The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-11-13

A recent dispatch in the New York
Herald, detailing the experiences Of
the Commission sent out 10 treat with
Sitting Bull, corrects some Of the pop
ular impressions concerning that per-
sonage, and speaks of him as follows
Sitting Bull has never been either a
Chief or a warrior. and yet his inhu.
ence over his tribe is stronger than
that which he would exercise in either
OF those capacities. The head soldier
is not Sitting Bull. but Long Dog, one
OF the most notorious OF the Sioux
Chiefs. Though he is neither n Chief
nor a warrior, Sitting Bull is necrom-
ancer. He is "medicine man" of
such uncommon ability as to have re-
tanned his power for ten consecutive
years. In this respect his position as
the counsellor Of his people is greater
than that Of any Cabinet Minister in
the civilized world. Yet his course has
been extremely simple. He merely
marked out clear line OF policy, and
had the pluck to pursue il under all
circumstances. He said in 1867, "Let
us have nothing TO do with the Ameri-
cans; let US make no peace with them;
let us live and die like Indians" Ad-
herring to this policy, never swerving
from il, always succeeding with il, he
has naturally carried his people with
him. This the secret of his power and
Of the apparent infallibility of his ad-
vice. HIS dictum is relied on in every
emergency, his dreams are reckoned by
the Sioux around him as more infalli-
BILE than Newton's tests or Herschel's
observations. His omens of the war
path, his prescience regarding the buff
falo and other game have never failed
him. Consequently he Is to-day as se-
cure in his dominion over the minds
and fears OF those about him as the
War Chiefs are in the confidence of
their followers in battle. Indeed, he
directs the events of war and peace
with the skill OF a Senate and the
authority Of President united in one
man.
Two or three days prior to his de-
parture from his own camp Sitting
Bull had lost son. He was, there
fore, in mourning, which was signified
by n red handkerchief, wound around
his head, as he sat in corner. myster-
ious as ever, among the shadows.
Throughout the night-a bright moon
light one above the roof and walls that
encompassed him and his Chiefs-he
made medicine" and told his dreams.
Near him was squatted a solitary
squaw, who moaned and groaned occa-
sionally in response TO his adiurations.
In the meantime sentinels passed to
and fro. The calls OF the night sound
Il ii L.. la,,asa. l. 4
war, on the part OF 1000 sayages, Ish-
maelites and outlaws, In respect TO the
people of the United States, waited in
the brain Of their ablest man. There
he sat on dirty floor in his blankets,
in rapt meditation, mute and motion
less.
AZ three o'clock Sitting entered, fol-
lowed by Spotted Eagle aud the rest of
his train. Fow for the first time was
visible 10 white men since the begin
ming 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 ig-
norance nor cruelty nor savages as bar.
barous as any displayed in savage his
AOIN lSh lAG ACdcl Ant
expression Of manhood and womanli-
ness combined in Sitting Bulls physi-
ognomy. Less rude than Satanta's,
less sharp than Spotted Tails, moro
intelligent than Red Clouds. his fea-
lures, like Goethe's, made music to the
senses. He wore n 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 hand
kerchief was replaced by woli-skin
cap. His shirt was q black calico
speckled with white dots. His blank
cts wrapped negligontly around him re-
vealed below its edge a pair of rich
beaded moccasins, the only finery he
wore. Silent, stately and impassiye,
this aboriginal leader, this scoundrelly
medicine man." this rascally foe and
treacherous friend, this model, in sooth
Of Machiayellis own sort, squatted
himself on buffalo robe next the wall
and took out his pipe and smoked it,
and expressed, with his insolent man.
ner, the following sentiment "This
Commission which has come to inter
view me can 60 to the devil.