The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-20
time the most fortunate hangers-on
IN the state and counties.
An Indian CommisSion.

time the most fortunate hangers-on
IN the state and counties.
An Indian Commission.
In 1880, / left my little farm on
Newman creek. having in 1929, ex
changed for one where | now reside.
In 1882. l was appointed by Gen
Cass, secretary OF war. secretary OF
the commissioners to hold treaties
with the Miami and Pottawattamies
Indians. | left my family on the four
teepth of August and arrived at Lo-
gansport the seventeenth where | met
Jonathan Jennings, J. w. Davis and
Marks Crume. commissioners on the
part of the United States.
Having in a few days effected the
preliminaries required of us. touching
the Indian treaties, Mr.. Davis and |
visited the tower OF ST. Joseph. Niles
in the territory Of Michigan and the
newly laid town OF LaPerte and re-
turned after an absence of seven days
We left LoganspOrt on the ninth OF
september and arrived at the forks OF
the Wabash near where Huntington
now stands in the evening. The com
missioners appointed Eligha NJ. Hun
! tington assistant secretary.
Meet Indians In Council.
On the eleventh we met the Indians
in council. Gov. Jennings made the
opening speech He informed the In
dians that their father, the President,
/ was anxious TO purchase their land.
that they were surrounded oy the
white people, that their game was
leaving them, that unfortunate diff
Culties would arise between them and
the white people, that their father.
the President, would pay them good
!
land west of the Mississippi and sup
! port them one year at their new
homes.
J. B. Richardville, principal chief,
then replied that they had heard what
the great father, the President. want
ed. that they would at a future time
| answer all the questions proposed 10
! them and the council closed.
| During the vacations, the Indians
| amused themselves by running foot
races. in jumping and hopping and at
ter night in dancing. Good order was
preserved and no accident interrupted
! the good feeling between the Indians
and the whites.
| Decides Not to Sell.
At the next meeting in council, J.
B. Richardson, in a very plain manner
| addressed the commissioners through
an interpreter. He said he spoke not
| for himself only. but for the whole ma
ton; that they had positively con
| cluded not to sell any of their lands,
| that he wished to go home, that when
! he stayed long from home him wife al
ways scolded him.
The council fire was frequently af-
terward lighted but with no better sue
cess and finally on the twenty-sixth OF
! hor he adjourned
sine die.
On the eighth of October We met
the Pottamattamies, near where the
town of Rochester now stands. There
were supposed to be present 1000 In
dians and a large number of gentle
men from different parts Of the state
A better state of feeling seemed to be
manifested The Indian traders and
agents were persuaded to use their in
| fluence with the Indians and when the
| first council fire was kindled and the
! pipe of peace smoked hopes were en-
tertained for a speedy treaty with
these red children.
Double Dealing Praetised.
In these expectations we were not
disappointed for in a few days and
nights was completed the purchase OF
| 5000 900 acres of their land and large
amounts of goods delivered to them
Then a scene of double dealing and
fraud was practised, which would dis
grace any man always excepting an
Indian trader Being at that time en-
gagged as secretary the rascality prac
tised did not fall under my observa
ton. We left the encampment Novem
beT l and arrived safe home the day
before the Presidential election, 1882
For the first and last time | cast my
vote for Henry Clay, who was again
defeated.