The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-07-25
RED SKINNED ORATORS
Decidedly Adverse to Giving UP Their
Hunting Grounds.

STANDING Rock RESERVATION, OAK,
July 24.-1here is unwonted excitement
among the Sioux Indians on the question of
opening their reservation, containing 22,000,-
600 acres of land, to the public domain. Near
ly 5000 Indians of this agency are camped
within two miles of Fort Yates, and addi-
tions to their numbers are arriving hourly.
The commission appointed by President
Cleveland to discuss the question with the
Sioux chiefs arrived Sunday. Last evening
the Sioux braves formed an immense circle
on the prairie, and listened to speeches by
Chief Justice Grass, Chief Gall, Mad Bear
and others. The Indians seemed to be
unanimous and almost savage in their op-
position to the opening of the reservation. A
formal conference with the commissioners
will be held today.
John Grass, who was the first to speak,
advised the Indians to be careful in what
they say to the commission, and, no matter
what is said, to make no decision until after
mature consideration. Mad Bear said that the
whites had broken all former treaties with
the Indians, and at the close of his speech
there were numerous grunts of applause
from the circle. Up to this time the council
had been quiet and comparatively cold. The
applause, which is given by grunts and gut
tpral explosion, was wild, but when Mad
Bear took his seat and Chief Gall arose
majestically the Indians went wild. Gal
is the handsomest and most commando
Ing Indian of the tribe, and as field general
led all the brilliant man9uvres during the
Custer campaign, for which Sitting Bull was
given credit. he is unquestionable the fin
est living Indian orator, and his speech at
this council is pronounced by the Interpreters
to be the most eloquent ever delivered on the
reservation. Among other things, he said,
In alludlng to the arrival of the commission
ers and the proposed new treaty:
These commissioners come to talk about
our lands. Five of us have been chosen to
speak. When we confront them in council
we must not speak fast; we must know what
we want before we ask for it. We should
listen to the whites and learn what they care
to offer, and then we should, without foolish
speaking, think what we are willing to give.
When was at Fort Rice many years ago,
there was treaty made with us. In this
treaty the whites made great promises. They
told us that we would have many cattle and
that our horses would cover the plains /
returned in few years and learned that we
were again deceived. They did not keep
their word and we were as fools.
.'They come, Ihear, with two papers, one to
take our lands and one to keep them. They
tell us we must sign one or the other, and
our names will be counted This is the first
time l ever knew an Indian can be made to
sign paper against his will"
AT the close of Calls speech the applause
was sayagely enthusiastic.
After speeches by Running Antelope,
High Bear and others, and the reading Of the
proposed treaty, which was printed in the
Sioux language, Mad Bear again addressed
the circle, and called upon all opposed to
giving consent to the treaty rise. Every In
dian in the circle sprang to his feet with a
whoop, and this performance was so salts
factory to the orators that it was repeated
three times.
The pacific speech of the day was made by
Running Antelope, who advised his people
to be calm and deliberate in the conference
with the commission