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A Report of a Seneca Council held at the Indian
Meeting house upon the Tonawanda Reservation
January 1st and second 1846. Ely [-] Parker [-] [-]

The Council was called for the purpose of hearing
Read a letter from L H Morgan of Rochester to
J Blacksmith a Seneca Sachem. Council hearing
Con[-] I was called upon to read to them the letter
I read it to them. John Blacksmith was then called
Upon by the Council to give his views concerning
The matter contained in the letter. He arose & spoke
In words nearly as follows.
Chiefs & Nations. Mohawk
Heard & comprehended the contents of the letter we have
Lately received. We all understand that it was written
To us by the Great Sachem of that hand who, we have
Heard, style themselves Hodenohsonnee. It is a Society
That has lately come into existence & as far as I know
any thing about it, it is of an Indian Character. I have
just been informed by my grandson who is himself a
member of that band, that I also have been made a
member of it. I mention this fact to you that you may
not think I have been recently drawn into a snare
when I would be obliged to go against the interest of my
people. But as to the letter it is good. There is
manifest in it a spirit of disinterested Friendship.
I love. They offer to assist us. Can we reject their
Offers, when they are so disinterested? They tell no they
Know that many have failed to affect any thing of those
Who have heretofore assisted us. But it does not dis=
Courage them, they say they are resolved to try. Let
them do it. And for one I say, I approve of the letter
& let us write to them & encourage them & [-] them
To push the work on. And on our part let
Us not be idle
James Johnson succeeded [illegible] him in words nearly as follows