My Father, I thank you for your words to day, which instruct us how to live happy, I am also sincerely thankful for the trouble you have taken to save the lives of our women and children for the ensuing winter by the bounty you have bestowed upon us.
My Father, You must before have heard that I am one of those very few Indians, who speak my sentiments openly and without reserve, do not therefore be angry at what I am going to say. I shall repeat your own words.
(Here he was told ne must speak to the commissioner.)
We have all listened to you, (the commissioner.) We have never been the aggressors, though they (the Sioux) say we have. When I killed a Sioux, I revenged myself on my own land, not on theirs. These men are like I was when a little boy; there is a great deal of mischief in their heads.
My father: I have heard the few remarks yon have made to your children. You have heard the words of those sitting around you, and you now know the way in which the hearts of the Sioux are placed.
You will now hear how my heart, and the hearts of my chiefs and braves, standing around me, are placed.
I should like to know who can make these people, who have brought that bunch of sticks, speak so as to be believed. If I were to count up every thing that has taken place, on their purl, it would take several days to cut sticks.
