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Show 138 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. is why I never refused to come. Mr. King- made three houses for me. Governor Stevens said this reservation was for us. I want my house on it. I want the agent to help me. I want trees and everything to plant. I want all I can work with in winter. Why should I buy my own tools when the President sends them out? I have received no benefit from what the President sent; have gotten none of the things promised in the treaty. All that I have the officers give me. If it was not for them I would have no good clothes. These are presents from them. I have nothing good given me, as Governor Stevens said. Governor Stevens promised different things every year for twenty years. Every year we would get more and more. All this I don't see. I have not got much from the treaty a blanket or two at a time. My people don't like this ; they know the President sends more than we get. Governor Stevens said at the close of the treaty we would get rifles and shot- guns. Perhaps what Governor Stevens said was not true. Governor Stevens promised us a schooner. From this day I have heard some of the words Governor Stevens said. Hereafter, I want you white men to find me work, so that I can earn something. I will work on my place. . This reservation belongs to me as much as to any other Indian, so I will work. I want you to remember what I say. I want tools to work with. What will become of us if we have nothing to work with 1 My people work where they have been. All these young men, if they don't get work will become poor. If they work they will be contented, and all will be well. We look upon you as the President, and don't want you to refuse the things we need. My heart is right to- day. When I want to log I want you to lend me cattle and what I need. I take my turn, and want to get the benefit of the reservation as the other Indians have done. I have not earned anything where I have been. Mr. BRUNOT. I am sorry I have not time to hear more of you talk. I think those who have talked have talked for all. If they have, I want you to stand up. ( Almost all stood up.) CHARLEY, ( Port Gamble Indian.) I grew up on this place. My father lived here. All the land my father owned I got nothing for. If I had good sense as other men have I would rule over this place. I would not listen to the Duke of York. He did not like this place. To- day I am glad to see you. I want to know about the reservation. There are many S'Klallams. It will take a large place for them. I am satisfied with Atkins Creek, where the Duke of York said the Indians all are. BILLY. When we became poor, I asked Spar ( the chief) to let us work. We were work-ing at Siebeck and made money. Mr. King ( the agent) advised me to come here and bring my father and mother. I came here, and spent all my money for food. We became very poor. Mr. King took the timber from us. Captaiu Kelly came and did the same. We asked if the President wanted us to log with Spar. We think the Government sends money we don't get. When the money comes it does not all get here. We know the money comes to buy all the Indian country on the sound. What little goods we get are not worth the country we sold. When I see a white man's claim I asked the price; he says $: i, OUO or $ 1,000. Why does the Government send so little to buy our big country ? Plenty of money is sent, but it does not get here. My father, a gray- haired old man, told me that Governor Stevens said we would be like white men ; but I don't see it. The Indians are very poor. The reserva-tion is like ourselves ; we don't know just where it is. When we find where the reservation is we will take our axes and make it good. You are from Washington ; tell us where the lines of this reservation are. BIG JOHN, ( sub- chief.) You come to get the Indians' hearts. You ought to take time. You are the great chief, and we want you to hear us. When we talked before, it was put down, and they said it would go to Washington. We do not know what became of it. We don't think the President saw it ; we think it don't go far from here. I am a poor man ; you are making all these young men and women happy. I thought, when a boy, that we would get all the money that was promised. White men don't give things away ; they sell them. They don't take a shirt or blanket for lands ; they get gold and silver. The Indians don't get money for their country. It blankets and clothes are sent the Indians want good ones sent. I want to know Avhere the. se worthless things we get corne from. Do they come from Washington? I think they corne from a little way off. The blankets and shoes and shirts last only a week. We want to know about these things. How many years will the treaty last ? We want you to tell us. Mr. BRUNOT. The bounds of the reservation you ask for. If a white man has a claim he has a surveyor come and survey it, and mark the boundaries. He does not know until the surveyor comes. I will tell at Washington what you say about marking out your reserva-tion. I hope a man will be engaged to mark it out. The President and Indian Commis-sioner have much to do, and many people to think about. He can't do everything at once. I do not know how soon he will have this done, but I think ho will have it done as soon as he can. I think he will mark it out in pieces, so that every Indian who will work can have a piece for himself, and no Indian or white man can take it from him, aud his children can have it after he dies. The difference between the Indian and the white man is this : Did you ever see anybody give a white man a horse and cattle? How does he get them ? He goes to work. There is something comes to the Indian every year ; but there is not enough to do everything for them. They must help themselves. If an Indian won't work there is no use to give him a piece of land. If he sits down and does nothing, and won't become like a white inaii, we |
