Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-16
SIOUX CHIEFTAINS
Visit Washington-S Sitting Bulls Pacific
Tone.
WASHINGTON. Oct. Ii

! WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.
| The Sioux Indian chiefs began confer
ence with the secretary of the Interior this
morning. The conference opened with a
prayer in the Sioux language by Rev Mr..
Cleveland, member of the commission
When he repeated the Lords prayer some of
the Indians repeated it with him. Secretary
Villas asked the Indians to state freely their
objections TO the proposed law providing for
the sale of portion of the great Sioux res
ervation in southern Dakota. Sitting Bull
said he simply wished to say that he be-
longed to the COVER lment of the United
States, and when he addressed the
secretary and members of the commission
as my friends" he did so because he was
one of the people. The Indians, he said,
wished to speak in regard to this law as men
to men, and he hoped that everything would
be done in quiet manner. His words
caused a chorus of approving "ughs' from
the other Indians.
John Grasse, the leading speaker among
the Indians, then took the floor. He spoke
slowly and stopped frequently to consult
with the Indians seated near him. He apol-
ogized for taking time for consultation by
saying that be was ignorant and could.it use
notes. He therefore made use of the Indi-
ans as note books. He spoke for about an
hour He said he had never opposed the
bill as who'll but only as to some of its
parts.
Speaking of the treaties of 1865 and 1876
he asked why the obligations of these treat
les had never been executed by the govern
ment- Under a former treaty the money
due them has never been paid The schools
promised them have never been established
till 10 years ago. Pointing to map which
he took from his pocket he asserted that the
western boundary line of the reservation
should be long ways west of the present
location. He wanted TO know who had
moved that line and who had gotten the land
that rightfuly belonged to him. His obiec-
ton to the present law being that a portion
of the reservation the government proposes
to take by rights contains good deal more
than IL 100000 acres. He said he had
changed his mind about the price they ought
to receive and was now of the opinion
that instead of fifty cents per acre they
ought to receive one dollar and twenty-five.
just what the government sells lands for.
Since he has been here and also while pass
ing through the great cities on the way he
had learned the y hite people didn't want the
reservation thrown open to settlement. He
asked that all land in the reservation be
classed grazing land not as farming land
thus enabling those entitled to l60 acres to
get 320. He maintained it was wrong to
give the heads of families double the amount
given women and children. He said the
old men would soon die and therefore would
not ne ed as much as the young men who had
their own way to make.
Speeches were made BY l6 chiefs who
repeated the points made by Grasse. Big
Name of the Lower Brule agency announced
himself satisfied with the law. and expressed
confidence in the government. He was the
only speaker who favored il.
White Ghost and Drifting Goose of the
Crow Creek Agency claimed that the COM
mission endeavOred to secure the compl-
ance of the Indians by harsh words. They
declared that the commissioners had seized
the Indians and dragged them forward to a
table to sign papers. Commissioner Cleve-
land told a reporter who sat next to him
that the language used by these Indians was
hyperbolc and of course force in no form
was used or attempted to be used. Maj.
Anderson, agent, corroborated this statement
When the Indians concluded the speaker,
Secretary Villas, told the chiefs that all they
had said would be laid before the President
and they wonld be informed of his decision
Wednesday morning at the same place. The
conference then adjourned.