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Show 102 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. know when a ground has no money. That is why we have to think about these different kinds of lauds. One of the kind of land is good to grow upon, and for my children to grow upon and live on. You men, ( commissioners,) wherever you came from, and also you, ( Mr. Brunot,) who came from Washington, I want you to know what I say. That is all I have to say. The chief here sat down, and said lie had no more to say, because what he did say was not correctly interpreted. The record as kept was here read and interpreted to him ; and he said it was correct. He then continued: " I do not want to teach you anything about God. White men are wise, and know about all these things. Whatever is true will make you grow. You know just how to make things grow. It is true, wherever there is rich land that is the place where things will grow. We love what we grow from ; that is why I wish to show you, good chiefs, ( as it were medicine,) how to make laws that are good. That is why I have no bad feeling toward the whites who live all about me here. 1 thought you were going to take it slow, and afrer a while - we would talk. This is a good country in which we live now." To the priest and Billy McKay: " You know the hearts of the peo-ple who have been raised on this land. The whites went along this road ( old emigrant road) down below, and you were raised down there and grew up wild, and now you have asked me about this laud ; and that is why I do not want to say anything. I am going to think slowly. I liked the way in which I grew up in the country. It is the same way with you. You have raised your children outside the reservation, and I would like to raise mine upon it. It is the same way in Washington. It is as if theie was a fence around it. It is a good place to raise your children. It is the same way with this reservation as if there was a fence around it and it is a good place inside of it to raise our children. I know the country down below, where some of you came from I mean. Mr. Meechatn and the others. If you came from down below and came upon the reservation, you are as agents. There has been four of them come; and, Mr. Meecham and Mr. Brunot, we see you have come here ; that is why I do not say you are stealing my lands. I heard that by and by there would be some one come here to inquire about our lands. That is why I thought all our people those who are on the Columbia River would all be here and show you their hearts. My heart is, that those people on the river ought to be here. The people that are absent we do not want them to have it to say hereafter, ' I was not there, and did not know what was done.' We want all to listen to what we have to say. If all the people were here to express their minds it would be all right. I think my friend Meecham is here as a friend. He does not wish to hide anything. It is the same with me I do not wish to hide anything. My heart is this, that the Indians who are not here would not feel right about it. We have a head to think about it and we have to think about it with our heads. If we think with our heads what we say, we will not be ashamed of it hereafter. I want to show you chiefs that the law comes to the people from Washington. That is why you come here and ask all the people what their minds are. I do not know what the hearts of all these people are. I never asked these people to come and stop or work for me. I do not know what these people think about what you have asked them." UMA- PINE, ( Cayuse.) This is how my heart is: Our bodies are dear to us. I believe you think your bodies are dear to you in the same way we value our land. It is dear to us dear to every one of us. We know every day there is some bargain made. There are a great many things in our hearts ; so with you you have a great many tiioughts in your hearts. All that is unpleasant news we are keeping in our hearts. We have different kinds of news to tell, and so have you. All that is in our hearts we want to tell. If you keep all the news in your hearts you will not be contented. There are so many things in our hearts if they all came out you would tire of them. If we think well on both sides we can decide right about it. When we get through thinking we will know more correctly about it. This is my heart. I do not know the hearts of the others, whether they are the same or not. Mr. MEACHAM. We want you to talk all the top off your hearts ; then we will got down to business. We do not want to hurry you. HOM- LI. I do not believe that the President has ended counciling, though we have had a council so long, yet it is not the last time the President will send his messengers ; they will come again. He has done well ; he has questioned me with a good heart ; he has only opened out a little of the law; he has asked our precious bodies, that is what he has asked of us. My friend has sent and asked my heart from a good heart. Although the council has lasted so many days, it seems to me he is only inquiring what my mind is. Mr. MKAOHAM. We have heard all you have said. You seem to wait for us to lead your heart. This is a serious thing to do. We have held back for fear we might make a mis-take, not because we wanted to hide anything. The President's letter said we must be care-ful and not have you do anything you would be sorry for. We have been ready four days to show our hearts, when you wish us to. We all know, Indians and white men, that there has been a great deal of talk about this thing. We know that when the treaty was made with Stevens and Palmer this country was given to you. You have not done as well as was expected of you. A few of you have grown very rich, but most of you are no better off than you were when you came here. I mean you are no richer, and most of you are as poor as Smoharilee Indians, and other Indians along the river who have never been on a reservation. We will not stop now to inquire who is to blaine and why you have not grown |