Header img
Beyond Penn's Treaty

Committee on Indian Concerns Scrapbook

Page out of 220

posal devoted to purposes of this kind. referring you
to the last paragraph of our Communication addressed to you in the third month last we are your friends

Signed on behalf of the committee of Indian
concerns of Baltimore yearly meeting by
Sam. Carey Clerk
Cold Spring 2nd. 18th. 1838
To our Old Friends the Quakers of Philadelphia

Brothers, Our brother the Quaker who resides here with us, was here to day at our
council in our Council house.

Brothers, we consider it our duty to let you know what passed at our General
Council at Buffalo

. We all met Senecas, Onondagos, Cayugas, Tuskororas
Oneidas and all the rest of the New York Indians, Schemehorn called on some
of the Indians from Green Bay, to attend the Council, who were all there.
The United States Commissioner proceeded & opened the Council with these words
I now open the council of the Six Nations. I am Commissinor of the U.S. I shall
do the duty assigned me by the President. I was sent to let you know what the
Government wishes. It is the policy of the Government that all the Indians shall
remove beyond the Mississippi. Every Chief that will controle 100 souls to remove
shall receive 500 dollars. He stated that government was very kind to Indians
it would furnish one years provision money to defray the expence of moving
them there, build them houses, Mills, Meeting Houses, School houses, Black-
smiths shops, and furnish them with Missionaries. When you receive this
offer, all your Annuity will be removed to the far Country, If any Indians remain
here, They will get no money as there will be no Agent here. But there will be
one sent to the west--who will attend all your Councils there--you must
except of this offer--you must go. He occupied the whole time in talking
for the first eight days of the Council. After we had deliberated on what
he had said to us--and determined on remaining where we are. The Com-
missioner said we have finished. You have sold all that you have
claimed, here is the Treaty made and written before you--and all you
have to do, is to sign it. He then laid the treaty on the Table, at the
same time our petition being written we laid that on the table also, the
Commissioner called on us to sign his paper. The Emigration party to the
No 23--came forward and signed it. The Commissioner stating it was
lawful to sign in the presence of the Council. Our petition was
signed by 62 at the same time. At that time there was a large
majority of the Cheifs and nearly all the Warriors on our side. The
Commissioner then said I now close the Council, but my boods shall be
open all night and 'till after breakfast tomorrow morning. There
I will leave the reservation, at the time he dismissed the Council he
removed the books to a Public House in the vicinity, and some of
our people who had received large sums of money of the Augden Co