New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-10
An Indian Election,

The Editor of The 81. LOUIS Republican
writing from Fort Laramie under date of September
u.s. gives an interesting account of an election OF
Chief by the Sioux nations. Colonel Mitchell indi-
Gated a mode of election He said he would nomi-
nate man. and gave each voter a stick, one being
selected from every nation with direction to give
the stick 10 the nominee If approved Of The writer
thus describes the election:
Col NJ announced to the bands that Mah-toe wah-
yu-Why was elected bv hun. When this announce O.
nent was made, the squsws of ms band set up a
shout Of JOY This act OF Improperly on tue part OF
the SQuaws interfering with the business OF tae men,
recalled Mab.toe-wah-yu-w to himself, and he In
dignantly Tebuked them for IT, Then turning to Col.
Nj, he addressed HIM IN substance as follows
"Father am young man and have no expert
enee. DO not desire TO be Chief Of the Dahcotahs
| have not attended the Councils much, because
there are older and better heads III our nation than
| am There are men who know the white man
longer than | have, and they know better wha! to
d. and understand what you and our Great Father
proposes for good, better than do. Father, }
have not attended the councils for several suns L
have been hunting buffalo, and would not have
come here to cay If had known that this would
have happened. Father, think you should have
selected some older and wiser man than myself"
Col Nj. explained to him, that he had selected
hum because of the character he bore among the
whites and Indians for honesty, intelligence and
courage That II was necessary there should De one
principal Chief, and if the nation selected him, his
| Great Father would sustain him in his office.
Mih.toe- wah- yu Why replied Father, l am not
afraid 20 die but to be Chef Of all the Dahcotahs,
| | must be Big Chef II l am 10 be Chief must
be Big Chief, or an few moons will be sleeping
dead) on the prairies. have Squaw and papooses
that Go not wish to leave IL am not powerful
Chief my opponents will be on my trail all the time
| do not fear them. have to sleep (die) on the
prairies sometime, and 1t don't concern me what
time II comes. If YOU Father and our Great Father,
REQUIRE that shall be their Chief, will take this
office will try to do night to the whites, and hope
they will do so TO my people. And, Father, II any
OF my people are determined to leave me on the
prairie (1ill mel Will have large company OF my
enemies to accompany me To the Great Dirft.
know the Great Spirit Will protect me, and give
many spirits of my enemies to accompany me, II l
have to sleep for doing what you and our Great
Father asks. The Great Spirit, the sun and moon,
aud the earth, knows the truth OF what speak' -
Col Mitchell then placed Mah-toe- " an yuwhy
IN the center OF the semicrce, and again. through
The Interpreters, explained that those who were
willing to take him for the Chief OF the nauon,
should come up and give him the STICK or ,wig and
# they cid rot desire him, they would eithor Keep
the stick OF give II TO the Commissioner.
At length after very prOtracted consultation A
Yancion Chief zone OF the volers arose, approach
Ell Mah-t0e- ah- yu-why, and gave hlln ms SUCK.
Soon after Chief from the ShOshOne odnd ana TIE
same and then the representatives OF all the bands
came mn and gave him their sticks. But we had a
sroup and marked evidence OF native and untutOred
dignity Not one OF the bands 70 which Mal-toe-
v ah.Nu-why belonged voted until all the others
had given IN theirs, and he himself threw away the
stick which had been given him before ne was Sc
Iecfed After the Colonel had satisfied Mah-toe-
wah-v,. why as the Chief OF the nation, one OF the
old Cniefs harangued the bands and especially the
Young men, telling them TO open their eyes ana
look upon the man who was here lfter 10 De the
Chief Of the haton-to have their ears bored, that
tbev might listen to his words and do what ne sild.
Hereafter, this Chief was TO be the voice Of the'r
GTea. Father