San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1877-11-10
sitting-Bull and His Power.


telegraphs: Sitting-Bull has never been
either chief or q warrior, and yet his
influence over his tribe is stronger than
that which he would exercise in either Of
these capacities. The head soldier Is
not Sitting Bull, but Long Dog, one of
the most notorious of the Sioux chiefs.
Though he is neither chief nor war
rior, Sitting Bull is necromancer. He
is q "medicine man" Of such uncom-
mon ability as to have retained his pow
or 10 consecutive years. In this respect
his position as the counselor Of his peo-
pie is greater than that of any cabinet
minister in the civilized world. Yet his
course has been extremely simple. He
merely marked out a clear line Of pol
icy, and had the pluck to pursue it un-
der all circumstances. He said in 1867,
"Let us have nothing to do with the
Americans; lot us make no peace with
them; let us live and die like Indians"
Adhering to this policy, never swerving
from it, always succeeding with it, he
has naturally carried his people with
him. This is the secret of his POWER
and Of the apparent infallibility of his
advice. His dictum is relied on in
every 'lo emergency, his dreams
are reckoned by the % Sioux
around him a. more infallible than New
toms tests or Herschell's observations.
! His omens of the war-path, his pres
cience regarding the buffalo and other
game have never failed him. lConse-
quently he is to-day as securein his do
minion over the minds and fears of
those about him as the war chiefs are in
the confidence of their followers-in bat
tie. Indeed, he directs the events OF
war and peace with the skill of a Senate
and the authority of a President united
in enc man.
Two or three days prior to his de-
parture from his own camp Sitting-Bull
had lost a son. He was therefore in
mourning, which was signifed BY red
handkerchief, wound around his head,
as he sat in corner, mysterious as ever,
among the shadows. Throughout the
night-a bright moonlight one above
the roof and walls that encompassed
him and his chiefs--he made 6 medi-
cine" and told his dreams. Near him
was squatted solitary squaw, who
moaned and groaned occasionally in re-
, spouse to his adjurations. In the mean
. time sentinels passed to and frQ. The
calls of the night sounded, and the de-
, cision between peace and war, on the
: part of 1900 savages, Ishmaelites and
J outlaws, in respect to the people, OF the
United States, waited in the brain OF
, their ablest man. There he sat on a
, dirty floor in his blankets, in rapt medi-
| tation, mute and motionless.. .........
, At 8 O'Clock Sitting Bull entered, fol-
lowed by Spotted Eaglel and the
rest of his train. Now for the
first time was visible to the white men
since the beginning of the late Indian
wars the most noted Indian Of the period,
and now was made real Cooper's often
derided vision of an Indians face.
Neither ignorance nor cruelty nor saw
ages as barbarous as any displayed in
savage history has detracted in the least
from the expression of manhood and
womanliness combined In Sitting-Bull's
physiognomy. Less rude than San
tanta's, less sharp than Spotted Tails,
more intelligent than Red Clouds, his
features, like Goethe's, made music to
the senses. He wore quiet, ironical
smile. His black hair streamed down
along his beardless and swarthy
cheeks over clean-cut ears not burdened
with ornaments. His red mourning
handkerchief was replaced by wolf
skin cap. His shirt was black calico
specked with white dots. His blanket
wrapped negligently around him reveal
ed below its edge pair of rich beaded
moccasins, the only finery he wore.
Silently, stately and impassive, this abb
original leader, this scoundrelly med
icine man," this rascally foe and treach-
erous friend, this model, in sooth, Of
Machiavelli's own sort, squatted HIM
self on buffalo robe next the wall and
took out his pipe and smoked it, and
expressed, with his insolent manner, the
following sentiment: "This commits
sion which has come TO interview me
can go to the devil"
AMERICANS arc learning from the
Mennonites. Professor Butler writes