Remonstrance of the Chiefs in regard to their removal to the West

From the Six Nations. 10 mo 2. 1837
To the President of the United States

We the undersigned Sachems, Chiefs, and Chief Warriors
of the Six Nations

assembled in Council at the Council
house on Buffalo Creek Reservation in the State of New
York, Present the following Communication for the
purpose of saying to our Father the President, That
I.J.Schermerhorn United States Commissioner, having
been appointed to remove the New York Indians to the
West; In July last he passed through all the settle-
ments of the Six Nations and took with him some of
our men of his own selection, for the purpose of forming
An exploring party to the West. This was his own
delegation and not ours. We consider this an unlawful
and improper exercise of authority which strikes at the very
fundamental principles of our laws and treaties. We
cannot therefore recognize persons so selected as regular
appointed delegates.

Father--We will now explain to you our minds on
the subject. We have not any desire of again exploring
the Western Country. The repetition can confer on us
no benefit inasmuch as we have still the same de-
termination to remain upon the premises which we now
hold in the State of New York

Father--We have concluded a treaty of peace more than forty
years ago, which we still adhere to for our guide. In
that treaty we have mutually stipulated that all our
national transactions should be performed in open Council.
This stipulation was agreed to by the parties mutually.
In that Treaty all secret meetings to transact national