The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-11-06
BIG EAGLES PARDON.

which it was Brought About
How the Spirit of Little Grow
/ Accomplished it--Paper by DR..
Powers.
There has appeared in n Chicago
i publication an account Of the manner
in which the pardon Of Big Eagle, the
Sioux Chief. who was brought tn Dav-
enport In company with nearly three
hundred people Of his tribe, in the fall
of 1872. and confined in Camp Me-
Clellan for long time, was gained.
These Indians, as our readers will re-
member, were engaged In the terrible
massacre of whites in the region of
New Tim, in August, 1862. IL is es-
tinated, the account says, that 3a,MD
people, scattered over eighteen coun-
ties In Minnesota, He'd affrighted from
their farms, for safety TO districts sup.
posed to he better protected than their
own. After the Indiana were cap
tured, they came near being massacred
In turn by the whites whose relatives
they had killed aud whose property
they had destroyea-and /, was to
save them from mob violence, that
were brought here. Their leader,
Little Grow, was killed. The account
referred to is published in the Chicago
Illustrated journal aud is from the
pen of our "hilom resident, Rev. DR..
| II. \. Powers. Big Eagle" he says,
was of robust fame. rather heavy
aud severe countenance, aud of dig
nified manners. His natural capacity
was good, with seine strong traits of
character, and his behavior at the
best WAS good and becoming" The
doctor says that his object in writing
the paper is simply to relate singular
incident Of history. which, curious in
itself, gets peculiar interest from its
connection with President Lincoln
and his family. For the release of the
Chief from prison was chiefly through
alleged spiritualistic influences. Hun
dreds Of Davenporters will remember
the release Of the Chief, though not
twenty know how IL was brought
about. The doctor continues
1.-The chief actor in the affair that l
am about 10 describe WAS Geo. :. C..
Dow, Esq, for many years promi-
nent lawyer aud highly esteemed cit
izen of Davenport. whom knew in
timately, and whose friendship | have
enjoyed since 1855. Memoranda Of
| the circumstances were taken ut the
time of the occurrence from Mr.. Dow's
statement 10 me personally, and the
same gentleman has lately furnished
mo with additional notes On the sub
ject, from which material | compile
the picture of Big Eagle on the first
| page of the .ioHaU Is engraved from
photograph in the possession Of W..
A. Remington, Esq formerly of Dav-
export, but now of Genesco, in this
State.
During MI interview Of Mr. Dow
with Mrs. Gouanl at her house in
Boston, IN the fall Of 1864, when a
small company were present who
were interested in spiritnaiistic mani
festations, suddenly \ message, pur-
porting to be from The spirit Of Little
| Crow, the dece ased leader of the
Sioux, came through Mrs. Conant,
/ stating in substance that the release
Of Big Eagle from confinement would
promote the pacification af his tribe
! that the interests of both the white
/ man and the red would he thus eifec-
tualiy served, and that it was useless
! for the Indians to contend against the
/ powerful armies Of the United States.
Wet your powder, throw away your
scaiping knives, and live in peace
with the white man, WA. n specimen
Of the messages that Little Crow
| wished the imprisoned chieftain To
bear to his people. 1t was further an
nounced, at the time, that the spirit
Of Willie Lincoln was present-Willie
had not long heen iead--and that he
/ believed great good would be effected
by the liberation of Big Eagle, and
would direct the efforts that might be
put forth for this end. The request
for some one 10 ac; accordingly was
urged so strongly that Mr. Dow was
deeply impressed with his personal
duty in the matter, and being from
Davenport, where the chief was con
fined, volunteered TO be of any service
in thu ease he could, although he had
not known before then even of Big
Eagles existence. The point made
was not to save one Indian from .
miserable fate, but To promote the
good of both nations.
Mr.. Dow Was then directed by vii
lie, through Mrs. Conant, to go tt
Mr.. Chas. il Foster, of New York
who would furnish him with lette
upon the subject from him Willie) t
Mrs. Lincoln that would be effectual
It is only just to state that the mission
on which Mr.. Dow entered was no
one agreeable to his taste, nor likei,
to conduce to his advantage. In fac
in was both inconrenient and eX
pensive. and at the outset had little L
encourage hopes nf success. Still
must be confessed that his feeling
were enlisted by the almost patheti
plea to which he had listened, an,
his curiosity WAS excited by the sin
gular means that We're evidently to b
employed in the conduct Of his errand
though his judgment taught him hoy
the whole matter would strike a coo
observer. On reachiug New 1orl
Mr.. Dow introduced himself to MI
Foster by saying, Il am the persol
who is to take q letter from Will
Lincoln to his Misunderstanding moth
ing about the object of the letter, nc
the events that led TO Tue applicatio
for it. Foster replied, This is strange
l have been trying to write one to he
for some time, and sitting down, .
once wrote what purported to he
letter from Willie to his mother, mal
Ing certain interesting statements an
) begging her, in his own afiectionat
way, to intercede with the presider