Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-04-23

daries were confirmed, with specific mention being
made of the Oneidas and the Tuscaroras. Soon
afterwards Governor Clinton of New York opened
negotiations with the Cayugas and within five
years had secured cession.
In the meantime the Onondagas had disposed of
of their lands to individual purchasers. They
were told that this illegal and that the rem
edy for them to cede all their lands to the
state. This they did, retaining only a small tract
for a reservation. The same practice was carried
out with the Oneidas and the others until virtually
ali of the lands of The Six Nations were in pos
session of the state of New York.
In 1870 delegation, headed by Corn Planter,
the great orator of the Senecas, went to Phiadel-
phia to see President Washington about these
dealings Corn Planter made eloquent appeal
for redress of their wrongs and Washington prom
Used the Indians that justice should be done to
them. These promises were never made good by
Washington's successors and the IroQuos are now
seeking restitution.
They are basng their claims on Sir William
Johnsons treaty of 1853, which they say was re-
affirmed by the federal government treating with
the Iroquois as independent nation at the Fort
Stanwix treaty In 1884 The cessions to New York
we're Illegal they contend, because Governor Clin-
ton negotiated with the Onondagas, the Oneidas
and the Cayugas as individual nations and not
with the Iroquois confederacy as whole. More
than that, these cessions were not sanctioned by
the federal government of the United States and
they quote Washington's words to Corn Planter
"Here, then, is the security for the remainder of
your lands; no state nor person can purchase your
lands except at general treaty held under the
authority of the United States."
The case of the Cherokees is another in which a
state rather than the United States probably will
be the defendant. They are claiming some 5,OOO,-
900 acres of land in eastern Tennessee, including
the important city of Chattanooga and the rich
farming lands which surround it. Tennessee was
once a part Of North Carolina and the Indians
claim is based primarily upon a section of the
North Carolina code of 1883 which laid down very
definite boundaries for certain tract of land and
stated that the LANDS contained in the aforesaid
bounds shall be reserved to the said Cherokee In
dams and their nation forever, anything herenbe-
fore to the contrary notwithstanding"
In 1923 the state of Tennessee made a treaty
with the Cherokees, known as the OcOee Purchase,
by which the Indians surrendered their lands and
agreed to go to Indian Territory. part of the
tribe refused to move, however, and fled to the
Businesses of the Great Smoky mountains, where
their descendants still live 1t is this part of the
tribe that is about to bring suit for compensation
for the 5,0O0,0O0acre tract mentioned another
tract of $40 acres in the Moccasn Bend, which
they assert was set aside as reservation for them
under treaty made with Andrew Jackson in 1917
and interest amounting to approximately $780,
100000
So new era in Indian affairs is dawning in the
United States. The old era ended when the last
Indian war ended, as had all Others in defeat for
the red man and triumph for the white man. That
marked the end of "Red-Man- Goes-to-War" But
the recent legislation has created new Indian
He is "Red-Man-Goes-TO-Law and it looks now
as though he were going to be as troublesome for
his white brother as was his painted and war-bon
neted ancestors of an earlier day.