Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-06-03
Failure Of the Sioux Negotiations.


were in long and earnest council at the IRE
mont House last evening in regard to sign
ing away their hunting privilege in Nebraska
for 50 Geo. and finally reached the unanimOus
conclusion that they would under no cream
staT ces sign until they have consulted the
wishes of their people. They also determined
that they had seen enough % civilization
as represented by Washington society. and
would leave tomorrow for their home in
Dakota, after perhaps a brief final interview
with Secretary DelanO and Commissioned
Smith, simply TO say g Ood- by" The agents
OF the Indians notified the department this
morning OF the conclusion of the chiefs aud
the Ind ans Will be permitted 10 gJhome to-
morrow.
The Commissioner OF Indian Affairs, after
learning of the intention Of the chiefs visited
them at the fremont House, when the fol-
lowing conversation was had:
COMMISSIONED have learned from DR.
Daniels this morning that You are not pre-
pared tn accept the advice that the President
gave you yesterday, but desire still to carry
out your wish to 90 home before you take
any action at all. The Secretary desires me
10 say that he is very sorry that Won are noS
willing to accept the advice OF the best
friend you ever had, and he hopes that you
VIII not have occasion hereafter 10 be sorry
yourselves; and come now to make 20 You
another proposition. That is. that you take
this agreement which has been drawn up
with you, and talk among yourselves there:
one copy at the Spotted Tail add one at the
Keu Cloud agency: and that you sign il there
and send ii back To me as soon as you can.
II you sign ii there, you Will also at the same
time lgnlfy what presents YOU desire to have
bought with the money, and it is supposed
that If you go home as soon as you can, and
get your council together immC lately, and
nave snort talk. and come 10 a decision, and
your agent comes over to Laramie and tel
graphs me, that thespIesentS can be bOlehJ
before the 18th of June. As your friend, am
bound to tell you that you run some risk about
il, but that risk you take yourselves in not
signing that paper. In the first place You
ought not 10 be afraiu To sign anything that
your Great Father asks you to sign. He is
able TO look at the two sides ola thing. He can
see what il coming to you. from yourselves.
nom the necessities you are getting 10 be in,
nom the passing away of game. You can
see that To a certain extent; but he can also
see what is going to come 10 You, from the
pressure ofWhite men all around you, q great
deal better than you can. He sees that it is
not possible for him Ia hold all that country
of the North Platte in Nebraska. which none
of you use, neither YOU nor the white man,
as neutral cOuntry between the two. He
sees that these white men who desire to go
there, are the men who send Congressman
TO Washington 10 make laws. He knows
mat II should desire and endeavor to keep
tnaJ llne-cOuntry vacant forever. He can
not do IL because the Congressman would
pass laws taking ii from you anyhow. He
tlid you that yesterday, when he said that
Ihe lands cannot he kept for mere sentiment.
They must be kept for use. You are asked
10 give up that which your we've told yester-
day was very little use 10 you. The buffalo
that YOU can now get down on the Republi-
can fork, are not worth going down AFTER.
Nhtn man goes out to get something TO
eat and cannot ind enough To last him back
OIL his return then he had better not
90 any more. The other privilege which
you are asked TO surrender, is only
the privilege Of keeping a country
belonging TO nobody. 1t does not be-
long to you for occupation at all. You are
asked TO surrender your part Of that agree
ment not to have the country occupied. but
there is certain part OF the country TO which
YOU have no title whatever, except this agree
ment that nobody shall have it. that you
need. That is the part north OF the NiOoTara
river ana between the Niobrara river and
that line of stakes which you have seen rum
Llng through your villages, and which trOu-
tled you so much; and that is exactly what
this agreement gives to you. You give up
TINS title, which is of no value TO you, To- the
country between the North Platte and the
NlObraTa river, and in return for ID Won get
the right TO occupy and live in this country
north Of the Niubrara and s1ath of the NJ
bTaSka line-the very country that YOU are
living in now and that you desire 50 much.
| know now you feel about il, that that Ne
braska line was a mistake; that YOU did not
understand II so; whether 1t was a mistake
or not, cannot be helped now / mean
neither the President nor the Secretary mas
any power to help it. II is q law Of Congress
tuat they cannot change. But this agree
ment gives II nack 70 you for your uSe and
occupation. ron certainly Will make great
mistake, the great mistake of your life. if
YOU do not avail yourselves of the opportu-
nifty to get yourselves such n home as you
important 10 have any risk about II, ana
that you are doing what is proper by
signing this agreement that is before YOU,
but this | Will not urge. You are grown up
men, and you ought to know by this time
what q responsibility is on you. came dow
here to say inns iQ YOU, II gl1eg TO save
ahothel c0un",.. q; &C department. of the IN
te!!oP. You can act on This among yourselves.
ana when you get ready for an answer, we
Will hear you up there.
Spotted Tall wish TO say a few words 10
you. In the things you have said to me. Your
opinion is not tall different from mine: and
my mind does not run contrary DO anything
You have said. You have made me very
happy by one thing You have said; you have
Sald that the \ Nebraska line. which is running
through my village, is TO he removed. That
Is my country, and If it is removed, will be
very glad. | have already said that will
receive this money for the purpose of giving
up the right to hunt Buffalo, although it j.
very little. | told you that | would receive
this money. and that wished to consider
the matter and that wished you to mold il
here. | said this because | wished to go back
Immediately TO my people ahd induce them
10 finish il up nj once. i say this. because If
sign paper here by myself, people about
me may dispute over 10. and there may be
blood shed over this little matter; and If
take il home and sign il before all the people.
tie people will be glad. wish YOU TO appoint
three men and will appoint three men To 90
out at once. ] want this business TO be L
tended TO Immediately; and IL they can get
there as soon as we do, so much the better.
EtC tiOud.-1nlS * my opinion anu Wish
10 tell ii TO you. III regard 10 this money
fOr giving NJ the riGht 70 hunt nave r"'
said anything against II. Y0p SiA fI,7=S
Young men about me here. Thsy are gond
Young inen, but at home there ara eSTraot
many more OF the same kind 81 srrr3r,nJ
me there there; The reason wished 10 postnone
home Is Ia =" what TO take fiji get
wish IL j think my young men may
no purchase some things that will not
consumed in few years, and may want
To tell me- what things when i get home.
want YOU TO take care of the money here,
and Will push the matter there when get
home We have told you that we want
three commissioners TO go home with us l
Will appoint two now. Todd Randall and
Mr.. Collins. The third will determine dur
Ing the day, and will tell you before night.
Whatever commissioners are to go back,
would like 10 have them in hurry TO 90
there.
Commissioner shall be able 10 keep
your money just twenty-seven days more.
II the presents are not bought within that
time, then will have no control over your
money. So you can see how little time you
have TO go on this long journey and get your
people together and get word back to me,
and have the purchases made And it seems
To me that ii will not do for you to have this
other matter about the commissioners mixed