The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-06-09
Big Talk with the Indians.
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Speak
Reply OF Secretary Cox and Com
missioner Parker.


WAsHINGToS, June Another
grand council with the Red Cloud and
Spotted Tail bands Of Sioux came of
this morning at the Interior Depart
ment, so that Secretary Cox and Com
missioner Parker could give the Indian
chiefs a reply to the complaints and de-
mands they made Yesterday. Secretary
Cox addressed the Indians through the
inte. prefers. He told them that they
had been about our city and seen the
Great Father, and many other great
people, and could see that we had great
power, and that what the President
would do for the Indians was not
through fear, but because he wants to
do that which is right and good. He
said that they would be protected on
their reservations; that the white man
would not encroach upon them; that
they would continue to give them food
and rations, and also all the goods pro
missed. He said that when Red Cloud
and Spotted Tail promised to live in
peace with the whites on the frontier,
then he would let them have powder
and shot to kill game with but there
had been whites lately killed, and there
must be stop put to 1t.
Red Cloud answered that it was not
his people who had done it, for none of
them were south ofthe Pacific railroad.
Secretary Cox said that he could not
give the guns while the people were
frightened, for, hesaid, when an Indian
killed a white man they charged all the
Indians with it, and thus sometimes an
innocent band suffered for the guilty.
The Secretary spoke at length upon
the advantages that would ultimately
accrue to the Indians if they would re-
main on their reservation, and cultivate
the SOIL keep the peace, DC.
Red Cloud then, through the iEter
prefers, made long speech. He said
that he had offered prayers to the Great
Spirit to let him come here and talk.
He was raised where the sun rises. He
now comes from where the sun sets
lie could not see that the Great Father
was good and kind. He was good to
the white people lie was not learned;
the white man was. He could read
and write. He said that the men the
Great Father had sent to lis people had
no sense, and no heart. He said that
he and his chiefs wanted to raise
their children, but that the white
had surrounded him, and left |
him nothing but an island. He |
said the Indians are melting like the
snow, the white man is growing like
spring trees He asked that Fort Fet-
terman he moved away, and then there
would bc no more trouble. lie was |
opposed to railroads through his lands |,
lie does not want his reservation on the
because his people die fast
there, and the country does not suit
them. He said that when the goods |
are sent to his people, they are stolen
all along the road and they wanted
traders at their settlements He said the
people sent ont to him were great |
liars, and that the railroads that passed |
his lands had been of no benefit |
to him. lie had spoke in glowing
terms of Richards the halt-breed, and
Of General q. \. Smith. Red Cloud |
was then informed that what he said
would he communicated to the Presi-
dent by Secretary Cox. Spotted Tail
then said good word for Richards,
and the council broke up.
The President will receive Red Cloud
and his band some time during this
week in grand council.