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Life of Thomas Eddy

SW_WH1793_Page_256

try, to Gorham &; Phelps, and they sold to RobertMorris, and he to the Holland Company; the latter(several years ago) purchased all the said land of theIndians, except certain tracts which they reserved,one situated at the Cattaraugus, one at Buffaloe, oneon Allegany, and one on Genesee; possibly theremay be more. The Holland Company sold their pre-emption right, for the whole of these reservations,(we are told at 50 cents per acre,) to a person who isnow a member of Congress, and resides at Hamilton,on the St. Lawrence. About three years ago, he employed Joseph Richardson (formerly of Perkcom-ing, Philadelphia county,) to hold a treaty at Buffaloe,for the purpose of trying to persuade the Indians toexchange their reservations for lands (which he saidhe owned) on White River, in Illinois Territory; youknow the result of that treaty, and are, likely, ac-quainted with the remarkable speech of Red Jacket.This treaty was unlawful, as the laws of the UnitedStates prohibit any treaty being held with the In-dians, for the purpose of purchasing their lands,unless a Commissioner appointed by the President shouldbe present. All the reservations are said to be landsof the very first quality, and particularly the one atBuffaloe, which is very valuable; a part of it, adjoiningthe village, is said to be worth from 100 to 200 dollars per acre, if the Indian title was extinguished. Ithas been said, that on an average, that reservationwould sell for more than thirty dollars per acre—possibly this may be estimating it too high. Thepresent holder of the pre-emption right is esteemeda respectable man, and, perhaps, would be morescrupulous in the means he might use, in effectinghis purchase of the Indians, than some others might;yet, as the temptation is powerful, and as in thegeneral practice of men, (who are commonly calledhonest,) it is really considered not to be criminal toimpose on Indians, advantage has been taken oftheir ignorance and credulity;—a man's character