of thu legislature, to taxation. To be taxed, is
an idea which the Iroquois tegajd with horror,
They had themselves, in ancient days/ put-nations
under tribute, and understood very well
the import of a state tax upon, their property.
« Why;” said the Tonewan^la chief* Deone-
hogawa, (called John Blacksmith,) “ why is this
census asked for, atthis time, when we arfe in a
straitened position with respect to our reserva-
vation ?- Or if it is 'iuaporta^t to you or us, why
was it not called for before l If you do not wish
to obtain facts about Our lands and cattle, to tax
us, what is the object of thheensusf ^ ^ a t is
to be done with the ipformation after yotutake
it to Governor Wright, at Skenectati ?
Hoeyanehqqi, or-Sky-carriet, a Buffalo chief,
m answer to a question as td their Views of the
abstract right of the state to tax the tribes,
evaded a direct isssne, but assuming the ground
of policy, compared the Iroquois to a sick man,
and said, “ that he did not believe the state
would oppress one tints weak.'’
Kaweaka, a Thscarora chieFof intelligence,
: speaking the English language very well, in
which lie is called William Mount Pleasant,
* The aborigines are :very tenacionVqf their geographical
narries. * This ancient xiaxtie
to be used, o& everj occasion, Among the-;Se|ficaB, when it
Was nehessaty. to allude to Albany. Its, tranSferehhe _on^the
conquest of the province, in 10G4, to the* bante' of the 'Mb-
hawk, in lieu of'the. aboriginal name of. Ojtigardwaniel,
never received, at leasts theif sanction.
gave a proof, in yielding to the measure promptly,*
that he had not failed to profit by the use of letters.
“We know our own rights. Should the
legislature attempt to tax us, our protection is in
the .Constitution of the United States, which forbids
it.” This is the first appeal, it is thought,
ever made by an Iroquois to this instrument.
The clause referred to, relates however, wholly
to representation in. congress, . [Vide Art. 1, Sec.
II, 2ld.] from the privileges of which it excludes
“ Indians not taxed,” clearly implying that such
persons might be. represented in that body if
taxed. Civilization and taxation appear to be
inseparable.
Having detailed the, steps taken in procuring
the census; it only remains to subjoin a few
remarks, which I beg leave to add, on the general
features of the statistics and the results of
their agriculture upon their condition and prospects*
The printed queries being prepared exclusively
for a population in a high state of prosperity and
progress, embrace many items for which there
was no occasion, among pseudo hunters, herdsmen,
or incipient agriculturists. Neither privileged
to vote, nor subject to taxation, nor military
service, or covered by the common school
system, or bearing any of the characteristic tests
of citizenship, the questions designed to bring
out this class of facts remained mere blanks.
Others required to institute comparisons between
a civilized and quasi savage state, were left by