The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-09-29
Conference with the Indians,

ference with the Indian delegations wal
resumed this morning at the Executive
Mansion. There were present: the Pres
ident, members Of The Cabinet, the Com
mittee on Indian Affairs, Gen. Crook ant
and others. The Indians we're in full
costume. The President said he wal
ready to hear the chiefs II they wished L
speak further.
Alter a pause Spotted Tail spoke, urg
ing that the lands now occupied by BIZ
people be recured to them. Swift Bear
Red Pear,S Touch the Cloud and White
Tail applauded his words.
Red Cloud said: AT the foot of III,
hills Is a good place 10 put my agency:
didn't come here TO beg anything; the
Black Hills were mine; | gave them Il
the Commissioners. suppose you are
going to decide what you are going 10
give us for the llill'. | have come 10
get 1t.
OIher Indians having spoken Gene raj
Crook advocated their claims, and the
President was presented with the pipe Of
peace.
The President said:
Ny Good Fricnds-Yo OIL have desired TO
take counsel with me, and | have per.
mitted you 10 come. I am glad to see
You. have atteutiyely listened 10 what
you have said. | have also heard Mr.,
Wm. Welsh and General Crook, who
spoke for you as your friends, and VIII
have my confidence. | have well con.
sidered all that was said. Now listen 10
my answer: | have your welfare sin.
cerely at heart will be good friend
TO you. The wishes you express, ! shall
be glad 10 crafty when it is in my power,
and for your own good there ia an un.
derstanding between you and the white
people, which l want 10 be carried ont by
both. That understanding il that you
shall go TO your reservation and occupy
ii; that land shall be yours. have re-
moved the Poncanto Indians so as 10
give you more room. / have promised
to procure for you food for your people
10 eat. The great Council Of my Nation,
the Congress Of tho United States resoly.
ed, and your Chiefs agreed, that the sup
plies to be furnished to you should be
delivered to you near the Missouri river.
This Is what / was told; this is what the
great Council Of my nation believed. l
have fulfilled that promise. Your sup
piled have been carried 10 the Missouri
river, and there they are now, according
to our promise. You say yon don't like
to go 10 the Missouri river. But your
supplies cant be taken to any other
place before your people will need them,
and before the cold days OF winter come.
II you don't go near the place where
your supplies are your people will be
hungry, and shall not be able 10 give
them food. ! desire to do all for you
can, and therefore want you TO be in a
place this winter where my helping hand
can reach you. But don't mean that
you and yonr people shall stay near the
Missouri river always. You shall stay
there only this winter. When the spring
comes you shall select for your permR.
nent abode such landon your reservation
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.
II is 10 be surveyed and allotted to each
family TO be its homestead. There Your
people can build cabins and make homes
for their families to dwellin. When that
land ia 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. ] de-
sire you 10 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. alSo wish your people to have
churches where You can worship. shall
speak good words for you to the great
council Of my nation, that they may grant
your people these benefits, II YOU areI
wise you will heed this advice. Game is |
last disappearing from your country and
you can't always live as hunters, neither
can We for all time provide for your wants
and feed your people and their children.
II you want to live in security you must
do as the white people do. You must work
and learn to produce for yourselves that
which you need. Cattle and horses and
plows will be more useful to you than
ponies and guns. To be educated so as
TO know how 10 work and how 10 make |
their living by raising cattle and tiIlinS
the soil will be better for vour children
than hunting builaloes and dancing war
dances. When you look around you will
see that the white people are a great null
titude which you can't count. Every
year their numbers increase by far more
than the number Of all the red men in |
this great land. They can't be kent away |
from the western country, aud year after
year more Of them go there. II you live |
roaming about without houses they will
sweep over you like n great flood Of |
waters. To sustain yourselves against
that Hood you must have homes in which |
you and your families can permanently
live, and land on which you can raise that
which Is necessary 10 support you. Then
you will have firm ground TO stand on and |
the flood will not sweep you away. am n |
good friend TO you and your people, and |
as n good friend ] give you this answer
and advice.
Now will speak a word to the ARA
pahoea. You desire to 90 west with your
people 10 join the Sh0shones aud live
with them as friends, but il you 20 you
must provide for your own support. The |
drand Council OF my nation has given
mo no money to aid you on your way.
II without such aid you will make such
journey, then am willing you should 90,
and tho agent whom have sent to The
Shoshones shall also be agent for you.
You have been good friends to the white
people, aud | hope you will remain 20.
You all have the best wishes Of my heart.
Let us live in peace and friendship to.
geIher, and | will protect you with all |
tho power have. I:heard yesterday |
morning that forty lodges Of the people
ot Crazy Horse and Lame Deer have
gone north. As long as those people
are with us We don't know our friends
from our enemies among them. Ills Of |
the greatest Importance that you should |
L.