The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-08
SIOUX CHIEFS TALK.
Secretary Noble Listens to the
Visiting Delegation.
MANY GOOD PROMISES MADE
In Return the Indians are Given Sound
Advice and Told to Give Up
Hope I'm War.

WAsHISGTos CRY, Feb. THE confer
ence between Secretary Noble and the In
dian delegation began this morning The
secretary of war and Mrs. Proctor and Miss
Proctor were present: also the wife of Sec
rotary Noble and Miss Halstea. The con-
ference was opened by Secretary Noble,
who said:
You were represented here Just after agree
ment with General Crook was made You made
certain requests and complaints at that time,
There has been trouble since e then, and So si
have come again to say what
you think proper, as to the
plants as you see fit You see the secretary is
here to say that he has kept his word, but if
there is anything more he can do through
friendship for the Sioux he is ready to do It. He
is your friend and the Great Father told him to
be your friend. He wants You to talk to him as
friends and he will meet you in the same spirit.
The secretary then asked if the Indians
had made arrangements about speakers.
He could not hear them all, but would
listen to a few, and he desired that they
speak briefly. He added that if no objec-
ton were made he would hear from John
Grass, Hollow Horn, Bear, American
Horse, Two Strikes, Hump and Young
Man-Afraid- of His-H Horse. In response
Louis Renoltre said this arrangement was
not satisfactory, as it was desired that
each agency should be represented. The
secretary replied that he would hear John
Grass and American Horse, and then take
counsel with them as TO who would follow.
John Grass then came forward and Rev.
c. S. Cook, Episcopal minister at Pine
Ridge, acted as interpreter. Grass at once
the Indians, the origin of which he did not
know. They had come for the purpose of
conversing with the secretary in regard to
the matter. The Indians, he said, did not
desire to be driven back to their wild life,
but wished to consult with the president,
so as to determine upon the future. The
Indians thought the agents should be
civilians rather than militia. In
the past, he said, the Indian
agents had opportunities to steal but now
it was difficult for them to adopt such prac-
tice. The agents of late years. he said,
had been good men. In speaking of his
own reservation (Standing Rock), the
threatened trouble had been put down by
the Indian police. They believed in the
Indian police, and he requested an increase
OF fifty men. Grass then shook hands
with the secretary, and took his seat.
American Horse was the next speaker.
He displayed considerable natural ability,
marks, referring in complimentary terms
to the secretary and the ladies present
The government, he SAID, had made mis-
take in its attempts to ciyilize Indians
He proceeded to enumerate these mis-
takes. Instead of the positions at the
agency being filled by Indians, white men
crowded them out and took their
places. What his people wanted was
a chance to rise and I'LL the
positions of trust and consequence
which were within their reach. He then
spoke of religious matters, and said there
were three religious bodies on their reser-
vations who were trying to teach them to
live better, and especially to bring about
religious marriage. They did not want to
be compelled to marry certain
persons. The secretary inquired
who had sought to compel them
to marry, and American Horse said
he referred most particularly to persons
who eloped. When the couple were
brought back the agent obliged them to be
married.
Young Man-Afraid-o His-H Horse related