Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-09-06
cHrPPEwAY CONFERENCE AT THE INDIAN
BUREAU as ~. HssI bAIs

lRHrosrED yoI THE NATIONAL IsrEILIsxscER.
On Thursday, between and O'Clock, the parey
ference between the Commissioner OF Indian Affairs and the
dsputsion Of Chppewsy Indians in this city took place.
These Indians arrived here in the early part Of the week
They number .r, including their Interpreter The object of
their visit is very clear but might be drawn from their
addresses the Commissioned The conference was held 10
the Commissioners room, in the Indian Bureau Il was an
nounced BY the interpreter, whose Indian title EmMEsAH
BowH that three of the Chiefs would speak Accordingly
hsKwrKKsure, or CrossnsSky the Principal Chief ad
vanced and, shaking hands with the Commissioner said:
My Father, the business which brought me here, and
which we talked OF little yesterday will speak you
about particularly. Before left my country every In
dian gave COUNSEL and told what say to you and to
Great Father, Che President and when return they
will look to me for reply como hse to talk to you be-
feel that have done no wrong and committed
thing evil either against the whites people, have
long way and have been very anxious YOU nv
father and my Great Father These wsmpums were pre-
before many che and the words that now speak are
the words they wished me to say Our people have become
much troubled and very anxious in their minds for fear their
Great Father going to take away their land and they look
all around in every direction and they look 10 the Canada
side We look around. We have refuge, shelter.
We look to the be driven it, shores per-
haps shall De drowned Some Of chiefs have wished
60 to Canada and have determined die in their
native land They have great expectation from me, that
shall get good reply from our Great Father going
y
BY our agent that should be furnished farmer, black
smith, and teacher snong people have often asked
for all these things have asked father. It is al
fifteen years have received annues and all
this time have had teacher. very anxious. Be-
fore the time that shall be driven from country
we wish to learn the ways Of the whites. have
great distance and wish to get good news from father
And about timber to speak. Last winter went
down ask the Governor about TIMBER and got
isfactory wanted to get whiteoks to into
country, and to put up sawmils in country. We
are anxious and ready to build, but cant build without
boards am weak and poor truly weak; you have great
strength. You move great things. leave this with
you Spreading the wampum the table before the Com
missioner and retiring. ts#
KAGwKHIsT, or Safe-guide, then rose, and shaking
hands with the Commissioners, said :
my Father many headwarriors gave me the words
now give to you. Our las payment poor Every way
you could hear waing Of children and women and We
received what provision Great Father cent but
poor, we thought There many deaths in party
After payment over, only blanket left
After people left the paying ground many Of people
were seen lying down and frozen 10 death. We very
poor. We received no money; many Of our people died
In our village were many poor very poor He then laid
| calumet on the table and retired.
NAGANEsApowH or Stand Before then rose and with
s,entorian voice addressed the Commissioner thus
"My Father, in strange country, but hope you
will listen TO the few words have say Last
went down to ST. Peters, and had council with
other tribes The tribe the Sioux tribe. We had
all together great father, the Governor Of the
Minnesota Territory, and talked with him. We al
ways ready to hear father When he sent for us all
down. When all the wrongs taken OF be-
tween tribes it will be found the Chippewsys have done
the least wrong. We had councils We could not decide.
We left il then great fathers he could not decide. He
said he would send to Great Father here He told US
ne would get in three months. We expected a
got have had eparation for the wrongs
the others had done We gave hands father
We did no damages we did no wrongs we touched no man.
We are always willing to obey Great Father As soon
we had got hone to wigwams the that the
Sioux had stricken children is the Sioux, the tribe
that had stricken children"
To these addresses Mr. Commissioner LEA replied, "Thas
he had listened with pleasure what the chiefs the Chip
peways had said. He always listened with pleasure what
hey had say Of many things they had mentioned he
could say good DEAL but he did think necessary
say much The Chippeways had made treaty, by which
they sold good deal Of land to the Government and had
agreed to 60 back The Chppeways well known to be
brave warike, honest people, and when they make bar
gain they will stick to it. (Here simultaneous ugh,
ugh, Of satisfactorily The Government wants not to deprive
them ahome but give them better than they have and
every way improve their condition. The ChipPeways
very widely spread their game and from their great
country they get little good Before the whites got
they could live happily in Indian style, but that longer
the Almost all the Indians who occupied all this
country where are, found necessary to sell
their land to the whites in whole in part So must the
Chippeways. The Government thinks and their Great
Father DESIRES that they will collect all together that they
will be able have houses and mills, and farms and
schools and have white improvements all about them II is
impossible introduce white improvements long they
live in their present scattered The whites could
have FARMS and schools and shops, and all such things
they lived in the way that the Chppeways do.
One of the chiefs this afternoon spoke Of the payment of
the annuity last year, and the sickness that prevailed that
time. The &ove:nment and their Great Father very
sorry hear Of it, but it of those things that could
be avoided The best that the circumstances permitted
had been DONE So long the Chippewsys remain much
scattered such things these cannot well be avoided.
they lived closer together there would not be SO far to travel
for few dollars piece and little provision The time has
when the Chppeways must do as the other Indians
they depend for their support upon the cultivation Of
the SOIL and not solely upon the chase In the country
served for them in Minnesota there might be much land
rch but still there is enough for all their purposes they
will depend upon culivang the SOIL upon agriculture and
not upon hunting and fishing If they would do this they
would soon find themselves better off than they have for years.
have said the Commissioner been lately in Minnesota
and mede treaties with The Sioux, and they say that the
Chppeways have made upon tie Sioux just the
Chppeways say the Sioux have upon them. And whilst
was there and very far from the place, party Of Chip
peways and killed many women and children Of the
Sioux. The Sioux very angry at this and were going
to make war parties and had great deal Of trouble oPre
vent them from going to Eight the Chppewsys (Ugh! ugh
told them that they not 60 that they must be at
peace with the whites and Chppeways, and all other tribes
And in the way the Great Father expects The ChPe
ways towards the Sioux There much diculty
in settling the between the Sioux and the Chppe
ways Governor Ramsey had examined the matter and he
said that money due the Chippewsys This money
paid the Chppeways with their other money The
Sioux thought the Chippeways ought to be made to pay
~-LsSv hul for Sho