OCR Text |
Show 28 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. was brought forward by. Governor Claflin to respond also. His speech was interpreted by Mr. Smith. REMARKS OF STONE CALF. FRIENDS : There is a great assemblage of persons here to- night. Ladies and gentle-men and children are assembled to see us and hear what few remarks we may have to say. Friends, I have recently received an invitation from the President, our Great Father in Washington. This gentleman, the Indian agent, went from his own country to where we live with our invitation, and we at once accepted it and started for the East to see our Great Father in Washington. On our arrival there we found that he was kind to us, but we have had little to say to him. Our friend Little Raven he is our friend ; we are of two different nations, but we live in one nation inasmuch as Little Raven, our great friend, has spoken to you and told you the wishes and thoughts of his tribe, you may consider it is for the Cheyennes as much as for the Arapahoes. Friends, when we left our homes a long way in the West to come to see our Great Father in Washington, as well as the balance of iny friends who are no\ v before me, I had no idea of having to be called upon to get up and speak in their presence ; but notwithstanding this I will make a few remarks. There is but a remnant of our tribe left. A few years ago they were in trouble with the Government, not from any causes that we created ourselves, but from abuses from western white men who are on the borders and are nearly connected with us. We have ma. de several treaties with the United States Government, and in the last treaty of 1867 there were seven commis-sioners sent out to talk with us in regard to living in peace with the American people-. But their promises made then have never been fulfilled ; they never have been com-plied with, while ours have been. Now why are Ave confined to this small strip of country that is left us in return for the whole Territory of Colorado that belonged to us ? They said they would teach our people to plant and raise corn, and to build our habitations from trees. But before they ever ploughed or planted an acre of corn for us they commenced to build railroads through our country. What use have we for railroads in our country ? What have we to transport from our nations I Nothing. We are living wild, really living on the prairies as we have in former times. I do not see that we have been benefited in the least by all the treaties that we have made with the United States Government. We wish the Government at present, with the aid of this association here, to stop the railroads from going through our country until we have some way to support ourselves there. We haven't an ox, we haven't an acre of corn growing to- day in our great country that the Government has said they would reserve for us. I speak of railroads ; not that we have any objection to railroads if we had any use for them ; but you can't build railroads through our territory without white men being; left among us on each side of the railroad, and they will come in conflict with us. They cannot remain there in peace with the Indians. " Bad men are sent to build these railroads, and bad men are left among us. We have young men that are foolish, who have not been thoroughly civilized. I for my part am at peace with the white man, and desire to remain at peace wTith him ; but if you send bad men among us, not chiefs like those who are here to- night, we cannot remain at peace. We expect these white chiefs who are here to- night will support us in what we are saying, and we hope they will stop at once the progress of any railroads through our country, so that we may live at peace for a long time with the American people. Friends, I see many here whom I shall probably never see again, and I am about to conclude the few remarks I have to say to you. To- morrow morning I expect to leave this city, but I shall never forget the friends I see here around me. I shall never forget the gentlemen whom I have been introduced to here, for I know they are my friends. Peace is all I want. I meet you all in peace, and return home with the hand of every one of you ladies and gentlemen here, and I will give the hand of every one of you to my nation when I return, and say that we shall be at peace with the American na-tion hereafter. [ Applause.] Friends, I have made all the remarks I have to make. I am to leave you to- morrow morning, to start westward to see my women, and friends, and children I left behind. [ Applause.] The secretary of the board of Indian commissioners under whose auspices the delegation had been brought to Boston was then introduced. REMARKS OF VINCENT COLYER. My friends, and, better still, the friends of the Indian, it was that you might hear and see the Indian that I came to this city. For that I am here to- night. You have seen them and you have heard them, and my work is done. But it was thought by the managers of the Massachusetts Indian Commission that I should say a few words of the character of these people, briefly touching upon their history, and endeavor to make clear to you what are tlu- ir wants. We ol the Indian Department divide the lut- |