The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-09-29
THE PRESIDENTS PROMISES
Made to the Indian Delegation
Yesterday.
He INSISTS THAT THEY SHALL GO TO
THE MISSOURI THIS FALL.
But Promises to Let Them Remove In
the Spring to Any Place They May
Choose on the Reservation.

ence with the Indian delegations was
resumed this morning at the Executive
Mansion. There were present Presi-
dent Hayes, members OF the Cabinet,
the Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Gen. Crook and others. The Indians
were in full costume. The President
said he was ready to hear the chiefs If
they wished to speak further.
After a pause, Spotted Tail spoke,
urging that the lands now occupied by
his people be secured to them. Swift
Bear, Red Bear, Touch-the-Clou and
White Tail applauded his words. Red
Cloud said:
1.-The foot of the Hills is a good place
to put my Agency. 1 did not come
here to buy anything. The Black Hills
were mine and gave them to the Com
missioners. suppose you are going to
decide what you are going to give us
for the Hills, and have come to get
it.''
Other Indians having spoken, Gen.
Crook advocated their claims, and the
President was presented with the pipe
of peace. The President then said:
My good friends, you have desired
to take counsel with me and have
permitted you to come. am glad to
see you. have attentively listened to
what you have said. I have also heard
Mr.. Welch and Gen. Crook, who spoke
for you as your friends, and who have
my confidence. have well considered
all that was said. Now listen to my
answer.
I have your welfare sincerely at heart
and will be good friend to you. 1
shall be glad to crafty your wishes
when it is in my power, and for your
own good. There is an understanding
between you and the white people
which want to have carried out by
both. That understanding is that you
should go to your reservation and occu-
py it and that the lands should be yours.
have removed the Poncas to the In
dian Territory to give you more room.
l have promised to procure for you
food for your people to eat The great
council Of my nation (Congress) re-
solved, and your chiefs and head men
agreed that the supplies to be fur
nished to you should be delivered to
you near the Missouri river. This is
what was told and this is what the
Great Council of my nation believed. 1
have fulfilled that promise. Your sup
plies have been carried to the Missouri
river, and they are there now, accord
ing to our promise. You say you do
not like to 60 to the Missouri river, but
your supplies cannot be taken to any
other place before your people will need
them, and before the cold days of win
ter come. If you do not go near the
place where your supplies are your
people will be hungry, and shall not
be able to give them food. desire to
do all for you that 1 can, and there
fore want you to be in place this
winter where my helping hand can
reach you, but 1 do not mean that you
and your people shall stay near the
Missouri river always. You shall stay
there only this winter, and when spring
comes you shall select for your perma-
nent abode such land on your reserva-
tion as you like best. My agents will
aid you In making the selection. Your
country is large, and there is much
land where you can cultivate the soil
and raise crops, and where cattle can
be fed. That land is to be distributed
among you. 1t is to be surveyed and
allotted to each family to be its home
stead. There your people can build
cabins and make homes for their fam
lilies. When that land is surveyed and
allotted, and your families have taken
possession Of it, / shall ask the Great
Council Of my nation to give you cows
and oxen, and tools with which to till
the soil, that you may be able to provide
for your own necessities.
desire you to have schools for your
children, so that they may be educated
to take care Of themselves and become
Industrious and prosperous, like the
children Of my people. 1 also wish
your people to have churches, where
they can worship. shall speak good
words for you to the Great Council of
my nation, that It may grant your peo-
pie these benefits. II you are wise you
will heed NV advice The pame Ia fast