26 Sep^t Brothers of [strikethrough: Caughnawaugus St Regis Konwandago] the Seven Nations of Canada I am the Commissioner Authorised by the President of the United States to hold the present Treaty with You. and in his Name I bid you Welcome. I am happy You have arrived here in health and safety — ²others There was a Meeting in the City of New York, in the Month of March [strikethrough: last] between Agents appointed by this State, and Deputies from You. Your Deputies then Said, they had come only to propose another Meeting when all your Chiefs would attend, to treat and settle with this State about Lands [strikethrough: which you claim] with in its which You say belong to You. The Agents for the State agreed to this proposal, from your Deputies, and promised to meet you on the business, and that the place should be as near where You live as conveniently might be so as to save You, the Trouble of a Long Journey. and that the time would not be later in this Fall than while the Traveling was good Brothers — This is the substance of the Speeches, between the agents for the State and Your deputies. Copies of these speeches were delivered to Your Deputies and have doubtless been communicated by them to You. Brothers. No Treaty can now be held within the Territories of the United States, with any Nation of Indians, [strikethrough: unless] but by the Authority of the United States. The Governor of this State therefore, in Consequence of the proposal by your deputies: and of the promise from the agents for the State, made at the [underline: above] meeting in March last, hath applied to the President of the, U S for a Treaty to be held with You — in order thereby to furnish to the State the legal means for treating with you respecting any Lands with-in the limits of the State and for proposing and adjusting with You the Compensation to be made you for the Extinguishment of Your claims to such Lands as shall appear to belong to You — Brothers I have thought it proper in this [strikethrough: —] manner to state to You the Occasion of and the [strikethrough: Interest] Intent of the present Treaty. Brothers You will now describe the Lands which you claim and the Agents for the State who are here present will then confer with you respecting it [strikethrough: You] and if it shall [strikethrough: be] appear to be valid they will endeavor to adjust with You the Compensation to be made for its Extinguishment.