Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-11-23

lclne Lodge Greek, number OF the
chiefs made speeches, as is their Gus
tom on such occasions. We select the
following as fine specimens of Indian
oratory: ~
FAREWELL SPEECH OF sATANTA.
Satanic, the old chief of the Kiowa
Nation, came mp to the Commissioner
tent, accompanied by one hundred of
the principal warriors of the tribe, and
addressed them in a farewell speech. as
follows:
at has made me glad to meet you
who are the Commissioners of the
Great Father. You no doubt are tired
of the much talk of our people. Many
of them have put themselves forward
and filed you with their saying. L
have kept back and said nothing, not
that did not consider myself still the
principal chief of the Kiowa Nation,
but others younger than / desired to
talk and / left it to them. Before
leaving, however, as / now Intend to
go, come to say that the Kiowas and
Comauches have made with you peace
and they intend to keep it. 1T it brings
prosperity to us We of course viii like
it the better. Ii it brings prosperity
or adversely we will not abandon it. 1t
is our contract and it shall stand.
Our people once carried war against
Texas. We Thought the Great Father
would not be offended. for the Texans
had gone ont from among his people
and become his enemies. You now tell
ia that they have made peace and re-
turned to the great family. The Kio-
was and Comanches will now make no
bloody trail in their land. They have
pledged their word, aud that word
shall last, unless the whites shall break
their contract and invite the horrors OF
war. We do not break treaties. We
make but few contracts and them we
remember well. The whites make so
many that they are liable to forget
them. The white chief seems not to
be able % govern his braves. The
great Father seems pOwerless ia the
face OF bis children. lie sometimes
becomes angry when he sees the
wrongs of his people committed on the
red man, and his voice becomes loud
as the roaring winds. But like the
wind, it soon dies away and leaves the
sSllen calm of unheeded oppression.
60 hope now that better time has
come. If all would talk and then DO
as Won have done, the sun of peace
would shine forever.
We have warred against the white
man, but never because 1t gave us plea
sure. Before the day of oppression
came, no white man came to our vi
lagos and went away hungry. 1t gave
us more Joy to share with him than ii
gave him to partake of our hospitality.
In the far distant past there was no
suspicion among US. The world seem
ed large enough for both the red and
the white man. It's broad plains seem
now to contract, aud the white man
grows Jealous OF his red brother. de
once came to trade; he now comes as a
soldier. He once put his trust in our
friendship, aud wanted no shield but
orr fidelity, but now he builds forts
and plants big guns ON them walls. lie
once gave us arms and powder, and
babe us hunt the game; We then loved
him for his confidence; he now suspects
our plighted faith, and drives us to be
his enemies. He now covers his face
with the cloud of jealousy and anger,
and tells us to gone, as the offended
master speaks to his dog. We thank
the Great Spirit that ali these wrongs
are now to cease, and the old day OF
peace and friendship to come again.
You came as friends, you talked as
friends. you have patiently heard our
many complaints. TO You they may
have seemed trihlng-to us they are
everything. You have not tried, as
many do, to get from us our lands for
nothing. You have not tried to make
new bargain merely to get the advan-
tape. You have not asked TO make our
annuities smaller; but uDasked, you
have made them larger. You have not
Withdrawn single gilt, but v0luntari-
" Won have provided new guarantees
for our education and comfort. When
We saw these things, we then SAID, these
are the men of the past. We at once
gave You our hearts. You now have
them. You know what is best for us.
Do for US what Is best. Teach us the
road to travel. and we will not depart
from it forever. For your sakes the
green grass shall not be stained with
the blood of the whites. Your people
shall again be our people, and
peace shall be our mutual herl-
tage. If wrong comes we shall look
to YOU for the right. We know you
win not forsake us, and tell yOur peo-
pie TO be as you have been. am old,
and will soon join nay fathers; but those
who come after me will remember this
dav. 1t is now treasured up by tie old,
aud will be carried by them to the
grave. and then handed down to be
kept as a sacred tradition by their chill
dran. and their children's children.
Aud now the time has com when 1
must go. Good byel You ~ not see
me again, but remember Satanic as the
white mans friend"
Some men, on reading the above In
dian Grafton, may consider it the effu
sion of romantic correspondent; but
there were eight reporters and seven
commissioners present, who, singular
as it may appear to unbelievers, tran
scrlbed it in the above order.
SPEECH OF BUFFALO CHIEF.
Then Buffalo Chief, the first Chey-
enne who has yet spoken on the subject
of peace, rose up on behalf of his tribe,
and spoke In the following manner:
II ask You If il is as you say? Have
YOU come from the Great Father with
these good words? Are yCu to make
peace with us? If so, take you by
the hand. And my soldiers snail also
take you by the hand. Here You are
chiefs. You sit in the front, yonr SOL
diers at your backs. Here / stand
chief, and my young men are all around
me. You spoke about the railroad; we
will hold it together. We viii both
have a right in it. l believe that you
are sent by the Great Father to make |