Year: 1875

WASHINGTON, June 5.-The Indians


called at the interior department this


morning to say goodbye 10 the COM


missioner, when a short interview took


place. They expect to start for home


to. night. The Cheyenne river Indians


will stop for few days in New York.


The agents return with them, though 1t


is understood the resignation Of Agent


Saviile is at the disposal Of the Presi-


dent. When the Indians entered the


interior department the commissioner


said: 'I understand that some Of you


want to speak this morning, and would


be glad to hear anything you may have
to say"


Rad. CIoud-My friend, we are going
home to day, and the young men you
see here want to shake hands with you
and bid you goodbye. We came also to
ask you about something we have not
heard about. / would like to ask about
the pay for those who came with me
the interpreters and all the Indians.


CommissiOner-There are some things
to be said about those men who have
come along that / would rather not be
obliged to say to you. They have not
come by the wish Of anybody but them
selves, so far as L know, and they hive
been the source OF much mischief and
trouble ever since they came here. They
got you to insist on going to the Wash
ington house, and they got son e Of yOn
to go there, after | had told
you that it was not a proper
place for you. They have led you
in bad practice since you have been
here. Now they have the impudence to
come and ask me to pay them for that
sort of services, and leave it to you to
Judge whether 1 had better do il or not.
That is all that is to be said on that sub
ject. l have told your agents TO spend
for you, in getting such presents as you
want, twenty-five dollars piece. This
is in addition to what you have already
received in suits of clothes, and other
things that your agent has bought for
you. L wish l could make it more, and
do for you what you ask in that re-
spect; to furnish each of you a horse,
with saddle and equipments, but that /
am not able to do, because l have not
the money to make the purchases.


Little -Wound-You tell the truth
when you say that you did not invite
the Interpreters to come along with the
Indians. We have heard that before,
but if we had come with only three in
terpreters belonging to our delegation,
these thr6 interpreters would dispute as
to what we said We invited these
three to come in order to be witnesses Oh
our return as to what was done. AS for
myself, / am not Influenced by these
men; they wanted to come with US, and
now they say we have deceived them,
and between the two they are falling TO
the ground. They blame US for not get
ting pay for them. We came here at the
invitation of the President, and we ex-
pected to go home with horses, equip
ments and guns, so that our people
would receive US gladly. II we go home
without anything OF the kind when we
srrive our psOple will laugh at us.


Commissioner would not give you
guns if 1 could. II l could give you
horses and saddles l would, but have
no power about il; can't do it, so it is
not worth while for me to encourage
you in any way to expect it. About
those men you speak of as interpreters;
they are not interpreters at all. Todd
Randall, when he came to interpret for
Red-Cloud, broke down, and Red Cloud
had to get some one else. Halliday, the
only one who did belong to you as inter-
prefer, was employed by me. He is a
good interpreter, but ne likes whisky so
well that he broke down. He got so
drunk | could not see him for several
days. l shall pay him for what he did
and send him home. Randall will also
be paid. Those other men who have de-
ceived yOu-who have kept you from
doing your duty, and have led you
astray, have no claim for anything, and
they may be thankful that they are not
driven out of the country.


The commissioner then addressed
Sitting Bull, saying: 81 have heard
with great pleasure of your conduct,
and OF the conduct of two or three
others Of Red Clouds agencies. 1 have
heard from your agent, and from mill.
tary officers at the agency, of the great
you have rendered the govern
ment. You have proved yourself to be
a very brave and true man, friend to
your own people and to the whites.
Your good conduct has been reported to
the President, and l am instructed by
him to give you token of his reward"


The Cheyennes called on Commits
'ioner Smith this afternoon, and COM
planned considerably about the failure of
yuo SON6IuLleuI W uO any CDluS IOG lDGM
since their arrival here, saying, that the
Indians that did the best were treated
he worst by the government. Tall
Man.Dan said that if he bad learned to |
lie like Spotted-Tail and Red Cloud he |
would have Jared better from the gov
ernment. Lone-HOrn pointed to Mrs.
Kelly, saying that that lady who sits
over there, our people once did a wrong
TO; pay her for us; l wish you would
Mrs. Kelly's husband and little daugh-
.er were killed by the Sioux, and her
self taken captive, a few years ago.
After haud-shaking the Indians left,
and will return home by way of New
York.


The President presented Sitting. Bull
with fine rifle, nicely mounted, and
nclosed in leather case. On the brass
surrounding the lock, is en-
yraved: "Sltting- Bull; from the Presi- |
lent for bravery and friendship"


The Cheyenne Indians requested the |
to appoint Rev. S. ID. |
Hinman and Rev. J. P. Newman COM
nissiODers to 90 out and aid in regulating |
he Black Hills matter.