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Show REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. 131 except a few of the older men.] I must go. What you have said I have in my heart. You say the Indians have been waiting- for many things. Suppose instead of waiting you had been working ? It would have been better. I want all to go ahead and do what is right, and not to wait ; that you will find will be for the best. Good- by. Before leaving, an appeal was made to Commissioner Brunot in behalf of two Indians confined with ball and chain, and sentenced to twelve months' hard labor each, for commit-ting a murder, of which they acknowledged their guilt. Mr. Brunot said that God's law and the white man's law was, that when one killed another the murderer must be hung ; that no money would buy his release, and that he hoped the same would soon be the Indian law, but that now it was permitted to punish an Indian with from one to five years' imprisonment; that instead of trying to get them away from punishment they should be anxious to have them punished, and thus prevent the Indians killing each other. Some of the Indians having expressed a fear that Spithill, the farmer, would injure them for what they had said in council, Father Chirouse assured them that he would protect them. At 1 o'clock we left the reservation, the Indians all gathering at the landing to say good- by. THOS. K. CREE, Clerk. APPENDIX A d, No. 4. LUMMI RESERVATION. MINUTES OF A COUNCIL HELD AT LUMMI RESERVATION, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, BY COMMISSIONER FELIX R. BRUNOT. LUMMI RESERVATION, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, August j> 9, 1871. Lummi is one of three reservations under the treaty of Tulalip. It is situated just above Bellingham Bay. The Indians all live in houses, are industrious, and most of them are en-gaged in farming. They have a church, but no school- house, and no employe" except the fanner. Visited the house of the farmer and inspected the farm, cattle, & c., and attended a service in the chapel, conducted by the chief, David Crockett. Held a council with the Indians in front of the chapel ; Mr. Brunot, Mr. Cree, General McKenney, Mr. Fiukboner, the fanner, the chief, and most of the Indians on the reserva-tion being present. Before opening the council General McKenney said : Mr. Brunot comes from Washing-ton, at the request of the President, to talk with all the Indians of Washington Territory, and he wishes to have the minds of the Indians as to what they want. He will carry their words to the President. Mr. BRUNOT. When I come here, and find Indians praying to God, it makes my heart glad. I wish all the Indians would pray. It is well to pray morning and evening as you do, and the President and all your friends will be glad to hear that you pray twice a day. All good men pray to God, and He hears all who pray to Him. Some have a priest pray to God, as Father Chirouse does ; others pray to God every man for himself. God hears us all. It is not two kinds of religion, but it is as two roads that both go the same way ; and if we love God, all will come to Heaven. I will ask God to bless us, and cause all that is said and done here to be good. Mr. Brunot then led in prayer, after which he said : The President hears many things from this reservation about the Indians, and about the white men. He hears some things that are bad, some that are good. Sometimes that the Indians do badly, and sometimes that white men on all the reservations do badly, and he don't know what to think. The President asked some men to visit all the reservations, talk to the Indians, and hear what they have to say, and put it down on paper, and take it to Washington ; it will be the same as if he heard it with his own ears. The President sends advice to the Indians, he knows what is good for them, and what he wants them to do, and when I see them I am to tell them what to do. I have seen the Warm Spring, Umatilla, and many other Indians ; and now I have come to see you. I am glad to see that some of you are trying to do well, but I find that many others are not doing as well as they ought to. I heard only a few days ago that some Indians near here were drunk. I heard there was an Indian who belongs to your tribe who gave them the whisky. That is one of the things I will be sorry to take to the President. I find instead of the Indians all being on the reservation and owning houses and farms, many are wandering around ; that is bad. I find some do well for a little while, and then for awhile wander about and spend their money. If there is a little child among the white people, and you give it anything that is nice, it will waste it ; in a little while it learns better, it grows up and begins to work, and takes care of everything. When it grows to be a man he gets a piece of land and works on it ; builds a house, plows one field, after awhile another field ; buys a cow and pigs, and they grow while he sleeps ; after awhile he becomes a great chief. Some Indians are children all |