New York Oneidas feel threatened by a letter from Wisconsin Oneidas Oneida Tribal Chairwomant Tina Danforth (N-C file photo by H. Marc Larson). By Ray Barrington News-Chronicle A letter obtained by The Green Bay News-Chronicle shows the Oneida Nation of New York thinks the Oneidas of Wisconsin has been threatening in its attempts to resolve a land claim in New York. According to the letter, sent Jan. 9 by the New York Oneidas to Wisconsin tribal chairwoman Tina Danforth, a letter of Dec. 4 from the Wisconsin Oneidas seeking a meeting came after steps the New York Oneidas called "highly divisive and provocative" that "certainly will prevent a settlement." However, Danforth denied the letter was a threat. "They're almost night and day," she said of the two letters. A copy of the Wisconsin Oneidas' letter to Raymond Halbritter, CEO of the New York nation, says the Wisconsin tribe wanted to "bring the claim to closure in a good way" and that it has been "consistent in our desire to realize both land in the homeland and damages." The Wisconsin Oneidas are part of a 250,000-acre lawsuit against the state of New York and two counties. The state Oneidas moved from New York in the 1800s after purchasing land in Wisconsin Territory, eventually losing most of the land. The Wisconsin Oneidas are willing to settle the claim for casino rights. The tribe wants to open one of three facilities in the Catskills, and announced last year it had purchased land in three different locations to establish a foothold in the area. One of the properties is near a New York Oneida casino development. The New York Oneidas don't think the Wisconsin branch has rights in the state. They moved to settle the case without consulting the Oneidas of Wisconsin or Canada. The New Yorkers' letter said that Wisconsin tribal vice chairwoman Kathy Hughes threatened "that things 'might not be so nice for us here'" if the New Yorkers did not give in to Wisconsin demands regarding casino and reservation rights. It refers to the Dec. 4 letter as a veiled threat that the Wisconsin tribe is "committed to any and all steps" to settle the land claim. The New York tribe said it is not. "We did not sell out Mother Earth 200 years ago and we are not willing to sell Mother Earth now. We will not trade or sell out our land claim for a casino in the Catskills and we will oppose efforts by you to do so." The letter, signed by nine tribal and clan officials, says the Wisconsin Oneidas need to provide a realistic proposal for the land claim before another meeting would be scheduled. "The phrase 'proceed with all steps necessary' was taken out of context,' Danforth said. The letter tells the New York tribe "if there is a desire on your port to join with us in discussions focused on viable, equitable and proportional solutions, then we stand ready to meet with you." It offers to meet at a neutral, midway site such as Detroit. Danforth said that the New York Oneidas might be concerned about Wisconsin Oneidas trying to take over tribal government. "We have no intent to do anything that threatens government or the sovereignty of any other tribe in the state," she said. "There are three sites to be awarded to some tribe in New York, and we're hopeful to be one of the three."