e was held on October 17, 1877. It is
customary for all parties to shake hands before beginning these "talks,"
but on this occasion Sitting Bull, representing the Chiefs, entered and
shook hands warmly with Colonel MacLeod, but passed the American
Commissioners with the utmost disdain.

General Terry delivered the message from the President of the United
States. Terry was a distinguished soldier, hero of Fort Fisher in the
Civil War, a man of magnificent appearance, standing some 6 ft. 6 in.,
built in proportion, a very gentlemanly officer with a kindly face and
gracious manner. He made known the wishes of the President, told the
Sioux that they were the only hostile band remaining out, offered them
reserves and stock with farm implements and instructors, the only
condition being that they would settle down on their reserves and
surrender their arms and their horses. The General made appeal to them
that, because too much blood had already been spilled, they should all
henceforth live in peace, and the whole bearing and appearance of the
distinguished speaker indicated his personal genuineness.

But Sitting Bull and his friends would not be appeased. They were
embittered by a long course of harsh and unfair treatment by
unscrupulous agents and frontier exploiters. One after the other the
chiefs rose and declined the offer because, as they said, they had no
confidence that these fair promises would be carried out. Sitting Bull
said, "For sixty-four years you have treated my people bad. Over there
we could go nowhere, so we have taken refuge here. I shake hands with
these people (the Police), you can go back home, that part of the
country we came from belonged to us and you took it from us, now we live
here." Some of the other chiefs spoke even more bitterly and even a
squaw, though it was a most unusual thing for a woman to take part in a
conference, added her hot protest against accepting the proposals of the
Commissioners from the States. The burden of the Indian speeches was all
to the effect that they had been given no rest on the other side of the
line, but had been driven about from place to place.

So the United States officers returned to their own country, having
failed in their mission, to their own disappointment, and it may be
added to the disappointment of the Canadian authorities who would have
been glad to be relieved of the responsibility for the care of alien
Indians, but who would not attempt in any wa