The daily crescent., 1851-12-08
An Interesting Skotch.

nm AhsoEosunB SAotcns
A correspondent of the St. Louis Republican,
writing from the Indian Treaty ground, near Fort
Laramie, gives the following interesting sketch
The firing of the cannon, and the hosting of
the flag, called the Indians together about eleven
O'Clock. When assembled, Col. Mitchell inquired
of the several nations if they understood the pro.
positions contained in the treay-if they had
smoked and talked over it among themselves, and
whether there were any paris Of it that they did not
understand, or objected to. There were a few in
quries made and few difficulties, or doubts, sup
gested, which were not important, but, upon ex.
PLANTATION, were explained apparently satisfactory
to all.
The only difficulty that presented itself was the
selection of chief for the Sioux nation. At the
former meeting, Col. Mitchell had informed them
that, If they could not select chief among them
selves, in whose support all the bands would unite.
he would himself select one, but that he would not
force them to take any one whom they did not sp
prove; that, if the man he selected was not &C.
ceptable to majority Of the bands and the Sioux
nation, he would choose another, and SO on, until
he found some one who would be acceptable TO
them all. This morning, Old Smoke, Terre Blue,
and several of the principal men from the various
bands, There are ten bands in the Sioux nation
made speeches, assuring the commissioners tbey
could not agree in the selection of a chief. The
most OF The speakers were either candidates for the
office, or urged the claim of some one from their
band. Nearly every band had its candidate.
The First Election Among the Indians-After
the speeches were through, Col. Mitchell informed
them that, as they could not agree among then.
selves he would select one himself; that he would
require them to signify their appreciation or dsap
probation of the man selected and if they did not
like the man proposed, he would select another
Before making selection, an examination of the
lodges belonging to each band was made, and each
band was required to appoint number of their
principal men, in proportion to their lodges, to
unfo Tho olo
bands six or seven, and to others only three voters
but fair representation according to numbers
Several principal men, or chiefs of the bands, had
been selected they were seated on the grass in
semi-crcle, in front of the Commissioner the del.
egatiol of each band together, and the whole band
a few yards IN the rear Of the representatives.
The actual number Of representatives or voters
was twenty-four. The Colonel then caused an
equal number OF sticks or twgs to be cut, of like
length, and placed one in the hand of each voter
and then informed them that he would select and
place in the centre of the circle man for the chief
OF the nation. If they were willing to take him
and respect him, and sustain him such, they
would give their sticks to the Indian selected. II
they did not wish to take him, they would keep
their sticks to give them back to him. This mode
OF election was very fully explained to each band
and every one understood it, for each band had it's
own favorite Interpreter. Ali things being ready,
the Colonel proceeded to select his man for chief.
No one present, save nlInseH ana colleague, knew
Oh whom the choice would fall but it so turned
out that the man he had selected was one of the
voters OF the band, Mah-toe- wah yu- whey, or the
Frightening Bear. His name is commonly pro.
nounced Matoe-iow- way. He is man of be.
tween thirty and forty years Of age, and as fine a
formed person as was to be found among the Indi.
He is connected with large and powerful
family, running into several of the bands, and, al.
though no chief, he is brave Of the highest repu-
tatlon. Among the whites, and nearly all of them
knew him, he bears an unspotted reputation fol
honesty, courage and good behaviour. His face in
dcates intelligence, frmness and kindness, and his
eyes are clear and piercing, His dress, which
was much inferior to those of his band associated
with him, indicated indifference to his persona
appearance. In form and manner, certainly die
not meet with his superior, if there was any ont
equal to him, among all the Indians assembled
have heard it said that an Indian is so stoca
and Indifferent to danger or surprise, that no occur
renee can change his countenance or disturb tht
stolidity of his nature. Such was not the case il
this instance.
When Col. M. selected the Frightning Bear, anG
raised him from his seat and conducted him to the
centre OF the circle, his face evinced the working,
of the various passions that stirred within him
His nomination was wholly unexpected, and came
upon him like a clap of thunder from clear sky
For some minutes he stood mute and deeply agra
ted. There was rush Of overwhelming feeling
ev dent IN his countenance, manner and action
which 1t Is impossible to portray, but which
evinced the senstiveness and native modesty O
the man.
Col M. announced to the bands that Mah.toe
wah-yu why was selected by him. When this an
nouncement was made, the squaws of his band Sc
up shout of joy. This act of Improperly on tn.
part of the squaws, interfering with the business
of the men, recalled Mah-toe- wah-yu.why to him
self, and lie Indignantly rebuked them for it
Then, turning to Col. NJ, he addressed him in sub
stance as follows: ..
Father, am young man and have no expert
ence. do not desire to be chief of the Dahcotahs
have not attended the Councils much, becaus
here older and better heads in our nation thai
! am. There are men who know the white maj
longer than have, and they know better what l.
do, end understand what you and our Great Fathe
propose for our good, better than do. Father,
nave moi attended the councils for several suns
have been hunting buffalo, and would not hav
come here today ii ! had known that this woul
have happened. Father, think you should hav
selected some older and wiser man than myself"
Col. M. explained to him, that he had seecte
him because Of the character he bore among tn
whites and Indians, for honesty, intelligence, an
courage. That it was necessary there should b
one principal chief, and if the nation selected him
his Great Father would sustain him in his Office
Nah toe -wah-yu-whey replied: Father, | al
not afraid to die, but to be chief Of all the Dab
cotahs, must be a Big Chief. If am to be chi,
must De q Dig Chei, or IN IeW moons VIII .
sleeping (dead) on the prairies. / have squa,
and papooses that do not wish to leave. If al
not powerful chief, my opponents will be on m
trail all the time. | do not fear them. | have
sleep (die) on the praires some time, and it don
concern me what time it comes. If you, Fathe
and our Great Father, require that should be the
chief, will take this office. will try to do rigl
to the whites, and hope they will do so to my pc,
pie. And Father, if any of my people are dete
mined to leave me on the prairie (kill me) | wi
have a large company of my enemies to accompan
| me to the Great Spirit l know the Great Spr
will protect me, and give many spirits of my en-,
mics to accompany me, if have to sleep for doin
| what you and our Great Father ask. The Gre,
Spirit, the sun and moon, and the earth, knows I'll
| truth Of what | speak"
Col Mitchell then placed Nah toe wah- yu. whe
in the centre of the semicircle, and again, throug
| the interpreters, explained that those who wei
| willing to take him for the Chief of the natio
| should come up and give him the stick, or twie
| and if they did not desire him, they would eitht
| keep the stick give it to the commissioner.
| Now, although this, presume, was the first ele
tions by ballot ever held in the Sioux nation,
| gave rise to as much interest as one OF our mum
cpal elections. The voters sat in front Of their
| spectivs bands, and when the nomination wa
| made, a busy and active consultation commences
The representatives of the bands were too dignife
to leave their seats, but the chiefs and prlncip
| men, not voters, were passing and repassing FRI
quently. This consultation between the represel
tatives and the bands was kept up for long tim
exceeding an hour.
During the interval, and while all the spectato
| were awaiting, in deep suspense, the result--f
it appeared exceedingly doubtful whether the i
dans would approve the sslecton-a democrat
friend of this city tMr. r. c. and myself, got
| (aside) little betting on the result. From Ii
source of the nomination, claimed a polite