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(CAYUGA INDIANS DEMAND THEIR DUE)

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211. (CAYUGA INDIANS DEMAND THEIR DUE) Fine content L.S. signed by Cayuga Chiefs JOSEPH ISAAC and THOMAS CROW (his mark), 1p. 4to., Cattaraugas reservation, July 15, 1848 to N.Y. State Comptroller and future President, Millard Fillmore in Albany. In part: "...The undersigned Chiefs of the Cayuga Nation of Indians in this State, write you, they are desirous to know why the delay of our annuities which are due us on the first day of June last. We are anxious to be authentically informed...we are fearful that it may be wrong somewhere...you personally know the situation of our people, it is a great disappointment not to know the cause of it..." Fine condition. Joseph Isaac and Thomas Crow were both signatories to the 1838 Treaty between New York and the Cayuga, who were members of the Five Nations of the Iroquois. In July, 1795 64,000 acres of the tribe's land was ceded to the State in a rather shady, if not illegal deal, to the consternation of President Washington. The Cayugas, however, had the last laugh: in 2000, a federal jury ruled the transfer illegal and granted them $36.9 million plus about 200 years'interest, for a total of $247.9 million! $400-600

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