The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-23
The Mission to sitting Bull.

The Mission to sitting Bull.
The TERRY Commissioners have met SIT
TING BULL, and he is not theirs. The Sioux
chief rejects with contempt their proflcrct
peace, prcrcrring the tried friendship Of the
White Mother to the lying promises of the
Great Father. How this can be, under SC
fraudulent IA Father as RUrHERFoRD B
HAYES, passes comprehension. Probably
the untutorcd mind Of SITTING BULL Is un.
aware that under HAYES there will be nc
more swindling suffers, no more thicvisli
contractors, nor knavish Indian Rings nor
broken pledges.
Such, then, IL tho result OF the project
which, after long incubation, the HAYES
| Cabinet hatchcd with much cacklnp. IL
hardly needed the weary journey Of the
Commissioners and their military escort
over the drcary and lonely region between
Fort Benton and Fort Walsh, to determine
this result. SITTING BULL has never shown
any other sentiment toward our settlers
and soldiers than a fixed feeling OF hatred,
combined with contempt The uniform
opinion which he has expressed to Inspector
WALSH has been that the Americans were n
gang Of thieves, backed up by bullies; and
that any commissioners who might come to
him would come with lies in their mouths.
Indeed. hut for Major WALSH he never
would have consented to meet TERRY and
LAWRENCE Mt Fort Walsh, although this
point Is foity-ilvc miles from the border line
OF the country whence he has been cXilcd.
At the urgent request Of the Washington
authorities, conveyed through those Of the
Dominion, Major WALSH made the long
journey to SITTING BULLS camp, in order %
ask him and his chiefs Ia meet our messcn-
gers. AT first the Indians refused point
blank. and only after great urging did they
consent To see the ambassadors OF those
who had lied so often" They made all
possible delays before going with Major
WALSH; and 1t is humilating to find him
recording, as he officially does, that the
chance appearance ON the horizon Of some
fugitive Ncz Perccs from the Snake creek
battlefield created panic in the camp, the
warriors sallying out To fight the supposed
forces OF our army. and the women taking
down the lodges for flight. The unspcaka-
hlc rcpugnancc Of these Indians To the whites
below the Canadian border was thus evil
IDENTIFY based on u profound conviction OF
their utter iaithlessnces. Major WALSH
was obliged himself to advance To meet the
strangers. and when their nature was made
known, why do you come " asked the
Sioux chiefs, turning 10 Major WALSH and
seek us Ia go and talk with men who are
killing our own race You see these men,
women, and children, wounded and bleeding
we cannot talk with the men who have such
blood on their hands" Only after another
days delay, and after he had almost given
up his pleas, did the Sioux chiefs consent to
80 with Major WALSH, as personal favor.
on his declaring that no Indians had ever
before refused 10 come to the fort OF the
White Mother.
We repeat that this feeling OF the cxilcd
Sioux is the feeling they have always had;
that there never was the shadow Of "a reason
for surprising that they wanted anything
more to do with Americans; and that the
whole project OF the commission was based
on a pharisaic ignoring Of the fact that
our dealings with the Indians for many
years have made the white mans Govern
mcnt hated with deserved intensity by the
wronged red race.
The cup Of humiliation to which the HAYES
project treated US, was not full until the
Sioux chiefs, meeting in council at Fort
NHlSi, sent lol ltS COMMANDER in Orucr Ia
beg the White Mothers protection The
Americans, they said, would come and
offer sweet words and large promises
money, blankets, tea, sugar, flour but they
had lied too often, and their hands were
covered with blood, There was no Indian
blo-d shed in the White Mothers country;
her words were not lies they would raise
their children under the White Mothers
protection, and help her when called upon
Such is the latest practical comment on
IN Indian policy invented and sustained
for years by the cupidity and brutality OF
the frontiers, lcagucd with the imbcciity
and corruption Of Washington. How long
shall that policy of lies and frauds and blood
he suffered 10y the American people to dis
grace IN" national character and stain the
records Of civilization.