AUGUST 31:

August 31, 1666:  Mohawk Chief Agariata is attending a peace conference in Quebec between the Iroquois and the French. Governor Alexandre de Proville asks, during a dinner, if anyone knew who killed his son a few months ago. Agariata brags that he did it. The governor becomes so angry, he has Agariata seized, and hung. This ends the peace process. Governor de Proville leads French troops against the Mohawks, himself.

August 31, 1778:  Wappinger chief, Daniel Nimham, was killed fighting with American forces in the Revolutionary War battle at Kingsbridge.  At the time of his death he had been chief for almost 38 years.  While he sided with the British in the French and Indian War, English authorities would not help him retrieve lands appropriated by settlers in New York along the Hudson River.  Nimham (sometimes spelled "Ninham") and his warriors would fight on the American side during the revolution.

August 31, 1905:  Ely Samuel Parker (Donehogawa) died in New York City. During his lifetime he was a Seneca chief, an engineer, a lawyer, the New York City Building Superintendent, a Brigadier-General in the Civil War where he wrote the surrender papers signed at Appomattox, and the first indian Commissioner of Indian Affairs.  Born in 1828, he was buried in Buffalo, New York.

1990 Schreiber Ontario - CP Rail sues Pays Plat Ojibwa Band for $37 million for blockading rail lines Aug 21-23 in sympathy with Oka occupation; also suit against Pic Mobert band at White River.

1988 Ottawa Ontario - Canada-US Free Trade Agreement becomes law.
 

BACKGROUND:
 

From http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/his/bk11/ch1/pt2.html
 

During these three decades of fluctuating national fortunes in Europe, it is hardly surprising to find that the American colonies were left somewhat the their own resources. It was fortunate for the English colonies that the Iroquois stood between them and the French of Canada, otherwise the English colonies would have had to exert themselves more in a military way. Had the French of Canada been able to follow in the New World the lead shown b y Louis in Europe, New York history might have been materially changed. Certainly, the Iroquois prevented the Canadians from adding New Netherland to the realm of Louis. In 1663, the French Governor, D'Avaugour, appealed to Louis for 3,000 soldiers. He would like to exterminate the Mohawks and breakup the Five Nations Confederacy altogether. He recommended that forts be erected on the Sorel and on the upper Hudson. These could be stepping stones to the achievement of an important French purpose. New Amsterdam was an excellent port, open throughout the year; and the Hudson was a majestic waterway. However, nothing came of D'Avaugour's plans in that year. In 1665 Louis sent out a thousand veteran soldiers of the Carignan regiment, which had distinguished itself in fighting Turks in Hungary. He instructed the Canadian Governor to look upon the Five Nations as :perpetual and irreconcilable enemies," and to exterminate them "totally" if possible. The marquis de Tracy became viceroy at that time. He showed immediate activity, rebuilding the fort at the mouth of the Sorel. He quickly built three other forts; Fort Chambly at the Chambly Rapids; Fort St. Therese, approaching Lake Champlain; and Fort la Motte, on an island in that lake. These warlike preparations greatly impressed the Five Nations. Only the Mohawks refused to send delegates to Quebec, to "frame a treaty by which the French King was recognized as their protector, and the tribes were styled his vassals and allies." The treaty was consummated, and by it the French were free to settle within the land of the Iroquois, and the latter were to have equal freedom to settle in Canada. The Mohawks remained intractable, so, in January, 1666, General Courcelles led five hundred men into the Mohawk country, by way of Lake Champlain. They were almost at Schenectady when, on February 19, they were ambushed. They fought their way out of this with some loss, but another difficulty then confronted them. It would seem that Courcelles was unaware that lackadaisical Dutch rule of New Netherland had been ended, and that the English were now in possession. Delegates sent out from the Albany garrison to advise him of this fact, also suggested that his presence there would be considered an act of war against the English. Courcelles knew that England was at war with Holland, also that Louis leaned toward the Dutch, though he can hardly have known that France had actually allied itself to Holland in the war against Britain. However, in the face of the danger of further attack from the Mohawks, Courcelles resolved to return to Canada. The Mohawks harassed him in his retreat, but the English, following a humanitarian impulse, rescued and tended the French wounded. They also prevailed upon the Mohawks to seek peace with the French.

Governor Nicolls, of new York, was not altogether without ulterior motive in this endeavor. He had heard that war was imminent with France as well as Holland; also he could not, of course, forget the fact that he, with a small English force, was holding a Dutch province in subjection. Given the opportunity, the Dutch of New Netherland might rise and coöoerate with the Canadian French in expelling the English from New York. In any case, the presence of French troops so near Albany was not desirable; and unless Nicholls could bring the Mohawks to "bury the hatchet," another evens stronger French force would surely soon come into the Mohawk Valley. So he encouraged the Albany authorities to press the Mohawks to sue for peace.

In March, 1666, the Indians agreed, and some chieftains of the Oneida Nation set out for Quebec. They did not arrive until July, and meanwhile another expedition of four hundred Frenchmen has marched against the Mohawk. They were, however, recalled and the treaty terms stated. It is hard to smother at one the fires of war; there is for some time grave possibility that smouldering anger will burst again into fierce flame. It did in this case. The delegates were returning when some uncontrollable Mohawks ambushed a party of hunting Frenchmen neat fort La Motte. Among the slain was Sieur de Chazy, nephew of the viceroy. The fort commandant, acting on the impulse of the moment, at once started in pursuit, at the head of three hundred men. They were not resisted, the Mohawk chieftains explaining that the act was that of an irresponsible band. The French were appeased when the chieftain[promised to mete out punishment of the offenders of the truce. To demonstrate how earnest the Mohawks were in their wish for peace, Chief Agariata himself went to Quebec. He was received with every courtesy and honor by Governor Tracy. Indeed, he was so hospitably entertained that much of his characteristic Indian reserve and suspicion left him. Once, at Tracy's own table, Agariata grew boastful. Firewater had given him false courage perhaps, the drunken chief boasted that his had been the arm that had sunk the tomahawk into De Chazy's head. His hearers were horror stricken . Anger succeeded horror, and short shrift was given Agariata. His body was soon dangling from a gibbet, and preparations were made to avenge De Chazy's death still further.