Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-09-26
INpIAN
spotted Tail Gives the Commits
sfoners u Sensible Talk.

~
via SIDNEY, September 26.-The
first council with the Sioux Spotted
Tail agency, with a full commits
sion, was had this afternoon. Col.
Boone as chairman said: "My
friends, seven days since we sent
down some propositions to you that
were submitted to the people at
Red Cloud. We have come now to
hear your answer"
Spotted Tail said: "We have
come here to meet you, my friends.
We have considered the words you
brought us from the Great Father,
and We have made up our minds.
This is the fifth time words have
been sent to us from the Great
Father. At the time the treaty was
made on Horse creek there was a
provision made to borrow the over
land road of the Indians, and
though | was a boy then they told
me that the promises made were
to last fifty years. These promises
have not been kept. The next con-
ference we had was held with Gen.
Magruder, when there were prom
Uses made, but we made friends and
shook hands. Then there was the
treaty made by Generals Sherman,
Sanborn and Harvey, when we
told we should have. annuities and
goods for t~hirty-fye years. They
said this, but did not tell the truth.
AT that time General Sherman told
me the country was mine, and l
should select any place I wished for
my reservation. l said l would
take the country from the head of
White river to the Missouri. He
said they would give us cows to
raise cattle, mares to raise horses,
and oxen and wagons to haul logs
with, and to haul goods and earn
money that way. He said also there
should be issues Of such things as
we needed to learn the arts with,
and besides money to every one.
He told us that each of us
should have fifteen dollars for an
annuity, but I told them hat
was a bad amount; that we
didn't understand money, and that
it should be twenty dollars to each
one, and he asSented to that. He
told me these things should be car
ried out, and for me to 60 to the
mouth of the Whitestone and To-
cate my people and these things
should be fulfilled to me, but it
was not true. When these prom.
ises failed to be carried | went my
self to see the Great Father, and
went into his house and told him
these things. The Great Father
told me to go home, select any place
in my country l might choose
and go there and live with my peo-
pie. ] came home, selected this
place and moved here. They told
me if / would move here / should
receive afulfllment of the promises
made me, but all | got was some
very small COWS and some old
wagons that were worn out. Again
last summer you came to talk about
the country, and we said we could
consider the matter we said we
would.leaye it to the Great Father
for him to settle. In reply to hat
he has sent you out this summer.
You have come to visit our land,
and we now ask you how many
years there are for us to live? Ny
friends, You who sit before me are
traders, are merchants; you have
come here to turn anything out Of
the way without paying for it.
When a man has a possession that
he values and another party comes
to buy it, he brings with him such
good things as he wishes to purchase
it with. Ny friends, your people
have both intellect and heart;
you use these to consider in what
way you think best to live. My
people who are here before you are
precisely the same. | see that my
friends before me are men Of age
and dignity, and men of that kind
who have good judgment and con-
slider well what they do, l infer
from that that you are here to con.
slider well what shall be good for
my people for a long time to come
L I'LL 81 ~ L. I