St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-05
Increased Irritation Being
Displayed by the Assem-
bled Indians.
The Big Chiefs All Have
Grievances That Are Be-
ing Nursed.
Sitting Bull Seems TO Be Act
ing in a Janus-Faced
Manner.
Special to the Globe

Special to the Globe.
STANDING Rock, Dak., Aug. A.
Blood is up among the chiefs at the
reservation over the charges made
against them by the commissioners.
They are chagrined and enraged at the
attempt of the commissioners to force
them to tell the Indians that they might
walk up and sign the paper if they
pleased. This was an insinuation that
they were no better than the common
people of their tribes and has stung their
pride. In his reply to the commits
sioners John Grass said: "You have
said many things to shame the Indians.
You accuse US of saying that the great
father in Washington lies. We did
not say that. We say that the commits
sioners whom he sends to US are liars.
We have told you that we do not want
to sign the papers, and we mean it.
We do not want to sign because we are
not getting enough for our lands. That
is just what we mean. You talk too
much to us; you
TELL US MANY THINGS
that are not in the bill. We haye had
our young men read the bill to us and
we know that you are telling us many
things that are not true. You say that
am not authorized to speak for the IN
dians. l say l am, and L stand here
now talking for al the Indians" Here
the Indians supported Grass in his
statement with big "How." Continu-
ing, Grass said: "You have kept us
here mary days, and we want to go
home and
ATTEND TO OUR CROPS.
1--WE have looked at the red paper and
at the black, and we can see no differ
ence." During this speech Sitting Bull
was moving around among the Indians
giving them advice.
The sensational charge of the commits
sion and the spirited speech of Grass
created profound sensation among the
Indians. and it was plain that many of
the reds were dumbfounded. They
were surprised and daZed, and We're
placed in condition of willdeXpect-
ancy. To-day being the day for the is
sue of rationS, all of the Indians of the
reservation, squaWs and children were
present, and the commissioners had
great opportunity to work upon
THEIR GRATITUDE.
1t was great day for explanation,
and the commissioners believe that they
have made break in the ranks of their
opposition. The main objections so far
advanced by the Indians, are that the
government has not observed former
treaties; that so cents per acre is not
enough for their lands; that the present
boundary lines of their treaty are not
what the Indians were given to under
stand they would be. They also object
very strongly to the Santees and Pom
cas- being brought into their lands to in
termingle with them. The commission
ers have told them in reply that the
government has done more than it:prom-
iSed, and that their rationS were largely
increased by the treaty of 1876, and that
upon the
EXPIRATION OF THE TIME
during which they were to be fed they
were fed for four years by the gevern-
ment. They have been told what the
government has expended for them,
possible that if they will accept this
treaty they will be one Of the richest
communities on the continent.
At the council of the Indians last
night the chiefs spoke bitterly of the
commission, and asked their Indians if
they would follow the advice of men
who would insult their chiefs. Sitting
Bull spoke of the vast areas of land that
the Indians have
GIVEN TO THE WHITES
and said: "NOw they are trying to
crowd US upon a pasture not big enough
for cows" He called upon the chiefs
whom the commissioners had told
could not speak for their Indians to say
something to remove the shame which
had been placed upon them. Gall, who
is proud and imperious, arose amid the
wild applause of the Indians and said
that he had been among them many
years; that they knew him as their chief
and knew that he had always been true
to them. He asked them if they would
follow in the lead of these commission
ers, whom they had never seen before, or
FOLLOW THEIR CHIEFS
who have led them in battle and fought
for them. He recalled the time the
whites pinned him to the ground with
bayonets near Fort Stevenson and left
him for dead, and said that with all
they had done he never had been so
badly hurt as when these commission
ers tell him that he cannot represent
his people. Calls speech was fire.
quently applauded, and those who
heard him say that he swayed the In
dians with wonderful effect. John
Grass also spoke of the affront that he
and the other chiefs had been given by
the commissioners, and said that this
alone was sufficient TO
PREVENT THE INDIANS
from signing. Mad Bear and Big Head
also spoke, and Rain-in-the-Face moved
about on his pony urging his friends to
do as the chiefs advised them. 1t is
now a war of influence between the
chiefs and the commissioners, and the
fight is being waged with every known
tactic on both sides. Sitting Bull is by
far the most cunning of the tribe, and
is either doing all he can to deceive the
commissioners or he is deceiying his
own people. He called On the commits
sioners to-day. He is the only chief
that has made call upon them, and
has endeavored to
GAIN THEIR CONFIDENCE.
He told them that the other chiefs were
very foolish, and that they did not know
what they ought to do. He endeavored
to convince the commissioners that he is
their friend and that he will do all he
can for them. This, together with his
speeches to the Indians, puts old Bull in
a very strange predicament, and if his
call upon the commissioners becomes
known to the other chiefs there will be
a lively row in camp, unless it is an un-
derstanding among all the chiefs. From
the fact that nearly every known lieut.
enant of Bull is opposed to the treaty
and that they have worked vigorously
against it, the sincerity of his words to
the commissioners is doubted. The
~