Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-10-25
Vhe family Cieelr.
"Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln.

was on the occasion of the visit of about
twenty Indian chiefs to the Executive Man
sion. delegated by their respective tribes
to treat personally with the Great Father
in the adjustment of their affairs. They
were habitcd in their attire of paint and
feathers. and each one was impressed with
the greatness of the occasion. the most
eventiul. probably. of their lives. Their
Interpreter placed them in the form of u
crescent in the spacious Etst room. on the
floor. as they would have been i'll At ease
on chairs. Thus they sat OF the carpet in
decorouS silence and waited the arrival of
the Chief Magistrate.
Anumber of people had been invited to
be present at the interview. among whom
were officers civil and military. and for
eiyn diplomate-, accompanied by their
wives in fashionable toilet Several of the
latter, whose feet had not long left the
asphalt of the BoulevardS Of Paris. looked
on the copper colprcl mcn-two or three
using cye-yla,ses-wilh peculiar interest;
The objects OF il, however sat under tho
close observation with quiet dignity, as
calm as if they had been in the habit OF
sitting amidst the ytudy %splcndors Of IN
E,ot room. and OF being looked upon.
every day. by distinguished men and hand
some women; the absence of any mtnife>-
alton of surprise being 4 cnaracterl>tic Of
ln,iitn nature.
At length Abraham Lincoln came into
III" room and stood before the du,kv cres-
cent, while Il group of we'll known men
gathered behind him, to hear what was
about TO take place. space being made by
u>hers about the chiefs. the President and
the immediate group behind him. The
Interpreter occupied 4 place near Lincoln.
to turn the aboriginal language into Eng
Ii-h Il, it fell from the lip. The ceremony
chief to The Great Father, each one going
upto the powerful white chief and shaking
hands-not extending the hand after the
Caucasian manner, bat holding it high and
dropping i. softly down into the Irc>iden-
liIl palm. Fac names We're furnished us
As they came forward by the interpreter
mite Bear, Biz Wolf, Red Fox, and 50 on.
The face of Lincoln WAS plainly seen by
most of the people present, Tor 1t WAS high
rr than llltt Of any other When he came
into the 70 IN It WIS. Is usual. ptlc. and
hinged with the sadness which WAS It's
principal characteristic in rcp~e. He
folded his hands before him. and stood
rather awk"ardly waiting for the inter
view to begin. .Aiicr milking his compile
mcnt~ ana shaking htnd>, each Indian re
turned to his seat on the carpet. in the
crescent of hi> brethren. When All had
performed the ceremony. each one in turn
made his -pcech to the President, Standing
up for the purpose. AMI sitting down when
done, in parliamentary fashion. probably
through Instruction, from the Interpreter
UI.. So. ~, WIN, ns..I..l l., t,L rr.U-
nervous, and in Il hurried way asked for a
chair in the spirit of L wrecked mariner
who asks for :, plank. When it WAS fur
ni~hcd him he took his seat and resumed
the t1t.nrlcd thread of his discourse. A.
tn stIiiling incident took place, a smile
passed over the faces of the spectators,
and was reflected in that OF Lincoln. This
smile. indeed, dcepcned into an audible
laugh in the rear: nut wien the ear of the
Prc,idrn, caught it. his face Immediately
>traiyh>encd INTO seriousness and >yInpa-
thy with the Disconnected Indian. He Jid
not ut once BEGIN. and the ~intcrprrtc.
said
Mr.. President. White Bear asks f I
lime to collect his thoughts.
The Prc>idcnt boweu, and another smile
went round ut the plight of the perturbed
Indian, but did not appear ON the face of
Lincoln.
Soon White Bear rose to his feet. went
at il again, and after Il fashion got through
with what be wanted TO say. 1T which there
was Il murmcr of applause.
The burden of their speeches WAS the
same. They had All come such Il long
distance, and 50 quickly, that they felt Il
If they were birds. To see the Great f..
Their had been the wish of their lives
they We're poor and required help. They
had always respected their Treaties. and
were The friends of the white man. They
wanted to be prosperous and rich like their
white brother. Big Wolf, particularly,
enlarged on this theme. He said that he
would like to have horses and carriages,
sauSages such rs he ate in the hotel in
Washington. and Il fine wigwam =" like
this, nd, cd he. az he designated the high
ly ornamcntcd apartment in which he
stood. At this. tie President could not
restrain the desire to share in the general
smile.
Red Fox was the attorney and orator Of
the delegation. He dwelt on Tie wratiti-
cation he experienced at seeing the Great
Father. 1t was the rroudest and most
important event of his existence. Had he
been familiar with the Neapolittn provcrb,
See Naples and then de- he would
doubtless have p%ararhrased it to suit the
OCCASION. There was, how ever, Il cloud in
the otherwise clear sky of his ENJOYMENT.
lie had an apprehension that when he re-
turned to his people in the Far West they
might not believe that he had seen the
Great Father and talked to him face to face
as it was his great privilege to do then and
there. Hence he would ike to return to
his people Laden down with presents
. shining all over like Il looking-gias>,"-
to prove to them the friendly relations
which existed between himself and the
Great Father.
These WAS no resisting this, and there
was some good humorcd laughing, but the
faces OF I'LL the Indians remained serious
and reserved.
MIR. Prcsilent." said the interpreter,
the chiefs would be glad To hear YOU
talk"
To which Lincoln intimatel that he
would endeavor to do so.
NV red brcthrtn,' said Lincoln. care
anxious to be prosperous and have horses
and carriages like the pale faces. | pro-
pose to tell them how they may get
lhcm.'
AT this the dusky men were all attcn-
ton. and manifested their satisfaction by
the usual Indian gutteral sounds.
1.-The plan is Il simple one,' said the
President, Is the interpreter turned his
word, into the tongue Of the red men.
Their curiosity was fully aroused. Even
the spectators looked inquilingly ut Lin
coin, to know how he was going to pro
vide horses and carriages for those who SO
bluntly asked for them.
You all have land said Lincoln. I'VE
will furnish You with agricultural imple-
mentS with which you will turn up the
soil, hy hand if YOU have o the means to
buy an on, bat | think with the aid which
voa receive from the Government You
might ut least purchase one OK to do tie
blowing for several. You will plant corn.
wheat and potatoes, and with the money
'Or which You will sell these you will be