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From the Presidents Desk - March 13th
April 9, 2008 11:38AM
By Joe
I'm a little behind, the mail is slow and busy at work. This is from the March 13th Newsletter
I hope everyone is well and in good health.
This month of March is �Coming in like a lion� and hopefully will �Go out like a lamb.� We had a lot of snow over the Council weekend but it did not stop the Nation from doing its business at Council. My thanks go out to all the Councilors who braved the storm so that the business of the Nation could proceed.
I remember when I was on the Council in the seventies and the work of the Nation was not as complex as it is now. The Nation as over a thousand employees now and we are engaged in all kinds of programs for the benefit of the people. There are some issues that don't seem to change and one of the most important matters that the Nation faces constantly is the exercise and protection of our sovereignty.
Our main opponent to our sovereignty is the state of New York Historically, New York State has tried to exercise its jurisdiction and power over our people and land. We are being threatened once again with the State attempting to tax our cigarette and gasoline sales. We have successfully stopped the State in the past and we will do all that we can to stop them now.
This is not an easy fight because the State is attacking the off territory suppliers and making it unlawful for off territory suppliers to sell untaxed cigarettes to our Territory businesses. Our Import/Export Commission is working diligently to stop the state once again from interfering with our businesses.
The Treaty of 1838 was a dark day in the history of the Seneca because that Treaty took all of our Territory that remained after the Treaty of Big Tree of 1797. The Seneca sold all of their lands in the Treaty of Big Tree and reserved unto themselves the Cattaraugus, Allegany, Oil Spring, Buffalo Creek, Tonowanda and areas in the Genesee Valley. It is important to understand that the Seneca have occupied and owned all of the land in Western New York until the Treaty of Big Tree of 1797.
The State of New York, in collusion with the federal government, had taken much of the lands of the other Nations of the Iroquois. The same thing was done in the Treaty of 1838 where through bribes and fraud the chiefs of the Seneca were induced to sign the Treaty of 1838. The Treaty provided that the Seneca were to be removed to lands in Kansas but our ancestors refused to leave. Imagine the strength of the resolve of our people to resist the force and might of the combined forces of the State of New York and the Federal government. Because of the refusal of the Seneca to be removed from their land a compromise was reached and became the �Compromise Treaty of 1842(�). This Treaty returned to the Seneca the Cattaraugus, Allegany and Oil Spring Territory as if it had never left the possession of the Seneca and in fact, regardless of the legalities, these lands had never left the possession of the Seneca. However, as a result of the compromise we did lose the Buffalo Creek and Tonowanda Territories. The Tonowanda Seneca where able to buy back some of the territory and where confirmed in their lands by the Treaty of 1857.
The point of this historical review is to focus on the 1842 Treaty, Article Nine, which guarantees that the Seneca are not to be taxed by anyone.
�The Parties to this compact mutually agree to solicit the influence of the Government of the United States to protect such of the lands of the Seneca Indians, within the State of New York, as may from time to time remain in their possession from all taxes, and assessments fro roads, highways, or any other purpose until such lands shall be sold and conveyed by the said Indians, and the possession thereof shall have been relinquished by them.�
It is this Treaty right that the State is attempting to abrogate by imposing the tax on the off Territory tobacco wholesalers who supply our on Territory tobacco businesses.
I want the Seneca people to know that I will do all in my power to stop the State from infringing on our sovereignty. We, the Seneca, have the blood of our ancestors in our veins and we can do no less than they did in protecting our land and sovereign rights.
Maurice A. John,
President
SENECA NATION OF INDIANS