St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-15
RED SKINS IN COUNCIL.
Result of the Negotiations Between 'ns
United States Indian Commission
and the Ohippewas'
Pen Picture ~s.o Signed the Great
Treaty.
White Clouds Eloquent Speech Be-
lore the Commiss1on-H1sA Ability
and Great Memory.
Bishop Whipple's Sermon at
st. Columbia Church.
Special to the Clobo

st. Columbia Church.
Special to the Globe.
WHITE EARTH AGENCY, Aug. 12.-
Inc United States Indian commission after
session OF seven days has completed its
negotiations with the Chippewas on this
reservation. The councils have been long
and tedious, full of perpleXities and vex-
atoms. many times running into midnight,
and the results accomplished can only be
attributed to the perSevering and untiring
efforts OF the commission. The chiefs who
are mere I'D council representing the various
bands OF Chippewas on the reservation,
are men OF more than ordinary intelligence,
Keen, shrewd men thoroughly alive to the
Importance OF the matter they are consid-
erlng. And in all of their deliberations,
speeches, etc., one can see the good effect
that civilization has had upon them. They
are nothing like the wild. typical Indian OF
the plains; they are intelligent, and great
many OF them educated men. And why
not? They have certainly had the educa-
tlonal advantages here in the way OF
schools and churches that great many
white people have never had. They seem
FULLY to understand the object of the visit
OF the commission to their reservation and
well understand the Importance of success
fully negotiating with the government at
this time. They we'll know the outside
pressure there is for their land, for they
most certainly have the most fertile spot in
the Northwest,
A VERITABLE EDEN.
and if they fail at this time in coming to
some kind Of satisfactory arrangement
with the government, there will be danger
OF losing their beautiful country, and they
and their children will be driven away by
the whites and compelled to lead the wan
derlng, savage life of their forefathers. In
their midst in the council may be seen mixed
bloods, their own children, descendants of
noted traders, men identified with the ear
lier history of Minnesota, and whose names
are familiar to every pioneer of this state,
the Warrens. Fairbanks, Beaulieus and
many others. There are very few ''blanket
Indians" among them; they dress like the
White man; there are no painted, feather
crowned Indians; civilization has wiped
away those savage customs; the war dance
and scalping knife are things of the past;
the legends of the old men have been super
seeded by history; churches and schools have
been erected amongst them, with the rapid
strides they are now taking toward civiliza-
ton, it will be but few years before the
CAMPFIRE LEGENDS
| of their people, will be read with as much
aStOnishment and curiosity by their rising
generation as by the whites of to-day Yes
terday was the most tedious of all the DAYS
of the council. The afternoon session
lasted from o'clock until near midnight,
when the treaty was finally executed, and
the scene which followed beggared descrp-
| ton. The night had far waned toward the
wee sma' hours, when Wob-aun- -quod,
their leader. mounted the roughly con-
| Structed platform in the old agency school
| house. and in clear, ringing voice sum-
| mOned all his chiefs and braves who de-
| sired to participate in the execution of the
agreement to make the same manifest by
coming forward. No sooner had the words
been uttered. than hundred chiefs and
braves, from the gloom of the room, caue
forward and formed themselves in a semi
circle directly in front of the rough
dimly-lighted desks which were oc-
cupied by the commission. A
death-like silence ensued; it was
an interesting picture to look upon. Every
man hestated, waiting for the next one to
| put his name to the most important docu-
ment ever executed in the interest of his
people. AS they stood there in the faint,
dim light OF the lamp it presented
WEIRD PICTURE;
picture that would appeal to the sympa-
| thleS OF their most bitter enemies; picture
| that would arouse the imaginative fancy of
| all who have heard and read their beautiful
| legends! All! it is true, as White Cloud
said: Our people are fast passing away:
! the prophecies of our fOrefathers have come
to pass; all this was told us in our youth -
| Wob-aun- ah-quOd then explained to his
| people that in the past difficulties had &C.
CURED because they did not fully under
| stand the treaty, and if there was man
that had any question to ask let him ask it,
| that now was the time; that the treaty had
been read over three times, and every pro-
| vision explained; if any questions were to
| be asked now was the time. Whereupon
every chief declared that he not only I'M
derstood the agreement thoroughly, but
| that they were the very provisions they
wanted for the saving of their people
| The 'pen-tOuching" then followed, and the
greatest treaty the Ojibways had ever made
| for themselves was completed. One very
remarkable thing was all the Roman Cath
olic chiefs of the different bands spoke with
the same affection and gratitude toward
Bishop Whipple, in every instance, as those
| of the Episcopal church. / simply men
ton this fact as an illustration of how
dearly he is beloved by all of the Indians
indiscriminately. They speak of him as
:'OUR BISHOP"
and it is the general belief that had he not
been present nothing would have been &C
complished. They place implicit confidence
in him and believe every word he tells
~
H. g. MAA