York, and with regard particularly to Mr. Tower's note of the 25th of May last, on the subject, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 1st instant relative to certain matters which have been called to your attention by the Chief of the Cayuga Indians. I beg to add that a copy of your note has been communicated to the Governor of New York for his information and consideration. I have the honor to be, etc., etc., etc., JOHN HAY. SIR, EXHIBIT 304. The British Ambassador to the Secretary of State. WASHINGTON February 17. 1899 With reference to my note to the Honourable W. R. Day of June 9 last, bringing before him the claim of the Cayuga Indians to a distributive share in certain annuities payable to the Cayuga Tribe by the State of New York, I have the honour to request that I may be informed whether any Counsel or Agent for the Indians will be allowed to appear, and if so at what time, before the Committee of the Senate or House of Representatives at Albany to which I understand that the claim has been referred by the Governor of the State of New York. I have the honour to be, With the highest consideration, Sir. JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. The Honourable JOHN HAY Etc. etc. etc. The Right Honorable Sir Julian Paunce forte, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. EXCELLENCY: Referring to your note of February 17th last and to previous correspondence in regard to the claim of the Cayuga Indians to a distributive share in certain annuities payable to the Cayuga tribe by the State of New York, I have the honor to inform you of the receipt of a letter from the Governor of New York stating that while at all times desirous of according every courtesy to you, he does not see how anything can be done about the matter at the present session of the Legislature, and adding that the subject referred to was very carefully and thoroughly investigated by a committee of the Legislature in 1888, a report of which investigation is found in Assembly Document No. 51. The Governor did not have a separate copy of this document to send you, but it is contained in volume VII of the Assembly Documents of 1889, a copy of which he has kindly lent from the New York State Library. As the document comprises 1282 printed pages, it has not been found practicable to make a copy of it. I therefore send the volume to you in order that the report may have your examination. I shall be thankful if you will kindly see that good care is taken of the book and that it is sent back to me when you shall have finished with it, in order that I may comply with the Governor's request for its safe return. I have the honor to be, etc., etc., etc., Enclosure: JOHN HAY. Assembly Documents 1889, Volume VII (New York). York, and with regard particularly to Mr. Tower's note of the 25th - of May last, on the subject, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 1st instant relative to certain matters which have been called to your attention by the Chief of the Cayuga Indians. I beg to add that a copy of your note has been communicated to the Governor of New York for his information and consideration. I have the honor to be, etc., etc., etc., JOHN HAY. SIR, EXHIBIT 304. The British Ambassador to the Secretary of State. WASHINGTON February 17. 1899 With reference to my note to the Honourable W. R. Day of June 9 last, bringing before him the claim of the Cayuga Indians to a distributive share in certain annuities payable to the Cayuga Tribe by the State of New York, I have the honour to request that I may be informed whether any Counsel or Agent for the Indians will be allowed to appear, and if so at what time, before the Committee of the Senate or House of Representatives at Albany to which I understand that the claim has been referred by the Governor of the State of New York. I have the honour to be, With the highest consideration, Sir. JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. The Honourable JOHN HAY Etc. etc. etc. EXHIBIT 305. The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador. No. 1405. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, April 13, 1899. His Excellency The Right Honorable Sir Julian Paunce forte, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. EXCELLENCY: Referring to your note of February 17th last and to previous correspondence in regard to the claim of the Cayuga Indians to a distributive share in certain annuities payable to the Cayuga tribe by the State of New York, I have the honor to inform you of the receipt of a letter from the Governor of New York stating that while at all times desirous of according every courtesy to you, he does not see how anything can be done about the matter at the present session of the Legislature, and adding that the subject referred to was very carefully and thoroughly investigated by a committee of the Legislature in 1888, a report of which investigation is found in Assembly Document No. 51. The Governor did not have a separate copy of this document to send you, but it is contained in volume VII of the Assembly Documents of 1889, a copy of which he has kindly lent from the New York State Library. As the document comprises 1282 printed pages, it has not been found practicable to make a copy of it. I therefore send the volume to you in order that the report may have your examination. I shall be thankful if you will kindly see that good care is taken of the book and that it is sent back to me when you shall have finished with it, in order that I may comply with the Governor's request for its safe return. I have the honor to be, etc., etc., etc., Enclosure: JOHN HAY. Assembly Documents 1889, Volume VII (New York). SIR, EXHIBIT 306. The British Ambassador to the Secretary of State. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your Note of the 13th instant respecting the claim of the Cayuga Indians which formed the subject of my Note of 9 June 1898, addressed to the Honourable Mr. Day, then Secretary of State. I regret to learn that in the opinion of the Governor of the State of New York against which this long standing claim is preferred, nothing can be done about the matter at the present Session of the Legislature. His Excellency adds that I should find in Volume VII of the Assembly Documents of 1889, which he courteously sent for my inspection, a Report of the investigation of the claim by a Committee of the Legislature in 1888. I cannot but think that there has been a mistake on this point as I can find no such Report on the present claim in that Volume, but only a Collection of Treaties and voluminous evidence taken generally on the Investigation of the "Indian Problem" of the State, the whole occupying 1282 pages. I have the honour to draw your attention again to the facts stated in support of the claim in an extract from an approved Report of the Privy Council of Canada, which I transmitted to the Honourable Mr. Sherman then Secretary of State, in a Note, dated 14 December 1897, and also in my Note to Mr. Day above referred to. No attempt has been made to controvert those facts, and until they are disproved I should fail in my duty were I not to continue my efforts to obtain justice for the claimants. I beg to return, herewith, the Volume kindly forwarded by the Governor of New York, and I hope that you will be so good as to press upon his Excellency the considerations which I have ventured to lay before you in this Note. I have the honour to be With the highest consideration, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, The Honourable JOHN HAY, etc. etc. etc. JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE |