Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-06
A Scene with the IndIau,

After having finished my lnkIngs vs.,s,
day, idly sauntered up to the White Igg.s
which by the way, looks all the better f..
having been repainted. 4 group was ga.l.
cred in the famed Eas-room, aud son h,
sayages catered, in three di.,i1c. yar,a.
each attended by It's agent and iutcrp!ep,,
The PJttOWatOmIes we're clad 10 o semie.,,.
lied fashion, but the POncas aad tie p.v
nees were decked in their gayest attire viii
scarlet blankets, cres,s Of feathers. an.
worked deerskin leggins, &c, Set If ty their
brightly painted faces. The pi:ture.ggs
effect OF the group was heightened by he
long spears carried by some OF the chic.
and by the attitudes of otherS-one or IT,
sitting down or reclining Oh the carpc, =,
times during the interview. The thrce,rFa.
occupied, as it were, three sides OF hyI.v
square the fourth being composed Of pa,
face" spectators. Among these were men.
bers of the Cabinet, dlp!omatists, editors, A..
fists, and ladies fair.
President Buchanan, standing within the
square, Cooked every inch" the great.
grandfather" of bis savage children y1,
were evidently impressed with his mmsri.
ing appearance. lie gave his "chillrsp
from the far West" cordial welcome, yhic,
was translated by the three Interpreter, in
turn, and desired them - make known their
wants. The lndians applaudei him BY ire.
quent cultural cries, and then responded
each spokesman in his turn. Four Pawuse.
| POnca, and Pottowatomie, each told .a4
want of his tribe, and each tribe apTel-et
! to have the same want. IL was best m4.a
known by Wah-gah sah-pi, lthe whip.
hard looking old POnca, who wears a pair q.
horns on his head dress.
My Grand Father: | call you Grant
Father for no other reason than this: III
made me of one color and you Of another.
but God was partial to you, and made you
of better color. You came into existence.
aud SO did |. 1t was the will Of the Ggea;
Spirit that we both came into existeIce-
We have never bad chance u see cur
Grand Father until this time, and am very
glad you asked me to Welt you. 1t was the
will of the Great Spirit t4at 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 today
belongs = me. You are a man, my Grant
Father, and So am l. Everything that you
have made, Grand Father, is worthy Vi a..
tention-is worthy Of looking at. There is
one thing that attracts the eye more THAI
anything else, aud | hope you will give M
pleuty Of it-money. We want money, nv
Grand Father. With it we can get any.
thing we want. We do not want goods; bu,
if you give US money We can 6uy VIVA, We
please, and it lasts longer. My Grand Fatl-
err ge wait all the tools of the white man
We want the blacksmths, the farmers, TIE
millers, &C., to live with u, aud hope yll
will open your heart to Us u day. Ny Fab.
er, | do not speak from the end of my
tongue il comes from the b.t;Jm OF my
heart, and | hope that what you say vii.
come from the bottom Of your heart
The reply of the President was happily
conceived and elcquently uttered. Adopting
the fgurative style OF Indian Oratorv, be
commenced by an allusion TO the bright and
beautiful weather. He hoped that the Grca,
Spirit was smiling on the meeting, and that
hencelorth this council might be regarded as
the sign of peace between the red children
and the white children, and the Great SPIRIT
al ove. 10 conclusion, he happily asked tor
a reconciliation between the Pdwnees and
the POncas. 81 understand" said he, "that
these tribes-both brave mer--all brave mcu
have been at war; and, whilst they are OF
war with each other, they can nevar improve
their condition, and | pray that the Great
Spirit may, ct this moment appear before
me; and, | being a party to it, | hope thar
he may cause them TO make peace and shake
hands with me, and shake hands with each
other in token of perpetual peace among
each other"
The savages shook bands with q will and
the ceremony was the more interesting as
one of them had Gifted the scalp" Of the
brother Of the opponent with whom he thus
fraternzed President Buchanan was eyl.
IDENTIFY delighted with the success Of his at,
tempt at pacication, and he exclaimed, "l
hope this peace will last as long as the sun
shines and the rivers run"-- Wa3k. Siais'.