The treaty that was made at the aforementioned Council, has been broken
by some of the white people, which I now intend acquainting the Governor
with. Some white people are not willing that the Indians should hunt any
more, whilst others are satisfied therewith; and those white people who
reside near our reservation, tell us that the woods are theirs, and they
have obtained them from the government. The treaty has also been broken,
by the white people using their endeavors to destroy all wolves, which
was not spoken about in the Council at Fort Stanwix, by General PUTNAM,
but has originated lately.
It has been broken again, which is of recent origin. White people get
credit from Indians, and do not pay them honestly according to agreement.
In another respect, also, it has been broken by white people residing
near my dwelling; for when I plant melons and vines in my field, they
take them as their own. It has been broken again, by white people using
their endeavors to obtain our pine trees from us. We have very few pine
trees on our land in the State of New York, and whites and Indians
often get into dispute respecting them. There is also a great quantity
of whiskey brought near our reservation, and the Indians obtain it and
become drunken.
Another circumstance has taken place which is very trying, to me, and I
wish for the interference of the Governor. The white people who live at
Warren, called upon me some time ago, to pay taxes for my land, which I
objected to, as I never had been called upon for that purpose before; and
having refused to pay, they became irritated, called upon me frequently,
and at length brought four guns with them, and seized our cattle. I still
refused to pay, and was not willing to let the cattle go. After a time of
dispute, they returned home, and I understood the militia was ordered out
to enforce the collection of the tax. I went to Warren, and to avert the
impending difficulty, was obliged to give my note for the tax, the amount
of which was forty-three dollars and seventy-nine cents. It is my desire
that the Governor will exempt me from paying taxes for my land to white
people; and also to cause that the money I am now obliged to pay, be
refunded to me, as I am very poor. The Governor is the person who attends
to the situation of the people, and I wish him to send a person to
Allegheny, that I may inform him of the particulars of our situation, and
he be authorized to instruct the white people in what manner to conduct
themselves towards the Indians.
The government has told us, that when difficulties arose between the
Indians and the white people, they would attend to having them removed.
We are now in a trying situation, and I wish the Governor to send a
person authorized to attend thereto the forepart of next summer, about
the time that the grass has grown big enough for pasture.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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