A TREATY OF PEACE, FRIENDSHIP AND MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
ARTICLES OF A TREATY AND AGREEMENT MADE AT SANTA
FE, NEW MEXICO, ON THE SIXTH DAY OF DECEMBER, 1947,
BY AND FOR THE INDIAN TRIBES OF THE UNITED STATES,
REPRESENTED BY THEIR DELEGATES AND TRIBESMEN, WITNESS:
ARTICLE I
The Indian Tribes of the United States, signatory to this treaty, solemnly contract one with the other that all offences or acts of hostility by any one of the contracting parties against the other be mutually forgiven, and buried in the depth of oblivion, never more to be in remembrance.
ARTICLE II
That a perpetual peace and friendship shall from henceforth take place and subsist among the contracting parties, through all succeeding generations; and if any of the parties is engaged in a struggle for the protection of its rights, liberties, or property, the other parties shall come to its assistance in due proportion to their abilities, till their adversaries are brought to reasonable terms of accommodation; and that if any of them shall discover any hostile designs forming against the other, they shall give the earliest notice thereof, that timely measures may be taken to prevent their ill effect.
ARTICLE III
Whereas the enemies of the Indian have endeavored, by every artifice in their power, to spread abroad the opinion that Indians are incapable of, or uninterested in maintaining the institutions of self-government, therewith the more easily to destroy those tribal councils, courts and ordinances, whether surviving from ancient days or more newly established, that now protect Indians against exploitation, now, therefore, to obviate any such opinion and to counter any such attack, each of the contracting parties undertakes to assist, by any path that is open, including voluntary financial contribution, in the defeat of all encroachments upon the Indians’ rights of self-government.
ARTICLE IV
Whereas the enemies of the Indian have likewise endeavored, for many generations, to spread abroad the opinion that Indians are shiftless wanderers incapable of wisely managing and developing, or uninterested in maintaining, their lands and resources, held, tribally or individually, under aboriginal tenure or under treaty, statute or executive order, the purpose of such propaganda being to render easier schemes for separating Indians from their possessions in the name of progress, now, therefore, to obviate and such opinion and to counter any such attack, each of the contracting parties undertakes to assist by any path that is open, in the defeat of all encroachments up the Indians’ right of property.
Article V
Whereas the enemies of the Indian have in all generations taken advantage of the differences among the Indian tribes and Nations to sow seeds of suspicion and discord and thereby to obstruct that unity which is a first requirement in the protection of Indian rights, now, therefore, to counter any such attack, the contracting parties agree that whenever any difference arises among them with respect to land boundaries, the treatment of the members or citizens of one party by the courts or councils of another, or any other matter of controversy, then measures shall be taken to resolve such differences in a council of the parties concerned, if such efforts fail or lag, any of the contracting parties not involved in the dispute shall, when called upon to do so, settle or assist in settling the said dispute, with justice and honor to all, so that all may abide by and hold fast the chain of friendship entered into.
Article VI
That in all deliberation held pursuant to this treaty, the councilors shall be governed by the great binding law which has governed the deliberation of the Six Nations for more than four centuries which prescribes that in all councils of government self-interest shall be cast into oblivion and that the councilors shall look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in view not only the present but also the coming generations, even those whose faces are yet beneath the surface of the ground – the unborn of the future Nation.
In witness whereof, the parties have hereunto set their hands and seals, at the times and places hereunder set forth, through their duly appointed and duly authorized chiefs and delegates, whose credentials, along with the original of this treaty, shall be deposited with the archivist of the United States or other suitable place of safe keeping.
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