Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-10-22
League of Nations Covenant
Likened to League of Indian
Nations of Many Years Ago
.ousands Of Immigrants are unloaded daily.

st. Paul, Mimi, Oct. 22.-The
League of Nations covenant, ratified
by various European powers. and the
in the United States, in
many respects is not unlike the
League Of Indian Nations, which
figured prominently in the history OF
the establishment Of the Thirteen Col
onies, local historians point u
The time Of the origin of the Indian
league is not definitely known to his
torians, and the history Of its con-
ception and organization Is handed
dictionary records. The early mis-
sionaries to America tell Of the ex-
istence Of a league Of Indians, known
among them as the League OF the
Iroquois, according to available his
tories.
The missionaries relate hat the
league was a banding together of five
Indian nations. later six, to remove
danger Of perpetual warfare among
the various nations. Their purpose
was to knit the whole a c of Indians
together under such a system Of re-
lationship that by its natural ex-
pansion an Indian empire would be
developed so as to enable them to
control surrounding nations. In this
way the Indians hoped to secure q
lasting peace.
made up of i've nations. the Mohawk,
Onondaga. Seneca, Oneida and Cay
uga nations. but later the Tuscarora
nation requested admission to the
league and was formally accepted.
The project of the league originated
with the Onondagas, among whom it
was first conceived to be used as a
means Of more adequately resisting
the pressure Of contiguous .Sn nations;
chiefs assembled on the northern
shore of the Onondaga lake to agree
upon terms and principles Of the
compact, by which their. future deal
ings would be linked.
Although nothing definite is known
of the time Of origin of the league,
some incidents connected with the
first intercourse with the whites indi-
cate that the league had subsisted
the era Of the Dutch discovery.
When the league was instituted,
tradition holds that nifty sachems, or
representatives Of the five nations
were appointed to act, and when
united formed the council of the
Equal Representation.
The scholarships we're distributed
unequally between the nations of the
any nation a preponderance Of po-
litical power.
Subsequent scholarships in the In
dian league became hereditary, hand
ing down alike the lanes and powers.
The sachems, although given similar
authority as that invested in the rep
resentatives to the present League Of
nations. had a more extended power
in the matters of government of the
to pass on matters pertaining to the
welfare of an individual nation.
The Onondaga nation. being stu
ated in q central position. geographic
ally were made keepers of the coun-
Gil brand and the wampum with
which the structure and principles of
their league or government and their
laws and treaties were recorded.
The councils of the league were
usually held al Onondaga al stated
periods of the year, usually autumn.
but If an exigency arose, a special
council would be called and the place
would not necessarily be confined to
Onondaga. It could be appointed in
the territory Of either of the nations.
h league had power to declare
war, make peace. send n receive
CillOo6oAcS, SuteI lIIO TEXTILES OF dlu-
ance, regulate the affairs of subju-
gated nations. receive new members
into the league. extend its protection
over feeble tribes, and t o take any
action which would promote the vel
fare and peace Of the League Of the
Iroquois.
Considered An Enemy.
II a nation warred against a men,
Der Of the league. it would be con-
411orA6 90 mn A~A~ov - OIL ~A<S4~s
and the warriors Of the six nations
would be sent to the help Of their fel-
low members.
The Senecas, at the institution OF
the league, due to their geographical
position. were made the doorkeepers
OF the league, and were expected to
take to the battlefield first upon the
approach of an enemy tribe:
Upon the entry Of the Tuscaroras
into the league. they Eve were given
an equal alliance with other nations
and did not receive a sachem. who
could sit as an equal in the councils
Of the sachems. The Ave nations
apparently, were unwilling to enlarge
the framework of the league. Foa
purposes Of government. however. the
Tu~ecaroraa We're organised like other
ships and Institutions. They also had
a nominal equality In tho councils Of
the league. hut had no national des.
l~ignaton. II stts... :
Each mchem had his corps Of i'd
lv4sers, who would at 1t the council
nreS; md although they had no voics
In the matter Of deciding any ques.
ton were often called upon by the
sachems to interpret the various cues.
lions arising. It required unanimous
consent OF. all sachems to declare wal
and make treaties OF alliances. s.$t
II the envoy OF q foreign people de.