, 1877-11-28
THE RED INDIANS IN THE UNION
AND IN CANADA.

A long and melancholy history of wrong
ended last month. The Red Indians of
the Black Hills Country finally surrendered
the lands, their independence. and their
dream of resistance to the white men.
Five or six tribes, including at least two
warrior clans, the Sioux and the Arppa-
hoes, were, as our readers may remember
settled by the United States Government
in the Black Hills country in Wyoming,
as their reserved lands. They were
to have them "for ever" and live
on them as they liked, if only they
would live in peace. 1t was dis.
covered, however, that the Black Hills
country WAS a most valuable mineral re-
gion, the white men came thronging up,
disputes of course arose, aud the Indians,
j%rritated to madness by encroachments and
by the inccssant frauds of the Iudian
Agents, frauds which were proved by Off
ciaI inquiry, d, clared war. They were
defeated, and were ordered to surrender
their Reservations, with the compensation
of 20, 900 which they claim, aud to remove
to new territories ON the Missouri. They
objected and sent up their Chiefs to Wash.
ington, and in the latter part OF September
President Hayes granted them a solemn
audience of two days, They all said 'h3
same thing, more or less pathntically.
Red Cloud" a well-known and formida-
Bile chief did DOT wish to go 10 the Missou-
ri, because " there was TOO much whisky
there and because the river freezes in
winter, and we can't get our supplies"
"If | come there, l will come to nothing
at all ,"-meanlng. apparently, that he
AMI his tribe would gradually disappear.
Another Chief followed, and another, all
obiecting to removal, until 'Spotted TAIL
head chief of all the Sioux, offered on
behalf of his people to become civilised, if
only they might remain in the Black
Hills -
~ know one thing 1t is this.
When a white mar owns land, he builds
a fence around it. and it is his so long as
he doesn't sell it. That is the way
white men live. But your people don't
ask questions. You take Our lands from
US. Before the white men came to us.
we had q good time ia taking care OF
our property, but now, a l told you, we
can't do it.. Your people make roads
aud drive away the game, and thus make
us poor and starve. A land was given
to us by the Great Spirit, who said we
could live there, but the white people
are trying to push US out of the country
and where We can do nothing. You
live here. The Great Spirit gave you
the land; you stay here. with all your
people. that is the way all nations ought
to live. Whea they have a piece of
land, they ought to hold on to it as
their own. My Great Father. l can't
read or write, but should like to bring
my cbildten mp like the whito people.
The country / live in is 'mine,-I' love
it," ~ s ga tet.,fo
~"Swift Bear" endorsed this speech
every word, and every other chief, .ex-
cept the leader Of the Arapahoes, who
3l~askedxthey President attfo have pity on
sus,a for we were ia great people, and
eve are dying ont" made 10 different
ways ne5samsasofsr, asking, with chill
dish simplicity of detail, for means with
4mhichl,to commence thu life Of the white
Iqeu. o. They wanted cattle with short
hornsys Wagon? d t60ls,i Catholic prissth