New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-21
TIE INDIAN At WASHING TON.

In the interview which was had on WedneS-
day between the Sioux Indians and the Presi
dent the latter is represented to have said to
his visitors after wishing them pleasant and
profitable visit, that he could not talk to them
at that time on the business which had brought
them on so long journey; he had 4" two great
"chicfs," he said, the Secretary of the Intc-
riOr and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
to whom be desired that they would state
their wants and make their complaints. He
wanted them to settle all their diff
culties with these "twO Chiefs" and only
to come to him in case there should be dis
agreement when he would endeavor to settle
it. He advised them further to listen to the
advice of the 1.-TWO Chiefs" and not be infu-
enced by the talk of men who were interested
in giving them bad counsel. awe know what
is for your good" said the President, with
compliment frankness, "bctter than you do
yourselves and if you will state your bust
"ness to the Secretary and the Commissioner,
"yOu will receive attention. and everything
"wll be done for you that is possible"
1t is not strange perhaps that President
Grant, with his views of the duties and re-
sponsibilties of the Executive, should turn
over to his subOrdinates the disagreeable task
of listening to the complaints of these people
and redrcssing their grievances if they have
any. 1t is one of the subjects which,
like the difficulties in the reconstructed
States, the third term, and sundry other
complicated questions he does not want 10 he
bothered with. Congress having adjourned, he
wants little rest from cares of state and the
vexatiOns of Office. The "two chiefs" to
whom the visiting Sioux were referred are
familiar with the business upon which they
came, and he has entire confidence in them
whether any one else has or not 1t was con-
sequently quite in line with the Presidents
methods to turn the Indians over to the "two
"chiefs" and decline to give personal hearing
to their complaints and grievances, unless
a disagreement between the Sioux chiefs and
the other "twO chiefs" should happen. There
was not much diplomacy in prefacing the deli
cate negotiations which the visit cOntemplates
by the gratuitOus information that WEI
meaning thereby the Secretary and the Com
missioner" know what is for yOur good
"better than you can know yourselves" but
the President was doubtless entirely sincere in
it, and meant to impress the Sioux chieftains
with the fact.
We do not believe there is any disposition
on the part of the public to exact of the Pres-
dent anything more than reasonable attention
to the duties Of his Office; and certainly no
one expects him to attend personally to the
details of department business But in
this case we think the President has over
looked the fact that these Indians have
made long journey lin order to state
their grievances to the Great Father in person,
and to lay before him their cOmpla ints against
the administration of the very men, the "twO
"chiefs," to whom he has referred them. They
say distinctly with as much abruptness and rs
little diplomacy as were used by the President in
his address to them, that the "twO chiefs
have told them lies, thai they have made
them promises which have never been fulfilled,
and that they do not want to have any more
talk with them. What they ask and what they
have come all the way from their reservations
for is to talk with the Great Father himself
about the treatment they have received at the
hands of his "twO chiefs" The President
seems not to have considered this when he
turned them over with so little ceremony to
the Secretary and the Commissioner
This Indian question is one which just now
attracts more public attention than any other,
and we believe we do not misrepresent public
opinion in saying that the wish and the ex-
pectation are general that the President him
self will give Red Cloud and his associates
patient and considerable hearing, even at some
sacrifice of his personal ease. 1t is not
so much question of Indian policy,
Or of tho attitude Of the Government