,,,,,o.
Il. b. PATTERSON, O0"'"''''oo'
II. o. HATCH,
A Bit Of History.

The committee ON claims submitted the
! following interesting report on the memorial
OF the st. Regis Indians November 18th:
Your committee to whom was referred the
memorials and petitions Of certain persons
representing themselves as chiefs and trus-
tees of the St. Regis tribe of Indians, living
! in Franklin county in the state of New
York, respectfully report they have consid-
cred the same and find that the subject
matter embraces claims that have frequently
been brought to the attention of the author
! tiles and legislature of Vermont. No one
has appeared before the committee to adj
vocate their recognition, nor has evidence
been presented to substantiate them. But
as this is doubtless owing to the weakness
and unfortunate condition of the claimants,
and as they refer to previous applications
for compensation, it would seem part of
justice and magnanimity that brief state
ment OF the case be made to your honorable
body:
The claim was presented by twenty chiefs
of the Iroquois or "Seven Nations" to
Governor Tchenor in 1898, and by him re-
ferred to the legislature then in session at
Nergennes 1t was for compensation for
their hunting-grounds, beginning on the
east side of Ticonderoga, from thence to the
great falls on Otter creek and continuing in
the same course to the height of land that
divides the streams between Lake Cham
plain and the Connecticut river, thence
along the height of land opposite to the
MlSSlSlUOl anu JnenCe 10 tlle Bay.
The legislative committee paul Brigham,
chairman) having the matter under advise
ment made an adverse report, but said that
while they are of opinion that they (the
Indians) have had no claim to the above de-
scribed land, they cannot ascertain
whether that title had been extinguished by
conquest, purchase, dereliction of occu-
pancy, or in any other way"
This assembly adopted a resolution re-
questing the governor to ascertain upon
what basis and terms the same Indians had
given up their claim to lands in the state of
New York, and appropriated money to pay
the expenses of the chiefs and to make them
a present of one hundred dollars as token
of friendship.
In 1893 Governor Tchenor reported to the
assembly, then in session at Windsor that
the compensation made by the state of
New York to these Indians was seemingly
more of matter of policy than of justice,
and that the claims made upon that state
rested upon more stable ground than did
those made upon Vermont. He, however,
did not state the amount paid by New
York, which was fourteen hundred pounds,
and an annuity of over two hundred pounds.
His report and the action of the assembly
were decidedly adverse, and were to the
effect that the said Indians had no real
claim, either in justice or equity. In 1910
the claim was again presented to the legis-
lature, in session at Middlebury, and re-
jected. In 1912 the chiefs and counsellors
Of the Iroquois, or Coghnawaghah nation,
renewed their claim and said in regard to
the action of Governor Tichenor: He re-
quested us to exhibit documents as proofs
that the land which we then claimed be-
longed to us, and this he well knew we
could not do. As you well know, brother, we
I are destitute of writings, records and his
, tory. With us, to preserve the memory of
our public affairs and transactions we de-
pend on our most aged men to keep them in
+ their heads and minds"
The legislative committee paul Brigham,
, chairman) reported that it was inexpedient
+ to make payment for land but favored and
, the legislature voted, that two hundred dol
. lars be pad--one-haf for expenses and one
half as a gratuity-to the Indians then
+ present.
In 1926 fourteen chiefs of the Iroquois
: memorialized Governor Butler, and the
g committee of the general assembly (Chaun-
t cey Langdon, chairman) reported that the
petitioners had no claim, either in law or
Y equity.
In 1858 Governor Robinson transmitted a
8 petition upon which a joint committee
e (Hordecai Hale, chairman) reported: "Your
( committee are of opinion that the state OF
t Vermont owes it to herself to cause a care
, full inquiry to be made into this claim to al
low of no obscurity about the rights of a
: people who rely so entirely for relief upon
S our sense of justice and honor" The gov
V ernor was therefore requested to ascertain
5 the merits of the claim in such way as he
= deemed BEST and he appointed as commits
sioner to perform this duty Hon Timothy
h p. Redfield of Montpelier, who reported to
t Governor Royce and the legislature of 1854
, This Legislature directs Governor Royce
t to appoint a commissioner to ascertain the
: amount and extent of the claim and what
= sum would satisfy the claimants. He APP
$ pointed j. NJ. Hotchkiss of Georgia, who re-
e ported to the legislature of 1855, giving all
g the old, and some new, reasons why the
: claim should not be paid but says - 1t is
t evident that those Iroquois who emigrated
D to the Province of Lower Canada, commonly
S known as Coghnawaghah are the rightful
claimants upon Vermont for compensation
Y for their lands" He also says: - J there
e fore recommend the claims of this unfor-
r tunate people to the favorable consideration
r of this legislature
His report was referred to the committee
on claims in each house and they reported
: bill approprating a sum of money to eX-
a tinguish the claim. The bill passed the
r senate but failed in the house The amount
t named in the bill is not known, as the pa
= pers, after diligent search, cannot be found
and it is thought they We're burned with
: the statc-house. The attention of the egs-
: lature was called to the matter in 1874 by
t Governor Peck and in 1884 by Governor
: Barstow, and has been presented at other
7 times only to meet with neglect or adversely
In 1874 Mr. Smaley, from the committee
: to whom this matter was submitted re-
ported adversely to the allowance of the
claim and recommended the adoption OF the
D following resolution. " Resolved bv the Senate
and House Of Representatives. That the gov
: ernor be requested to notify the petitioners
D that the state of Vermont has fully eX-
: amined their claim, and are of the opinion
l that if such claim ever existed it was eX-
tinguished by the treaty between France
} and Great Britain in 1868, and by the treaty
l. between Great Britain and the United
: States in 1888; and that the petitioners, al
: this time have no legal or suitable claim or
0 interest in or to any of the lands described
4 in their petition
| This resolution was adopted by the house
! and senate
! Having made this abstract of the case,
we recur TO our first statement, viz: that
no evidence was presented to the committee.
y and we can only recommend that the me-
l morialists have leave to withdraw
I. c. FLETCHER for the Committee.
\ THE FIRST KEEN TwINGE.-As the season
| al ia Mains and aches nv which