The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-04-26
CEIERAL IANCOCK'S INTERVIEW
WITH THE INDIANS.

POAlAcHt WIN bueeN petllIlOu VI NeueAaA
Hancock to the Indian country. The
telegraph has already informed us Of
the fact that Gen. Hancock held
council with the chief of the Cheyennes
at Fort Larimer, aud of the further TACT
that when tho General moved Forward
to the Indian camp he found it had
been deserted, and they had eluded his
grasp. The Democrats correspondent,
writing under date OF April 10, gives
the following account of
THE COUNCIL.
According to previous invitation from
Gen. Hancock, fifteen of the Chey-
eunes or "dOg soldiers" came TO camp
last night, ostensibly to hold II council,
but chiefly that the General might im-
press upon their minds the impor-
tNnt necessity of keeping tho strict letter
of their treaties. y most curious sight
they presented. yet somewhat impOs-
ing. The officers were all dressed Ill
full unifOrm-gOld epaulettes, tall hnLs
glittering III gold; the artillery
especially made fine show, with the
red horse tails waving i'll the night
breeze, giving thema warlike appear
nuCe. and exhibiting to my mind the
very uSuk-luSulO vi IL SOlNACAss AAsG AbkA ~
was dark, but IL large fire was built,
which lighted with titful flashes the
deep darkness around, and the forms
around the council fire. On one side
sat Generals Hancock, Smith, Gustav.
Davidson aud Gibbs, and the artillery,
cavalry and infantry officers; while on
the other sat the chiefs with Major Ed
ward Wyukoop, their agent, ami the in
Ierpreter. The chiefs were dressed in
various styles, many OF them with the
orthodox army 'OverCOnI, some with
gorgeous red blankets; their faces paint
ed and their bodies bedizened in all the
glory OF the Indian toilet. Hideous
Sits i'll their ears and pendant from
chem We're large rings OF brass, arm
lets OF silver, rings OF copper, necklA-
ceS OF beads of vArigated colOrs, breust
| ornaments of silver shields, aud john
son silver medals, and their scalp locks
adorned with string OF silver plates
TWO wards long. Gems. Hancock and
smith were introduced to "EHll Bull
aud White Horse the two principal
chiefs, alter which Hancock taking of
his overcoat and Standing in all the
glitter OF Major Generals uniform,
spoke as follows:
GEN. HANCoCK's SPEECH.
Itold your agents some time ago that
| WAS coming here to see you, and if
any OF you wanted to speak to me, you
could dose. Your agent is your friend.
don't find many chiefs here-what is
The reason? l have great deal to say
20 the Indians, but want To talk with
them altogether. ! want to say il ali nj
once. But l am glad to see what chiefs
are here. Tomorrow | am going to
their camp. have n boy, said to be II
Cheyenne, whom the Cheycnues claim.
we have made II PROMISE, in when We
pledged ourselves, if possible, to find
boy aud girl, who were somewhere in
the United States. We have found the
BOY, and here he is, ready 10 be deliver
I'D 10 his nearest relatives, who mny call
FOR him. l will leave him mt Fort Larn-
ed, with the commander. He will de-
| liver him up to them. The girl is near
| Denver. We have written for her, and
she will. no doubt, be sent here, either
| 10 your agent or 20 the commander at
Fort Larned, for delivery to her Ieln-
| lives. You see the boy has not been in
iured the girl will be delivered by us
also uuinjured. Look OUT that any
cnptives i'll your hands be restored To
US equally unhHrmei. l tell you these
Things now, that you may keep your
treaties. Now, | have great many
soldiers-more than all the tribes put
together. The Great Father has heard
that some Indians have taken white
men and women captiveS. He has
heard, also, that great many Indians
are trying to get up war, to try to hurt
the white man. This is the reason
that l came down mere. intend
not only to visit you here, but my
troops Will remain among you, to see
thar the peace and safety OF the plains
axe preserved. am going also TO visit
You IN your camps. The innocent, and
chose who are truly our friends, we
shall treat as brothers. II we find here
after that any of you have lied TO us,
we will strike you. In case OF war, we
shall punish whoever befrieuds our en-
emieS. Ii there are any tribes among
you who have cHptives, white or black,
you must give them up, safe and un-
harmed as they are now. I have col
lected all the evidence of all outrages
committed by you, so that your agents
may examine into the matter and tell
me who are guilty, and who.are inno-
cent. When your agent informs me
who The guilty are, | will punish them:
when just demands are made, will en-
force tneni, ii they be not attended to.
have heard thai:a great mr ny Indians
want 10 fight; very we'll, we are here,
and are come prepared for war. II YOU
are tor peace, you know the conditions;
if you are for war, look out for its con-
sequences. If we make war il will he
made against the tribe, VINO must be
responsible for the acts of their Young
men. Your agent is your friend, but
he knows his friendship will not save
YOU from the anger of your Great
Father, II We go to war. If we find
any good Indians, and they come to us
with clean bands, we will treat them us
bIothers, and we will separate themtrom
the naiconIents, and provide for them, If
necessary. This we will do that the in
nocent may escape the war, which will
be waged against the guilty. The SOL
dIers are going to stay in the country.
and they will see that the white man
keeps his treaty as we'll as the red man.
We are building railroads and military
roads through the country; you must
keep your men off the road. These
roads will benefit the Indians ms we'll
as the white man in bringing their
goods to them chenply and promptly.
The steam car and wagon train must
run, and it is of Importance to the
whites and Indians that the mails,
goods 0nd passengers carried on them
shall be safe. YOu know very we'll if
you go to war with the white man, YOU
would lose. The Great Father has
plenty more warriors. 1t is true, you
might kill some soldiers and surprise
some small detachments, but you
"OuLu Aose menI anu you know that
you have not great many to lose.
You cannot replace warriors lOst-we
can. 1t is to your interest to have peace
with the white man. Every tribe ought
10 have great chief, one that will com
mand them. For any depredations
cnmmitted by any one of his tribe
shall hold the chief and his tribe re-
sponsible. Some Indians go down 10
Texas and kill women and children.
shall strike the tribes that they belong
TO. II there are any good Indians, who
uont want 10 go to war, l shall help
them and protect them. If there
are any bad chiefs, 1 will help the
good chiefs to put their heels on them.
nave great many chiefs with
me That have commanded more men