The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-25

AN INDIAN COUNCIL. I'm WASHINGTON

| The newly arrived delegation from the Potlawato-
mics held ''ialk" yesterday afternoon with the
Cherokee delegation which has been IN this city for
some time past. The meeting was requested by
the former, some Of whom had attended as DEL
egates from their tribe at the last grand council
held in the Cherokee nation at Tah-le-quah in the
month Of June, 1913.
! Mr. John Ross the head chief Of the Cherokees,
FIRST spoke, expressing his qualification at meeting
his brethren Of the Potawatomies m the town OF
their great father the President Of the United States
TO which he and the rest of the Cherokees present
had come, like the Poitawatomes, on business con-
nected with the interest Of their brethren the Far
West He said il was well that the red men came
their great father for advice when they needed il;
for he always stood ready to point out to them the
path that led to peace among the various tribes and
with their white neighbours; and that he considered
il no less his duty to watch over the interests of the
red man than over those of the white
| He asked the Potawatomies what had been done
by their nation TO further the object for which they,
with the other tribes had assembled in council last
spring, in the Cherokee nation, towards bringing
about such an understanding among all the red men
| of the West, as would keep the Ratchet forever
buried between them. He said his heart was very
full of this subject; that 1t could be effected if the
braves aud sages of the different tribes would earn
esty strive to impress It's importance on their fol-
lowers.
His speech was then translated into the Pottawat-
o'nie dialect by their interpreter, Pierre LIE Clerc,
"a half breed.
Halliday" the Pottawatomie orator, replied;
whose answer, being interpreted, was as follows:
My brethren The Pottawatomies were much
pleased with the doings of the last general council
| in the Cherokee nation. The advice you and other
Indians who had adopted the habits and customs of
the whites gave them, was good, and had been
| impressed on their memories They would not
| forget what you had told them of the importance of
at all times looking up to the government Of the Uni-
81. oh.
as their best adviser, which the only certain way
of avoiding trouble with their white neighbors. A
| letter from your people, too, repeating the same
things said in your speech, has been communicated
to through clerk, who received it from yours,
and il had received much attention from the Potta-
watomies. l was much pleased with ii, and were
! all the chiefs and headmen of the nation. Ii was
Immediately translated, and sent on wampum by a
rnnner to the Chippewas, our kindred, with re-
quest from that they would hearken to its words
in favor of general peace and earnest efforts for the
! civilization Of the various tribes. This was done
about the time we started on our journey to this
/ city. When their answer is received by our breth-
rem at home, that, and the letter, together with
"talk" from us, will be sent wampum to the
Delawares; and when again meet in the spring
in council, hope to be able to bring answers from
both of these tribes to tell you that your letter has
had the effect of teaching the Importance of look
ing up to our fathers the United States agents, and
| also Of cementing peace and goodwill among red
men, and between them and the whites. My breth-
rem, the Pottawatomie chiefs now here wish me
to assure you, that when we return we shall strive
/ to induce many nations possible to unite with
us in council next spring; and, according to your
advice, to bring with them their fathers, the
| agents, to consult and advise with us, as we place
great confidence in their friendship and wisdom.
The talk which you have just given us is good.
j We all like it.
Mr.. John Ross answered, that what they had
done was well, and would doubtless have good ef.
feet the other tribes would harken to the substance
| Of the wampum containing his speech and letter,
which he trusted, through their efforts, would be
widely circulated. The pipe of peace was then
| lighted; and after ii had been passed around the
council Mr.. Ross again spoke: saying, that at the
time of the council he had heard Of the bad feeling
existing between the Pottawatomies and Sioux,
which had given him much distress; and that after
/ it (the counciD had broken up, he had sent a
runner to the latter, urging them strenuously
to make peace, and pointing out the folly and
improperly Of wars between red men, when
| so many causes were combined to sweep them
from the face of the earth. He now wished to
know if peace had been madei
i Halliday answered, through the interpreter
that when he reached home after the coun.
4 ell broke up, acting upon the advice of the
4 Cherokee chief. (Mr. Rosy he, too, had en-
4 dcavored to bring shout a peace between the two
nations, and had sent to the Winnebagoes TO urgs
their friends (the Sioux) to bury the Ratchet; and
that, up to within few days of their departure on
this Journey, the Sioux had given them no trouble
but Just before they left, Sioux war party had
made their appearance in their country laden with
plumber they had taken elsewhere. As soon as the
alarm given in the Pottawatomie village, their
young men assembled and went out TO meet the
enemy, whom they came in sight Of at place about
twelve miles west of their town. When the Sioux
discovered them advancing, they retreated, disper-
sing in different directions, and the Pottawatomes
only followed them until satisfied that they had left
their country. He was glad that they had moi
come to blows; but his young men went prepared
to make peace, or to fight if necessary. The man.
ner in which they had retreated and were equipped
proved that they came with no good intentions, how
ever. He hoped, however, that, at future general
council the difficulties between the two nations
would be satisfactorily settled. At the next coun-
Gil there would doubtless be many more tribes rep
Sioux and Pottawatomes to u good understand.
ing.
\ lie Clerc, the halfbreed interpreter, next said
that, on his way to the town of their great father
i Washington city,) he had met the United States
agent stationed among the Sioux, and had asked
him whether or not they were disposed for peace
The agent told him that the main body of the
tribe were anxious to bury the Ratchet, and
had proposed to send proposition to the Pottawat-
omies, but that he had advised them to defer il
until his return to the nation, when he would attend
himself to the matter The agent also said that the
Creeks had complained Of depredaons and muir
ders committed by the Sioux or Pawnees on their
people, who it was not stopped, would certainly be
revenged. They had sent wampum to the Della
| wares signed by seven different nations who had
suffered injuries at the hands of these Indians
and who wished council TO determine how to
right themselves if these things continued The
agent also said that the Sisston Sioux alone had
! done all the mischief.
The calumet again passed round, and then
MIR. John Ross again addressed them upon the i'm
portance and good effects of annual general councils,
which, being attended and participated in by the
United States agents, brought them into more fre-
quent and direct communication with the United
States government, and thus gave the latter better
knowledge of their wants, as well as of the best
mode Of attending to them. He said the Indians
i only wanted close intercourse with the govern.
ment to learn how truly they their friends
He also spoke Of the importance of these meetings
in influencing the red men to live in peace with all
the world; that if they did not soon give up their
old habits, the different nations would soon cease to
exst because while in their present state everything