They had more horses than was any advantage to them. Their corn, oats, and buckwheat, were in a prosperous condition, and promised to afford them a plentiful supply. And it was pleasing to find, that they had generally refrained from the use of spirituous liquors. The women, also, continued their attention to spinning and manufacturing their clothing.
The school taught by the Friend at this place was also in a more prosperous condition than had hitherto been evidenced among those Indians. Nearly twenty lads attended, divers of whom could write and read the English language, and had otherwise made satisfactory progress in learning. The cleanliness of their persons, their order in the school, and general deportment, appeared to be encouraging.
A prominent object in this visit was, to encourage the Indians to make the experiment of dividing their land into lots, and holding it as private property, under certain restrictions. This was suggested to them, in separate councils with the different tribes, as the most eligible plan by which they could continue to possess the good land which they and their fathers had so long enjoyed, and which of late years they had improved so much, that “this land, with its valuable improvements, might pass to their children, and be inherited by them as long as the Alleghany and Cattaraugus rivers should continue to run, and the grass and corn to grow.”
The Indians in their several settlements, took this matter under serious consideration; and, in consequence of an arrangement made for the purpose, Friends met the principal chiefs, and many others of the Seneca nation, in a general council at Cattaraugus, among whom was the noted chief, Red Jacket, and several others from Buffalo. In this general council, the subject of dividing their land into lots, was again proposed to the Indians, as the most eligible means of accelerating their civilization, and securing them more permanently in the possession of the remnant of the land they yet occupied; and that these lots should be of adequate dimensions to accommodate each family with a farm, and be held under such restrictions, that they could not be alienated, or leased to any other than their own people, but in such manner as to secure to the individuals respectively, the land, with the improvements thereon, which should be appropriated to each. It was believed the adoption of this measure would prove an additional stimulus to their industry and care, in the prospect it presented, of the benefits which might result from their agricultural labours descending to, and being enjoyed by, their children, and posterity more remote. This important subject occupied the deliberate attention of the Indians for several days. The result was, a resolution that an experiment should be made on the Alleghany reservation by the Indians residing thereon, many of whom had for a considerable time been desirous of possessing their property more distinct from each other than had heretofore been the case.
On the morning Friends were about to proceed on their way homewards, a number of the chiefs called to see them, and expressed their great satisfaction with the conclusions that had resulted at the late council. One of them named Blue-eyes, said, “Brothers, we want you to continue your endeavours to strengthen us, that we may not become a lost people, but that by persevering in the right path, we may experience preservation. We believe it is owing to the favourable disposition of the United States, that the Six Nations yet exist. And we are of the opinion, from the representations that have been made, that we owe much to you—and we trust to an overruling providence, who has thus favoured us, that we may yet experience preservation.”
Notwithstanding the repeated refusals of the Indians to dispose of any more of their land, renewed applications were made by those holding the pre-emption right in the beginning of the year 1818; and at a general council, held at Buffalo, about this time, they again determined not to sell; and with a view of making the President of the United States more particularly acquainted with their situation, and with the difficulties to which they were subjected, by these repeated applications for land, they sent forward a talk for that purpose, signed by twenty-one chiefs of the Seneca, Cayuga, and Onondago tribes, which was published in the Niagara Patriot, and from which, for its simple, natural, impassioned, and pathetic eloquence, we shall present to the reader a few extracts.
“Father, from the fatherly care the presidents of the United States have exercised towards their red children, we speak to our father in confidence, believing he will not turn away his ears from his red children. We are alarmed lest we lose our seats. Those men who say they have a right to purchase our lands, have been distressing us for a number of years with their plans to possess our lands—offering us in exchange lands to the westward. We declare to you, we desire you to publish to all our white brothers, that it is our fixed and determined purpose to live and die on our present land. It is sealed to us by the bones of our fathers—they obtained it by their blood. Our bones shall lie beside theirs—it is the heritage of the Almighty—he gave it us—he it is must take it from us.”
“We mean no threat by this—we know we are in the hands of our white brethren—they can destroy us with ease—but they need not think to persuade us to part with our lands—as free men we claim the right to choose between being killed outright, or a lingering execution, by being driven a thousand miles into the wilderness.
“Where, father, where would our white brothers have us to go? The Indian claim to land is put out for more than a thousand miles to the west—except little spots for particular nations.