The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-06-10

spotted Iail, after quite pause, pro-
ceededi in ganswer 10 questions. to talk
very gravsly, the following being sub
stantially what he said: 4 s q;
''Most indians believe in the Great
Spirit, ina heaven and in hell. But
some are unbelievers, and think that,
when they die, they nre no moro, just
like the dog and the horse. There are
but two worlds, tho one on which we
live and that one where the Great Spirit
dwells. The spirit world is more than
10, 900 times larger than this, it's hunting
fields have no end, and tho game there il
inexhaustible. Its flowers are more
beautiful and. fragrant than any we
have ever known. and its maidens nre
lovely as the colors of the clouds before
setting sun, and never grow old. The
land does not have to be cultivated there,
but every kind of good fruit, and in the
greatest abundance, hang upon the trees
and vines continuously waiting to be
plucked. Nothing ever dies there, and
the wants of nll who 60 there are con-
stantly and forever supplied without the
necessity of any work. All good men,
whether they are white or red, 20 to
heaven, but great difference will exist
between the conditions of the races of
men and individuals there and whnt they
are here. Everything nearly will be re-
verscd. The wealthy here will be poor
there, the powerful and great here will
be humble there.
''ihe Indians who have been over
powered by the intelligence and skill of
the white man here will have better
chance there. Everything which has
been taken from them here will be given
bnck to them there, even to his gun. his
dog and his pony. Here the Great Spirit
has been on the white mans side; there
he will lean to the cause of the Indian,
and then, said the chiet, his eyes fash
ing the meantime fearful realization of
the present condition OF his people,
"wcM fight it out and we will not be
driven from our hunting grounds like
the sneaking, savage wolf. The bad
men of all nations will go down into the
centre of the earth and be excluded from
the spirit land"
'But tell NE. You know that when
you die-when your people die-they
rot like the horse and dog, and their
bodies go into the earth, the mir end
water. How is it that you are to go to
the spirit land and do everything there
manner that you do here?" 1--WE go
there as spirits, and there get new bodies,
which the white man cannot kill"
''Have you not heard through your
missionaries about Jesus Christ, the Son
of the Great Spirit?' YES, have heard
oil about Him; how good He was; what
great things He did; how He would help
the bad man to be good, and how He
would lead all who would listen to Him
to the Great Spirit, His Father; and I
have also henrd how the white man
killed him. The Indian never would
have done TINT; he never would have
murdered the Son of the Great Spirit.
He would rathcr have loved Him better
than his own life; would have given
Him anything and all he had. and for
Him would have gone upon the war
path and conquered the world. It was
for long time after I first heard about
Jesus Christ that did not understand
how the white man could have killed
Him; but when got better acquainted
with the whites, when I realized the fact
that they had no respect for the rights of
the Indian, would take away his home
where he was born, murder him and his
children, despoil his women, and rob
him of his winters food, I then very
readily understood how they could even
kill the Son of the Great Spirit as they
did"
do the Indians often pray to the
Great Spirit?" "Ycs; on almost all oc-
cnsions, whether great or small"
Does the Great Spirit answer their
prayers Yes; he always answers the
good man. He has given us all we have,
and IS always present to give us more, if
we only do no wrong"
This conversation was, notwithstanl-
ing that Spotted Tail had said it must be
short, prolonged for nearly two hours
and much WAS said by this chief which
was of great interest to all who hnl heard
him, even to the Indians and half bloods
present.
On the subject of dress AMI civiliza-
ton, the following conversation in sub
stance occurred:
"lou have said to the Commissioner
of Indinn Affairs that you want in your
annual distribution Of rations," (Which
for the last seven years to the Sioux has
amounted to from 81 900, 900 to $780,
QUO per nnnum,) 'you want the same
kind of food the white man eats. Don't
YOU think it would bc much more COM
! Portable if YOU would wear the same kind
of clothes rs the white man? Would not
thr white mans frOOSprS Suit Won 1,offcr