[Copy 1] War Department, May 16, 179[8] To the Chiefs & Sachems of the Seneka Nation: Brothers — By an indenture made between you and Robb. Morris, Esq., under the authority of the United States, at Genesee, in the County of Ontario, State of New York, on the 15^th day of September, 1797, in consideration of [underline: One Hundred & Thousand Dollars], to be by the said Robb. Morris vested in the Stock of the Bank of the United States, and held in the name of the President of the United States, for the use & benefit of the Seneka Nation of Indians, you have granted & sold a large tract of country, mentioned in the said indenture, to the said Robb. Morris — excepting nevertheless, & always reserving out of the grant aforesaid, any and all such pieces or parcels of the aforesaid tract of land among the same belonging, as are therein afterwards particularly mentioned & which said pieces or parcels of land, so excepted, are by the parties to these presents clearly & fully understood to remain the property of the Seneka Nation of Indians, in as full use as ample a manner as if the present had never been executed. It being also provided by the said indenture, as understood by the parties, that all such pieces or parcels of land, as thereby reserved, are particularly designated as to the manner in which the same are to be laid off, shall be laid off in such manner as shall be determined by the Sachems & Chiefs [undecipherable] at or near the respective villages, where such reservations are made; on a particular note whereof to be endorsed on the back of the deed, & recorded with the same. I write this letter, by order of the President of the United States, to inform the Seneka Nation of Indians, that the [underline: One Hundred Thousand Dollars], being the consideration money in the indenture mentioned, has been vested, conformably to the intention of said indenture, & that the President has [undecipherable] satisfied [undecipherable] by & with the advice & consen- the Senate, accepted, ratified, & confirmed the [undecipherable] & Treaty aforesaid: And that for [undecipherable] a beloved man, skilled in Surveying, has been appointed to lay off the Reservations [undecipherable] made in the aforesaid deed. To him, therefore, the Sachems & Chiefs consented, will give their directions for laying off the Same. I am also [undecipherable] assure the Seneka Nation, that Joseph Elliott is a gentleman of integrity, & that the Nation may confide in him the laying off the Reservations aforesaid having no doubt he will serve to the [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] Justice. I draw [undecipherable] the Stock of the Bank of the United States from hence with the One Hundred Thousand Dollars for the use & benefit of the Seneka Nation of Indians, will be paid in full, generally — the paid dividends about the [undecipherable] July next, which will be transmitted to the Seneka Nation in due [undecipherable] manner as they shall direct & their order on the [undecipherable] institution [undecipherable], & as they are paid, will always be attended to. [undecipherable] Sec. at War.