The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
THE SITTING BULL COMMISSION.

] Gen. Terry and his companions constituting
the commission to visit and offer TO treat with
Sitting Bull and his swarthy companions fol
their return to L. $. territory, succeeded in
reaching their destination last week, ana III
having an interview with the noted chieitain
and they come back from the adventure doubt
less feeling very much as if they had big ficas
in their ears. Mr.. Bull was quite unwilling to
see the commission at all, but the British
officers who are undisguisedly anxious to get
him off their hands, succeeded by hard coaxing
to have him and his principal chiefs grant the
commission an audience They met in large
room at Fort Worth, the chiefs being accom-
panied by Il strong guard of their own, and the
whites being guarded by a squadron or two OF
our regular cavalry as well rs by number OF
British red coat police" as they are called.
The council having been duly assembled,
Gen. Terry delivered to Sitting Bull and his
companions very carefully prepared speech,
embracing an invitation to the Sioux to return
to the States and promising them full par
don for past oficnses and land, clothing, pro
vision, &C. for the future. Sitting Bull rose
slowly to his feet to reply, Says newspaper
correspondent: Neither ignorance, nor cruel
Ity nor savage barbarism, nor any trait dis
played in his savage history, has detracted in
the least from the expression of manhood and
womanliness combined in his physiognomy.
Less rude than Satas, less sharp than Spotted
Tails, more intelligent than Red Clouds his
features, like Gocthe's, made music to the
senses. He wore quiet, ironical smile" His
first sentences were uttered in a sharp, vindic-
tive manner and his sentiments We're rc.echoed
by his followers The close of each sentence
was followed by" How" from all the Indians
in the room, showing how closely they sympa-
thized with him 1t is needless to give all of
his speech The closing part is thus given by
Il Times reporter;
Shaking hands with the British officers, hepro-
ceeded: That is the way was raised in the
hands Of these people, and that is the way | in
tend to be with them. You have rot ears to
hear, and you have rot eyes to see, and you see
how live with these people. You see me.
Here am. If you think am fool, you are
a bigger fool than am This house Is a medi
cinchouse, Yon come here TO tell us lies, but
we don't want TO hear them. | don't wish any
such language used to me, that is TO tell me
such lies in my great mothers house. Don't
you say two words more Go back home where
you came from. This country is mine, and
intend to stay here and to raise tins country
full of grown people. See, these people here
were raised with them" Again shaking hands
with the British officers. That is enough.
See me shaking hands with these people, The
part of the country you gave me you run me
out of. ! have now come here to stay with
these people, and intend to stay here. wish
You to go back and to take it easy getting
back"
The commissioners saw it was useless to
spend any more time attempting TO concliate
such a stubborn and ugly tongued savage, and
next day left for home as fast as they could
travel, utterly ignoring the Bulls irOnical al
vice to take it easy getting back