THE INDIANS.

SPEECH OF AN INDIAN CHIEF.

At a Fourth of July celebration held at Lidgerwood, Dakota, a novel feature of the exercises was a speech by Magayohi (Chief Star), in the Sioux dialect, which being translated reads as follows, and which shows that if all the Sioux Indians were as intelligent and as well disposed as this chief, the Government Commission would have little trouble.

“This land which lies about us was once the property of my people; you have now possession of it and have made yourselves homes and are rearing your families on the land which formerly belonged to my forefathers. I have no complaint to make of this fact, for it is perhaps better as it is. Our desire is to become like the white man; to learn to cultivate the land and to make a living from it; to learn to read and to write and to transact business; to learn the principles of government and become citizens; to acquire title to 160 acres for each member of our tribe. We have faith in the Great Spirit and in the Great Father at Washington, and believe that in time your people will teach my people to be like you; the negro’s skin is darker than ours, and you have made a man of him; we ask the Government to do us the same justice.”

FORT YATES, DAKOTA.

FROM MISS M. C. COLLINS.

What are we going to do? This is a question coming to us continually. The A.M.A. doubtless is in a happy mood and smiling condition, now that it has strengthened our forces by two new men—one, Rev. Mr. Cross, 300 miles below here, and one, Rev. Mr. Reed, 32 miles from here at the Agency. It is a good thing—a great deal better than not to have sent anyone. But now, think of it: An Agency containing 6,000 souls, scattered in villages of from twenty to fifty families in a village, and the settlements from five to ten miles apart.

I could put a hundred Bibles in as many homes now among Catholics and wholly heathen families where one, at least could read it who has learned in some school of ours or the Presbyterians. I could give out a thousand Dakota Primers, or First Readers, into as many homes where they are anxious to read in their own tongue. There is no law against a Dakota’s owning a Dakota Bible, nor reading a Dakota primer in his own home. We could establish ten schools where Sabbath services could be held, at once. We could so reach a great many homes and hasten the civilization and Christianization of these Indians by many years.

I go long distances into Catholic houses as well as others, to administer to the sick. Last night I had a Government teacher (a Catholic) and his sick wife, whom I have been treating, and their two children, here all night. I have been riding sixteen miles to treat her, and then riding home, the man always coming for me and bringing me back.

I have now given twelve years to this work. I have seen wonderful changes. I have seen men with painted faces and feathers following the leader on to darkness and death. I have seen the same men, clothed and in their right minds, stand before a heathen audience of their own people and heard one say, only last week, “Men and brethren, you know me as a man fierce in war—a man whose hands are stained with blood—a man bearing many wounds. My body still bears the marks, but Christ has made me whole. I am another man. My body is the same, but my heart is new. My soul is clean; my will has changed; I think differently. The Gospel has renewed me.” It was one of the grandest pleas for the Gospel I ever heard. O! will you not empty your gold and your silver into the treasury? Will you not advance, and take every post as fast as ready to surrender? Let us guard these people with a great army of the Lord. Send on the advance guard and bring up your reinforcements. I do not want to fall till I see Dakota taken for the Lord!