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United States. Office of Indian Affairs / Annual report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, for the year 1879
([1879])
Letter of Chief Spotted Tail to the hon. secretary of the interior, p. 184
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Page 184
LETTER OF CHIEF SPOTTED TAIL TO THE HON. SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE, Rosebud Agency, Dak., July 29, 1879. The Hon. the SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, D. C. SIR: I want to tell you a few words. Everything you told me to do I always did as you said. My friend, ever since we gave our country up we were to be one body, and were never to have any trouble with the white people. I always advise my people not to go anywhere, but to stay home and be like white people. They always listen to me. Any thing you want me to do with my people, I am very glad to take hold and work in your cause. My friend, the same as white men we are good hearted, and like to visit each other as the whites do. I like the white man and want to be like him. When you have relatives sick you want to go and see them; so do I. This agency is a good country; so I stay here. I sent a young man to Cheyenne Agency to see a sick sister, with a pass from my agent, but they did not respect it. When he reached Cheyenne Agency they shot at him and tried to kill him. He came back, and I feel bad about it and tell you these words. I want you to know we have a good agent, and when he gives us a pass we want it respected, and do not want trouble. They have a military agent at cheyenne Agency, and the soldiers are bad. Because they make trouble there, some of the people want to come to this agency, for we have a. good country and behave ourselves and work. I am an Indian and know the Indian ways, and know those people have come near stampeding because of their bad treat- ment. Up on the Missouri, when those people come and visit us we feed them and use them well, and send them back home. When any Indian goes there they take his horse away and put him in jail. This will make trouble, and I want them to stop it. I want to tell you these last words. I have had enough of the military. I want my people to work. I want no more scouting; I have had my belly full. We want to freight and work the ground. I never laughed but once; that was when the agent. of the Lower Bruld's said I kept his people here. They visited us and I fed them, for they were starving, and my people gave them 350 head of horses and sent them all home to their agent. That is a military agent, and the military want to make trouble, and want to run this agency, but I have had enough of them. The military are re- porting lies to you about me and my people; they are not true; all they want is t& make trouble. Since we have been here my people have had no whisky; wherever the military are, there is always whisky, and that makes trouble. The reason the Indians run away is because of the military and whisky, and they are not treated right. I want you to come here and stay a month and see how it is. My friend, this is all I have to tell you. his SPOTTED + TAIL. mark. Witness, Louis RICHAUD, Interpreter. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, August 13, 1879. SPOTTED TAIL, Chief of the Brulf.8: MY FRIEND.: I have received your letter of July 29, and shall inquire into the matters which you lay before me. I hope to spend a few days at the Rosebud Agency about the end of this month, and then to see you. Very truly your friend, C. SCHURZ, Secretary. 184
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