Year: 1876




A "REMINISCENCES.


THERE was an interesting though
unimportant scene in the life of Abra
ham Lincoln, of which | was an eve
witness, 1t was on the occasion OF
the visit of about twenty Indian chiefs
to the Executive Mansion, delegated
by their respective tribes to treat per.
| sOnally with the Great Father in the
| adjustment of their affairs. They
were habited in their attire of feathers
| and paint, and each one was impressed
| with the greatness, of the occasion.
| the most eventful, probably, of theil
lives. Their interpreter placed them
in the form Of a crescent in the
spacious East room, on the floor, as
they would have been i'll at ease on
chairs. Thus they sat on the carpet
in decorous silence and waited the az
rival Of the Chief Magistrate.


a number of people had been in
vited to be present at the interview,
among whom were officers civil and
military and foreign diplomates, ac-
companied by their wives in fashion
able toilet. Several of the latter,
whose feet had not long left the
asphalt of the Bouleyards of Paris,
looked on the copper-cOlored men
two or three using ye-glasses-with
peculiar interest; the objects of it,
however, sat under the close observa-
tion with calm dignity, as calm as if
they had been in the habit of sitting
amidst the gaudy splendors of an East
room, and of being looked upon, every
day hy dieti"c";~I s,ss--.,,o., anu udlIu-
some women; the absence of any
manifestation of surprise being a
characteristic of Indian nature.


At length Abraham Lincoln came
into the room and stood before the
dusky crescent, while group of we'll
known men gathered behind him, to
hear what was about to take place,
space being made by ushers about the
chiefs, the President and the imme-
diate group behind him. The inter-
prefer occupied place near Lincoln,
to turn the aboriginal language into
English as it fell from the lip. The
ceremony began by personal presen-
tation of each chief to the Great
Father, each one going up to the pow
erful white chief and shaking hands
not extending the hand after the Cau-
casian manner. but holding it high and
dropping it softly into the Presidential
palm. The names were furnished as
they came forward by the Interpreter
White Bear, Big Wolf, Red Fox, and
so on.


The face of Lincoln was plainly seen
by most of the people present, for it
was higher than that of any other.
When he came into the room it was, as
usual, pale and tinged with sadness,
which was it's principal characteristic
in repose. He folded his hands before
him, and stood rather awkwardly as he
waited for the interview to begin.
After making his compliments and
shaking hands, each Indian returned
to his seat on the carpet i'll
the crescent of his brethren.
When all had performed the
ceremony, each one in turn made his
speech to the President, standing up
for the purpose, and sitting down
when done, in parliamentary fashion,,
probably through instructions from
the interpreter. The first one who
essayed to talk grew nervous, and in a
hurried way asked for a chair in the
spirit of wrecked mariner who seeks
for plank. When it was furnished
him, he took his seat and resumed the
entangled thread of his discourse. AS
this trifling incident took place, asmile
passed over the faces of the spectators,
and was reflected in that of Lincoln.
This smile, indeed, deepened into an
audible laugh in the rear; but when
the ear of the President caught it his
face Immediately Strengthened into
seriousness and sympathy with the
disconnected Indian. He did not at
once begin, and the interpreter said:


"Mr. President, White Bear asks
for time to collect his thoughts,


The President bowed, and another
smile went round at the plight of the
perturbed Indian, but did not appear
in the face of Lincoln.


Soon, White Bear rose to his feet,
went at it again, and after fashion
got through with what he wanted to
say, at which there was murmur OF
applause.


The burden of their speeches was
the same. They had all come such q
long distance, and so quickly, that they
felt as if they were birds. To see the
Great Father had been the wish Of
their lives. They were poor, and re-
quired help. They had always re
spected their treaties, and were the
friends of the white man. They
wanted to be prosperous and rich like
their white brother. Big Wolf, par
ticularly, enlarged on this theme. HI
said that he would like to have horses
and carriages, sausages such as he att
in the hotel in Washington, and a fine
wigwam-"l like this" added he, as hi
designated the highly ornamentet