Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-28
The Indian Ambassadors,

| anu Arapahoe delegations from the Red ClouI
and Spotted Tail agencies at the Executive
Mansion.
Arrangements were made in the East room
for the conference, circle Of chairs being form
ed on the south side, the President oceupying
place on the outer range, 10 full view Of The
| Indian visitors. The Indians arrived few
| minutes before noon. They were ia full cos
tune with plentiful application Of paio, and
oruamentation of feathers. Four interpreters.
half breeds, accompanied them. The Prtslepr
soon after appeared. The lndiaus wt,c segc
rally presented to him by name, the c2reu:ypy
being conducted by Lieutenant Clark, Spouc:
Tail being the first introduced. Some Of them
merely shook hands, with much gravity, whiI1
others broadly smiled aud uttered enthusiasts
"Hows."
| White Tail was particularly happy to shak"
hands with the President, and several tima7
exclaimed, How dye do; how, no. dye do,
before releasing the Presidents hand. After
the ceremony Of introduction Alr. Welsh All
dressed the President, saying that the lacIiaus
| had asked him To present their case. They
behalf and for The evidence Ct his desire to u,
|
claimed 10 be his children, aud therc fore hal
claim upon his generosity aud justice. !hrt
| had some regrets to utter and some requests -
make. They complain OF tie frequent rhanI.5
| n the supcrlntendencrs, anI say that pcrm2
nent officers would give them great advantages.
and this they asked. They say It would b. a.
unWiSe to make frequent changes IN the COAT
survey as 10 the ludlan superintendent! Ia!
the special oil act Of their visit is to present
their objections to removing to the Nliss1n'.
| fhey had reasons for not going there, au,
think the only purpose Of the GOVERNMENT VA
to drive them Into the river They could A.;
there become civilized, Is their women woni'i
become corrupt aud other evils follow lo Tia
men by the influence OF the bad white mcu.
| Therefore something should be done 10 say
| them They want to remain where lh.Y
and be authorized to select lands, and the t''s-
ernment to assist them in agricultural pursuits
They were alI anxious for civilization and wAut
to become good ciliZ,ps at the earliest posslh,r'
time.
The Ogalallas were thea heard. I'D itJui
being the first speaker Alter shaking han47
with the President be spoke substantially a
! follows through the interpreter:
| Great Father Look at me-. 10 hciia!! u .i'y
people | have come 10 sec you agala. this :.
| the fourth time have come here. My rlo&...
say to day they want to walk in-thr bcuai !oaA
so they may grow aad prosper tke tic "A!,..
people. God Almighty mad" Tia ta;!h to! ii:
and everybody. There are good streams an,
good land. wish you would pick goal raa.
to raise my children. The Great .ti.1 ~
vised me to pick the place where live al PIE
eut. My wish is to have everything for farm
ing, including stock Of all kinds, moving nj
chimes aud plow5, and | should like to have
school, 50 that ny c1iircn may learn to real
aGd write, so that they may kDow as nue., a
the white people. am only an Indian, az:
don't koow how to read or write, aui kn"~
nothing about the telegraph. 5kond liko H.
have man to write Tor die Whenever | ha'
anything 10 say. don't ask for horses.
have plenty; but want wagons to do ms wot!
feel the same for my family as YOU do irr
yours, and would like to raise them 10 the same
way. That's The reason Why | ask for a w,dr
road. dou't want TO g. to the Missouri river
There is too much whskey there. If 20 thtrs
will come 10 nothing at all. In winter lh:
river freezes up and We can't get our supple.
| want 10 live we'll where | am
Having concluded the orator shook h,ai-
with The President and resumed his seat
Big Road was the next speaker. lie aaa
be had come to tell his Great Father only Il IL"
words. fle vas not man TO argue with ANY
be did not want to move until all the bullA!'
had disappeared. lie wanted 10 scu his chI!
dren grow up like white people III the conut:y
where be now lived. lie wanted his Crest
Father to give him thousand boxes OF money
and thousand head oil cattle, hall COWS to tss
civilized with; ono thousand head OF sheep a'so
and hogs, that he aud his chdrenmight live li!..
white men. lie had never been here before. H.,
came to listen to the words of his Great I'atEc!.
lie did not ask for horses, as he had them, tul
wanted wagons. The Missouri river fleC&:s
over. and they knew that their grub could not
90 there 10 winter up tho river, lie could NOT
read and write, aud wanted school house for.
ever that they might become civilized.
Mr.. Welsh remarked that this speaker has!
never been in the midst Of civilization uai
now. ic was clear thinker and 4 leading
man, but was somewhat embarrassed by the
present surroundings
| Little Wound said to the Great Father that
be did not want TO remove, did not want 10 "a
to any other place from where he now lived
| where there was good ground and many streams
IF food had been seat up the Missouri river h.
would like to have it brought back by railroad
He wanted two four aud six horse wagons. al
the agricultural tools, and wanted a religion
meaning as was explained, Catholic prizes.
Little Big Man said he had heard the sum
mons of his Great Father, and nov appeared
to listen to his words. lie would like to get ali
the Ogalallas at the Red Cloud Agency to come
with him and bis people. lie liked his hom"
and did not want to remove. They were not
yet civilized, but wanted wagons and sohooI
houses and to be instructed in agriculture, a,d
learn the ways Of white people.
Iron Crow, addressing his Great Father. s'll
he had not big things to talk about bur OILY
rou words IN sneak He wanted to know hos
to become civilized; that vas the way he want
ed to live. lie wanted good grub and to kno"
how to raise his children. G. ~ CEr..-g. .
Three Bears was the next speaker When
ever orders were received he did just as he Vas
told. Everything was now quieted down; 30
disturbances. He wanted to live 10 his o~n
country ADD to become like white people.
American Horse, Young man afraid OF. hls
Horses Yellow Bear aud lle.Dog severaIS
spoke Their utterances were in the same dlree
tion namely: they. wanted to be civilized; they al