White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-02-25
THE INDIANS AT WASHINGTON.

THE INDIANS AT WASHINGTON.
The Washington States gives the following
account Of the interview of number of the In.
dian delegations now in Washington, on bust
ness connected with their respective tribes, with
the President: - --rf .r .-I
a group was gathered in the famed cast room,
and sOon the savages entered. in three distinct
parties, each attended by its agent and i-terpre-
ters The Pottawatomies were clad in a semi
civilized fashion. hut the Poncas and the Paw
nees were decked in their gaYest attire, with
scarlet blankets, crests of feathers, and worked
de0rskin lcggins, &C., set of by their brightly
painted faces. The picturesque effect of the
group was heightened by the long spears carried
BY some-of the chiefs, and by the. attitude of
others-one or two sitting down or reclining on
the carpet at times; during the interview, The
three tribes occupied, it were, three sides of
a hollow square-the fourth being composed Of
"pale face /" spectators. Among these were
members Of the Cabinet, diplomatists, editors,
artists and ladies fair. MOI I T r5ay
! President Buchanan. standing within che
square, " looked every inch " the great grand
father" of his savage children, who we're evil
IDENTIFY impressed With his commanding appear
aDdo.i He garorhis " children from the Far
West " a eordiAlweleome, which was translated
by the three interpreters in turn, and desired
them to make known their wants. The Indians
applauded him by frequent gutteral cries. aud
then responded each spokesman in his turii.-
Four PAwneeS, "a Pohca. and Pottavatomie,
each told the want of his tribe. and each tribe
! appeared to have the same want IL was best
made known by Wah-gah-sah pi, (the whip,9 a
hard looking old Ponca, who wears pair OF
horns on his head dress. '- ''e''''
my Grand Father: ! call you Grand Faith
er 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.
4 You came into existence, and so did |. 1t was
the will Of the Great Spirit that we both came
into existence. We have never had chance
to see our Grand Father until this time, and /
am very glad you asked me to visit you. It 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 a man my Grand Father, and so
am l. Everything that you have made, Grand
Father, is worthy of attenton-is worthy Of
looking at. There is one thing that attracts
the eye more than anything else, and hope you
will give me plenty ofit-money! We want
money. nv Grand Father. With it we can get
anything we want. We do not want goods;
bat if 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 men. We
want the blaeksmiths, the farmers, the millers,
&C., TO live with Us, and hope you will open your
heart to us, o-day. My Father, 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. -
The reply of the President was happily con-
ceived and eloquently uttered. Adopting the
fgurative style of Indian oratory he commenced
BY allusion to the bright and beautiful weather.
He hoped that the Great 2 pirit was smiling on
the meeting, and that heneeforth this council
might be regarded as the signof peace between
the red children and the white children, and
the Great Spirit above. In conclusion, he hap
: PLY asked for reconciliation between the Paw
! nees and the Poncas al understand" said
he, I" that these tribes-both brave men; all brave
men-lare been at-War; and, whilst they are at
war with each other, they can never improve
their condition; and pray that the Great spir-
it may at this moment appear before me; and,
/ being party to II, l hope that he may cause
them to make peace and shake hands with me,
and shake hands With each other in token Of
f perpetual peace among each other" -..
: The savages shook hauds with will, and the
ceremony was the more interesting as one Of
them had s'Hfted the scalp" Of the brother Of
the opponent with whom he thus fraternized.-
! President Buchanan was evidently delighted
with the success of his attempt at pacihcation,
and he exclaimed, " ! hope this peace viii last
/ as long as the sun shines and the rivers run"
4 a ~.