The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-07-23
Il HOLLOW PEACE.
HOW THE TREATY OF '6s WAS MADE WITH
SITTING BULL-FATHER DE sArEr's NEao-
TIATIONs
ISt. Louis Times. '

WIFI Generals sherman, Sheridan, darne
and Terry. At Cheyenne Father De SINE
separated from the army oficers and pro
ceeded on to Fort Rice, on the Upper Mis-
souri,, the military going to Fort Laramie
At Fort Rice Father De Smet met the Da
kotas whom he had baptized and received
into the church on a former visit. He ask
ed them to take him to the camp of Sitting
Bull, who was at that time looked upon al
the principal chief among the free DakOtss
They pro missed to do 30 and sent ten chief
of the Yankton DakOtas and eighty war
riors as an escort. They marched twenty.
five days through the dry, sandy valley Of
the Yellowstone, over NORWOOD and csc-
| tus, before they reached the first band OF
Sioux Indians. Taking the band with
them, they continued their journey until
the middle of June, when they reached
Powder River. Here they found an Indian
riding about and making display of their
horsemanship. Upon seeing the Dakotas
approach they formed a semi circle, and
sent out four chiefs to meet the new corners.
AT sight of Father De Smet they dis
mounted and then advanced and shook
handswith him and welcomed him to their
village. The whole party now entered the
village, and as they rode through the streets
they were greeted by some 5000 Sioux.
Father De Smet was conducted to a wigwam
in the middle of the village, where din
ner of buffalo was brought him, and then
he was left alone to rest himself after his
long march. Father De Smet took good
long sleep, and when he awoke he found
Sitting Bull and two chiefs in the wigwam.
Turning to Father De Smet, and address
ing him as Mr. Blackcoat," Sitting Bull
said "Blackcoat, the blood Of the whites is
on my hands, anc it rests on me as q heavy
burden. But the whites began the war.
Their many acts of Injustice towards us,
their disgraceful, shameful treatment OF
our families, their most cruel butchery of
600 Of our wives, children and gray haired
parents, have filed my veins with fire.
have seized the tomahawk and have sought
revenge in every way possible. To-day
you come into our camp aud my arms lie
motionless beside me. 1 will listen to your
proposals for peace, and may accede to
Them"
Sitting Bull announced that meeting of
the chiefs and warriors would be held on
the following day, and>wit this announce
ment he lef6 the wigwam.
This meeting took place the next day,
June 81. About half acre of ground was
inclosed by high barricade or wall of buff
falo skins. After the braves had gathered
inside, Four Horns, an old chief, started the
pipe of peace around the circle. This over,
Sitting Bull addressed Father De Smet and
said; "Speak Blackcoat, my ears are open
to you. Let's hear what you have to say"
Father De Smet then made an earnest ap- |
peal for peace, giving his reasons in a |
speech of over an hours length. Dark |
Moon made a speech in which he said he |
didn't want to harm the whites, but said |
that they must keep within their own set |
Elements. If they persisted in encroach- |
ing on the territory of the Dakotas, and in
building railroads through their villages,
the DakOtas would resist it as long as there |
was man left of them. Sitting Bull then |
spoke. He was In favor of letting the past |
Do forgotten and in accepting the forms of |
peace offered. 1.-THE great father at WASH
ngton would guarantee to them that they
shou I'd q OF be disturbed in their reservation,
the Black Hills, then the tomahaWk should |
be buried and forever. Two Bears and al
other chief spoke in favor of peace, and then |
C wac decided to hold q treaty with the |
D nited States Generals on the followin I'd |
Of July.
Father De Smith having accomplished |
the object of his visit, returned home, being |
accompanied as far as the Missouri River |
BY Sitting Bull and two of his chiefs. The |
result was that a meeting of the represen-
tatives of the United STATES and the Dakota |
chiefs was held on the I'd of July, and a
treaty signed by which the Government o +
the United States bound itself to permit no
white settlement to be made in the Black
Hills territory nor in any other district act
apart as q reservation for the Dakota In
1ians.
The recent history of the Black Hills
country shows that treaty was respected |
oy the whites.
Mr.. John Boyle o'Reilly, the disting uish-
I'd editor of the Boston Pilot, takes this
view of the subject
The story of the Sioux Indians is one re.
,ord of cruel injustice on the side of the
United States. Treaties have been made
With them and broken ere the ink was dry;
grants have been voted by Congress to
1ay their claims, and the money stolen by
ascals. For fifteen years past, the Sioux
Chief, Sitting Bull, who destroyed Custer,
las been at deadly war with the United
states Government. Part of his people
lave again and again agreed to peace, and
AVE accepted the offered terms, to see them
outraged in an hour. But sitting Bull has
lever buried the Matched. 10 1873 the
government owed the Sioux over ten mil
ion dollars, which has not yet been paid
Last September; President Grant sent COM
nissioners to meet the Sioux Chiefs, at
Red Cload Agency, with an offer to pur-
,hase from them part of their territory
he Black Hills. The Indians asked a high
price, which the commissioners would not