Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-28
SLY OLD SITTING BULL.
1t is Asserted That the Willy Chief is
Getting Ready for War.

n
Getting Ready for War.
Capt. Charles Collins, well known for
his philanthropic efforts in ciYilizing the
Indians, and whose counsel is sought by
the Government Commissioners In many
matters relating to the welfare Of the red
men, says the Chicago Nel0S, declared to
a reporter yesterday that the proposed ex-
hibition of Sitting Bull throughout the
country was an outrage on the American
people. ''The United States Government"
he said, "spent at least $1,OOO,OOO to cap
ture this chief and practically failed.
True, he finally agreed to surrender and
live on a reservation, but his surrender
was mere farce. He came into camp
with about 250 old warriors and squaws.
Not one of his young bucks, his fighting
men, surrendered with him. There are
1000 or more of these warriors still at
large, scattered about on the plains
among the different tribes. Some Joined
the Brules, Blackfeet and Crow bands,
and others are rowing in small bands by
themselves. When Sitting Bull sur
rendered he did not turn over solitary
rifle or weapon of war that was worth
ANYTHING. He cached two thousand
stands OF arms that cannot be found I'M
less he points them out. Yet a great
SHOW of rejoicing was made at his So
called surrender surrender in name,
not in fact. Congress appreciated the
shallowness OF Sitting BULBS promises to
settle down. This is shown by the ap-
preparation of $4,000 for the express
purpose of inducing him to bring in his
young men and give up the arms which
he has stored away. Offers were made to
have a reservation set apart for him,
with everything necessary to enable his
nation to live peaceably and comfortably,
but up to date the chief has scorned the
offer"
Sin what way will his tour throughout
the country be harmfulT'
Gin many ways. In the first place, the
government that spent so much money to
capture him will not get cent out of the
profits to be made by his exhibition. He
is under the management of persons
whose only object is a pecuniary one, and
the chief instigator of the show is Indian
Agent Mclaughlin, Of Standing Rock
agency, whose wife and son accompany
the chief as interpreters. Then the moral
wrong in thus exhibiting an Indian chief,
whose only attraction must be his
connection with massacres and murders.
is beyond calculation. The man whose
boast is that he did not let one escape at
the Custer massacre, and only half
uOZbI OI 50 dL Inc minnesota massacre. Is
to be held up to the American nation as a
hero-a grand example of modern hero
ism. Again, it will have the effect of
making Sitting Bull more imperious and
harder to manage than ever. He will
think: Il am being honored by these
palefaces; they fear me; am the great
chief and instead Of showing his con-
tempt by splitting at the commissioners
when they hold conference with him, as
he did upon one occasion, he will prob
ably add blow. Another evil sure to
come out of this exhibition is the bad
effect it will have on all the other Indian
chiefs now on reservations. They will
naturally be jealous of the attention paid
to Sitting Bull, and argue that it does not
/ pay to be good Indian They will re-
gard the consideration given to Sitting
Bull as a compliment to his prowess In
war, and become restless under their own
restT aint.''
cit has been reported that Sitting Bull
had become recOnciled to life OF peace,
and was about to be baptizedP
s'Quite true; he was under the influence
Of Father Stephen, Catholic priest, who
| has made labor among the Indians of the
| Northwest his life-work. After the ar
rangements had been made for the bap
| tism of Sitting Bull the chiefs thoughts
were turned from religious subjects BY
| the proposal to travel. / need not sal
that Father Stephen felt deeply grieYe(