Repoet on the Indian Exhibit. 497 



States. There was a general council of sachems, fifty in number, of 

 equal rank and authority. This council had supreme power in matters 

 pertaining to the league. The fifty sachems held office perpetually. 

 They had power to til vacancies in the clans by elections, but only 

 on the nomination of the eldest woman of the dm. These sachems 

 could depose a chief for cause, but they could not invest a sachem with 

 office ; the general council did that. The sachems of any tribe, with 

 the war chiefs of that tribe, formed the council of the tribe and had 

 authority similar to that of a State Legislature. 



All public acts became so only by the unanimous decision of the 

 league. The sachems voted by tribes in the general council; thus, 

 a small tribe had as much power as a large one. The council of each 

 tribe had power to convene the general council, but the general coun- 

 cil had not power to convene itself. The orators of the people had 

 perfect liberty to discuss public questions before the general council, 

 but only the general council could render a decision. Such, in brief, 

 are the characteristics of the famous league of the Iroquois. 



The present number of Indians belonging to the confederation is 



freater than ever before. It includes 8,483 in Canada, 5,18T in the 

 tate of New York, 98 in Pennsylvania, 225 in the Indian Territory, 

 1,T16 in Wisconsin, and 79 elsewhere, making a total of 15,788. 



Contact with the whites has caused the prestige of the league to 

 wane, and the tribes have adopted in a measure a form of government 

 similar to that of our own municipalities. The Senecas, for instance, 

 have become a corporate body by act of Legislature, and are known as 

 " The Seneca Nation of Indians." They have a president, secretary, 

 treasurer, councillors, marshal, overseer of the poor and peacemakers. 



The Tonawanda Indians are Senecas, and are settled in Genesee 

 county. They hold to the old form of government by chiefs, with a 

 slight admixture of modern government. The same is true of the 

 Tascaroras, Mohawks and Onondagas. The Oneidas hold their lands 

 in severalty, and are pretty nearly sold out. The Oayugas are scattered 

 among the other tribes, but chiefly among the Senecas, and have no 

 separate government. 



There are twenty-seven school houses on the reservations of the 

 State and twenty-nine schools supported by the State. There is great 

 need of a higher institution of learning among the Indians. 



The New York Iroquois are self-supporting. Small annuities in 

 goods and money are paid them by the United bth.tes government and 

 by the State of New York. The Tuscaroras and Oneidas receive no 

 annuities ; the others get from all sources about $23,000 every year. 

 Seven reservations of the State comprise 85,787 acres of land. A little 

 more than one-third of this is under cultivation, while fully one-half of 

 the Allegany reservation cannot be cultivated at all. The Tuscaroras 

 are wards of the Senecas, and in 1808 the Seneca Nation transferred 

 to them a tract of land one mile square, and the consideration therefor 

 is set forth in the deed which they executed. This remarkable docu- 

 ment reads: "The sachems and warriors of the Seneca Nation of 

 Indians, in consideration of the love and affection which they bear unto 

 the said Tuscarora Nation of Indians, have released and quit-claimed 

 63 



