Connecticut western news., 1889-06-19
ANOTHER INDIAN POw-WOW.
Commissioners Explain Matters to
 the Pine Ridge Bands.


 the Pine Ridge Bands.
 The Commissioners held a council with the Indians at the Pine Ridge Agency. All the principal chiefs and many of their bands, as well as the representative men of mixed blood, were present. The Commissioners asked the Indians to select interpreters who would be satisfactory to them. Red Cloud said they desired William Garnett and Rob- ert Randall. Agent H. D. Gallagher then said:
 My friends, you have come here to meet the Commissioners appointed by the Great Father to talk with you with reference to the sale by you of a part of your reservation. One of these gentlemen is the Hon. ChaE]es Foster, who was once Governor of the great State of Ohio; another is the Hon. William Warner, formerly member of tho great Crook, known to you as the Three Stars, who is not able to meet you just now. These gentlemen will explain the bill present. ed, so that you will be able to understand it fully before you will be asked to take any action.'
 Governor Foster, Chairman of tho Com mission, then addressed tho Indiana. He said:
 "My friends, we greet you by that name, and believe you meet us in that spirit. The Great Father has sent us to you with an act of Congress for your acceptance or rejection. We are here to explain it to you fully, and any any word ord we say say or you you say will .b be taken questions and our answers, and if we talk wrong then the Great Father will know it, and all that has been said will go for nothing. One of our number is known among the Indians as Q man who never deceived them. We expect you to find that we will do the same way.
 "You must all know that you cannot now live as your fathers did. The Great Father and his council have for Q long time been studying what it was best to do for you, and bill which you rejected. Then he sent for your head men and talked with them at Washington, and now this Commission pre- sents to you @ bill which is practically what your head men said they would be willing to agree to. You must not expect that the Great Council will be more liberal in the future than it is now"
 Major Warner then spoke to the Indians. He said:
 'The Great Father wishes that your sons mechanics, and your daughters shall become your school teachers, and that tho money which is now paid to the white man shall be paid to your own people, and that you shall become citizens like the white men" "
 At the conclusion the council broke up. The Indians, in their separate camps, will talk over the matter. Throughout the council the In- dians listened with close attention, and were evidently impressed by the clearness ill which the act of Congress was explained by the Commissioners.
 The Commission was informed that the Cheyennes desired to have a council with them, as they did not understand the Com mssioners. When the Cheyennes were leav- ing their camps for this caucus the Sioux sol diers interfered and told them that they could not talk to the Commissioners. Now that the unfriendly element at the ageucy have shown their hand, it is believed that steps can be taken to counteract it's influence.
 The Cheyennes were at once informed that the Commission would talk with them. and that no outside interference would be toler- ated. A council wns held. Standing Elk. Little Wolf and Wild Hog. the principal chiefs of the Cheyennes, and about 100 heads of families were present Standing Elk explained that the difference in language prevented their understanding the Commissioners talk, but now they have their own interpreter and their ears were open. Gov. Foster explained the provisions of the bill, telling that the ob- ject of the act of Congress was to make the Indians self-respecting, self-sustaining citi- zens of this country, so that instead of being fed by the Government they would eventually become producers and generally prosperous. Major Wagner followed in a speech, covering practically the same ground The Indians listened with grave attention and manifested their interest by frequent applause.
 It was now settled that the mixed blooda are in favor of ratifying the bill and the op- position to it is mainly confined to Red Cloud's following.
 At the close of the council @ simultaneous rush was made by large number of mount. ed Indians, who surrounded the council grounds The Indians had appointed 8 large number of soldiers before the council met and, it is said. the rush was made to prevent any Indians from speaking in favor of the bili after the Commissioners had finish ed their talk. This indicates the prevalence at this agency of an unfriendly feeling toward | the bill, and adds to the difficulty to be oyer l come by the Commissioners.
 The Sioux Indians had a council with each | other There was considerable excitement Fifteen chiefs spoke in opposition to signing | the bill, giving as reasons that tho Govern ment had not fulfilled the promises of tn. | treaty ot 1868.
 No Flesh said that he was in favor of sign | ing; that he wanted his children to be further l advanced than he was; that when they at tended school, and learned what the whit' | man learned, they wished to act as the whit l man acted; that he believed the only way tt bring about this was to take up land and ge | papers for it; that he should sign, no matter who objected, and that if anyone tried tt prevent he would make them cry.