Presidents in 1877: 

            Ulysses S. Grant (March 4, 1869 - March 3, 1877)

            Rutherford B. Hayes (March 4, 1877 - March 3, 1881)

Commissioners of Indian Affairs in 1877: 

            John Quincy Smith (Dec. 11, 1875 - Sept. 27, 1877)

            Ezra A. Hayt (Sept. 17, 1877 - ca. Jan. 1880)

 

Feb. 28, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek]

            President Grand and the Indians.

            Yesterday a delegation representing the civilized Indian tribes of the Indian territory called upon President Grant, in order to pay their respects and to take a parting leave on the close of his administration.  After some social conversation, during which the delegation alluded in grateful terms to the humane and Christian policy adopted by the President at the beginning of his administration, they begged him to accept a letter which, as they assured him, fully represented the sentiments of their people.  The following is the letter:

            "Washington, February 24, 1877.--U. S. Grant, President of the United States:--

            Sir:  On the eve of your retirement from office we desire to express our appreciation of the course you have pursued towards our people while President of the United States.  At all times just and humane, you have not failed to manifest an earnest wish for their advancement in the arts and pursuits of civilized life and a conscientious regard for their rights, and the full purpose to enforce in their behalf the obligations of the United States.  The results have been peace among themselves and among others as far as their influence reached, increased confidence in the pledges of protection given them, and steady progress in knowledge and industry.  For these things, we thank you, and trust that the merited gratitude of the weak and friendless will be not the least of the great honors which this and future generations will associate with your name.  With this we are, very respectfully, (Signed)--

B. F. Overton, Governor Chickasaw Nation; Thomas W. Johnson, John E. Anderson, Chickasaw Delegation; Will. P. Ross, H. T. Landrum, Cherokee Delegation; Pleasant Porter, Yateker [?] Harjo, Sam. Grayson, Creek Delegation; P. P. Pitchlyn, Choctaw Delegation.

 

Aug. 2, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

            Sioux Coming to Washington.--In accordance with the request of General Crook that a delegation of Sioux Indians be permitted to visit this city for the purpose of having an interview with the officials of the Interior department concerning their relations with the general government, Commissioner Smith yesterday, after consultation with Secretary Schurz, telegraphed to General Crook, at Omaha, giving the requested permission, which will allow a delegation of fifteen or twenty Sioux to come to this city.  They will be selected by General Crook, and will be sent hither either in charge of an agent of the Indian office, or of any officer of the army, if the public interests will best be served.  They will be here about the 1st of September.

 

Aug. 2, 1877:  Sun (Balt., Md.):  [Dakota]

            The Great Father.

            Washington, August 1.--In accordance with the request of Gen. Crook that a delegation of Sioux Indians be permitted to visit this city for the purpose of having an interview with the officials of the Interior Department concerning their relations with the general government, Commissioner Smith today, after consultation with Secretary Schurz, telegraphed to Gen. Crook at Omaha giving the requested permission, which will allow a delegation of fifteen or twenty Sioux to come to this city.  They will be selected by Gen. Crook, and will be sent hither either in charge of an agent of the Indian office or of any officer of the army if the public interests will best be served.  They will probably be here about the first of September.

 

 

Aug. 9, 1877:  Daily Critic:  [Dakota]

            What they are to Cost.

            The expense that will be incurred by the Indian Bureau in bringing the delegation of Sioux Indians to Washington has been greatly exaggerated.  One paper says the cost will be no less than $50,000.  In this slightly out, as the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, previous to Gen. Crook being authorized to send them here, made the estimate that the visit would cost the Untied States Government $5,000, and he does not propose to allow it to go much beyond that figure.

 

Aug. 18, 1877:  Daily Critic:  [Dakota]

            Mr. Lo Coming Here.

            Omaha, Aug. 19.-- It is expected that a delegation of Indian chiefs, including Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, Little big Man and other prominent chiefs of various tribes, will shortly visit Washington for the purpose of having a conference with the President.

 

Aug. 22, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

            The Delegation of Sioux Indians coming to Washington to interview the Great Father, will not be here before the 25th proximo.  Spotted Tail and Red Cloud, and Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull's executive officer at the battle of the Little Big Horn, where Custer and his command were massacred, will be of the party.  A number of the head men of Crazy Horse's band will also come with the delegation.

 

Sept. 14, 1877:  Daily Critic:  [Dakota]

            A despatch from Omaha reports that Crazy Horse, who was recently killed while resisting an arrest, had expressed an intention to kill Gen. Crook.  The General was on his way to the Indian encampment to have a talk with Crazy Horse when he was informed of his design, and accordingly ordered his arrest, which terminated in the death of the plotter.  Fen. Crook is on his way to Washington, where he will be joined by an Indian delegation consisting of Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, Little Bad [sic; Big] Man, man Afraid of His Horse [sic], No Water, and others of less note.

 

Sept. 18, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota & Arapaho]

            Sioux and Arrapahoes en Route for Washington.

            Camp Robinson, Neb., Sept. 17.--Lieut. Clark, commanding the Indian scouts at this agency,, left here this morning with a delegation of Indian chiefs to visit Washington.  The following are the Sioux:  Spotted Tail, Hollow Horn, Bear [sic; Hollow Horn Bear], Little Hawk, Ring, Thunder [sic; Ring Thunder], Spotted Tail, Jr.., White Tail, Swift Bear, Good Horse, Red Bear, The Cloud, Red Cloud, Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, Little Wound, Yellow Bear, American Horse.  Bit Roads, Jumping Shield, he Dog, Little Big Man and Three Bears.  The Arrapahoes are represented by Black Cole, Sharp Nose and Friday.  The delegation expect to reach Sidney on the 19th instant, where they will take the cars for the East.

 

Sept. 20, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota [& Arapaho]

Want The Sioux.--Quite a number of hotel proprietors and boarding-house keepers have applied to the commissioner of Indian affairs for the contract of "eating and sleeping" the Sioux delegation which is expected here next Monday.  The Sioux delegation when last here were quartered at the Tremont House.

 

Sept. 20, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota [& Arapaho]]

The object of the visit of the Sioux delegation to Washington is to confer with the Great Father in regard to the location of their agencies.  At present the Spotted Tail and Red Cloud agencies are located in the northwestern part of Nebraska.  For several years past the government has endeavored to induce them to remove to the Missouri river, from which they are distant several hundred miles, in order that the transportation of supplies might be facilitated and much expense saved.  The Indians have never taken kindly to the proposition, claiming that the country to which they are asked to remove contains no game, and that it is unhealthy.  Spotted Tail, who is now the chief of the Sioux nation, Red Cloud having been deposed for sulking, is firmly impressed with the idea of its unhealthfulness, he having lost a wife and many of his people there some years ago.  The government would have attempted to forcibly remove them before now had it not feared open resistance, which would have been a serious matter, considering that the Sioux nation can muster from 7,000 to 10,000 warriors, and now proposes to try the persuading process.  Spotted Tail, who is a very shrewd and able aborigine, will doubtless insist on being well paid for the concession in question.  Among the chiefs now en route  to Washington, who have been here before, are Spotted Tail, Red Cloud, Bear, Ring Thunder, Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, Little Wound, American Horse, and Swift Bear.

 

Sept. 21, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota [& Arapaho]]

The Commissioner of Indian Affairs has provided quarters for the Sioux delegation at the Continental hotel.

 

Sept. 22, 1877;  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

En Route.--The Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Indian commission left Chicago for Washington to-day.

 

Sept. 22, 1877: Evening Star [Dakota]

AMUSEMENTS: 

OPERA HOUSE. --

IMMENSE ATTRACTION.

For one week and Wednesday and Saturday Matinees, commencing

MONDAY, September 24, 1877,

BUFFALO BILL (Hon. W. F. Cody.) and two celebrated Sioux warriors, Man Who-Carries-the-Sword and Two Bears.  A portion of the Sioux delegation who are to be here September 24, under the noted chief Red Cloud and Spotted Tail, will also appear, and the celebrated Sioux interpreter, Cha-sho-cha-peogeog, and the Mexican trick bouro, Jack Cass.  The entire party will appear in the great Western drama founded on the Mormon war and the Mountain meadow massacre, written by Major A. S. Bunt. U.S.A. entitled

MAU CODY; OR, LOST AND WON.

The drama will be preceded by the screaming farce,

TWEEDLEDUM TWITTERS,

Introducing (the?) entire New York Comedy Company.

Prices as usual.  Reserved days secured three days in advance at box office. Sep22 7t

 

Sept. 22, 1877:  Daily Critic:  [Dakota]

            The Sioux Delegation.

            General Crook arrived in the city last night in advance of the Indian delegation expected here to-morrow.  He believes the visit of the Sioux will be attended with good results.

 

[Sept. 24, 1877 - Patent Office fire]

 

Sept. 24, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota [& Arapaho]]

In a conversation with a reporter of a Chicago journal on Friday last, Lieut. W. P. Clark, in charge of the Sioux delegation, set forth the reasons why the Sioux do not want to remove to the Missouri river. They have examined the region near the Missouri and found the water bad, and that there is a lack of timber and game.  Most of the chiefs express a desire to live after the manner of the whites.  To do this they say they must live in a region susceptible of cultivation, where the water is good and timber is plentiful.  Spotted Tail, the chief of the Sioux, sets his people a good example by living in a comfortable dwelling, which he has grown to like much better than a wigwam, and as the fast friend of the whites uses his powerful influence to keep his nation at peace and encourage them to adopt the customs of civilization.  If it be true that any respectable number of this powerful nation really desire to become self-supporting by cultivating the soil it would pay the government to give them all the encouragement and assistance in its power.  A reasonable outlay to this end would ultimately result advantageously, would permit further expensive conflicts, and would relieve the government of a heavy burden in rations and clothing.  The Sioux have already signed an agreement under protest to remove to the Missouri river, but it has been deemed injudicious heretofore to forcibly change their agencies.  The government permits them to visit Washington at the earnest request of Gen. Crook, who has had much experience in dealing with Indians, and who believes their visit will result to their own and the advantage of the government.

 

Sept. 25, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

Our Sioux Visitors.--The Sioux delegation, numbering twenty-three persons, headed by Spotted Tail and Red Cloud, arrived in this city at 9 o'clock yesterday morning, in charge of Lieut. W.P. Clark, U.S.A., and were at once taken to their quarters at the Continental Hotel.  The following are the names of the members of the delegation:  Brule Sioux--Spotted Tail, Swift Bear, White Tail, Good Voice, Spotted Tail, Jr., Hollow Horn Bear, Little Hawk.  Minneconjous--Iron Crow, Touch the Clouds, Stands Arcs [Sans Arc?] and Red Bear.  Ogalalla Sioux--Red Cloud, Little Wound, Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horse, Yellow Bear, American Horse, Three Bears, Little-Big-Man, Big Roads, He-Dog.  Arrapahoe Sioux--Black Coal, Sharp Nose and Friday.  The Indians, although wearing many gaudy ornaments, did not present the picturesque appearance they did when here last, as most of them wear calico shirts, and some of them slouch or "stove-pipe" hats.  Red Cloud wore a little narrow-rimmed slouchy hat perched upon the top of his head, which gave him a very unromantic appearance.  Most of them wear blue blankets and leggings--one of them sports a long-cabin quilt--and they adorn their heads with a single eagle's feather.  On their arrival at the Continental they were taken to the dining-room while their quarters were being prepared.  Here they  disposed themselves about the room, most of them reclining on the floor, and all of them (but Spotted Tail, who was lying fast asleep in one corner,) smoking the large wooden calumets they invariably carry.  Friday, one of the Arrapahoes, is the only member of the delegation who speaks English.  he has quite a romantic history.  When he was four years old he was found by a party of St. Louis hunters, who took him to St. Louis, where he stayed seven years and learned to read and write English.  Spotted Tail, Red Cloud, Swift Bear, Ring Thunder, American Horse and Little Wound have been here before. He-Dog, Little-Big-Man, Iron Crow, Red Bear and Big Roads were participants in the Custer massacre.  Touch the Clouds was out against Gen. Miles, and left the Cheyenne River Agency last fall.  The delegation was visited yesterday by a large number of persons, among them being Mrs. Kelley, who for five months was among them as a captive.  Yesterday morning, on the representation of Lieut. Clark, who is in charge of the delegation, that the Indians earnestly desired to change their quarters from the Continental hotel to the Washington house, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs gave them the required permission, and about noon they left for their old quarters, where they were duly provided for.  Last night they attended Buffalo Bill's performance at Ford's Opera House and seemed quite pleased with the entertainment.

The Commissioner of Indian Affairs and General Crook had a long conference with the Secretary of the Interior to-day in reference to the Sioux delegation members.  It was concluded not to hold any formal council with the chiefs until the return of the President, when it will be held probably at the White House.,  Informal talks may be had, however, prior to that time by the Secretary of the Commissioner, at the department.

 

Sept. 25, 1877 Star [DAKOTA]

AMUSEMENTS:

"Ford's Opera House -- "Buffalo Bill" and his company made their first appearance last evening in "May Cody, or Lost and Won."  This play was written expressly for "Buffalo Bill," and is founded on the Mormon war and the Mountain Meadow massacre.  Man-Who-Carries-the-Sword and Two Bears, two Indian Chiefs, take part.  The performance is of an unusual kind, and is well worth witnessing.

 

Sept. 26, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

"Little Big Man," of the Sioux delegation, attracts a good deal of attention from the fact that he was an ally of Sitting Bull at the Custer massacre, and was lately stabbed in the arm by Crazy Horse whom he was trying to disarm at Camp Robinson.  He is short in stature, but muscular, and bears on his body, which is naked from the waist upward, a large number of scars received in battle.  Buffalo Bill, who is well acquainted with the members of the delegation, says that although the gentle savage is little he is "a bad egg" and a devil incarnate in a fight.  He surrendered with Crazy Horse soon after the Custer massacre.

 

Sept. 26, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

The Sioux Chiefs.--Commissioner Smith, of the Indian Bureau, visited the Sioux delegation at their quarters at the Washington House last evening to say "How!" and get acquainted with the chiefs.  This morning the chiefs held a council among themselves, but allowed no reporter to be present so that the world will forever remain in ignorance of what they did.  At 11 o'clock Gen. Crook and Mr. Wm. Welsh, of Philadelphia, formerly president of the Board of Indian Commissioners, and who is prominent as an advocate in favor of the government dealing fairly by the Indians, had a council with the chiefs in the parlor of the hotel.  No reporters were permitted to be present.  Mr. Welsh giving as the reason that the Indians would not talk if their language was to be reported.  He said the object of the council was to hear what the chiefs had to say and to prepare them for the grand council with the Great Father, which will take place in a few days.  Before their departure every member of the delegation will be supplied with such a suit of clothes as he may select.

Secretary Schurz remained some time with the President after the cabinet meeting to-day, to confer about the intended conference with the Indians.  It was decided that they will be heard by the President to-morrow, at the White House.

 

Sept. 26, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

The young chief Sitting Bull (not the Sitting Bull now in Canada,) did not accompany the Sioux delegation to Washington for the very good reason that he is dead.  Two or three years ago he was here with Spotted Tail and Red Cloud as the friend of peace, and was presented with a handsome rifle by President Grant for having by his determined action permited bloodshed at the Red Cloud agency a few years before.  Thenceforth he was a firmer friend than ever to the whites, and went on a mission to the Crows between whom and the whites he wanted to make peace.  The Crows were exasperated at his interference and killed him, thus depriving the whites of a firm friend and ally.

 

Sept. 26, 1877:  Sun (Balt., Md.):  [Dakota]

            The Sioux Delegation.

            Washington, Sept. 25.-- Secretary Schurz was in conference to-day with the commissioner of Indian affairs and the officials that accompanied the Sioux delegation to Washington with reference to the business before them.  They formal reception of the delegation by the government authorities will not be held until the return of the president.

 

Sept. 26, 1877: Evening Star [Dakota]

AMUSEMENTS:       

Ford's Opera House.--The performance of "Buffalo Bill" and company last night was unique and well worth seeing.  The Indians who take part are an attractive feature, and "Buffalo Bill" is a pretty fair specimen of the physical manhood of the plains.

 

 

Sept. 26, 1877:  NY Times:  [Dakota; Arapaho]

INDIANS IN WASHINGTON.

Special Dispatch to the New-York Times.

Washington, Sept. 25.-- Brig. Gen. Crook and Secretary Schurz were engaged with Indian Commissioner Smith for several hours to-day, studying the map of Dakota, and posting themselves in regard to the geography of that Territory, preparatory to a council with the Indians.  Commissioner Smith held an informal council with them at their hotel to-night, but the object of their visit, which is to protest against the removal of their agencies from the present location to the Missouri River, was not talked over.  It will not be considered except at a single meeting at which the President and Secretary Schurz will be present.  The Indians will be given to understand that this council will be final, and the talk will not be spread over several days, as has been the custom heretofore.  The Commissioner delighted the Indians to-day by presenting each of them with a suit of new clothes.

 

Sept. 27, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota; Arapaho]

The Sioux At The White House.  Their Pow-wow with The "Great Father."

The Grand Council of the Sioux delegation now in this city with their "Great Father," the President, and the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, took place at the Executive Mansion to-day.  The Indian delegation, exclusive of interpreters and others accompanying them, numbers twenty-three persons, including the celebrated chiefs Spotted Tail and Red Cloud, and other subordinate sachems, among them Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, Little Big Man, Two Bears, Man-Who-Touches-the-Clouds, Iron Cross, Crow-With-a-Good-Voice, Friday, and Spotted Tail, Jr.  As has been stated in The Star, the delegation came to Washington at the earnest request of Gen. Crook, who has had much experience with the Indians, and who has successfully conducted a number of campaigns against hostile bands.  Notwithstanding this the general [sic] is a firm friend of the Indians, whose respect he has secured, and believes it good policy to maintain friendly relations with the Sioux, the most powerful tribe of Indians on this continent since they number from 35,000 to 40,000 souls, and could, in case of a war, muster from 8,000 to 10,000 warriors.  Although the chiefs of the Sioux nation last year signed under protest an agreement to remove from their location in northwestern Nebraska to the Missouri river, they have never gone, on account of the aversion of their people to a change. They claim that the location to which this government desires them to remove is unhealthy, is thinly timbered, and that the water is bad.  As [t]heir forcible removal would probably have involved a disastrous war, the reasons for permitting the chiefs to come to Washington are apparent.

The Grand Council.

The large East Room had been prepared as the Grand Council Chamber.  Seats had been placed in a semi-circle for the Indians, and in the rear were seat [sic] for persons as were permitted to be present.  In front of the center of the semi-circle a table had been placed for the use of the President, the Secretary of the Interior, and other prominent officials.  At 11:s0 a.m., the hour named for the conference, the chiefs rode up the Mansion in full feather in two large omnibusses, and were at once conducted to the East Room, which in the meantime had been comfortably filled.  Among those occupying rear seats were Mrs. Hayes, and her daughter Fannie, and a number of other ladies.

The President soon appeared accompanied by Secretary Schurz, Postmaster General Key, Secretary Evarts; Gen. Crook, Assistant Secretary McCormick, Commissioner Smith, of the Indian Bureau; Commissioner Bentley, of the Pension Bureau; Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota; William Welsh, of Philadelphia; Assistant Attorney General Marble, and others.  They all took their places standing in front of the President's table.

A few minutes afterwards Lieut. Clark took his place on the right of the President and called up the chiefs one after another and introduced them to the Great Father.  Little Big Man was the first one called up, and shook the President cordially by the hand.  Others followed until all had been introduced.  One of them on being introduced seized the President by both hands ejaculating in tolerably good English, 'How dy'e do! How dy'e do! How dy'e do!"  Which caused some amusement.

How The Chiefs Were Dressed.

As is customary on such occasions, all of the chiefs were fancifully arrayed.  Most of them had adorned their faces either with red or yellow paint.  One had smeared his face with yellow paint, and on his cheek bones had daubed a large circle of red.  Five of the Ogalallas (Red Cloud's band) wore full feather head dresses reaching nearly to their heels, the tips of the feathers being ornamented with white down or colored horse hair.  One of the Ogalallas, in addition to his headdress, wore on his head a pair of buffalo horns.  Most of the other chiefs wore one or two eagle's feathers fastened in the rear of the head.  Many of them wore large brass earrings, and some were adorned with a breast plate of porcupine quills.  Some of them carried palm leaves, while others used the wings of eagles or turkeys as fans.  Neither Spotted Tail nor Red Cloud wore paint or feathers.

The interpreters were as stupid as usual, and spoke in such a low tone of voice that the reporters were unable to hear them.

While the other chiefs were speaking, Spotted Tail, with a pleasant smile on his face, sat with his legs crossed and his hands clasped about his knee, occasionally turning to say something to a chief on his right.

Some of the Indians wore capes of skillful workmanship, trimmed with strands of human hair resembling that of white women, being long and silken, and unlike the coarse hair of the Indian women.

What The Red Men Want.

Commissioner Smith introduced Mr. Welsh, who thanked the President for receiving the Indians, and the Indians, through him, thanked the President.  They rarely found the same Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and they desired the President should keep the same commissioner as long as possible, and thus greatly aid their cause.  They did not want to go to the Missouri river unless the government should drive them.  They could not become civilized or keep immorality from their midst in that region, and they asked such aid as the government could give them.  The Ogalallas desired some land inside of the reservation.  They are all anxious to become civilized and to have their children educated.  The Arrapahoes desired to go to another reservation and be under the care of the Episcopal church. They would speak for themselves.

Speech by Red Cloud.

Red Cloud first shook hands with the President, and then with Mr. Welsh.  He spoke as follows:  "Our people have come three times before.  I want that my children and grand children shall know as much as the whites.  Here I am, an Indian.  I can't read or write or understand the telegraph.  I would like to have a good writer to take down everything I say here.  I don't ask for horses, but I ask for wagons.  I can do my own work.  Of all the whites around me, one man took interest in me and took good care of me.  I feel the same as all you gentlemen.  I have families, and like my children.  I don't want you to mention the Missouri river to me, for I don't want to go there.  I can't raise anything on the Missouri river.  On that river people ask big prices for their stock, and try to get all they can.  In the winter the river freezes, and I can't get help.  The railroad is near where I am now, and I live well there.

Speech of Big Roads.

Big Roads said:  "Great Father, I have had some promise from the President before, and I have been looking for it ever since.  I was waiting to see my children grow up while there is game in the country.  I want my children to live.  The country where I am is good and I want my children to settle down and live like white men.  I never have been here before, and I came to see if I can't keep my country.  I have horses, and what I want is wagons and harness.  I don't want to live on the Missouri river, for it overflows, and we can't prosper.  I can't read or write, but we want a good school, so that our children can learn."

Little Wound, of the Ogalallas, said:--"My Dear Father, there are many streams running into the river where I now am, and I want to remain there.  My Dear Father, I hope you will send us good provisions.  We want wagons--two, four and six horse wagons--and then we can get along.  We want the same food and animals that white men have so that we can bring our children up the same way.  We want religion and a Catholic priest."

Speech of Little Big Man.

Little Big Man said:  My Great father, I kept peace at the agency.  I would like to get all the Ogalallas who are at the Spotted Tail agency to come up and stay with us.  Where I am now it is my country.  I would like to stay there and have plenty of room, and hope you won't crowd me for I have many people.  We are not quite civilized yet, as we are from the north, and we would like to become civilized.

Other Speeches.

Iron Crow said:  "Great father, I want to know how all these people about here became civilized, and I want to live that way hereafter.  I want my men to live where they are now."

Three Bears, American Horse, Young Man Afraid of His Horses, and Yellow Bear all spoke to the same effect.

He Dog next spoke.  He ... said:  I am a northern Indian, but I am a wise man in that country.  I want my people to be raised right and to be quiet, and we want to know which is the widest road for us and which is the best way to live.  You get rich, and that is what I want to do, and I want to do it the way you do.

This finished the talk on the part of the Ogalallas.  Spotted Tail said he wanted to speak to-morrow.

Pathetic Speech of Black Coal.

Black Coal, the chief of the Arrapahoes, spoke as follows, Friday acting as interpreter:  Great Father, this is the first time I have come to see you and I want you to give me a chance and take pity upon me.  I see everything, the way you live, and that is good living, and I want to live that way.  I ask for a school house; I want my children to learn to read.  Listen to me this day and take pity on me.  The Great Spirit put us on the earth.  I see the ground that belongs to me, just as the people about here.  I am good towards the white man. I was foolish at first but I know more now.  You have sent word to me before and I have listened to it.  Last winter I went south and saw Arrapahoes who could raise everything, but it was sickly there.  My people told me to ask the Great Father for land where they could prosper.  Great Father, I have good ears.  I told them about the north, but we don't want to go either north or south.  Before I came away my tribe held three councils.  We are a small tribe, and if you will give us a little piece of good land we will be happy.  My tribe is small--170 lodges.  The Snakes are small and we are small, and I would like to join the Snakes.  We want light wagons and what the whites use in farming.  When Gen. Crook asked us to be soldiers I waited a few days.  I consulted with Sharp Nose and we said, "Yes."  Sharp Nose was leader the and did good work, and you would to listen

to him.  When I get back home I will tell you people of my talk with the Great Father.

Mr. Welsh said that the liquor question brought up by one of the chiefs was an important one.  One gentleman who is present, he said, had his son killed by an Indian to whom the whites had given whiskey, and this gentleman had devoted his life to permit the Indians from getting liquor.

The Conference Adjourned.

The President then said:  "I have a great deal of business to attend to and a great many people to talk to, and therefore the consultation will be adjourned till to-morrow morning at ten o'clock, when I will be glad to see you all again.

The Warriors Introduced to Mrs. Hayes.

At the request of Mr. Welsh, Lieut. Clark, assisted by an interpreter, then introduced the chiefs to Mrs. Hayes, Attorney General Devens, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of State.  All of them seemed quite pleased with Mrs. Hayes, who received them graciously, and they bowed with the politeness of dancing masters when shaking hands.  After the introduction, the chiefs filed out, and taking the omnibuses in waiting proceeded down the avenue to the Washington House.

A detail of five policemen, under Sergeant Buel, was on duty during the council to preseve order.

Sept. 27, 1877:  NY Times: [Dakota, Arapaho]

WASHINGTON.

Conference with the Indians.

Arrangements for the meeting with the President and Cabinet To-   day--Gen. Crook in favor of allowing the savages to select their own reservation in the North--Secretary Schurz in favor of removal to the Missouri.

Special Dispatch to the New-York Times.

Washington, Sept. 26.--The pow-wow with the Indian delegations will take place to-morrow at the White House and will be attended by all the members of the Cabinet.  the purpose of this visit is to protest against the removal of the Sioux Agencies to the Upper Missouri, as is proposed by the Indian Bureau.  The Indians prefer to be located further north, on the White River or Powder River, where large game may be found in abundance.  On the Upper Missouri the buffalo has been exterminated.  Gen. Crook is in sympathy with the Indians and opposes the Missouri River location.  Crook thinks it would be better to allow them to select their future homes, because to force them in this matter would leave them discontented and ultimately result in hostilities.  The Missouri River location was selected principally on account of economical considerations in transportation of supplies, but Crook's theory is that it would cost ten times more to force them to remain on the Missouri than it would to feed them on a reservation of their own selection.  Secretary Schurz favors removing them to the Missouri, because contracts have already been made for transporting supplies and the erection of agency buildings there.  At the conference to-morrow the President will be attended by his Cabinet in order to impress the Indians with its importance.  These councils have heretofore been conducted by the Indian Commissioner, who simply represented the President, and who could not act finally without executive approval.  The Indians will now deal directly with the President, and will receive from him the decision that will be reached.  They have been notified that the entire business must be finished to-morrow, and to-night they are rehearsing for the "big talk."  After the council the matter in controversy will be considered by the Cabinet and the decision made known to the delegations, attended by the same ceremony that will mark the conference of to-morrow.

 

Sept. 28, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

Sioux Chiefs at the White House.  The Grand Council To-day.

The Pow-wow of the Sioux delegation with the President was resumed at ten o'clock this morning in the East Room of the White House.  Some time before the time appointed a large crowd had assembled around the front portico to see the arrival of the Indians in their fantastic war dresses and accoutrements.  At five minutes of ten the delegation made their appearance, and silently filed into the East Room in the same order as on yesterday.  The Ogalalla chiefs and one of the Arrapahoes (Black Coal) spoke yesterday; the remainder of the Arrapahoes and the Brules, who desired to do so, spoke to-day.  In a few minutes the President came in accompanied by Secretary Schurz, Gov. McCormick, Gen. Crook, and others.  The Postmaster General and other prominent officers came in later.  The rear of the room was filled with spectators who were fortunate enough to gain admission.  Mr. W. W. Corcoran occupied a front seat.  The President arose and said "I am now ready to hear any of the chiefs who wish to speak."

Spotted Tail as an Orator.

After brief consultation, Spotted Tail, the leading chief of the Brules, seated himself in the center of the floor and spoke as follows:

"My Dear Father:--I enter your house to-day with a happy heart.  I see you and shake hands with you with a good heart.  To-day I wish to talk about our business, which is a good business.  The country I am living in belongs to the government, and I want to find where it is best to live.  Where I am now there is a good deal of talk among the whites as to where I shall live, and that is what I want to talk about.  Where I am now the commissioners drew a line towards the Black Hills.  What councils were held regarding this line, I don't understand.  All I know is that they are always trying to scare us into this business.  That's the way I signed the papers; they frightened me into it.  I didn't know what I was doing.  I said at the time that I was willing to do what my great father wanted me to do.  They told me that there were many points that had not been given us from the old treaty, and they told me that when I signed all the back promises would be kept.  They told me that if I didn't sign they would either send me to the Missouri river or south across the Arkansas river.  I wanted them to tell me how and where my people were to live and what would be given us.  That is the way I have been treated.  I know one thing; this--wherever the white man owns a piece of land he builds a fence around it and it is his.  That's the way all white men live, but the people who come out there take our land away from us and impose upon us.  Before the white man came out there, it was easy to take care of our property; but now we can't do it.  Your people come out there; make roads, drive the game away, and make us all poor.  That country was given us by the Great Spirit above, and by the Great Father here.  Where the whites live the Great Spirit gives the land, and you remain there.  That's the way all nations ought to live.  Their land should be their own.  My Great Father, I can't read or write, but I would like to bring my children up like the whites.  That country is mine and I love it.  When the commissioners came out I didn't talk to them as I do to you to-day.  I never asked them to send me to the Missouri or across the Arkansas.  The country I was brought up in I would like to live in.  We want the white man to make roads around us, but not right amongst us.  My Great Father, I came here to lay my troubles before you; to tell you what I want, and to let you decide.  My Great Father, I am done.

Spotted Tail Endorsed by Other Chiefs.

Swift Bear spoke as follows:  "My Great Father, the man who spoke and myself have one heart, and whatever he says is right."

Touch-the-Clouds, chief of the Minneconjous, also said:  "We represent the Minneconjous and Uncapapas, and whatever Spotted Tail says I agree to."

Red Bear said:  "I came here with Spotted Tail, and whatever he does is right for me."

White Tail said:  "What Spotted Tail told you is the decision of my people."

What Red Cloud Wants For The Black Hills.

Red Cloud came forward again and took a seat after shaking hands.  He said:  "I have been here before and come again, Great Father.  That time the Great Father wanted me to go into an agency and I went back and told my people.  I found them on an agency on the Platte.  When I came again the young men moved to the White River agency, but I did not tell them to move.  It has been four years since we moved to the White River.  I picked that agency in my hand and held it strong.  I took the white people for rascals; I don't mean the white people here, but those out in my country.  I want to live where I have settled down.  That's what white people told us to do and we have been trying to do it.  We want to live among our own people.  I was raised there and know it well.  I didn't come here to beg.  The Black Hills was my country, but I gave it to the commissioners.  I suppose you have decided what you will give for that country, and I come here to get it.  I see the people working here, and I want wagons, plows, mowing machines, &c., enough for my people.  I want cattle every year.  I want two mills--one to saw wood and the other to grind corn. (He wanted these as an equivalent for the Black Hills.)[sic]  I know that country, and it is good.  I want a big school-house so my children can learn to read and write.  The Catholic priests are good and I want you to give me one of them.  The agent I have I want to stay with me."

Other Speeches.

Little Big Man said:  "Red Cloud has told you just what we want.  That is our land, and we want to stay there."

Sharp Nose, of the Arrapahoes, placed his pipe at the feet of the President, and said:  "My tribe is poor, therefore I desire you to take pity on us and listen.  The Snakes are a small tribe and we are a small tribe, and we desire to be near them, not too near, but with the same agent for both.  The land is large and plenty of room for a home for us.  Our tribe, the Arrapahoes, expect to get what I ask for.  I want to get cows, wagons and my 'grub.'  We want a good school house, with a white man well trained and in good health, to teach my children as soon as possible.  Take pity on our small tribe to-day and allow us to join the Snakes.  We used to be a big tribe, but it is now small, and we wish you to give us a little land, so that we can prosper."

Sharp Nose said that he intended to make a present of the pipe to the President.

Gen. Crook Pleads The Cause Of The Red Men.

Gen. Crook said:  "Mr. President, I want to say a few words in behalf of my friends, who are here, with whom I have been for several years, both in war and peace.  I know that they are sincere; that their hearts are good towards the white man, and that they want to live in peace; that they are sincere in their wishes to live like white men, and all they want is people to take an interest in them.  I know their condition, know that they are poor, and ask you to take pity on them, as much as is in your power; that you let them have cattle and farming implements and people to instruct them.  During the progress of the war it was necessary to disarm Red Cloud and other bands.  I made them very poor.  They have behaved well and assisted us in the war, and I would ask that you help them if possible."

General Crook's remarks were interpreted for the benefit of the Indians, and they received tem with frequent "Hows" and grunts of satisfaction.  The President then arose and read from a paper.  His remarks were interpreted by Friday for the Arrapahoes, and by one of the interpreters for the others.

The President's Remarks:

My good friends, you have desired to take counsel with me, and I have permitted you to come.  I am glad to see you.  I have attentively listened to what you have said.  I have also heard Mr. Welsh and General Crook, who spoke for you as your friends, and who have my confidence.  I have well considered all that was said.  Now listen to my answer.  I have your welfare sincerely at heart.  I will be a good friend to you.  The wishes you express I shall be glad to gratify when it is in my power and for your own good.  There is an understanding between you and the white people which I want to have carried out by both.  That understanding is that you should go to your reservation and occupy it.  That land should be yours.  I have removed the Poncas to the Indian territory to give you more room.  We promise to procure for you food for your people to eat.  The great council of my nation, the Congress of the United States, resolved, and your chiefs and headmen agreed, that the supplies to be furnished to you should be delivered to you near the Missouri river.  I have fulfilled that promise.  Your supplies have been carried to the Missouri river, and there they are now, according to our promise.  You say that you do not like to go the [sic] Missouri river, but your supplies cannot be taken to any other place before your people will need them, and before the cold days of winter come.  If you do not go near the place where your supplies are your people will be hungry, and I shall not be able to give them food.  I desire to do all for you I can, and therefore I want you to be in a place this winter, where my helping hand can reach you; but I do not mean that you and your people shall stay near the Missouri river always.  You shall stay there only this winter.  When spring comes you shall select for your permanent abode such land on your reservation as you like best.  My agents will aid you in making the selection.  Your country is large, and there is much land, where you can cultivate the soil and raise crops, and where cattle can be fed.  That land is to be distributed among you.  It is to be surveyed and allotted to each family to be its homestead.  There your people can build cabins and make homes for their families to dwell in.  When that land is so surveyed and allotted, and your families have taken possession of it, I small ask the great council of my nation--Congress--to give you cows, and oxen and tools, with which to till the soil, that you may be able to provide for your own necessities.  I desire you to have schools for your children, so that they may be educated to take care of themselves and become industrious and prosperous, like the children of my people.  I also wish your people to have churches where they can worship.  This is my desire.  I shall speak a good word for you to the great council of my nation, that it may grant your people these benefits.  If you are wise you will heed my advice.  Game is fast disappearing from your country, and you cannot always live as hunters.  Neither can we for all time provide for your wants and feed your people and their children.  If you want to live in security you must do as the white people do.  You must work and learn to produce for yourselves that which you need.  Cattle and hoes and ploughs will be more useful to you than ponies and guns.  To be educated so as to know how to work and to gain their own living by raising cattle and tilling the soil, will be better for your children than hunting buffaloes or dancing the war dance.   When you look around you, you will see that the white people are a great multitude, which you cannot count.  Every year their number increases by far more than the number of all the red men in this great land.  They cannot be kept away from the western country, and year after year more of them go there.  If you live roaming about without homes they will sweep over you like a great flood of water.  To sustain yourselves against that flood you must have homes in which you and your families permanently live, and land on which you raise that which is necessary to support you; then you will have firm ground to stand upon, and the flood will not sweep you away.  I am a good friend to you and your people, and as a good friend I give you this answer and advice.

Now I will speak a word to the Arrapahoes.  You desire to go west with your people to join the Shoshones and live with them as friends.  But if you go you must provide for your own support.  The great council of my nation has given me no money to aid you on your way.  If without such aid you will make the journey then I am willing that you should go, and the agent whom I have sent to the Shoshones shall also be the agent for you.  You have been good friends to the white people, and I hope you will remain so.  You all have the best wishes of my heart,[.]  Let us live in peace and friendship together, and I will protect you with all the power I have.

I heard yesterday morning that forty lodges of the people of "Crazy Horse" and "Lame Deer" have gone north.  As long as those people are north we don't know our friends from our enemies among them.  It is of the greatest importance that you should keep all of those people at the agencies, then I know that your hearts are right.  That will make you strong with me.  It is impossible for me to let those people go up into the Tongue river country until we know that they are all our friends.  It is necessary that all of the Indians should go down in the direction of the Missouri river to get their supplies, so as to be ready early in the spring to select the best lands on White river, and other places on the reservation, for cultivation.

When the President had finished his address, Black Coal presented him with a pipe and tobacco pouch.

How The Sioux Received The Speech.

When the President began his speech the Indians fixed their eyes intently upon his face and sat without moving a muscle, attentive listeners to the words of the Great Father as they were interpreted to them.  Even when the President said they must pass the winter in the region of the Missouri river no word or sign escaped them, although Mr. Welsh said that that decision almost broke their hearts.  As the President proceeded they occasionally spoke to one another in low gutturals.  When he expressed joy at their desire for schools and churches, several "Hows" of approbation were heard, and also when he said he intended to ask the Great Council to grant what was for their benefit.  The remark that being educated to raise cattle and earn their own living would be better for their children than hunting the buffalo or dancing the war dance elicited a good natured smile from all.  When the President had concluded, he said that if they had anything further to communicate to him he would hear them at another time.

Reception By The Chiefs.

Mr. Welsh said that after an opportunity had been given to those present to see the chiefs he would like the use of the room for them so that they could consult among themselves about what they had heard.  A great crowd, including many ladies, came forward to inspect the Indians and shake hands with them.  Of course Spotted Tail and Red Cloud were the chief objects of interest.  In a few minutes the room was cleared.  Mr. Welsh said that the Indians would like to talk among themselves, and deliberate before coming to any decision upon the matter.  They had heard from the government and wanted to hear from their immediate friends and to be enlightened upon any points that they might have misunderstood.

Indian Commissioners W. H. Lyon, C. M. Kingsley, and E. M. Stebbins arrived from New York this morning and were present at the "pow-wow" to-day.

 

Sept. 28, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

Those who have listened to or read the speeches of the Sioux chiefs at the Grand Council at the Executive Mansion cannot but confess that their requests are reasonable.  They ask to be allowed to remain where they are, or, if they must be moved, they very naturally want to go to a well-wooded, well-watered region where the soil is susceptible of cultivation.  It is certainly encouraging to hear them express a desire to learn the habits of civilized life and ask the government to aid them to do so.  It is therefore not to be wondered at that they should find stout champions in Gen. Crook and Mr. William Welsh, and that the public sentiment in fact should demand that their request be favorably considered.  Gen. Crook, from long practical experience, knows the cost of fighting the Indians, and is convinced that it is much better to conciliate them than to incur their hostility.  He believes it would be better for them to select their future homes, and is of the opinion that it would cost ten times more to force them to remain on the Missouri river than it would to feed them on a reservation of their own selection, and his judgment should out-weight that of the theorists unversed in Indian affairs.

 

Sept. 28, 1877:  NY Times: [Dakota, Arapaho]

TO BE COMPLETED

THE INDIAN CONFERENCE.

Gorgeous Aspect of the East Room

War-paint, feathers, and Indian oratory--Speeches of the Ogalallas, excepting Spotted Tail --

 Strong desire to be civilized expressed--Farming implements, school-houses, and a religion

wanted--The conference to be resumed to-day.

Washington, Sept. 27.--The President to-day received the Sioux and Arrapahoe delegations from the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies at the Executive Mansion.  There were present, among others, Secretary Evarts, Secretary Schurz, Commissioner Smith, Gen. Crook, Lieut. Clark, who commanded the Indian scouts at the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies; Dr. Irvin, the agent at the Red Cloud Reservation; Mr. Hayt, recently appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and who will succeed Mr. Smith tomorrow; William Welsh, of Philadelphia, formerly of the Board of Indian Commissioners; Bishop Whipple, Assistant Secretary McCormick, and several ladies, including Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Crook, wife of Gen. Crook.

Arrangements were made in the East Room for the conference, a circle of chairs being formed on the south side, the President occupying a place on the outer range in full view of the Indian visitors.  For the first time in the history of the Executive Mansion liberal accommodations were provided for reporters of the press.  The Indians arrived a few minutes before noon.  They were in full costume, with a plentiful application of paint and ornamentations of feathers.  Four interpreters--half breeds--accompanied them.  The President soon after appeared.  The Indians were severally presented to him by name, the ceremony being conducted by Lieut. Clark, Spotted Tail being the first introduced.  Some of them merely shook hands with much gravity, while others broadly smiled and uttered enthusiastic "hows."  White Tail was particularly happy to shake hands with the President, and several times exclaimed, "How d'ye do; how d'ye do," before releasing the President's hand.

After the ceremony of introduction Mr. Welsh addressed the President, saying that the Indians had asked him to present their case.  They wished to thank him for his interest in their behalf, and for the evidence of his desire to be President of all the people.  These red men claimed to be his children, and therefore had a claim upon his generosity and justice. They had some regrets to utter, and some requests to make.  They complain of the frequent changes in the superintendencies, and say that permanent officers would give them great advantages, and this they asked.  They say it would be as unwise to make frequent changes in the Coast Survey as in the Indian superintendencies, but the special subject of their visit is to present their objections to removing to the Missouri.  They had reasons for not going there, and think that the only purpose of the Government was to drive them into the river.  They could not there become civilized, as their women would become corrupt, and other evils follow to the men by the influence of bad white men.  Therefore, something should be done to save them.  They want to remain where they are, and be authorized to select lands, the Government to assist them in agricultural pursuits.  They were all anxious for civilization, and want to become citizens at the earliest possible time.

The Oglallas were then heard, Red Cloud being the first speaker.  After shaking hands with the President he spoke substantially as follows, through the interpreter:

"Great Father, look at me.  In behalf of my people I have come to see you again.  This is the fourth time I have been here.  My people say to-day that they want to walk in the broad road, so they may grow and prosper like the white people.  God Almighty made the earth for us and everybody.  There are good streams and good land. I wish you would pick me a good place to raise my children.  The Great Father advised me to pick the place where I live at present.  My wish is to have everything for farming, including stock of all kinds, mowing machines, and plows; and I should like to have a school so that my children may learn to read and write, so that they may know as much as the whites.  I am only an Indian, and don't know how to read or write and know nothing about the telegraph.  I should like to have a man to write for me whenever I have anything to say.  I don't ask for horses; I have plenty:  but I want wagons to do my work.  I feel the same for my family as you do for yours, and would like to raise them in the same way.  That is the reason why I ask you for a wide road.  I don't want to go to the Missouri River; there is too much whisky there.  If I go there I will come to nothing at all.  In Winter the river freezes up, and we can't get our supplies.  I want to live well where I am."

Having concluded, the orator shook hands with the President, and resumed his seat.

Big Road was the next speaker.  He said he had come to tell his Great Father only a few words.  He was not a man to argue with anybody.  The reason he was now here was to say he did not want to move until all the buffalo had disappeared.  He wanted to see his children grow up like white people in the country where he now lived.  He wanted his Great Father to give him 1,000 boxes of money and 1,000 head of cattle, half cows, to be civilized with, 1,000 head of sheep also and hogs, that he and his children might live like white men.  He had never been here before.  He came to listen to the words of his Great Father.  He did not ask for horses, as he had them, but he wanted wagons.  The Missouri River freezes over and they heard that their food could not go there in Winter up the river. He could not read and write, and wanted a school house for ever, that they might become civilized.

Mr. Welsh remarked that this speaker had never been in the midst of civilization until now.  He was a clear thinker and a leading man, but was somewhat embarrassed by the present surroundings.

Little Wound said to the Great Father that he did not want to remove; did not want to go to any other place from where he now lived, where there was good ground and many streams.  If food had been sent up the Missouri River, he would like to have it brought back by railroad.  He wanted two, four, and six horse wagons, all the agricultural tools, and wanted a religion--meaning, as we explained, a Catholic priest.

Little Big Man said he had heard the summons of his Great Father, and now appeared to listen to his words.  He would like to get all the Ogallallas at the Red Cloud Agency to come with him and his people.  He liked his home and did not want to remove.  They were not yet civilized, but wanted wagons and school-houses, and to be instructed in agriculture, and learn the ways of the white people.

Iron Crow, addressing his Great Father, said, he had not big things to talk about, but only a few words to speak.  He wanted to know how to become civilized; that was the way he wanted to live.  He wanted good food and to know how to raise his children.

Three Bears was the next speaker.  Whenever orders were received he did just as he was told; everything was now quieted down--no disturbances.  He wanted to live in his own country and become like white people.

American Horse, Young Man Afraid of His Horses, Yellow Bear, and He Dog severally spoke.  Their speeches were of the same tenor, namely, they wanted to be civilized.  They always had been obedient to the orders given through Gen. Crook; they wanted to live like white men; they had come here to find out the wide road of civilization, and would listen to whatever they were to do.

Spotted Tail was then invited to speak, but said he would prefer doing so to-morrow.  The Ogallallas having spoken, with this exception, Black Coal, of the Arapahoes, next spoke, his interpreter being Friday, a native of that tribe.  He wanted to live the way the whites live; he wanted school-houses for his children; he asked his Great Father to take pity on him to-day; the Great Spirit was good.  He put us here on the earth, and the ground on which he (Black Coal) lived belonged to Him.  Black Coal, like others who spoke to-day, said he had been good toward white men.  At first he was a little foolish, but had learned better.  He hadn't two hearts, and spoke truly.  He and his people wanted to live where they now were to cultivate the soil  If the Great Father would give them good land they would be happy.  They were a small tribe and would like to join the Snakes.  The Snakes did not know Arapahoe, but could make signs the Arapahoes could understand, while the Arapahoes could talk a little Snake.  The orator, like those who preceded him, asked for the appliances of civilization all the whites use, and particularly food and annuities.

The conference here closed, the President saying he had much business to attend to, but would be glad to see them all to-morrow morning.  The Indians were then separately presented to Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Crook by Lieut. Clark, and to Secretaries Evarts and McCrary, Attorney-General Devens, Postmaster-General Key, and others.  The Indians then left the Executive Mansion in omnibuses for their lodges.

The action of Congress in making appropriations for the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Indians presents a barrier to the request of those Indians which cannot be overcome.  The Appropriation act provides for the removal of the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies to the Upper Missouri, and their supplies for the year are made contingent upon their removal.  Fifty thousand dollars were appropriated for moving them and erecting agency buildings, and the contracts for delivering the supplies for the year on the Upper Missouri have been let.

The President has been deeply impressed with the earnestness of the opposition expressed to-day to the location selected and the reasonableness of the request that the Indians be permitted to select their own homes on reservations set apart for them.  As the year's supplies must be delivered on the Upper Missouri, and as these Indians can only obtain them by going there, it is proposed to compromise the matter--the Indians to go to the Upper Missouri for the coming Winter, and in the Spring to be allowed to select locations for establishing agencies.  Gen. Crook, for whom the Indians show profound respect, and in whom they seem to confide, has explained to them that this is all the President can do for them at this time, and they are said to be satisfied with the proposition.

 

Sept. 28, 1877: N.Y. Times: [Dakota]

How Crazy Horse Was Killed [article in file]

 

Sept. 28, 1877: N.Y. Times: [Dakota]

THIEVING INDIAN AGENTS AT WORK.

Deplorable condition of the Indians at Cheyenne Agency--Cheated             and robbed by their agents and reduced to starvation--Gen. Pope's gloomy picture of affairs--War threatened.

Chicago, Ill., Sept. 27. [article in file]

 

Sept. 28, 1877:  New York Herald:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

The Visiting Sioux.  Grand Council Fire Lighted in the White House.  Savages Longing for Civilization.  Addresses of the Chiefs to the Great Father.

Washington, D. C., Sept, 27, 1877.

The President to-day received the Sioux and Aroapahoe [sic] delegations from the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail agencies at the Executive Mansion.  There were present, among others, Secretary Evarts, Secretary Schurz, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Smith, General Crook, Lieutenant Clark, who commanded the Indian scouts at the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail agencies; Dr. Irvin, the agent at the Red Cloud reservation; Mr. Hayt, recently appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who will succeed Mr. Smith to-morrow; William Welsh, of Philadelphia, formerly of the Board of Indian Commissioners; Bishop Whipple, Assistant Secretary McCormick and several ladies, including Mrs. Crook, wife of General Crook.

Arrangements were made in the East Room for the conference, a circle of chairs being formed on the south side, the President occupying a place on the outer range, in full view of the Indian visitors.  For the first time in the history of the mansion liberal accommodations were provided for reporters of the press.

The Presentation.

The Indians arrived a few minutes before noon.  They were in full costume, with a plentiful application of paint and ornamentations of feathers.  Four interpreters--half breeds--accompanied them.  The President soon after appeared.  The Indians were severally presented to him by name, the ceremony being conducted by Lieutenant Clark, Spotted Tail being the first introduced.  Some of them merely shook hands with much gravity, while others broadly smiled and uttered enthusiastic "Hows."  White Tail was particularly happy to shake hands with the President, and several times exclaimed, "Hoe d'ye do? how d'ye do," before releasing the President's hand.

The Indian Case.

After the ceremony of introduction Mr. Welsh addressed the President, saying that the Indians had asked him to present their case.  They wished to thank him for his interest in their behalf and for the evidence of his desire to be President of all the people.  These red men claimed to be his children, and therefore had a claim upon his generosity and justice.  They had some regrets to utter and some requests to make.  They complain of the frequent changes in the superintendencies, and say that permanent officers would give them great advantages, and this they asked.  They say it would be as unwise to make frequent changes in the coast survey as in the Indian superintendents, but the special subject of their visit is to present their objections to removing to the Missouri.  They had reasons for not going there, and think that the only purpose of the government was to drive them into the river.  They could not there become civilized, as their women would become corrupt and other evils follow to the men byu the influence of bad white men.  Therefore something should be done to save them.  They want to remain where they are and be authorized to select lands, the government to assist them in agricultural pursuits.  They are all anxious for civilization, and want to become citizens at the earliest possible time.

Red Cloud's Speech.

The Ogalallas were then heard, Red Cloud being the first speaker.  After shaking hands with the President he spoke substantially as follows, through the interpreter:--

"Great Father, look at me.  In behalf of my people I have come to see you again.  This is the fourth time I have been here.  My people say to-day that they want to walk in the broad road, so that they may grow and prosper like the white people.  God Almighty made the earth for us and everybody.  There are good streams and good land.  I wish you would pick me a good place to raise my children.  The Great Father advised me to pick the place where I live at present.  My wish is to have everything for farming, including stock of all kinds, mowing machines and ploughs, and I should like to have a school, so that my children may learn to read and write, so that they may know as much as the whites.  I am only an Indian, and don't know how to read or write, and know nothing about the telegraph.  I should like to have a man to write for me whenever I have anything to say.  I don't ask for horses; I have plenty; but I want wagons to do my work.  I feel the same for my family as you do for yours, and would like to raise them in the same way.  That is the reason why I ask you for a wide road.  I don't want to go to the Missouri River; there is too much whiskey there.  If I go there I will come to nothing at all.  In winter the river freezes up, and we can't get our supplies.  I want to live well where I am."

Having concluded, the orator shook hands with the President and resumed his seat.

Big Road's Remarks.

Big Road was the next speaker.  He said he had come to tell his Great Father only a few words.  He was not a man to argue with anybody.  The reason he was now here was to say he did not want to move until all the buffalo had disappeared.  He wanted to see his children grow up like white people in the country where he now lived.  He wanted his Great Father to give him 1,000 boxes of money, and 1,000 head of cattle, half cows, to be civilized with; 1,000 head of sheep also and hogs, that he and his children might live like white men.  He had never been here before.  He came to listen to the words of his Great Father.  He did not ask for horses, as he had them, but he wanted wagons.  The Missouri River freezes over and they heard that their supplies could not go there in winter up the river.  He could not read and write and wanted a school house forever that that might become civilized.

Mr. Welsh remarked that this speaker had never been in the midst of civilization until now.  He was a clear thinker and a leading man, but was somewhat embarrassed by the present surroundings.

Little Wound's Wishes.

Little Wound said to the Great Father that he did not want to remove; did not want to go to any other place from where he now lived, where there was good ground and many streams.  If food had been sent up the Missouri River he would like to have it brought back by railroad.  He wanted two, four and six horse wagons, all the agricultural tools, and wanted a religion--meaning, as was explained, a Catholic priest.

Big Little Man said he had heard the summons of his Great Father and now appeared to listen to his words.  He would like to get all the Ogalallas at the Red Cloud Agency to come with him and his people.  He liked his home and did not want to remove.  They were not yet civilized, but wanted wagons and school houses and to be instructed in agriculture and learn the ways of the white people.

Iron Crow addressing his Great Father, said he had not big things to talk about, but only a few works [sic] [words?] to speak. He wanted to know how to become civilized; that was the way he wanted to live.  He wanted good grub and to know how to raise his children.

Three Bears was the next speaker.  Whenever orders were received he did just as he was told; everything was now quieted down--no disturbances.  He wanted to live in his own country and live like white people.

American Horse, Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, Yellow Bear and He Dog severally spoke.  Their utterances were in the same direction--namely, they wanted to be civilized.  They always had been obedient to the orders given by General Crook.  They wanted to live like white men.  They had come here to find out the wide road of civilization and would listen to whatever they were to do.

Spotted Tail was then invited to speak, but said he would prefer doing so to-morrow.

Wants Of The Arrapahoes.

The Ogalallas having spoken, with this exception, Black Coal, of the Arrapahoes, next spoke, his interpreter being Friday, a native of that tribe.  He wanted to live the way the whites lived.  He wanted school houses for his children.  He asked his Great Father to take pity on him to-day.  The great Spirit was good.  He put us here on the earth, and the ground on which he )Black Coal_ lived belonged to him.

Black Coal, like others who spoke to-day, said he had been good toward white men.  At first he was a little foolish, but had learned better.  He had not two hearts, and spole truly.  He and his people wanted to live where they now were to cultivate the soil.  If the Great Father would give them good land they would be happy.  They were a small tribe and would like to join the Snakes.  The Snakes did not know Arrapahoe, but could make signs the Arrapahoes could understand, while the Arrapahoes could talk a little Snake.  The orator, like those who preceded him, asked for the appliances of civilization all the whites use, and particularly grub and annuities.

The conference here closed, the President saying he had much business to attend to, but would be glad to see them all to-morrow morning.  The Indians were then separately presented to Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Crook by Lieutenant Clark, and to Secretaries Evarts and McCrary, Attorney General Devens, Postmaster General Key and others.  The Indians then left the Executive Mansion in omnibuses for their lodges.

 

Sept. 28, 1877: Evening Star; [Dakota]

AMUSEMENTS:

OPERA HOUSE.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, BENEFIT OF (HON. W. F. CODY, BUFFALO BILL. [)]

Two Sensational dramas the same evening.

MAY CODY; OR, LOST AND WON.

And the fifth act of the great Border Drama, entitled

THE RED RIGHT HAND.

Introducing the exciting Scalping scene by the avenger of the lamented Gen. Custer, BUFFALO BILL and "YELLOW HAND."  The Man-Who-Carries The-Sword appears as "Yellow Hand."

Grand Matinee SATURDAY, at 2 o'clock, at cheap prices -- 25 and 50 cents.  A tremendous attraction for MONDAY, October 1.    sep 28.

[last notice of show; new show starts Oct. 1st]

 

Sept. 28, 1877: Evening Star: [Dakota]

AMUSEMENTS

Ford's Opera House.--The exciting drama of "May Cody, or Lost and Won," is presented nightly by Buffalo Bill and his company to enthusiastic audiences.

 

Sept. 29, 1877:  Sun (Balt., Md.):  [Dakota, Arapaho]

NOTE:  Same as Sept. 29 New York Herald article.

 

Sept. 29, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

The Sioux Indians not being ready yet to reply to the proposition submitted to them by the President yesterday, the further council with their Great Father did not take place to-day, but was postponed until Monday at ten o'clock.

 

Sept. 29, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

In treating with the Sioux the President finds himself hampered by the previous action of visiting commissions and Congress.  Every arrangement it seems has been made for the removal of the Indians to the Missouri river; supplies are awaiting them there; and dwellings are in course of erection for the head men of the nation.  Under the circumstances therefore the President undoubtedly has done what he believed to be best in refusing to heed their request to be allowed to remain where they now are.  He made one very important promise, however, which the Indians and their friends will not forget--that next spring the land included within the limits of their reservation shall be surveyed and each family allotted a homestead as a permanent residence.  The great trouble is that what the President styles the Grand Council of the nation changes every two years, and that the promises made to the Indians by one Congress are too frequently utterly ignored by its successor.  It will not be surprising if trouble should grow out of the removal of the Indians to the Missouri this fall.  Some will go reluctantly but it is more than likely that many will openly revolt, and that the result will be another Indian war.

 

Sept. 29, 1877  New York Herald:  [Dakota]

Conference of the Indian Delegation at Washington.

Washington, Sept. 28, 1877.

The conference with the Indian delegation was resumed this morning at the Executive Mansion in the East Room.  President Hayes, Secretary Schurz and other members of the Cabinet, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, General Crook and other prominent gentlemen were present. The Indians were in full savage costume.  The President, addressing them through an interpreter, said he was now ready to hear the chiefs if they wished to speak further.  After a pause Spotted Tail took a seat near the President and spoke as follows:--

Spotted Tail's Talk.

My Great Father--I have come to your house to-day with a happy heart.  I see you and shake hands with you with a good heart.  I wish to talk to you about business.  It is a good ways to where I come from.  The country I live in belongs to me and belongs to the government.  I have come to find out where is the best place to remain.  Where I live there is a good deal of talk about my agency.  A line has been drawn where I am from the Black Hills toward the Big Horn.  I don't understand the line.  All I know is that they are trying to frighten us into this business.  That's the way I came to sign the paper that I did (meaning the agreement of last fall).  They told me at the time that my great father sent the men there for the purpose of treating for the country.  If so I am willing to treat.  They told me a good many points not kept up in the old treaty should be given to us n the new, and said if I signed all I wanted would be given according to their promise.  They told me then if I did not sign they would send me South, or across the Missouri River.  Although I signed without their telling me exactly what they wanted I wanted them to tell me how I was to live after I signed the paper; how many cattle and agri-cultural implements I was to have, and other things.  That is the way they treated me.

The White Man's Way.

I know one thing, it is this.  When a white man owns land he builds a fence round it, and it is his, so long as he doesn't sell it.  That is the way white men live.  But your people do not ask questions.  You take our lands from us.  Before the white man came to us we had a good time in taking care of our property, but now, as I told you, we cannot do it.  Your people make roads and drive away the game, and thus make us poor and starve us. The land was given to us by the Great Spirit, who said we could live there, but the white people are trying to push us our of the country and where we can do nothing.  You live here.  The Great Spirit gave you the land.  You stay here with all your people.  That is the way all nations ought to live.  When they have a piece of land they ought to hold on to it as their own.  My great father, I cannot read or write, but should like to bring my children up like the white people.  The country I live in is mine.  I love it.  This is the reason why I talk as I do.  When I saw the Commissioners I did not speak to them as I speak to you to-day.  I never told them I wanted my provisions transported to the Missouri River, and I never asked them to send my provisions and agency across the Arkansas.  Where I live is the country I was brought up in and where I still want to live.  I wish you would have the roads go around us, not disturbing our homes, but leave us where we are.  My great father, I came here to let you know what my trouble is.  I am done.

Spotted Tail then shook hands with the President.

Swift Bear, a Brule Indian, then advanced and merely said, alluding to Spotted Tail:--

"This man and I were raised together.  We are together with one heart and one belief."

Red Bear and Touch the Cloud, in behalf of the Minneconjous and Sans Arcs, said that whatever Spotted Tail does they will do.

White Tail, a Brule, said to the President:--

"Look at me well and remember me.  What Spotted Tail says my people say."

What Red Cloud Thinks.

Red Cloud took a seat by the President, saying:--

"I have been here before, and am here again to see my great father.  My great father told me to pick a place for my agency.  Before I returned there the young men selected the agency.  I did not. I had nothing to do with it.  The second time the agency was moved over the White River I did not tell any one to do so.  There have been two changes in four years.  The agency ought always to be in one place and held strong.  My people were foolish.  I took the white people for rascals.  I do not mean the white people here, but those in my country, as I want to be civilized.  I want to select my own agency.  This I let you know to-day.  I did what the white people asked me to do, and with Spotted Tail have kept our people quiet.  We want to live among our own people.  I was raised in my country and know it well.  The foot of the Hills is a good place to put my agency.  I did not come here to beg anything.  The Black Hills were mine.  I gave them to the Commissioners.  I suppose you are going to decide what you are going to give us for the Hills, and I have come to get it."

Wants A Good Deal For A Simple Savage.

I want three different kinds of wagons, such as your people work with; I want to live that way.  I want ploughs and mowing machines, but will not say for how many people.  I want cattle every year.  I want two mills, one to saw wood and one to grind corn.  I know my country well; grow a grain of corn and it will come up taller than I am.  It is a good country.  I want a big school house, so my children may learn to read and write.  The Catholic priests are good--I want one of them.  That agent there--Dr. Irvin--we now have, and we want him to stay there forever.

Big Little Man spoke briefly, saying that Red Cloud had expressed his views.

Sharp Nose, The Good-Hearted.

Sharp Nose, an Arapahoe, said to the President:-- My heart is open to you, and my heart is good.  My tribe is poor; take pity on them.  We want to be joined with the Snakes or Shoshones, live near them and have only one agent for both tribes.  There's a large extent of land, and there will be no difficulty in giving us sufficient space for homes.  We want cows, ploughs, wagons and our annuities and "grub" sent to us on our reservations, and to become productive people.  We want white teachers, good men and school houses as soon as possible.  We have one heart, not two, and only one tongue.  When an Arapahoe says a thing he means it.  Take pity on us to-day.  We used to be a big tribe, but are now dying out.  We want to work the soil for grub.

The orator on concluding his speech presented his great father with a pipe and a tobacco pouch, the latter made of buckskin and elaborately adorned with beads.  The President, through the interpreter, expressed his thanks for the "pipe of peace."

Gray Fox, The White Chief.

General Crook or, as the Indians call him, Gray Fox, then remarked:--Mr. President, I want to say a few words in behalf of those friends of mine who have come to see you.  I have been with these people in their country for the last two years, both in peace and in war.  I have heard what they said to you and know that they have told the truth; that they are sincere; that their hearts are good toward the white men, and that they want to live in peace, and I am satisfied that they are sincere in their wish to adopt the ways of the white man and require your assistance.  All they want is for you to understand their situation and take an interest in them and show them what to do.  I know their condition and know them to be poor, and I ask you to take pity on them.  If it be possible supply them with cattle, hogs, sheep and implements with which to till the land, and instruct them how to do it; also furnish them school houses.  They have told you what they want, and I hope you will do all in your power for them.  During the progress of the war it became necessary to disarm Red Cloud's and Red Leaf's bands.  This has made them poor; they are now without anything.  They have behaved well and assisted us in war; therefore they are additionally entitled to our consideration.

The Great Father speaks.

The President then rose and addressed the Indians.  The remarks were interpreted to the interested listeners.  He said:--

My Good Friends--You have desired to take counsel with me and I have permitted you to come.  I am glad to see you.  I have attentively listened to what you have said.  I have also heard Mr. William Welsh and General Crook, who spoke for you as your friends and who have my confidence.  I have well considered all that was said.  Now listen to my answer.  I have your welfare sincerely at heart.  I will be a good friend to you.  The wishes you express I shall be glad to gratify when it is in my power and for your own good.  There is an understanding between you and the white people, which I want to have carried out by both.  That understanding is that you should go to your reservation and occupy it.  That land should be yours.  I have removed the Pawnees to the Indian Territory to give you more room.  I have promised to procure for you food for your people to eat. The great council of my nation, the Congress of the United States, resolved, and your chiefs and head men agreed, that the supplies to be furnished to you should be delivered to you near the Missouri River. This is what I was told.  This is what the great council of my nation believed.  I have fulfilled that promise. Your supplies have been carried to the Missouri River, and there they are now according to our promise. You say that you do not like to go to the Missouri River.  But your supplies cannot be taken to any other place before your people will need them and before the cold days of winter come.

The Must Be Moved.

If you do not go near the place where your supplies are your people will be hungry and I shall not be able to give them food.  I desire to do all for you I can and therefore I want you to be in a place this winter where my helping hand can reach you.  But I do not mean that you and your people shall stay near the Missouri River always.  You shall stay there only this winter.  When spring comes you shall select for your permanent abode such land on your reservation as you like best. My agents will aid you in making the selection.  Your country is large and there is much land where you can cultivate the soil and raise corps, and where cattle can be fed.  That land is to be distributed among you.  It is to be surveyed and allotted to each family to be its homestead.  There your people can build cabins and make homes for their families to dwell in.  When  that land is surveyed and allotted, and your families have taken possession of it I shall ask the great council of my nation to give you cows, and oxen and tools with which to till the soil, that you may be able to provide for your own necessities.  I desire you to have schools for your children, so that they may be educated to take care of themselves and become industrious and prosperous, like the children of my people.  I also wish your people to have churches where they can worship.  I shall speak a good word for you in the great council of my nation, that it may grant your people these benefits.  If you are wise you will heed my advice.  Game is fast disappearing from your country, and you cannot always live as hunters.  Neither can we for all time provide for your wants and feed your people and their children.  If you want to live in security you must do as the white people do. You must work and learn to produce for yourselves that which you need.  Cattle and hoes and ploughs will be more useful to you than ponies and guns.  To be educated so as to know how to work and how to make their own living, by raising cattle and tilling the soil, will be better for your children then hunting buffalo and dancing the war dance.  When you look around you will see that the white people are a great multitude, which you cannot count.  Every year this number is increased by far more than the number of all the red men in this great land.  They cannot be kept away from the Western country, and year after year more of them go there.  If you live roaming about without homes they will sweep over you like a great flood of waters.  To sustain yourselves against that flood you must have homes in which you and your families may permanently live and land on which to raise that which is necessary to support you.  Then you will have firm ground to stand upon and the flood will not sweep you away.  I am a good friend to you and your people, and as a good friend I give you this answer and advice.

For The Arapahoes.

Now I will speak a word to the Arapahoes.

You desire to go West with your people to join the Shoshones and live with them as friends.  But if you go you must provide for your own support.  the great council of my nation has given me no money to aid you on your way.  If without such aid you will make the journey then I am willing that you should go, and the agent whom I have sent to the Shoshones shall also be the agent for you.  You have been good friends to the white people and I hope will remain so. You all have the best wishes of my heart.  Let us live in peace and friendship together, and I will protect you with all the power I have.  I heard yesterday morning that forty lodges of the people of Crazy Horse and Lame Deer have gone north.  As long as these people are north we do not know our friends from our enemies among them.  It is of the greatest importance that you should keep all of these people at the agencies. Then I know that your hearts are right.  That will make you strong with me.  It is impossible for me to let those people go up into the Tongue River country until we know that they are all our friends. It is necessary that all of the Indians should go down in the direction of the Missouri River to get their supplies so as to be ready early in the spring to select the best lands on White River and other places on the reservation for cultivation.

The Conference Ended.

During the address the Indians smiled broadly when the President said "to be better educated so as to know how to work and gain their own living by raising cattle and tilling the soil will be better for your children than hunting buffalo and dancing the war dance."  The conference here closed.

Reported Unsatisfied.

The delegations will have a final conference with the President to-morrow, and will then present their reply to the President's suggestions with regard to their removal from their present location, and it is said they will ask for some modifications on the propositions which were submitted to them to-day.

 

Sept. 29, 1877 N.Y. Times: [Dakota; Arapaho]

NOTE: This article is almost word-for-word the same as 9/29/77 H.Y. Herald article with the exceptions:

After Spotted Tail's speech ends with, "My Great Father, I came here to let you know what my trouble is.  I am done." the NYT article's minor variation reads:

"Spotted Tail then shook hands with the President.  Swift Bear, a Brule Indian, then advanced and merely said, alluding to Spotted Tail:  "This man and I were raised together.  We are together with one heart and one belief."  Red Bear and Touch-the-Cloud, in behalf of the Minneconjous and Sans Arcs, said that whatever Spotted Tail does they will do.  White Tail, a Brule, said to the president:  "Look at me well, and remember me.  What Spotted Tail says my people say."

Also Sharp Nose's speech ends with the variation, "We want to work the soil for food."

 

Oct. 1, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

Indian Council To-Day.  The Distinguished Sioux at the White House.

At 10 o'clock this morning the Sioux delegation resumed their talk with the President.  The Indians appeared in citizens' clothing, without their war paint.  Lieut. Clark, read a telegram from Mr. Welsh saying that Wapakabota [?] begs them to dress in clothing given by the President, as a pledge that other things needed for civilization would be given them.

Spotted Tail Spoke First.

He said:  "Great Father, I have decided upon what you said.  I think I have decided well.  That country is mine.  What you decide I listen to.  I decide that country is mine.  Where I am there is a line drawn; on the other side there is a portion I hold and look upon as mine, on which the [sic] bring up my children.  I love that country and can't throw it away, and I don't wish to give it away for nothing.  I have picked out a portion of our agency as you told me.  I have picked out Wounded Knee, near the White River, below where the agency is now.  I would like to remain where I am for the present, as we can't move at once.  If our goods should remain there all winter they might be gone before spring, and we wish some good man to take charge of them for us.  I hope you will do what will help us to prosper.  Your people here increase their property and in number, and that's what we want to do.  You want us to wear white men's clothes, and here we are dressed as white men.  Wagons, farming implements, horses, &c, is what we want.  We want the kind of cattle you whites have.  We don't want the long-horned fellows that run wild.  We would like to have laborers there to instruct us.  We would like to have our interpreters and half breeds remain with us.  We don't want you to give us everything at once, but at times, for Congress might decide differently, and we would be out of money.  Now, I would like to talk about a teacher.  I would like a Catholic priest, one of those that wear black dresses.  We would like plenty of different stores, where we can choose the cheapest.  I have found out by traveling, and especially in this city, that white men can't have work done for nothing.  Now, Great Father, look at me and my children here.  We are pretty well dressed, and we got very tired coming here, and worked hard.  Now, I would like you to give each one of us about $40 to put in our pocket as a treasury, to go back with.  (Laughing.)  We would like a trunk apiece.  (Laughing.)  It will be cold soon now, and we would like an overcoat apiece.  I see white men wearing them, and we are to dress like them.  I ask for these things because we need them.

Lieutenant Clarke said that Spotted Tail did not want the white men to make roads through his new reservation when he got it.

Red Cloud's Wants.

Red Cloud next spoke for the Ogallalas, saying they had decided where their reservation should be.  He came to-day to see whether or not he could have his agency at the mouth of the Tongue river.  If he could not get the Tongue river for his agency he wanted the White Clay creek.  He wanted different kinds of wagons, cattle, but not long-horned, a school house, and Catholic priests.  He didn't ask these things for nothing, for one-half of the Black Hills are not yet paid for.  He wanted those who accompanied him to have about $40 apiece, a trunk and an overcoat.  The whites had stolen so many of his horses that he was very poor.  He wanted the provisions and goods that were promised to be transported to the chosen reservation, as the long-tailed rats on the Missouri would make it unsafe to keep them there very long.  He spoke at length of his poverty and that of his tribe, and wanted reparation for his property and horses taken last fall, which would amount to about $10,000.  He would like about half of it in money.

The President's Reply.

The President said:  "My friends, I am glad to see you this morning.  I am glad to see you dressed like white people.  You look well in the clothes of white people.  It shows that you wish to live like white people.  I have not much to say about the business which brought you here, in addition to what was said last week.  You have spoken about the place where you wish to have your agencies.  I am glad you are satisfied to have your agencies on the reservation allotted to you.  But as I told you, it is too late in the season to now change the agencies.  It is too late in the season to remove the supplies to the places which you name.  The winter will soon come on, the streams will be frozen up, and no movement of supplies can be made.  We wish you to help get your people nearer to the supplies, and Gen. Crook will help you.  Next spring places can be selected near Whi's [sic; White's] River that will suit you.  And now as to your requests as to the things you have asked me for.  You want trunks, overcoats and money.  The great council of my nation has put the money and property which is for you in charge of the Secretary of the Interior.  He can give you whatever the great council has authorized him to give.  He will be glad to give you what he can and I think he can satisfy you very well.  And now this is the end of our present talk.  I am glad that you came.  Let me advise you to move as near the supplies as you can, and Gen. Crook will help you this winter.  Next spring you can go to your reservations, and I am glad you are satisfied with White river.  I hope you will reach home safely and in good health.  Before you go the Secretary will give as many of the things you want as he can.  And now I will be glad to shake hands with each one of you and wish you well."

After shaking hands with the President and the members of the Cabinet who were present, the Indians withdrew and proceeded to their quarters.  They expect to start on their return west to-morrow.

 

Oct. 1, 18977: NY Times; [Dakota; Arapaho]

NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.  Washington, Sept. 30, 1877.

[NOTE:  Only Indian item copied]

The larger part of the Sioux delegation of Indians attended the Foundry Methodist Church to-day.  The President and Mrs. Hayes were present as usual."

 

Oct. 2, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

The Sioux Chiefs will leave the city to-morrow.  Before they go they will be provided with an overcoat apiece and other warm raiment, and a small sum of money will be given to every one.  The party do-day visited the tomb of Washington.

 

Oct. 2, 1877: NY Times: [Dakota; Arapaho]

THE INDIAN CONFERENCE.        

Proposed Removal of the Sioux.  Final Interview of the Indian Delegation with the President--Their appearance in civilized costume--Their demand for overcoats and trunks for the clothes and $40 apiece.

Washington, Oct. 1--The final conference with the Indian delegations took place this morning at the Executive Mansion.  The Indians were in citizens' dress, in strong contrast with their appearance on the two previous occasions, when they were in full savage costume.  Secretaries Schurz and Evarts, Postmaster General Key, Assistant Secretary McCormick, and Gen. Crook were present among other prominent persons.

The President having remarked that he was ready to hear what further his friends had to say, Spotted Tail took a seat at his side and informed the President where he had decided to have his agency.  The portion of land he held he looked on as his own, and it was where he wanted to raise not only his own children but all his people.  We wanted them to become prosperous and intelligent like the white people.  When the great council (Congress) decided any thing, they all wished to abide by it.  He loved his land, and he knew it well; he loved it.  He could not throw it away for nothing to the whites.  The place he had picked out for his agency was on Wounded Knee Creek, and he wanted his provisions and clothing sent there.  He wanted his Great Father to agree to this when his Great Father decided, it was all right and good.  "You see," he said, "the representatives of our people here.  We are very poor.  We have no wagons to help with; no servants; none to tell us how to do.  How can we, and the whites who have married among our people, know how to get along unless you help them?  We don't want to move just now; we want some time to sell what property we have at our present homes.  We will move in the Spring, or any time after that.  We want our provisions removed to the agency I have named, from where they are.  If they are left without a man in charge, many of our goods will be gone before the Spring, as on a former occasion.  You told us that your nation increass; we want to increase, too, in property and in numbers.  You said you wished us to live like white men, and so we are here to-day dressed in white men's clothes.  Whatever you say to us shall be known to thy children, my grandchildren, and my grandchildren's children.  You told me you would give me a great many things, including wagons and cattle and a big school-house.  I want the kind of cattle which the whites have, and we want to raise cows.  We don't want animals with long horns, but short ones.  I want everything in writing before I go home, so that there may be no mistake.  We want English teachers.  Those now among us only teach us to read and write the Sioux language.  We want to have Catholic priests--those who wear black dresses--to teach us.  We should like to have a saw and grist mill, and agricultural implements and seeds.  I look round and find you have plenty of stores.  We have only one store, and when we pay our money there we have nothing to show for it.  We want five or six stores, because then we could buy cheaper at one than we could at another.  Some of those before you have never been in civilization before.  They had no idea what the whites were before they cam here.  Look at me and the men before you.  I am very well dressed and so are they.  They want $40 apiece to buy things for their women and children, and they would like to have a trunk apiece to carry their clothing in.  As the weather is getting to be a little cold, we should like to have an overcoat apiece.  We see you wearing overcoats, and we should like to have them."

Red Cloud next spoke.  He had come here to-day to find out whether he could have his agency changed.  He had roamed the country where he now lived for 56 years, and should like to have his agency at White Clay Creek.  That ground he could not give up.  He did not ask for horses.  They had plenty of them; but for wagons, mowing machines, plows, saw-mills, and grist-mills.  They did not want cattle with horns like elks, but short horns, and a big school-house.  They would like to have a Catholic priest and nuns to live among them and teach them.  He did not ask these things for nothing.  Half the Black Hills had not been paid for.  He wanted the Indians here to have $40 apiece, and overcoats and trunks.  His people were poor, and have nothing to move with, and they could not move this Winter.  He would like his provisions to be good. If they should be sent to the Missouri River the long-tail rats there would get into the boxes and destroy them.  "If," he said, "you were in our country and looked at our people, the water would come into your eyes.  As for myself, I am poorer than any of them.  The Army officers took my horses, and other horses have been stolen from me, and the crops were destroyed.  The injury is at least $10,000.  I want half of this in money and the remainder in other things."

The President then addressed the Indians as follows:

"My Friends:  I am glad to see you this morning. I am glad to see you dressed like white people.  You look well in your clothes--like white people.  It shows that you wish to live like white people.  I have not much to say about the business that brought you here in addition to what I said to you last week.  You have spoken about the places where you wish to have your agencies.  I am glad that you would be satisfied to have agencies on the reservations allotted to you.  But, as I told you, it is too late in the season to change your present agencies.  It is to late to remove the supplies to the places you have named.  The Winter will soon come on, the streams will be frozen up, and therefore no movement of supplies can be made.  We wish you to help your people to remove near the supplies, and Gen. Crook will assist you to do so.  Next Spring places can be selected near White River that will suite you.  And now as to the things you have asked for.  You want trunks, overcoats, and money.  The great council of my nation has put the money and property for you in charge of the Secretary of the Interior.  He can give you whatever the great council has authorized him to give.  He will be glad to give you what he can, and I think he can satisfy you, and this is the end of our grand council.  I am glad you came.  Let me advise you to move as near to the supplies as you can, and next Spring you can go to your reservation.  I am glad you are satisfied with White River.  I hope you will all reach your homes safely and in good health.  Before you go the Secretary will give you as many of the things you have asked for as he can, and now I will be glad to shake hands with each one of you and wish you well.

The Indians then separated, shook hands with the President, and also with the Secretary of the Interior.

They appeared to be satisfied with the remarks of the President, and departed from the Executive Mansion with smiling countenances.  They will leave for their homes on Wednesday or Thursday.  They will be presented with overcoats and other warm raiment to protect them from the cold this Winter, before their departure from Washington.  This and a small amount of money to each of them will constitute the presents that the Government will bestow upon them.  It is not yet decided whether they will go by way of New-York or not.  To-morrow the entire party will visit the tomb of Washington.

 

Oct. 2, 1877: NY Times: [Dakota, Arapaho & Paiute]

THE WHITE MAN'S SECRET.

When the late James W. Nye, of genial memory, was appointed Governor of the Territory of Washoe, he was, by virtue of his office, Superintendent of the Indians within his territorial jurisdiction.  More familiar with New-York politics than with Indian affairs, Nye selected his propitiatory presents for the Piutes with a view to their advancement in civilization.  But when the Piute squaws used his hoop-skirts for rabbit-traps, the Governor despaired of civilizing the Indians by means and appliances beyond their comprehension.   Nevertheless, all barbaric races domesticated on our soil imitate the vices, weaknesses, and manners of the white man.  A Chinaman does not consider himself Americanized until he can "swear like Melican man:" [sic] and the highest ambition of the Indian is to wear a high hat and affect the swagger of the whisky-drinking frontiersman, who represents to him the highest type of the all-conquering race.  The Indians who come East are purposely shown the most striking evidences of the white man's power.  The great ships, the steam-engines, the railroads, and the vast piles of buildings which he sees, all fill him with a surprise which he conceals with difficulty.  Is it any wonder that this simple child of nature, awakened rudely to a sense of his own fatal inferiority, desires to secure for himself the secret of the white man's strength?  It is natural that the dazzled aborigine should study the habits and manners of his strange oppressor, and eagerly hope, by imitation, to carry back to his wigwam the magic of the master race.  He has seen his own people melt away before the white-skinned invader, like the snow before the climbing sun.  He has seen how ineffectual were the struggles of the Indian tribes against the persistent, never-receding encroachments of the pale-face.  If he would postpone the day of final extinction, and hold his own against the subtlety of his traditional foe, he must secure the secret of his mysterious superiority.  He must be like the white man.

With a certain serio-comic earnestness, which makes us laugh while we pity, the Sioux who lately visited the President demanded things which, as they thought, should make them the equal of the white man.  "We want," said Spotted Tail, "the kind of cattle which the white men have.  We don't want cattle with long horns, but short ones."  Who shall say that the red men have made to advancement in civilization, when they already know that short-horned cattle are better than long-horned?  Then, again, they wanted a saw-mill and a grist-mill.  Moreover, they asked for "agricultural implements and seeds."  This was to steal the hidden secret of the white man's power.  A Sioux chief, emulating the craft of his pale-faced enemies, once planted "a farm."  He asked Prof. Marsh to come and see it.  The white man--"the great bone chief"-- saw a slight cottonwood rail-fence open at each end, parallel with the Platte, but inclosing nothing; and nothing more.  The red chieftain sadly explained:  "Plant um heap corn; bime by heap-dam sogermule, heap-dam hoppergras eat um all up; no crop."  Nevertheless, unwearied by continual defeat, the Sioux want short-horned cattle and "agricultural implements."

Nor have they studied the cities in vain.  "I look around," said this orator, "and see that you have many stores.  We have but one store, and when we pay our money there we have nothing to show for it.  We want five or six stores, for then we could buy cheaper at one than we could at another."  This is shrewdness itself.  Spotted Tail has learned that competition makes prices lower.  Monopoly in trade is odious to the savage as to the white man.  With fine dramatic effect, these warriors of the plains came into the presence of the "Great Father," dressed in civilized apparel.  The day before, they were representatives of untamed and savage tribes, pleading for their hunting-grounds, and they were decked in the barbaric finery of paint, feathers, and quill-embroidered skins.  To-day humbly pleading for the gift of the equipment of the master race, they appear in the prosaic and clumsy toggery of civilization.  "Look at us!" cried the orator, contrasting with a gesture the awkward, ill-dressed Sioux and the comfortable group of officials, "we are well dressed, but we want $40 apiece to buy things for the women and children at home.  You have overcoats, some of you.  We want overcoats.  We want trunks to put our clothing into."  This was an advance into civilization.  Another orator not only wanted an overcoat, but Catholic priests, "those who wear black dresses," and--think of it, ye who consider the Sioux a savage--"nuns to live among us and teach us."  The petitioners were crafty, too, for they wanted it all in writing, "so that there may be no mistake."  And one wanted forty boxes of money, a request whose vagueness suggests only the childishness mingled with cunning of the untutored savage.  "Forty boxes of money" might mean as much or as little as the white man chose to make it.  To the Indian it was untold wealth.  But he wanted it all the same.  Particularly, however, all were united in asking for short-horned cattle, agricultural implements, overcoats, trunks, and forty dollars a piece.  This, at least, was civilization.

To the average citizen, unfamiliar with the wild life of the Sioux and Arrapahoes, it may seem a small thing that these savages should ask for school-houses, mills, priests, nuns, overcoats, and trunks.  But it means that the Indians are anxiously reaching out for means of defense against the pale-faced invader.  Fighting is no longer of any avail.  If they are to meet the white man they must be equipped as well as he is.  Anxiously looking around on the semicircle of officials in the East Room at the White House; they saw overcoats.  Perhaps overcoats, like Samson's locks, may be a source of strength.  Why did not they ask for watch-chains like that of Secretary Evarts?  or for Secretary Schurz's auburn whiskers? or his historic eye-glasses? or the pensive smile of Assiastant Secretary McCormick?  None of these did the Indian ever have.  How should he know but anyone of them was the talisman of power?  It may be that when the Sioux go back to their country, they will, after brief experiment, tire of imitating the white man.  Like Nye's Piutes, they may desperately give over their appliances of civilization to barbaric uses.  The plowshares may be beaten into spears, the overcoats turned into breech-clouts, and the hoop-skirts into rabbit-snares.  No matter, let the red men go home to practice the magic of the white man with overcoats, trunks, and forty boxes of money.

 

Oct. 2, 1877:  Sun (Balt., Md.):  [Dakota, Arapaho]

            The Indian delegations at Washington had their final interview with the President yesterday.  They appeared in citizens' dress in token of their disposition to "live like white men."--They indicated their preference for certain locations on the White rive, in Dakota Territory, for their agencies, and the President expressed his gratification to find that they would be satisfied to have agencies on the reservations which had been allotted to them.  Their removal, however, he said, could not take place till next spring.  In accordance with their parting request the president authorized the Secretary of the Interior to give each of his distinguished visitors forty dollars and a trunk and likewise an overcoat, the money to be devoted to presents for the squaws and little redskins at home.  To-day the delegations will visit Mt. Vernon.

 

Oct. 3, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

The Indian Chiefs had a parting pow-wow with Secretary Schurz at the Interior department yesterday afternoon.  Speeches were made by the leading chiefs, who expressed dissatisfaction at the prospect of spending the winter on the Missouri.  Spotted Tail said that his people could not go there.  Secretary Schurz reiterated the views expressed by the President, that they would have to go to the Missouri until spring.  He also promised them overcoats, trunks and money.  He granted the request of the Arrapahoes for ammunition, and said that Dr. Irwin should go to the Shoshone agency to make peace, so that the Arrapahoes and Shoshones might live near each other and be under the same agent.  The Indians will start for the west this evening.

The Indians were taken up to the Corcoran art gallery this morning, and to other places of interest during the day.

 

Oct. 3, 1877:  Daily Critic:  [Dakota]

            The Indian Delegation.--The Indian delegation, with Red Cloud and Spotted Tail at their head, will leave Washington in a bad humor.  The Administration cannot be blamed for it, as the existing treaties are imperative on the Executive, as well as on the Red Men.  They are very averse to leaving their present homes, and especially to leaving this Winter.  Their appeals made yesterday in their talk with Mr. Schurz, are calculated to awaken sympathy in every generous breast.  The government of the United States has always acted parsimoniously and meanly in its dealings with the Indians.  A generous policy would have made them friends and saved millions of money and tens of thousands of lives.

            Mr. Schurz said whatever could be said to soften the harsh decision which the treaties have made necessary, requiring the Indians to remove immediately to the Missouri river, in order to five place to the gold hunters; but he failed to satisfy his auditors.  One of the interpreters who was interrogated in regard to the feelings of the Indians on the subject, said that they were very much disatisfied that the Government should insist upon their removal to the Missouri river this Winter, and that they would not peaceably submit to it.

 

Oct. 3, 1877: NY Times; [Dakota, Arapaho]

THE INDIAN DELEGATIONS.

Last Conference With Mr. Schurz

Indisposition to leave their present locality--Plain intimation by Red Cloud and Spotted Tail of their inability to control their young men if a change is forced on them--The Indians to be in New-York to-day.

Washington., Oct. 2.--The Sioux and Arrapahoe Indian delegations had their last pow-wow at the Interior Department to-day in the room of the Assistant Attorney-General, there not being sufficient room in the Attorney-General's office.

The Indians arrived at 2:30 p.m., and the conference began immediately.  Secretary Schurz addressed the delegation, saying:  "My friends, I am glad to see you, and I am now ready to hear what you have to say."

After a brief silence Red Cloud arose and said:

My Dear Father:  I am going to speak to you briefly.  The Great Spirit above this country says a portion of the country belongs to me; that is the reason I am here to-day.  The people around my country come to visit me the same as we come to visit you to-day.  They come to visit me expecting to receive presents, and we give them all the presents in our power.  Great Father, I have spoken to you before of the poor condition in which we came here.  Our people are women and children, and all are as poor as you see us to-day.  The reason I speak this way is that my people are opposed to going to the Missouri River, and say if we go there all our stock will die.  I do not talk to you this way because I don't want to obey your orders.  I want to obey you, and so do my people.  I am talking for them as well as for myself.  I am speaking to you easy and quietly, Great Father.  I know when I go back all my young men and people will feel very badly because we have got to go to the Missouri River.  All the Northern Indians that have been brought into the reservations have been brought in by Spotted Tail and myself.  That is all I have to say.

Spotted Tail was the next speaker.  After shaking hands with the Secretary, he spoke as follows:

My Great Father:  I shake hands with you for earnest and good, and it makes my heart glad when I spoke to  my good Father--it was good on both sides.  The decision he has made is yours.  It is your decision and not ours.  You ask me and my people to go near to the Missouri River.  We cannot go near the Missouri River this Winter.  Of my delegation here, altogether we have decided that we cannot go to the Missouri River. If I should tell my people I had been ordered to go there, and had sanctioned the order, they would scatter all over the country.  This delegation here with me have told you our opinion and have decided what to do, but it seems my plans are not entertained.  We have picked out a good place and are willing to go to it in the Spring, but we cannot move this Fall.  We would like to be at peace and keep peace with the whites, but it is impossible for us to move away this Fal.  We came here to-day to do business for ourselves and our people, and for no other purpose.  We came here for the purpose of picking ut a place for a reservation, so that we may have our people and our children instructed.  You told me to pick out a place for my reservation, and I have done so.  Your people try to increase their property, and that is what I want to do.  My great Father has plenty of money, and can help us.  We want our agency at Wounded Knee Creek.  Your words to me are very good, but we do not want to move to the Missouri River, and move back again in the Spring.  Where we are at present we are all prepared for the Winter.  White men never throw away their labors.  What white men have they love, and it is the same with us; we don't want to throw our labors away.  If you want us to throw that property away, you should pay us for it. If you pay us for it, probably we can move away; otherwise we cannot.  Whatever you have that belongs to you is worth being paid for if you are compelled to part with it.  The Indian is a poor man, and it seems he can never get any pay for his labors.  He would like to get paid, but it appears he cannot.  Whenever you go on a road, and travel that road, you expect too get something.  If you don't think you can succeed by travelling on a certain road, you don't go.  You are all wise men here; so is my Great Father.  Let me stay where I am this Winter, and in the Spring put us on our reservation.  The reason I tell you this is because it is the truth.  Let us stay where we are this Winter, and in the Spring we will go where you want us to. I came here on a visit; was anxious to see my Great Father and shake hands with him, and I shook hands with him with a good heart.  I asked these men that I have here with me to go back on horseback from where they leave the railroad, and they feel happy and glad to do so.

Secretary Schurz then replied, saying:

My Friends:  I have heard what you have said.  You cam here to take council with your Great Father, and he has spoken to you kindly.  When he became your Great Father he found in books certain treaties.  These treaties were a law to him, as well as they ought to be a law to you.  These treaties made it his duty to carry provisions for you and to feed you on a place near the Missouri River.  There are many things that are not as you desire and many that are not as we desire.  But, as wise men, we have to accommodate ourselves to things as they are.  Your supplies are on the Missouri River now.  They were carried there in accordance with the law, so that we might give you food when you were hungry, and it is now too late to carry them to any other place.  The Great Father was pleased at what you said about taking a place on White River, and he will be better pleased if you go near the supplies on the Missouri River, so he can help you when you need it.  He will not desire you to remain on the Missouri River longer than the Winter.  He will be glad to see you settle down on your permanent places, and will aid you in every way, and give you all that the white nation permits in the way of mills, wagons, and schools.  All he desires you to do how is to aid him in making it possible for him to help you. This Winter you will need food, and inasmuch as food cannot be carried near the place where your people now are, you will have to go near the place where the food is.  Gen. Crook will aid you in transporting all that is necessary to be transported to the best of his ability and power.  This Winter will soon be over.  We want you to go into it and endure what it may bring you with cheerful hearts.  As soon as Spring comes the Great Father will keep his promises to you.  He hopes now that you will go back to your people and give them courage.  You asked yesterday for some presents. The Great Father instructed me to see what could be done. I have sent the overcoats you asked for, and am happy to learn that they pleased you.  I have also seen to it that each man shall have his trunk, and have instructed Clark to put some money in your pockets so that you may buy some things for your wives and children.  When you go home tell your people we are their friends. The Great Father will do what is possible, and he desires to do what is right. I now bid you farewell on your way, and our hearts will be with you.

Gen. Crook reminded the Secretary that he had omitted to reply to their request of yesterday that they be allowed to keep the horses that they are to ride home with from where they leave the railroad. Whereupon the Secretary stated that the horses would be at the depot ready for them, but he was sorry to say the great white nation has no money to buy the horses and saddles now, but measures will be taken to transport you home in the best possible way.

At 3:20 P.M. the Sioux delegation retired, and Sharp Nose, Friday and Black Coal, of the Arrapahoes, remained to confer with the Secretary.  Black Coal was the first speaker.  He said:  "When I go back I am going to tell my people that I was treated good; and I want the Great Father to give me some arms to shoot game.  I want Dr. Irwin to go to the Shoshone Agency to make peace between the Shoshones and my people, and that they have their reservation near ours in the Spring."

Sharp Nose followed and said:  :The President sent for me, and I have come, and since I have been here I have been treated kindly, and not been disturbed by foolish people.  I want to travel with the white people.  The Indians are very poor, and I want all here in authority to take pity on me and do all they can for me.  I want my children to grow up and go in the right road.  My head and heart know this is good.  My tongue only speaks straightly one way." He said when he came near to his Great Father his heart was glad.  He swallowed the words given to him and treasured them up in his heart.  He has explained all this to Gen. Crook, who understands all his wants and necessities.  When Crook wanted him to go with the whites he did so, and went in front.  Some Indians were crazy and had small ears, but he made their ears longer and they were able to listen in that way.  He renewed the request of yesterday regarding the supply of wagons, seeds, mowing machines, &c., for use in the Spring, and said he would also like to have two small wagons, painted black, for the use of Black Coal and himself.  He wanted to live as the white people live, and have what the white people have.  First of all he wanted school-houses, as his children must learn to read and white. He concluded by saying, "Do not forget to send the Catholic priest."

Secretary Schurz responded as follows:  "The Great Father has already told you he will give you all he can cheerfully. He authorizes me to say that a sufficient quantity of ammunition will be given you, and that Dr. Irwin will go to the Shoshone Agency to make peace as you desire. We know the Arrapahoes are true friends of the white; therefore we are friends of theirs.  When they go to going the Shoshones our best wishes are with them on their journey."

After a general shaking of hands they retired.  They leave tomorrow evening for home via New-York.  President Hayes was present during the latter part of the conference.

 

Oct. 4, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho; Ponca]

Going and Coming Indians.--The Sioux delegation left the city last evening.  A delegation of Ponca Indians from the Indian territory to which they were recently removed from the reservation in Dakota, which Spotted Tail will hereafter occupy, will arrive here October 14th, to arrange for payment for their old reservation.

 

Oct. 4, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

The Virtuous Spotted Tail.--When the visiting Indians had gone through the Corcoran Art Gallery yesterday and were about to leave the building, a photograph of some one of the great art treasures of the gallery was presented to each chief as a souvenir of the visit.  A fine picture of one of the most celebrated statues of Venus was offered to the venerable Spotted Tail, husband of several Indian wives, but the virtuous savage declined to receive it, saying in Sioux lingo that looking at it would make him hanker too much for a squaw with such perfection of form.

 

 

Oct. 4, 1877:  NY Times: [Dakota; Arapaho]

Notes From The Capital.  Washington, Oct. 3, 1877:

[NOTE:  only Indian items copied]

Secretary Schurz visited the Indian delegation this morning, and distributed silver medals among them.  He says they appeared to be in very good spirits, and showed no signs of being displeased with the result of their conferences.

The Sioux and Arapahoe delegations left here this evening at 9:55 in charge of Lieut. Clark, for New-York.  To-morrow they will take a trip down New-York Bay, after which they will visit other  places of interest in the City.  They will leave for the West on Friday.

 

Oct. 5, 1877: NY Times: [Dakota, Arapaho]

TWENTY-THREE WARRIORS.

Arapahoes and Sioux In Town--The Indian Delegation At The Grand Central Hotel--How They Passed A Rainy Day--The Child Of Nature in The Aquarium--What Friday Thought of the Hippopotamus--Lieut. Clark's Proteges Viewing the Metropolis.

Lieut. W. T. Clark, and the delegates from the Sioux and Arapahoe nations, together with four interpreters, left Washington on Wednesday night by the 9:55 o'clock express train, and arrived at the Pennsylvania Railroad depot in Jersey City at 6:40 yesterday morning.  The journey was made in ordinary day cars, across the seats and upon the floors of which mattresses had been laid, and the red men passed the night comfortably.  From Jersey City they came over by the Desbrosses-street ferry-boat to New-York, and at the ferry-house they were met by coaches and conveyed to the Grand Central Hotel on Broadway.  Here their names were duly registered in full, and several of them immediately demanded baths, facilities for which were prepared for them.  Then they had breakfast, and afterward they smoked and lounged in their rooms, on the seventh story of the hotel, to which they ascended in the elevators, until 12:10 o'clock, when, in a long string of carriages, they went out, first to the aquarium and thence to Central Park, making a stop at the Museum of Natural History, and driving all over the pleasure ground.  A large and interested crowd, in which the small boys predominated, witnessed their departure from the hotel, and an equally large one received them on their return at 3 o'clock.  It was noticed, as they drove up to the house, that Young Man Afraid of his Horses was the only Indian who had a box seat.  The crowd, including men with sandwich advertisements and boot-blacks with their boxes swung over their shoulders, pressed into the corridor after the noble savages, who stalked in solemnly, Spotted Tail, Red Cloud, Little Wound, Yellow Bear, American Horse, Young Man Afraid, Three Bears, Little Big Man, He Dog, Iron Crow, Swift Bear, White Tail, Ring Thunder, Little Hawk, Sword, Good Voice, Hollow Horn Bear, Big Hand, Touch the Clouds, and Spotted Tail, Jr., of the Sioux; the three Arapahoes, Friday, Sharp Nose, and Black Coal, and the interpreters.  William Hunter, Leon Pallady, Antoine Janis, and Joe Merrivale, the special interpreter of the mighty Spotted Tail, the ruler of all the Sioux.  Their costumes were varied and incongruous, but their appearance from a short distance was picturesque enough to satisfy all existing impressions of what the noble savage is.  All of them have soft felt hats, and some wore them yesterday, while others were bare-headed, and most of them braid their coarse black hair into two long strings behind, which they wrap in otter fur.  They showed a partiality yesterday for checked shirts and ordinary waistcoats, and they all wore loose pantaloons of flannel or cloth, beaded and trimmed by their squaws, and brass rings and jingling trinkets--so many of these, indeed, that some of the, notably Young Man Afraid of his Horses, suggested carillons out of tune as they stalked through the corridors.  Two of the savages were impressive above all others--Spotted Tail, who said nothing, but walked in silence most of the afternoon up and down the hallway nearest his room, and Red Cloud, who was just a shade more sociable--the former tall and forbidding in aspect, the latter equally tall and heavier, with a face that is quite good-humored.  Both wore the cloaks of dark-blue cloth, beaded, constantly, and Red Cloud wore, with great dignity, a red bandana handkerchief wrapped like a turban about his head.

The smallest man of them all is, strangely enough, Reach the Clouds.  Spotted Tail, Red Cloud, Ring Thunder, Swift Bear, and American Horse, of the Sioux, and Friday, the Arapahoe, have traveled eastward before, but only the two first mentioned ones have visited this City until now.  Friday, who speaks English accurately, is a short, thick set man, with a face which is only saved from being a perfect likeness of a big English plum pudding by a pair of small but keen eyes.  He told The Times reporter that he was perfectly satisfied with his visit to Washington.  He had, in common with all the other Indians, $30 in money and a new suit of white man's clothes; and the Indians would be all right, he thought, if some of the white men did not cheat.  Friday, with his two kinsmen, Black Coal and Sharp Nose, sat in one room smoking; the former attired in a pink and white check shirt, with beaded trousers, while the latter's costume was a perfect mass of bead-work which was very pretty, especially the embroidery on his voluminous moccasins.  "All them others out there," said Friday, "are Sioux; we're Arapahoes."  He had been to the aquarium; oh, yes:  the hippopotamus was nice; he had not spent any of his money, but he was going to buy some things for the squaws.  Some of the noblest of the savages in appearance squatted on their knees by the windows and, leaning their heads over the sills, gazed upon the surrounding housetops with evident enjoyment.  When they were summoned to dinner they wrapped their cloaks about them, and soberly walked in single file to the elevator.  Two or three children met them in the hallway, and one blonde little girl held up her hand for each chieftain to shake as he passed; each bent down and said "How," and grasped the small hand--all except Young Man Afraid, of his Horses, who is certainly afraid of girls.  He wore his soft felt hat at dinner.  After dinner, when they returned to their rooms, some went to sleep upon the floors, and others tried what beds were like.  The rain interfered with a proposed visit to Gilmore's Garden last evening.  Lieut. Clark says that the Indians are all on their good behavior now; they drink a little beer, but they generally refuse liquor of all kinds.  Only once have they expressed any dissatisfaction at the impudence of the people who have everywhere thronged about them and stared into their faces.  At Pittsburg, where a crowd nearly permited them from entering their train, the chieftains unanimously decided that the white people were fools.  To-day they will go down the Bay, and possibly outside for a short distance, so that the red man of the plains may see the sea.

 

Oct. 6, 1877:  NY Times: [Dakota, Arapaho]

FAREWELL TO THE BRAVES

The Sioux and Arapahoes Go Home--A Sail On The Bay and A Draught Of Salt Water--How The Chiefs Spent Their Money.

The Arapahoes and Sioux chiefs stayed indoors on Thursday night during the tempest, and at 9 o'clock yesterday morning they departed from the Grand Central Hotel in two omnibuses, which conveyed them, first, to the fancy-goods shop of Mr. Lyons, the Indian Commissioner, on Broadway.  Here most of them expended a goodly part of the $30 which the Government gave to them, in trinkets and sachels.  A sachel of any shape or size seems to greatly please the poor Indian.  Little Big Man bought a miniature Saratoga trunk.  Yellow Bear and Red Bear, and some of the other bears also, purchased glittering metal belts such as showy damsels wear.  At Dunham, Buckley & Co.'s, where the delegation were next taken, the chiefs bought some bright-colored woolen shawls and comforters.  Then they went down to the Battery, where the little Government steam-boat Henry Smith was waiting to take them down the Bay. As they stepped over the gang-plank the countenances of the Indians brightened.  Their stolidity was overcome, and the sight of the expansive harbor, covered with white-caps, filled them with enthusiasm.  They sailed down through the Narrows, and as there was quite a gale and a heavy sea a turn was made there, and the boat steamed up close to the Staten Island shore, and up the East River as far as the bridge, the mighty engineering work, however, making a lighter impression upon the untutored minds than the guns on Castle William.  The landing at the Battery was made at 1:45 o'clock.  During most of the water excursion the two great chieftains. [sic; not ","] Red Cloud and Spotted Tail, sat in the pilot-house.  The others grouped about the upper deck until the boat turned to come back, when they went down stairs and smoked their pipes.  Sharp Nose, the Arapahoe, who is by far the noblest Indian of them all in appearance, discovered an old friend among the newspaper reporters, and gave to him a massive pipe and a voluminous tobacco pouch, of buckskin, elaborately ornamented.  Sharp Nose is picturesque; he wears a white robe and many ornaments, and his face is more expressive and intelligent then those of his associates.  During the journey the Indians all were invited to drink--salt water.  Twenty-two sipped and expectorated with disgust immediately; one--Yellow Bear--swallowed his dose, and it appeared to agree with him.  A lady, whose name is not known, sent $100 yesterday to Lieut. Clark to be expended for the Indians.  He said he would buy some frocks and such things for destitute squaws on the reservations.  Two South Ferry omnibuses took the Indians back to the hotel from the Battery, and after dinner some of them donned the citizens' suits which were given to them in Washington, rough, ready-made clothing, and went out to spend some more money in the shops.  They went in squads of half a dozen each and returned at about 5 o'clock to get ready for their westward journey.  In the evening they crossed to Jersey City by the Desbrosses-Street Ferry, and at 8:25 o'clock they departed by the Pacific Express to their reservations.

 

Oct. 6, 1877: NY Times; [Dakota, Arapaho]

IMPUDENT INDIANS.

The impudence of the Indians who have just held an interview with the President at Washington is simply amazing.  They shamelessly asserted that white men had no right to take away the lands which the Government had granted to the Indians without paying for them.  Not contented with making this preposterous claim, they then proceeded to enumerate their wants, and announced that they wanted clothing, farming tools, school-houses, and Roman Catholic priests for teachers.  In other words, they unblushingly asked to be civilized and taught religion.  And these monstrous demands were made in spite of the fact that an experience of many years has taught the Indians that they have no rights whatever, and that extermination and not civilization is what they really need.

It can hardly be supposed that the idea of granting the requests of the Indians, or of accepting their theory as to their right of property in land, will be for a moment seriously entertained.  Still, it can do no harm to point out the inevitable evils which would follow were the Government to weakly acquiesce in SPOTTED TAIL'S and SHARP NOSE'S demands.  Hitherto we have pursued a policy based upon the great truth that the Indian is not a human being, but a wild beast.  This theory has justified us in breaking at our own pleasure the temporary arrangements which the Indians affect to regard as treaties.  Of course, no agreement, whether it be called a treaty or not, which we might make with a dog would be binding in case we should see fit to abrogate it; and similarly, it would be folly for us to keep an agreement made with an Indian.  Thus, although we had solemnly promised that the Sioux would keep the Black Hill territory forever, and that no white man should enter it, we had a perfect right to drive them out of it as soon as we discovered that it was really valuable.  Aside from the intrinsic absurdity of regarding the Indian as a human being with whom we are bound to keep faith, there would be no pretext afforded for exterminating this or that tribe, if we could not drive them into hostilities by depriving them of their land.  If we once adopt the theory that the Indians should be left unmolested upon the lands which we have guaranteed to them, they would increase in numbers, or, at any rate, would obstinately decline to become extinct.  Had the Modocs never been compelled to move to a reservation where there was insufficient game to keep them alive, they would never have gone to war with the United States, and we should never had had the opportunity to hang Captain JACK and his associates for the cowardly and disgraceful crime of defending for many months their so-called home against the whole power of the government.

Criminal as it would be to recognize SPOTTED TAIL'S claim that an Indian should not be robbed of his land, it would be still worse to grant the other demands of the visiting chiefs.  If the Indians are clothed after the manner of white men, if they are taught agriculture, if they are educated in schools, and are instructed in religion by Roman Catholic priests, they will become undistinguishable, except by color, from the other inhabitants of this country.  Moreover, as they become civilized they will be better able to resist the diseases incident to savage life which now have a useful effect in permiting any marked increase in their numbers.  It is obvious that as soon as an Indian tribe becomes civilized it can no longer be treated like a colony of prairie dogs.  If the Government should announce its intention of repudiating a treaty under which a civilized tribe holds its farms and villages, and should order the tribe to remove to Alaska, a discussion would arise which would totally defeat the Government's purpose.  Indian lecturers would travel through the country addressing audiences of silly philanthropists upon the subject of their so-called wrongs, and Indian newspapers would publish articles upon the question which would give great pain to those who were anxious to take possession of their lands.  Were troops to be actually sent to drive the civilized Indians away, a large part of the people of the Eastern States would be indignant to learn that Rev. Mr. SITTING BEAR'S Sunday-school had been put to the sword, or that the young squaws of the Crazy Horse Female Seminary had been bayoneted in their school-room.  At present, the Indian women and children can be killed, and Indian warriors can be scalped, without exciting any unpleasant remarks; but acts like these, if perpetrated upon a community of civilized Indians, would very probably be called murderous by unreflecting people. The partiality shown by the Indians for Roman Catholic priests ought alone to excite a strong feeling against them.  In spite of the fact that owing to their tonsure these priests are ineligible for scalping purposes, they have uniformly gained the friendship and confidence of the Indians by treating them as if they were human beings.  To permit the Indians to have Roman Catholic priests among them will encourage them in their mischievous belief that they are entitled to fair and honorable treatment.  What we ought to do is to send them a few able atheists to teach them that they are really mere brutes that perish, and should hence make the most of the rum and vices of this life.

It must be confessed that while our present policy of extermination is infinitely to be preferred to a course that would end in obliging us to recognize the humanity of the red race, it is still by no means perfect.  To shoot or bayonet an Indian costs a great deal of money, when the Indian has to be hunted by a regiment of troops.  The true system was hit upon the other day in the case of CRAZY HORSE, who was brought into camp, and was there bayoneted by a solider, on the alleged ground that he declined to be handcuffed and locked up.  Were we to assemble a few thousand Indians under pretense of distributing valuable presents among them, and then blow them up with a concealed mine of nitro-glycerine, we should save a great deal of expense.  Such a course would be the only one thoroughly worthy of the nation which has so skillfully driven Caot. JACK, SITTING BULL, and Chief JOSEPH to arms, and would be the most rapid and satisfactory way of solving the Indian problem.

 

Oct. 9, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

The Sioux Delegations recently in Washington arrived at Omaha yesterday en route to the Red Cloud agency.

 

Oct. 10, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho]

The Sioux En Route.--The Commissioner of Indian affairs has been informed of the safe arrival of the Sioux delegation at Sidney, Neb., last night, on their return home.

 

Oct. 12, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

The Sioux Willing To Move.--The Commissioner of Indian Affairs has received telegraphic advices from the Red Cloud Agency to the effect that the Sioux Indians, since the return of their chiefs from Washington, express for the first time a willingness to be removed to the new reservation on the Missouri river.

 

Oct. 13, 1877:  Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper: [Dakota]

(Illustrated - have copy of image; GET REST OF ARTICLE!!:

SIOUX CHIEFS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.  Custer’s Slayers In Conference With The President.

The East Room of the White House presented a very odd appearance on the afternoons of September 27th-28th, when the famous Sioux warriors Spotted Tail and Red Cloud, accompanied by twenty-two chiefs, made an official call upon the Great Father, the President.  There were present, among others, Secretary Evarts, Secretary Schurz, Commissioner Smith, General Crook, Lieutenant Clark, who commanded the Indian scouts at the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies; Doctor Irvin, the agent at the Red Cloud Reservation; Mr. Hayt, recently appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and who succeeds Mr. Smith; William Walsh, of Philadelphia, formerly of the Board of Indian Commissioners; Bishop Whipple, Assistant Secretary McCormick, and several ladies, including Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Crook, wife of General Crook.

Those chiefs made their visit at the suggestion of General Crook and others in authority on the Plains, to ask that the treaty previsions of 1868 and 1869 be enforced.  That treaty gave the Indians the right to select good agricultural lands, and pledged that the Government would aid them in selecting them.  This, they claim, has not yet been done.  The treaty has not been fulfilled.

 CONTINUED ON ANOTHER PAGE -- GET COPY.

 

Oct. 19, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota, Arapaho (& Shoshoni)]

Burying The Hatchet.--Dr. Irwin, who went home with the Sioux delegation , held a council and made peace between the Shoshones and the Arapahoes.

 

Oct. 20, 1877:  Leslies Illus. Newspaper:  [Dakota]

Illustrated - have image, NEED REST OF ARTICLE!

THE INDIAN DELEGATIONS.

The Indians represented in the engraving below are members of the Sioux and Arrapahoe delegations which have recently visited Washington for the purpose of laying their wants and grievances before their "Great Father."  They protested against leaving their present country, and in their interviews with the President and Secretary Schurz, made a great many requests for supplies of wagons, seeds, mowing machines, schools and teachers, etc.  At the last interview they were dressed in the garb of civilized men,..........

.....

a piece to carry their clothing in."  Some of their requests were granted, Mr. Schurz made them a friendly speech, and they departed in a happy frame of mind."

 

Oct. 20, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Dakota]

The Removal Of The Sioux.--The Commissioner of Indian Affairs has received a dispatch from General Crook, dated Camp Robinson, October 19th, in which he says "information from Spotted Tail to-day states that the Indians there will move in six days.  Those from here are all ready, and will start as soon as I can make arrangements.  Delay in this matter would be hazardous."  Gen. Crook proposes to move with a light train, leaving the heavy baggage and materials to follow.  It will take him about thirty days to accomplish the transportation.  He is fearful that if there is any delay the undertaking will be greatly impeded by bad weather.

 

Oct. 24, 1877:  Evening Star:  [General]

To Enable Indians To Become Citizens.--The bill introduced into the Senate yesterday by Mr. Ingalls is to enable Indians to become citizens when sufficiently civilized, and giving proof that they have for five years been able to support themselves and families.

 

Nov. 3, 1877: Evening Star: [Ponca]

Poncas Chiefs Coming To Washington.--Another delegation of Indian chiefs is expected here in a day or two to make a treaty for their lands.  They are known as the Poncas tribe, who were removed last spring to a reservation in the Indian territory from their lands on the White river, Dakota territory.  The tribe numbers about two thousand.  The lands to be treated for are parts of the lands to which the Spotted Tail and Red Cloud bands of the Sioux are now being removed.  They come in charge of Major Howard, who was formerly the agent for the Spotted Tail tribe.

The following dispatch from Baxter Springs was received to-day by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs:  "The Poncas will leave here next Monday morning." Howard." [sic]

 

Nov. 7, 1877:  Evening Star: [Ponca]

The Poncas Delegation did not arrive to-day as expected, but will be here to-morrow morning at 7 o'clock.

 

Nov. 7, 1877:  Daily Critic:  [Ponca]

            The Coming Indians.

            The Indian Bureau is to-day telegraphed that the delegation of Ponca Indians left Cincinnati this morning at 10 o'clock en route for Washington.  The delegation is composed of ten Indians in charge of Maj. Howard, U.S.A., with two interpreters.  The object of their visit is to treat for their lands, which comprise parts of the lands to which Spotted Tail and Red Cloud's bands are now being removed.  Last Spring they were removed to a reservation in the Indian Territory from the White river in Dakota Territory.  They will be quartered while here at the Washington House, and pow-wow with the President and Secretary Schurz.

 

Nov. 8, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Ponca]

            Our New Indian Visitors.

            Arrival of Ponca Chiefs.

            This morning the western train of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad brought to this city Major e. A. Howard, the agent of the Ponca Indians, and a delegation of the cheifs or principal men of that tribe.  Major Howard has with him Mr. e. Willard, his clerk; Baptiste Barnaby and Charles LeClair, half breeds, as interpreters, and the following Indian chiefs:--White Eagle, Standing Buffalo, Big Elk, Standing Bear, Black Crow, Smoke Maker, Frank LaFlish [sic; Laflesche] (half breed),  The Chief, Mitchell Serrie (half breed), Hairy Bear and Big Snake.  On their arrival they were at once conveyed to the Washington House, where they were assigned comfortable quarters--a large room, fitted up with beds and chairs, being assigned the chiefs, and after a short rest they took breakfast.

            Their Appearance.

            In appearance they all look very much alike.  Their ages range from 35 to 50 years.  They are a remarkably well developed set of men, all ranging from 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet in height.  White Eagle is the principal chief.  He is tall and athletic, and wears a white shirt, blanket, and leggings with the sides worked with beads, and moccasins.  He has armlets between the shoulder and elbow.  Standing Buffalo is another fine-looking man.  He robes himself in a black-figured blanket.  The other chiefs wear figured shirts, Standing Bear boasting of one with fancy worked bosom.  None of them wear any headdress, their luxuriant growth of jet black hair being ample protection for the head.  They seem to regard the armlets and finger rings as indispensible, and some of them have rings on every finger.  Standing Buffalo and Mitchell Serrie were here 18 years since, and the others are total strangers to the eastern states.

            Friends of the White Man.

            It is one of their boasts that a Ponca has never shed the blood of a white man, and their interpreters claim that of al the tribes they are the best disposed of any of those who are not regarded as fully civilized.  They had been for some years located in Dakota, on the border land between civilization and the wild tribes, and they had been engaged principally in the cultivation of the soil.  They lived in log cabins and frame buildings, having their own horses, farming implements, and schools.  They were, however, removed by the government, last July, to the Indian territory, and had to resort to wigwams for shelter for the time being.

            What They Want.

            They do not express any dissatisfaction at the removal, but claim that they should be paid for their crops, which were left in the ground, and there should be a better understanding as to the land, and that a claim they have against the Sioux should be paid or secured to them by the government.  They now number about 800 souls.  They will also ask assistance to educate their children.

            They will call at the White House to-morrow, when the President will listen to their claims.

 

Nov. 10, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Ponca]

Poncas at the White House.

THEIR INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT.

The Ponca chiefs had an interview with the President at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, in the cabinet chamber at the Executive Mansion.  The Indians were accompanied by Major Howard, who has then in charge, and met at the White House the Secretary of the Interior and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who sat on either side of the President during the interview.  The Poncas were resplendent in paint, feathers, and gay-colored blankets.

White Eagle, Standing Buffalo, Standing Bear and Big Chief made speeches in behalf of their people, which were interpreted by Batiste Barnaby, a half-breed.  The one burden of each Indian oration was an expression of dissatisfaction at their present place of residence in the Indian Territory, and their desire to remove back to their old agency.  Each shook hands with the President and his official associates upon commencing their speeches, and after the regular Indian manner, performed the handshaking ceremony over again at the close.

White Eagle, a fine looking warrior, who made the first address, said he wished to know upon what ground his people were moved away from the reserve upon which they had been living, and spoke of the losses of property--farm implements, houses they had built, ponies and other property--that had fallen upon them in their removal, and said:--"When anybody gets into a bad place he wants to get out and be where he was before, and that is what I want.  It seems the worst Indians get the opportunity to see you before we do."

Standing Buffalo's speech was in effect the same as White Eagle's.  He said he had not signed any papers that required his departure from the old agency, and for that reason he wishes to go back.  He considered himself a good Indian, and grew quite eloquent upon the subject of wild, bad Indians receiving favors in advance of good Indians.

Standing Bear was pleased when this city met his sight.  All his Indians had their ears pointed this way, so as to listen for news.  He believed he had fulfilled all the Great Father had asked him to perform, and asked him in return to take notice of his tribe and have pity on them.

Big Chief spoke last, and, after expressing his pleasure at speaking face to face with the Great Father, said:--I am dressed as an Indian now, but I have different principles.  I was living on that old reservation, but all at once I was taken up as by a whirlwind, and disturbed in my place just as I had learned to plow, and was made to take another road which is now to me.  We are all perishing where we are now.  In less than three months' time over thirty people have died, and so have many cattle.

At the conclusion of these speeches, the President rising, remarked:--"I have listened attentively to what you have said.  I will consider carefully about it, and will let you know the result.  I will do the best I can for you, and when I have considered the matter I will send for you again."  The President then shook hands with each chief and the half-breed attendants, saying he would see them again to-morrow or hereafter.

THE INDIANS TO-DAY.

It was expected that the delegation would have a talk with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs this morning, and quite a crowd collected about the Indian office to see them.  Only the interpreter and Major Howard appeared, and had a private talk with Commissioner Hayt.  The object of their visit was to explain the feelings and desire of the Indians more explicitly than the Indians could do.  Their conference was in effect the same as that of the Indians with the President yesterday. The delegation had another interview with the President at 3 o'clock this afternoon.

 

Nov. 10, 1877:  Sun (Balt., Md.):  [Ponca]

NOTE:  Same as Nov. 8 Evening Star article with exception of opening sentence:

"The Ponca Chiefs.--Their Arrival in Washington--Thursday the Baltimore and Ohio railroad brought to Washington...."

 

Nov. 10, 1877:  Daily Critic:  [Ponca]

            The Ponca Pow-wow.

            At 3:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon the delegation of Ponca Indians were ranged around the Cabinet chamber in the White House dressed as only the Indian dresses, and painted equal to any society belle.  The President, Secretary Schurz and Commissioner Hayt soon appeared and the preliminary council was then begun.  It was not as impressive as the councils held with the Sioux.  In the first place the delegation is smaller, though of much finer physique, and in the second the speeches made were very tame and commonplace, each orator frequently repeating his own remarks and basing them upon those made by the preceding speaker.  The speeches were better interpreted than those of the Sioux, the interpreter, Barnaby, preserving, to a certain extent, the figurative expressions of the speakers, and enunciating clearly and intelligently.

            White Eagle, the first to express himself, started off gracefully with the compliment, "Great Father, I have met you to-day, and it appears as if I had suddenly come into the light after walking through a dark cloud," but soon lost himself in the mass of repetitions that he wanted to go back on his old reservation in Dakota, and that where he now was his people were dying off rapidly.  Standing Buffalo, Standing Bear and He Chief followed him.  All these remarks may be embodied thus:  In Dakota they had lived happily, following the advice of the Great Father in cultivating the soil like the white man, and had built houses and raised crops.  They were getting along happily when they had, without signing away their old lands, been suddenly taken to a new reservation in the Indian Territory, having to leave behind their farming implements, their crops and houses.  On the journey they lost a number of people and cattle and since their arrival at their new home they had been very sickly, and there was continual mourning over the dead.  "When a man gets in a bad way," said one of the speakers, "he wants to get out of it, and that was the way with them."  They wanted the Great Father to keep them out.

            White Eagle said he had wanted to see the Great Father for a long time, but, referring to the Sioux, "it seemed that the bad Indians always had the first chance."  The burden of all the speeches was that they wanted to leave the Indian Territory, where thirty-six of their number had died, and go back to Dakota, where they had lived happily and peacefully.

            The President replied that he had listened attentively to what had been said, and would to the best he could for them.  He would see them again.

            The Ponca Indians are more demonstrative and less stolid than any of the preceding delegations, very often giving vent to expressions of approval or disapproval at the remarks of the Speakers and yesterday frequently interrupted them for the purpose of having them change what had been said before it had been interpreted.

 

Nov. 10, 1877:  Sun (Balt., Md.):  [Ponca]

            Ponca Chiefs at the White House.

            They tell the Story of Their Wrongs--Peaceable Indians Fooled Out of Their Reservation.

            Washington, Nov. 9 -- The Ponca chiefs who are now in this city had a primary interview with the President at 4 o'clock this P.M.  The council was held in the cabinet chamber at the Executive Mansion.  The Indians were accompanied by Major Howard, who has them in charge, and met at the White House the Secretary of the Interior and the commissioner of Indian affairs, who sat on either side of the President at the head of a long table in the council room.

            During the interview the Poncas were resplendent in all the adornments that savage taste could muster.  There was a lavish expenditure of red, green, brown and yellow paint upon their faces.  Their blankets and leggings were of gorgeous red and green.  Eagle feathers and bears' claws were strung profusely about them, and in every respect they compared favorably with any delegation of Indian chiefs that ever visited Washington.  Several carried tomahawks, but the traditional pipe-smoking was not indulged, these being peaceable Indians, and there being no necessity for that particular intimation of their friendship for their Great Father and the pale faces generally.

            The council chamber presented a picturesque scene when the Poncas were seated around the room awaiting the entrance of the President, who, with Messrs. Schurz and Heyt, kept them in wanting only a [few] minutes before giving formal attention to what they had to say.

            The speeches were interpreted by "Barnaby," a distinguished looking half breed, who spoke clearly and earnestly in explanation of the remarks made by the red men.

            White Eagle, a fine-looking warrior, who made the first address, said:

            "I have met you to-day, and it appears to me as if i had been walking through a dark cloud and came into light.  I have come to lay some complaints before you, and there will be a great many of them.  Maybe you have forgotten me, but I always think of you.  Some of our forefathers were here some time ago.  They came to get advice from the Great Father and brought the news to us.  We still remember that advice.

            The Great Spirit moves in us all, in the whites and in the Indian.  The Great Spirit made everything for us--the land and water, and the timber--and out of that I have my rights.  We have always been living on a certain reservation.  But now we have been disturbed and made to take another road.  Our forefathers were advised to till the soil, and that advice has been followed."

            The speaker said he wished to know upon what ground his people were moved away from the reserve upon which they had been living, and spoke of the losses of property, (farm implements, houses they had built, ponies and other property,) that had fallen upon them in their removal, and said:  "When anybody gets into a bad place he wants to get out and be where he was before, and that is what I want.  It seems," he said, "that the worst Indians get the opportunity to see you before we do."

            Standing Bear and Standing Buffalo spoke in similar strain.

            Big Chief was the last Indian orator.  He was very happy, as he had always wished to see his Great Father and talk to him face to face.  "I am dressed as an Indian now,"  Big Chief said, pointing to the gorgeous ornamentation of his breast, "but I have different principles.  I was living on that old reserve, but all at once I was taken up as by a whirlwind and disturbed in my place, just as I had learned to plow, and was made to take another road which is new to me.  We are all perishing where we are now.  In less than three months' time over thirty people have died and so have many cattle."

            This was the last speech, and the President rising remarked:   "I have listened attentively to what you have said.  I will consider carefully about it, and will let you know the result.  I will do the best I can for you, and when I have considered the matter I will send for you again."

            The President then shook hands with each chief and the half breed attendants, saying he would see them again to-morrow or hereafter, and the ceremony ended.

 

Nov. 12, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Ponca]

The Ponca Indians delegation arrived at the House about 2 o'clock this afternoon, in time to hear Gen. Garfield's remark on the army bill wherein he alluded to the savages of the plains.

 

Nov. 14, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Ponca]

The Ponca Chiefs were at the Interior department yesterday afternoon, where each received from the hand of Secretary Schurz a medal.  White Eagle and Standing Buffalo made speeches to the same effect as those made at their conferences with the President.  The Secretary's answer was similar to that of the President:  that they might select the best government land in the Indian territory, and that they should have houses, agricultural implements and furniture, equally as much as they left on the old reservation, schools for their children and cattle and draught animals when money should be appropriated by Congress for that purpose.  He then bade farewell to them in the name of the Great Father.

The chiefs made a final visit to the Interior department to-day, and will probably leave this city to-morrow.

 

Nov. 15, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Ponca]

The Persistent Pocnas.

THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO INDIAN TERRITORY.

The Poncas, finding that there are insuperable objections to their return to their old reservation, yesterday made an effort to obtain consent for their removal to the reservation of the Omahas.  They had an interview about 3 1/2 o'clock with Mr. Hayt, Commissioner of Indian affairs; the Secretary of the Interior sending word that at the previous interview he had fully expressed his views and desired to say nothing further.  White Eagle, Standing Bear, Frank Le Fleche and The Chief made forcible speeches, and impressed their remarks on their hearers by frequent gesticulation.  They said that they had left some 30 of their number at the Omaha reservation; that the Omahas had invited them to return, and that they wished to live with those who speak their own language, and not among a strange wild people.   They claimed that being northern Indians they could not endure the heat of the south, and that their women and children and cattle were dying every day.  The long distance they would be compelled to travel was no obstacle to them; they were walking Indians.  They had been led to believe by the man who superintended their removal from their old reservation that they were to go to a new land only on trial, and it was distinctly understood that they were to go no further than the land of the Omahas.  They wished to live, not among a people whom they feared, but with their friends and relatives, where the property gained by their labor might descend to their children.  The Commissioner replied that they should have informed the President last Friday of their desire to go to the Omaha reservation; that there was not room in the reservation for the two nations; that they would have larger and better lands in Indian territory, and finally that the Omahas themselves must shortly be removed from the Missouri river.  He would, however, make known their wishes to the President, and would inform them of any change in his plans concerning them.  He concluded by saying that it was better that all the Indians should live together in an Indian state; and that White Eagle might some day be returned as their Senator to the Capitol.

 

Nov. 16, 1877:  Evening Star:  [Ponca]

The Poncas did not leave the city yesterday, as was expected.  Their change of tactics in withdrawing their claim to be removed to their old reservation, and asking to be allowed to live with the Omahas, makes the time of their departure uncertain.  They made another "farewell visit" to the Interior department this afternoon.

 

Nov. 17, 1877:  Evening Star;  [onca]

The Importunate Poncas

A FINAL, POW-WOW AT THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

Yesterday the Poncas paid their "farewell visit" to the Interior department.  Secretary Schurz, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Senator Plumb of Kansas; Mr. Wm. Welsh, brother of the lately nominated minister to England; Mr. William H. Lyon, of the board of Indian commissioners, and Rev. Owen Dorsey, a former missionary to the Poncas, were present in the Commissioner's room, where the delegation was received.

White Eagle, Standing Buffalo, Standing Bear, Frank la Flesche and The Chief, all spoke to nearly the same effect, saying that they saw that they must do what the great father wishes them, and expressing the hope that the articles (houses, schools, annuities, cattle, agricultural implements, etc.) mentioned in the list which they had handed the Commissioner would be granted them.

The Secretary of the Interior informed them that whether all the articles mentioned in their list would be granted or not depended on the liberality of the great council.  Neither the President nor he himself nor the Commissioner could give them.  The Poncas had his best wishes for their prosperity and happiness, and he wished them God speed on their journey.  He then furnished White Eagle with a copy of the President's speech at the Ponca interview, and told the delegation to take it home to their children, and to be sure that all the promises in it would be fulfilled.

The Chief remarked that he had thought that he would know what he was to receive before he left.  He would like to have the articles mentioned to take home with him or else have a written agreement that they would be furnished him.

The Commissioner replied that a law had been passed by Congress providing that no new treaty should be made with the Indians.  The treaty of 1859 made with them on the old reservation was in force still, and whatever was stipulated in it would be carried out, adding, "Your loss by Sioux depredations will be made up to you in new supplies.  You will be enabled to build churches, schools, and houses. The cost of your new reservation to be paid by the United States will be determined by a commission consisting of one Ponca, one Cherokee, and one representative of the government.  Full title will be given you to your land, and no one shall disturb you."

White Eagle then said that when they returned home their tribes and wives and children would ask them what they had to show for their long journey.  Should they show them only their medals and new overcoats?  He asked for $2,000 to carry back with him.

The Commissioner replied that building implements would be put on their grounds and their annuities would be paid them when they returned home, and that they would then be furnished with agricultural implements of all descriptions.  The Indians then received presents of $30 a piece, solemnly smoked a pipe in turn and sorrowfully withdrew.  They will leave for Indian territory this evening.

 

Nov. 17, 1877:  Evening Star: [General]