Letter Transcription
To the Legislature of the State
of New York
Brothers,
We have had several talks with your
Commissioners about our Title and Claims to a great
tract of land in this state. They cannot show any Title
to the lands from any Indian Nation and yet they
ask us to show our Title which we think very unrea
=sonable and unfair you keep records in writing
of your transactions - Our traditions are our records
we are the remnant of those nations whom you
admit to have been once the owners of all this part of
the county – We ought then to be presumed to be
still the owners unless you [can have] that we or our an
-cestors have sold it - which you cannot.
Brothers we wish to live with you in peace and love
and therefore, seeing we cannot agree we will
at present drop this in matter – we wish to imitate
your ways of life- but is not in our power
to do the suddenly – We have not learned these
things when we were young and now that we are
grown up we cannot at once adopt them - If our
children could be educated in your ways – if they
could be taught to read and to write the Principles
of religion and Morality the Mechanic Arts and your
skill of Agriculture - We might hope to adopt your
mode of life – But we are poor and have not the means
of giving to our Children these advantages- and you
refuse to furnish them to us – Why are we called your
brothers if you refuse to give us that Assistance which
one brother has a right to expect from another accor
-ing to the laws even of Indian hospitality – and
according to the dictates of the religion which is you
teach us.
Brothers why of all the Indian Nations within your
limits are we the only one who do not partake of your
bounty – Were we less or were we not more your
friend when you fought with your enemies from
beyond the great water- Is it because we are
poor – before we knew you we were rich for we
had all we wanted is it that we are feeble – When
you as a little shrub – we were as a mighty
tree – you may see also feeble and solicit in
vain form some mighty Nation the pittance
which you now deny to us.
Brothers you exhort to us to abandon our
savage life and to adopt your manners
We desire to attempt it for we see how great
advantage it gives you over us - You exhort
us- but you refuse the means
Listen to us and the great good spirt will
reward your goodness – If you should fina
-ly shut your ears may that great spirt
forgive you
This is all I have to say
Hendrick Aupaumut
Sachem and Agent
The Mahheconnak
Stockbridge Tribe in
Behalf of the Nation