Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-05
From Fridays Uni
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT.


"Grand Father" the President of the United States.
The meeting took place in the favorite East Room Of
the White House, in the presence of large number
of interested spectators among whom we recognised
Hon. Howell Cobb, Secretary of the Treasury and
Hon. John B. Floyd, Secretary of War; The In.
dians were accompanied by Hon. j. Thompson, So.
cresry of the Interior, Charles E. Mix Acting Com
missioner of Indian Affairs, and their agents and in
terpreters.
The President after the Indians had been ssps.
rately introduced to him, said:
am very glad 10 see you here, my children of the
Far West. have ever felt deep interest in your
welfare. You have come great way 10 see me, and
give you cordial welcome, and should be glad if
you should explain TO me what you desire me to do
for you and should be glad to hear your sugges.
tions.
The Presidents remarks received frequent marks
of approval from the Indians.
Ls.shsro. .larl-soo, or the "Big Chief" of the Paw
nee delegation spoke as follows:
Ny Grandfather, have come long ways to see
you to-day and am glad as we'll as you are. We
would like to see you make haste apd give US what
is promised in the tresty, so that we may not be poor
am very glad to see you in the situation that you
are-to SEE your fine dwelling house, and that you
are not poor do not think we will be poor and you
will be the cause of it. am in hurry to get back
and tell the news that We will not be poor.
Ls-itz. share. or the "Litte Chief" also Of the
Pawnees, addressed the President as foows
My Grand Father you see me to-day. 1 am
poor. You are the cause of my coming here; you
gave me an invitation to come. Wehave been hunt
| ing for you long ways on the road; and when we
| came here We were told that this was the place in
which you resided. think it is splendid mansion.
/ think you are like the Great Spirit Everything
| the white man makes is wonderful to us. When
| ooda aal / fapI al
not poor expect to hear all you have to cay, and
retain 1t all in my head, and when get back to my
people will tell them all have heard.
Na.sharo. .ce. .ted.s.co, also of the Pawnees, next
came forward, and spoke as follows:
The principal chief of all of is sick, and is not
here to see you. For that reason asked the other
chief to speak for him. What he had said was true
have nothing more to cay, but that, since I have
seen you think will not be poor hereafter. come
here to. day, and look about and see your splendid
mansion, and it surprises me; but still know white
man can do anything and make anything and hope
we will be put in the way to do these things and not
be poor. We have been long time coming here to
see you, and now that We have you it looks as
if the Great Spirit is smiling upon u.s. auding to the
sunshine and clear sky.l hope you will take pity
on us that we may not be poor and may get all that s
promised in the treaty.
Na.hock.tara. share, also of the Pawnees, was
the next speaker, as follows:
l am very glad. 1 have come long ways to see you.
The further part of the road was bad, and got my
mocasins muddy, but still was encouraged to hasten
on. 1t is the will Of the Great Spirit that we should
you to-day, and think we will not be poor here
after. am young man-not quite man, for you
| can see my naked skin, which is smooth-and hope
you will take pity on me. have the prospect OF be.
ing made white man if l am spared. 1t makes me
have big heart to-day to see you, and think will
not be poor hereafter.
Waegah-ssh.pi, or "The Whip" chief Of the
Ponca tribe, said:
My Grand Father: call you Grand Father for no
| other reason than this: God made me Of one color
and you of another but God was partial to you and
made you of a better color. You came into exist
ence and so did l. 1t was the will Of the Great Spirit
that we both came into existence. We have never
had a chance to see our Grand Father until this tme
| and am very GLAD you asked me to vist you. 1t
was the will Of the Great Spirit that made you more
powerful than me: it was the will of the Great Spirit
that you should take this land from us-this land that
| you stand on to-day belongs to me. You are man.
| my Grand Father, and 30 sm l. Everything that
you have made, Grand Father is worthy of atten.
tion-is worthy Of looking at. There is one thing
hope you will give me plenty Of it-money! We
want money, my Grand Father. With it we can get
| anything We want. We do not want GOODS bat II
you give us money we can buy what we please, and
it lasts longer. My Grand Father, we want all the
tools of the white man. We want the blacksmiths,
| the farmers, the mers &C.. to live with Us, and
hope you will open your heart to us to day. My Fa
ther, do not speak from the end OF my tongue; It
comes from the bottom of my heart, and hope that
what you say will come from the bottom Of your
| heart.
Meshe-ke.ah, of the Pottawatome Indians said:
| You said you were pleased to see US. Finally we
have reached this city, and we are glad OF 1t. The
Pottswatomies have in times past-many times
spoken 10 you and had councils with the government
and these are the you have spoken to- For years
past you have been advising our people to reform,
and to assume other habits from what they had be-
fore and to give themselves to work and initiate the
white people. This has been your advice to us tor
| years past. Prosperity has been with you. We
wish prosperity to live with our people, The gov.
ernment has been advising US to take up the habits Of
| the white men. We have been listening, and we
have been convinced of the truth Of what you have
been advising and our business with the government
now is to get those things which will enable US to go
on in our work. We have come with the full inten.
ton of getting those things which are within treaty
| stipuations to enable US 10 20 on with our work
We have been now far advanced in civilization as
to be convinced that this ia the best way OF doing
that is, going to work. OF course, TINS business
| for which we have come will be laid before
you and the department in such form as
we hope will get encouragement from the govern.
| ment. We have brought two men with US who are
| now acting In behalf of our people, and who have
been educated, and we put this work in their hands
that it may be done Justly and equitsby between you
and US. We are determined for the time to come
to take the advice Of the President and go TO work in
earnest. We are in want of things to do WITH aud
| we have come to procure those things which are
| within treaty stpulations l am gong TO Jay down
| my gun und pursue something else for livelihood.
We have heretofore been receiving our annuites once
year. but by some means or other 1t has been dlvl-
ded into two payments. We request the government
and the President to receive il but once year. 1t
causes US a great deal OF trouble coming to get it
twice a wear. We want to receive it n payment,
as it avoids great deal of trouble 1t was the prom.
se of the when they made this treaty that
we should receive annual payments once year.
The Indians having nothing further to say, the
President spoke in substance, as follows:
am glad to see you all this bright and beautiful
day. and hope the Great Spirit is smiling on our meet
Ing, and that henceforth this meeting may be the
sign of peace between the red children and the white
| children and the Great Spirit above. In former
times the red man had plenty of game and apsnt his
life in the chase and in war; but the Great Spirit IN
His providence has made manifest that for the good
CT His red children they must change their hsbits.
The Great Spirit looks with equal eye of kindness
upon both His red children and his white children,
and it is His will that they should live together in
peace. The Great Spirit condemns war.
Why is it that our red brethren are poor7 1 will
| tell them how to become rich. They will always be
poor while they live by the chase and make war upon
each other--whilst they live in this way they must
| be poor The white men are rich because they work,
because they plough the soil and SOW the grain and
reap the nAFVost dDu HVo III theil oHu nouees tne
| Indians will follow their example they will b rich.
too, because the Great Spirit looks down with the
same kindness upon His red and His white children;
for they are all brethren, and without work no man
can become rich.
1t is my desire that my red children should have
separate houses of their own that they should have
their own land in their places that their young
men should learn the useful trades of blacksmths,
carpsntera and rilers, and have all the comforts OF
the white man. and whenever they shall do this-and
they have it in their power to do i'll will always
protect them in it.
have one request to make of my children of tho
Psvnee and Ponos tribes, and il it is granted u wiz
make me very happy and will feel that their Gree'
Father and my Great Father will approve OF the oeea
understand that these tribes-both brave men; all
brave men-have been at war; and, whilst they are
at war with each other they never improve thsf
conditions and pray fast the Great Spirit may at
this moment appear before me- and, being party
to il, hope that he may cause them 20 make peace