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Show 94 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. " DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, " OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, " Washington, 1). C., May 31, 1871. " SIR : By direction of the honorable Secretary of the Interior, contained in his letter addressed to this office, under date of 7th of January last, yon will proceed to carry into eifect the requirements of a joint resolution of Congress, approved July, 1870, which is as follows : ' That the President of the United States is hereby requested to negotiate with Indians upon the Uraatilla reservation, in Oregon, with the view of ascertaining on what terms said Indians will relinquish to the United States all their claims or rights to said reservation and remove to some other reservation in said State or Washington Territory ; or take lauds in several ty in quantities not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres each on this present reservation, and to report to Congress ; and to defray the expenses of such negotiation, the sum of $ 2,000 is hereby appropri-ated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, or so much thereof as may be necessary.' In accordance with the direction of the honorable Secretary of the Interior, contained in his letter to this office of the 8th of March last, you are directed to confer with Superintendent A. B. Meacham and Mr. J. G. White, who are author-ized to assist you in conducting the negotiations contemplated by the resolution. Superintendent Meacham and Mr. White have this day been notified to place them-selves in communication with you for the purpose of designating a day of meeting to enter upon the negotiations. In conducting said negotiations you will take special care that the Indians fully understand the proposition presented, and that no outside influence is brought to bear to induce them to agree to anything they might hereafter regret. As soon as the negotiations are completed, a report of the same must be made to this office, which report will be submitted to the honorable Secretary of the Interior, to be laid before Congress at its next session. " Very respectfully, your obedient servant, " E. S. PARKER, Commissioner. " To NARCISSUS CONOYER." After fully explaining it to them, Mr. Meacham continued : The letter has been read and you see the President's heart. The President has not written any letter but this one. He has made no proposition ; he Wants your words written down. Mr. Brunot explained to them that the intention of the President was that they should decide about it themselves, regardless of what anybody outside, or the members of the com-mission might say ; that they were to do what they thought was best for themselves, and then they could not reflect on Mr. Meacham or anybody else if they regretted what they now might do. Mr. MEACHAM. We want to hear what you have to say, but it is not worth while to start to- day. We will come at noon to- morrow. HOM- LI. What we are talking about is important. If it was not important I would talk about it to- day. I would like to think it over. I want to hear what you have to say, and then I want you to hear what I have to say. Mr. BRUNOT. You are my brother, and I want you to do what is best for you, and when yon talk about these things among yourselves you must talk as brothers. If you don't all think the same way in some other things, you must think the same in regard to this. It is as important to one as the other, and you must talk about it among your-selves, because it concerns you all, and when you make up your minds it will be rightr and the matter will be settled forever. Mr. CONOYER. We have let Mr. Meacham, my superior in office, have all the talk with you. Mr. White and myself have decided Mr. Meacham is to speak for us. Our hearts are all the same. Mr. Meacham is a good man ; he will not propose anything but what is right. He will talk from the heart ; his desires are good. We know if all of us talked we might have to stay a month, but if Mr. Meacham proposed what was not right, then Mr. White and I would talk to you ; that is why Mr. Meacham does all the talk-ing. Our hearts are all right to you. If we have bad hearts to you, you have one friend that looks over this. Mr. Brunot came for that purpose ; he will remain with us during all our talk. We do not want to take advantage of any. We want the white people who live about here to listen to us, so they may tell those who are not here what is done. I hope you will talk as friends, and will talk to us as friends. I hope to- night you will make yourselves good friends. I will furnish provisions to you that you may remain here. THIRD DAY, AUGUST 8. In addition to those present yesterday, Hon. Senator Corbett was in attendance to-day. There was a much larger attendance of Indians, as well as of white settlers, at the opening of the council. Council opened at 2 p. m., with prayer by Father Brouillet. The minutes of yester-day's session were then read ; after which WENAP SNOOT said : I want to show what the Indians' hearts are to the white men who come to hear. I have had no one to take |