The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-25
SUEING FOR PEACE.
SITTING BULLS BANDS ALL WISH TO SMOKE
THE CALUMET-THEIR MESSENGERS WATT
ASKING CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT AMTY
WITH THE wHITEs-srAEvINo IN CANADA.
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ASKING CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT AMIrx
WITH THE UNDERSTANDING IN CANADA.
[DY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
CHICAGO, Jan. "a, 1879.
General Sheridan to-day received the official
port Of Colonel Wood. of Fort Bennett, d. L.. re-
aive to the recent visit to that post OF two Indians
Black Wolf and The Fox-who were sent by Sitting
Bull to ascertain what arrangements could be
made for returning to the agencies. The report
is dated January and relates that the two Indians
came in tho 10th inst. from the mains hostile
camp, which they left little over month ago.
They said:-"we from a large camp
this sile OF the boundary line. on Pale
Moon Creek. tributary of Mix River.
about four days ride from Fort Peck. 1t would DO
impossible to say how many lodges were in that
camp unless made it business to count them.
OF the Backfect alone there about hundred
lodges in all The camp would reach from here to the
Cheyenne River, about fourteen miles. The lodges
were pretty close together. The Indians CROSS the
line at their pleasure. and some of them have
Gently drawn ratons at Fort Peck. principally
women and children. The day before started to
come here a council Of all the Indians was held. A
very large council lodge made for that purpose
All the chiefs and leading men were present.
SPEECH
"Sitting Bull spoke in this way:-'when look
back southwest from here see my country where
formerly lived. long to be back there again. I
fnd that warning is very bad thing. BY that lost
my country and caused my people a great deal Of
suffering. From this day on want to quit making
the whites hope to quit it forever; now
and forever. I hope to have trouble with
the whites, and hope to make peace.
ANXIOUS RETURN.
al do not remember all he said. but that was the
80 ali ~,
the council. Other chiefs spoke in about the
same strain. Sitting Bull then proposed to
send runners to the different agencies to fnd
out on what terms the Indians could
come in. This agreed to by the
other chiefs. There was opposition. Sitting
Bull and Big Road then selected thirteen messengers
from among the different bands. myself and friend
among the number. We were each told to go 10 the
agency to which his band belonged We all received
the same instructions from the council, which were
to find out the conditions under which we could
return to agencies, to tell nothing except what
We were told TO tell and to bring back such messages
as we should receive from the authorities there.
sitting Bull was very anxious to let you all know
and to let the Great Father know that he wished to
make peace
WAR BRINGS STARVATION.
The runners said that after starting out they went
a. far az the Gsos Yeutre agency Of Fort Peck and
then travelled down to tho new Fort Peck agency.
Tho spokesman Of the party then said to Colonel
Wood 81 have como here with the expectation OF not
receiving any bal messages to take back to my pco
pic. Icxpcct to receive kind words to take back.
would like to receive good propositions for my
people for their welfare. here to SEQ IL
there is any chance OF making peace with
the American people. and IL will be
permitted to como back to homes The Indians
desire to return to the agencies to which they
belong. There is no game in the British
possessions. and that Is the reason we
moved over the line. We all moved over
about two and q half months ago. There is
more game on this side. particularly between the
Missouri and the Yellowstone. Tho Indians are
suffering . great deal for want of food and We
stopped war because we starving. Tha. is the
reason the council was called together. have at
tended all the main councils held in our present
camp. Tho feeling expressed in all those councils
has been for permanent peace.
MARAupERs PUNISHED.
In those councils laws were made TO punish any
one committing deprcdations on the whites. party
OF young men after stole some horses
from the Americans and brought them into
camp The Indians punished tho leader by
killing him. I tell you this was evidence
that our people are all for peace. / was
in hopes that all this and desire peace would
have been known to all the American people before
we arrived here. sitting Bull said to me before
leaving, II believe you will have great difficulty in
making the officers believe in your good intentions.
but act like a man. and then they may believe you"
AWAITING PROPOSITIONS OF PEACE.
II peace can be made swiftbird and Bsckshield,
chiefs Of the Minnecoujous and Spotted Eagle. chief
OF the sansarcs. want to return TO this agency with
all their people They told me to say this to you.
There arc about three hundred lodges Of Minnecou-