The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-10-07
THE BLACK HILLS.

Negotiations for their Acquisition-Inde-
pendent Demands of the Sioux Orators
Terms of the Treaty Offered by the Com
mission.
An Associated Press telegram from
Red Cloud Agency, dated Sept. 90, says:
The Commissioners met the Indians in
council on Tuesday. Three hundred
chiefs were present. Red Cloud, chief
of the Ogallalas, on behalf of the Indians,
said he felt better than heretofore. He
said he considered the Hills more valua-
BILE in the precious metals than the entire
wealth of the United States. He pro-
posed to ask large sum for them, the
principal to be put at interest, and from
the latter to derive sufficient to keep the
Sioux nation. In addition, he wanted
Grant to furnish annually each head of
an Indian family six yoke of oxen, a
wagon, a span of horses, harness, bull,
COW, SOW, boar, sheep, rams, chickens,
and other domestic fowls, coffee, tea,
sugar, side meat, rice, cracked corn,
beans, dried apples, and host of other
articles. Heenumerated also houses and
furniture, the same as white men. He
said the government was trying to make
a white man out of him, and he wanted
to indulge the white man. He wanted
a saw-mill for every tribe of the Sioux
nation; the removal of troops from posts
adjacent to agencies; and the right of
appointing Indian agents, employees and
traders. He was emphatic in his de-
mand for Catholic clergy for special in
structors. He said God had given his
people the Black Hills, so they might all
subsist from their wealth. He was op-
posed to any roads to the Black Hills
except the one made by Custer from
Bismarck, which he designated as the
thief's road. He wanted all half-breeds
and white men married to squaws treated
the same as Indians. He described the
limits of the Black Hills, which he
wished to sell, and was emphatically op-
posed to disposing of the Big Horn and
Powder River country.
He was followed by Lone Horn, Chief
of the Arapahoes, in speech similar in
tone to Red Clouds. He insisted on
the removal of agents and employees, and
putting in men acceptable to the Indi-
ans. He said all the Indians had put
their heads together in opinion. He
wanted Catholic missionaries as instruc-
tors. He demanded that the boundary
line of the reservation be extended to
the Middle Platte river, in Nebraska
He wanted the survey stopped.
Other chiefs followed, all in the same
strain.
The result of Wednesdays proceed
ings consisted in a recapitulation of
Tuesdays exorbitant demands for ad-
ditional possessions and ammunition.
One of the chiefs asked $40, 100000 for
the Black Hills, part payment in cash,
the remainder at interest, the proceeds
from the latter to purchase such articles
as the Indians require.
Each of the speakers to-day demanded
Catholic instructors.
Red Cloud, in his speech, said six
generations of Indians had passed away.
The only conditions on which the Sioux
Nation will sell the Hills, would be a
guarantee that Grant would provide for
the Indians for six succeeding gener-
ations. An Indian generation is 100
years.
The Commissioners to-day met the
Indians again, and submitted a treaty.
They offered to lease the country for q
term of years, agreeing to pay therefor
the sum of 100000 per annum, the
United States reserving the right to ter
inmate the lease at any time by giving
two years notice. Or, if the Sioux pre-
fer it, the Commissioners proposed that
the United States purchase the Hills out
right, paying therefor So, 900 in fif-
teen annual installments.
Spotted Tail and Red Cloud expressed
much surprise at the small amount Of
fered for the Black Hills, and said they
would have to call council of the Indi
ans, and could give no answer for two
days.
The Commissioners have come to the
conclusion that it is impossible to make
treaty in the present temper of the In
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