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think these men sent out by the Great Father to make this treaty about our land have come for some purpose. The government will support us for twenty-five years, and after that time we will have to pay taxes and will be poor.”Mad Bear, another of the great chiefs, said:“These commissioners have come to talk with us about our lands. They come here with an interpreter, and we must have one to look after our interests. You have chosen four of us to do the talking for the tribe, and we work hard. Do not forget, fellow-warriors, that if you sign this paper, giving away your lands, you can never get it back again, no matter how much you may pray. It will be gone forever.”Mad Bear repeated that the whites had broken all former treaties with the Indians, and at the close of his speech there were numerous grunts of applause from the circle.Up to this time the council had been quiet and comparatively cold. The applause which is given by grunts and gut-teral explosion, was mild, but when Mad Bear took his seat and Chief Gall arose majestically, the Indians went wild. Gall is the handsomest and most commanding Indian of the tribe, and as a field general, led all the brilliant maneuvers during the Custer campagin, for which Sitting Bull was given credit.He is unquestionably the finest living Indian orator, and his speech at this council is pronounced by the interpreters to be the most eloquent ever delivered on the reservation. Among other things, he said, in alluding to the arrival of the commissioners and the proposed new treaty: “These commissioners have to talk about our lands. Five of us have been chosen to Bpeak. When we confront tbem in council we must not speak fast; we must know what we want before we ask for it. We should listen to the whites and learn whal they care to offer, and then we should, without foolish speaking, think what we are willing to give.“When I was at Fort Rice many years ago there was a treaty made with us. In this treaty the whites made great promises. They told us that we would have many cattle and that our horses would :over the plains. I returned in a few years and learned that we were again deceived, rhey did not keep their word and we were as fools. When they made that ireaty they told us that our lands went lorthtothe river of the Cannon Ball. Now they tell us that it goes no further ;oward the great north light than the Ce-iar creek. Again we are deceived. When ihe commissioners have come out they lave made us big promises. They would aot tell us what the Great Father said, but would talk to please the Indian heart.“We believed them, but we have lost nuch of our lands and our children have )een hungry. In the past 1 have not com-ilained. I believed the Great Father was
Newspaper Details
Columbus Enquirer Sun
Columbus, Georgia, US
Fri, Jul 27, 1888
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Jim H.
NA, 09 Oct 2018
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