The Portland daily press., 1879-11-22
THE UTE INDIANS.
Speech of Chief Ouray.
The White River Utes will Testify Con.
corning the Thornburgh Massacre.

DENVER, Col, Nov. 21.--In his final talk to
the Commissioners at the Los Pinos Agency
after the Commission adjourned, Chief Ouray
spoke in English in substance as follows: He
said he perceived that the Commission had
lost confidence in him and believed ne was
playing them false. The whoie opleet OF tne
Commission from first to last, had been mis-
understood by the White River Utes. His
authority had gone only 80 far that they left
their camp and came here, but that every one
of them had come prepared to nght. Ahey
thought that each witness as ne unlsHeu MS
testimony of whatever character IL mlght pe,
would be Immediately arrested ana put uhder
guard They had determined to resist TINS 10
The death" and at the first movement in this
direction on the part OF the WHITES Tragedy
with all the horrors of the White River massa-
ere repeated would ensue. Have you not
seen" he asked, ''around on these hills my
Utes day and night? Have you not seen all
dav one of my Indians at each OF these WIN
dows watching? Had these U ties attacked you,
brothers blood would have been she'd My
word is plighted to the whites, and though 1t
cost me my life, no harm can come TO Ihem
He then went on to say that Unique, an Ohcom-
pahgre Ute, would appear before the Commas
sion tomorrow and testify fully i'll regard to
the Thornburgh fight and subsequent massa-
ere UnQue it will be remembered tried to
stop the fl sht, but was not listened to by the
Utes. His testimony will bear hard on Jack,
as he has before stated that Jack was the
leader in the battle with the troOps) THE
White River Utes,' continued Ouray, AL
come in together to tell what they know; they
understand now, and have not before, that the
Commission is not for the purpose of appre-
hending one single Ute-not even one proven
to be the most guilty or innocent. They will
all come in together, and what they say will be
the truth. They had begun to think was
working against them, and | was obliged to act
as did to encourage them in their evasions
a id lies in order thai might retain my lntfu-
e ice over them until they could themselves see
that this was Peace Commission, working for
them as we'll as for the whites. They now see
it. and there will be no further difficulty in
getting them to speak,"
Tae old Chief then described, in a belief
compelling manner. his sorrow of the trouble
in the first place, his subsequent anxiety and
his constant fear that something might happen
to the hapless captives, his efforts for their
release, and the great Joy when he saw the
result Of the mission Of General Adams 81
do not want to be Chief" he concluded, 81
grow old and am lettering. Let some young
man, with the fire of youth in his veins, take
my place. have my farm, which would
rather cultivate and watch the seed planted
nv me grow up to m ltnrity, than be head chief.
They all come to me with their troubles l
know everything, and have all their burdens
to bear. Washington no want me to give up
my pOStiOn; he wants me to stay and govern
the Utes. [ want only to be known as Ouray,
the friend of the white man." He went mp
to General Adams and presented him with a
beautiful Navajo blanket, as Il present from
his squaw. Chipet.