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Show 26 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. away without attempting to enter. They were indeed unfortunate, for the proceedings of the evening were most interesting, and all who were within seeing and hearing dis-tance of the platform were satisfied to remain and applaud . the speakers until long after 10 o'clock. The Indian chiefs, Little Raven, Powder Face, Little Rohe, Stone Chief, Bird Chief, and Buffalo Good, belonging to the Arapahoes, Cheyenne, and Wichita tribes, and the incidents of their visit to the city, have already been chronicled. They were brought into the Temple at eight o'clock, Governor Claflin leading the way with Little Raven on his arm, and the other chiefs following. They were followed by Mayor Gaston, Hon. Vincent Colyer, the Hon. E. S. Tobey, of the United States Board of Indian com-missioners, and the Rev. John T. Sargent and other officers of the Massachusetts Indian commission. They were provided with seats on the front of the platform, in full view of the audience, who received them with loud and continuous cheers, much to their apparent gratification. After the applause had subsided Governor Claflin briefly announced the object of the reception, and called upon the assembled multitude to join in singing the first verse of " My Country, ' tis of thee," which was done. Mayor Gaston was then introduced, and made the following speech of welcome : WELCOME OF MAYOR GASTOX. CHIEFS : In behalf of these good people with whom you have been daily associating, I greet you. They are here before you with their thousands of voices, if needed, to swell the voice of welcome. They are here to express the wish that this visit may be an agreeable one to you, and that it may be the means of promoting a lasting friendship between them and you. And they desire that when you shall return to your distant homes by the setting sun you will carry with you to your people their assur-ances of good will and friendship, and they trust that there will continue to be an abiding affection and peace between their people and your people forever. [ Loud applause.] The mayor was then introduced to the chiefs individually by one of the interpreters. After the conclusion of this ceremony, Little Raven, head chief of the Araphoes, was presented to the audience, and spoke in substance as follows, his speech being inter-preted by Mr. McCusker : LITTLE RAVEN'S SPEECH. MY FRIENDS : These big chiefs on the left and right have invited me into this big council- house and invited us to hear what you have got to say. This is a good house, and this is just the kind of a house to have a good talk in. [ Laughter.] Some years ago General Sheridan met my tribe in the Wichita Mountains and told us that he did not want the Arapahoes to fight any more. It was a good talk, and I listened to what the general told me. I have kept that talk ever since, and have never fought with the white man. I want you to look upon these men around me ; they do not look so strong as they really are, but they are not to be despised, even if they are Indians. [ Laughter and applause.] The Great Father invited me and these other chiefs to come to Washington to see him, and he made just such a talk as Sheridan did, in a nice talking place. It was a good talk. It was just the kind of talk I wanted to hear, and I was glad I did hear it. Then I and my friends went to Philadelphia and to New York, and we had just such a good talk there. I told them that I wanted to have peace with the white man ; and that I only wanted to be let alone. I was glad to see this, and my heart was glad to hear this. I was told that I had some friends at the North that I had never heard of nor seen before, and I found a great many chiefs here ; some of them have been showing me through the city. The women, the children, boys and girls are glad to see me, and my heart is big, and I am glad to meet them. [ Applause.] My people, the Arapahoes, the braves, and the women, are all anxiously looking for my return. My friends are waiting for me ; they are now looking for me, and I am glad I have got so good a talk to carry back to them as I have received here. When I sleep at night I sleep with all this talk in my heart, and when I wake up I find it still there, and I am going to take every word of it home with me. [ Applause.] I believe God is going to pity the Indians. ' lie has shown us a good many friends here, and there is not one that ' has said anything or' done anything wrong to my party. I am very glad of that, for if anything should happen to any member of my party my people would feel very bad on my return. Once the Arapahoes had a fine country in the West ( Colo-rado,) but the white man has driven us from there. I hope some day the white man will do justice to the Arapalioes. There are a great many chiefs listening to what I say to- night, and I want to say that I only ask ior justice. I am growing old, and I may die, but my children will" live, and I hope justice will be done to my children if not to myself. God gave this country to the Indian, and God sent the white man here, but I don't think God sent the white man to do injustice to the Indian always. [ Ap-plause.] When I get home I shall talk to my young men, to any of them that are disposed to do wrong, and tell them to hold on and to behave themselves. I think my |