River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-01-30
SITTING BULLS RETURN.
What He Has to Say Abo Mt Tt-He Is Afisr

ions to Hare Peace.
letter from w. II Wood, at Fort Benton, giving
an account of the arrival of two from Sitting
Bulls encampment, this side of the British line
about four days ride from Fort Peck. Black Wolf
an Ogallaa, of the runners, tells of large coun-
ell held the day before he started at which all the
chiefs and leading we're present. including Sit
ting Bull, Spotted Eagle, Black Shield and Big Road
Sitting Bull spoke in this way:
'sWhen look back southwest from here see my
country, where formerly lived. l long to be back
there again. find that warning is very bad thing.
BY that lost my country, and caused my people a
great deal of suffering from that day want to
quit making war on the whites, and hope to make
peace
sitting Bull then proposed to send runners to the
different agencies to find out what terms the In
dams could come in. This agreed to 10y the other
chiefs. Sitting Bull and Big Road then selected thr-
teen messengers from the different bands, each was
told TO 90 to the agency TO which his band belonged.
All received instructions from the council TO mud out
the conditions under which they could return to their
ageL--es, and to bring back such messages as they
should receive from the authorities there. Black
Wolf continued:
~ nave come here with the expectation of not re-
ceiyng any bad messages to take back TO my peonle.
expect to receive kind words to take back. am
here 10 SIC if there is any chance of making peace
with the American people, and II We VIII be per
mitted TO come back TO our homes 1he lndlans de-
sire to return to the agencies to which they belong
There no game in the British possessions and that
~ the reason we moved ever the line 1he Indiana
are suffering a great deal for wait OF food. We
stopped over because we're starving. That is the
reason the council was called together. have IT
tended all the main councils held in our camp The
feeling expressed III all those councils has been for
permanent peace. In those councils laws were made
to punish amy one who committed depredations on
the whites. party Of Young men soon after stole
some horses from the Americans, and brought them
into camp. The Indians punished the leader by kill
ing HIM tell you this as evidence that all our peo-
pie are for peace. vas IN hopes that all this aud
our desire for peace, wonld have been known to all
the American people before we arrived here
Sitting Bull said TO me before leavlngs 7 believe
You viii have great dificulty In making the officers
believe in yonr good intentions, but act Ike man
and then they may believe you. II peace can be
made, Swift Bird aud Black shield. clliefs Of the
Minnee0nions, and Spotted Eagle, chief OF the Sans
Ares want to return 70 this agency with ali their peo-
PIE. They told me 70 say this to you-3
There are about 500 lodges Of AHnnecoujons and
about 200 lodges Of Sans Ares They al want to
make petes. If tbs propositions we take back are
good taty viii all move Ia immediately. The In
diaus We lsft II the camp are A1xiously sNafng the
return 81 their messanzees,