Citations
- 206 F. Supp. 2d 448
Full opinion text
DECISION AND ORDER
ARCARA, District Judge.
Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION.453
II. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND.454
III. CLAIMS OF THE PARTIES.455
IY. STATEMENT OF FACTS.455
A. Historical Sources .455
B. The Niagara River Region.456
1. The Niagara River .456
2. The Channels and the Islands.456
3. The River Boundary.457
C. The Aboriginal Inhabitants of the Niagara Region.457
1. The Neutrals.457
2. The Wenros and the Eries.457
3. The Senecas.'.458
4. Defeat of Wenros, Neutrals and Eries by the Senecas.458
D. French Control of the Niagara Region.459
1. French Plans to Control the Niagara Region.459
2. The Fur Trade.460
3. From La Salle to Denonville.460
4. Denonville’s Expedition Against the Senecas.460
5. The First Fort at Niagara.
6. King William’s War (1689-1701) .
7. The French Return to Niagara (1701-1710).
8. Joncaire and Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713).
9. French Use and Occwpancy of the Niagara Region Extended..
10. The French Fortify Niagara.
11. Bntish Reaction to Fort Niagara.
12. King George’s War (17k5-17k8).
13. Fort Little Niagara.
14. The Ohio Expedition and the French and Indian War.
British Rule of the Niagara Region .
1. British Indian Policy and the Royal Proclamation of1763.
2. Pontiac’s Rebellion and the 1761 Treaties of Peace.
3. Daniel Joncaire-Chabert’s Claim to the Niagara Islands.
4. The 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix .
The Niagara Region during the Revolutionary War. tA
The United States’ Early Mechanisms for Dealing with the Indians . rd
The Articles of Confederation. trj
Recognition of New York’s Boundaries .
The 1783 Treaty of Paris Ending the Revolutionary War.
The 178k Treaty of Fort Stanwix.
1. Proposal for Treaty between the United States and the Iroquois
2. New York’s Attempt to Treat with the Iroquois.
3. he Confederal Treaty of Fort Stanwix.
Seneca Discontent with the 1781 Treaty of Fort Stanwix.
The 1786 Hartford Compact.
The 1789 Treaty of Fort Hamer.
The Constitution and the Nonintercourse Act.
Geographical Error in the 178k. Treaty of Fort Stanwix.
Continued Seneca Dissatisfaction.
The 179k Treaty of Canandaigua.
New York Advised that Federal Approval Required for Purchase of Indian Land.
New York’s 1802 Purchase of One-Mile-Wide Strip r rfx
New York’s 1815 “Purchase” of the Niagara Islands * — \ Ü1
ICC Proceedings. kJ ^ CO
Y. DISCUSSION. cn o M
A. Summary Judgment Standard . cn o M
B. Elements of Plaintiffs’ Nonintercourse Act Claim üi o to
C. Law of Indian Land Tenure. oí o to
D. Canons of Indian Treaty Construction. oí o Oi
E. The 176k Treaties of Peace. ca o 00
1. The 176k Treaties Extinguished Seneca Title to the Niagara Islands ai o 00
2. The 176k Treaties Did Not Simply Recognize Great Britain’s Right of Preemption. cn J — L o
3. The 176k Treaties Did Not Violate the 1763 Royal Proclamation.... cn 1 — 4
4. The Land Grants in the 176k Treaties Were Not Revoked by the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix.
5. Great Bntain’s Title to the Niagara Islands Passed to New York upon the Revolution . or t — Ol
6. The Court’s Conclusions are Consistent with Thos e of the ICC. oi I — Ol
F. The 178k Treaty of Fort Stanwix. cu H-4 <5i
1. The 178k Treaty of Fort Stanwix Extinguished Seneca Title to the Niagara Strip and the Niagara Islands.-.
2. As a Result of the 178k Treaty, New York, Not th e United States, Obtained Fee Simple Absolute Title to the Niagara Strip and the Niagara Islands
a. The 1784 Treaty Did Not Pass the Senecas Right of Possession to the United States.
b. The 1784 Treaty Must Be Construed Consistently with the Articles of Confederation.
c. The Continental Congress Did Not Intend to Infringe or Violate Neio York’s Preemption Rights or Preexisting Title by Entering into the 1784 Treaty. 07 CO I — l
3. Removal of the Senecas Was Not Required in Order to Effect an Extinguishment of Aboriginal Title under the 1784 Treaty of Fort Stanwix.. 07 DO ^
4. The Constitution’s Supremacy Clause Does Not Affect the Proper Construction of the 1784 Treaty of Fort Stanwix... Of tO
G. The 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua. Of to 00
1. The 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua Cannot be Interpreted to Have Included the Niagara Islands. C*