Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-10-04
rsc IL a N x.

INDIAN TALK.-On Thursday last
our neighbors of Washington were pre-
scented with an opportunity of enjoying
the novel spectacle OF an Indian Coup-
Gil or Talk, held by the Hon. Mr.. Poin-
sen, Secretary of War, with the dele
CATION of the Sioux Indians, recently
arrived there from the West. A cor
respondent of the Alexandria Gazette
furnishes the following notice of the
proceeding :-American.
DR.. Lauries' Church, in which the
talk took place, was crowded with the
beauty and fashion of our city, and
amongst the distinguished personages
present were the Hon. the Secretaries
of State and War, Major General Me-
Comb, and the principal officers of the
Government residing in the District.
The talk was opened, by passing round,
agreeably to Indian usage, the long
pipe OF Calumet ofpeace, ofwhich each,
commencing with the Hon. Secretary
Of War took three whifis. After the
ceremony, Mr.. Poinsett arose, and de-
livered a handsome and appropriate
speech, of which the following is the
substance
My Red Brethren Your great
Father has sent for you from your wild
chasing grounds, to bid you welcome,
and to give you assurance of his friend
ly feelings towards you and your peo-
4 l. Hoe, IN ,nf
that in order to protect you most efiec-
tually against the encroachments of
your whts brethren, who, by late trea-
ties, have become your neighbors, it
will be necessary for you to cross the
" big river" and to settle in the lands
which your Great Father has designa-
ted for you. We have met you here
to-day for the purpose ofreceiving any
proposition which your people may
have empowered you TO make for the
sale of the lands, which you are about
to leave, and to arrange other matters
for your comfort and happiness in your
new country. You have passed through
many of our towns, and had many OPP
portunities of seeing the power and
strength of this great nation. This
power, your Great Father wishes to
assure you, will always be ready to
protect, aid and assist you, and you
yourselves know how strong and efii-
cient il would be if called into action.
This is the substance of what the
Hon. Secretary said-except however
that he informed them in conclusion,
that they might, on tomorrow, or any
future day make their proposition TO
their Great Father, who would be rea-
DIV to receive it. After Mr.. p. sat
down, one of the delegation arose, and
in a rapid and very abrupt speech, de-
lvcred with much energy and gesture,
replied "that they had not come here
to day to learn the power OF their
Great Fathers people, they have long
known that-their people too were nu-
merous but not as strong as their Great
Fathers They wished to put them
selves under the protection OF their
Great Father, and observe al! the trea.
ties he might make with then" Inn
mcdiatcly after this the Council broke
up. and the Indians left the Church IN
hi 9Th spirits, and seemingly well plea.
sed. The spectators no less admired
the singularity of their appearance,
and the awkward display of trlnkets
and feathers, which were tinkling and
pluming upon their persons, than the
regularity and order which they obser-
we'd in entering and leaving the Church;
The citizens were much pleased, and
no doubt wished for many such specta.
H. 81 {. Native A maricanS