_daytime_, when the sun shines;
and we want no councils in the dark. We want all our people to go to
council together, so that we can all know what is done.'

The Governor is nothing abashed at these damaging charges, but returns
once more to the assault.

GOVERNOR. 'Why did you attempt to come to council with your
braves, when I had forbidden your braves coming to council?'

To which Red Iron, with the same masterful, defiant smile upon his 'thin
lips,' answers:

RED IRON. 'You invited the chiefs only, and would not let the
braves come too. This is not the way we have been treated before; this
is not according to our customs; for among Dacotahs, chiefs and braves
go to council together. When you first sent for us there were two or
three chiefs here, and we waited, and we wanted to wait till the rest
would come, that we might all be in council together, and know what was
done, and so that we might all understand the papers, and know what we
were signing. When we signed the treaty, the _traders threw a blanket
over our faces, and darkened our eyes; and made us sign papers which we
did not understand, and which were not explained or read to us_. We want
our Great Father at Washington to know what has been done.'

This last speech--whose words hit like bullets--made the Governor wince,
and he replied, with more sharpness than wit:

GOVERNOR. 'Your Great Father has sent me to represent him; and
what I say, he says. He wants you to pay your old debts, in accordance
with the papers you signed when the treaty was made' ['which we did not
understand; which were never read nor explained to us; which we were
forced to sign,' as Red Iron had just told the Governor!]. 'You must
leave that money in my hands to pay those debts. If you refuse to do
that, I will take the money back.'

The Governor was getting deeper and deeper into the pit which he had dug
for the Indian. This last speech was most unhappy and impolitic for the
side he was advocating. It put dreadful weapons into the hands of Red
Iron, which the crafty 'old man eloquent' did not fail to use against
his antagonist.

He makes this manly answer, not at all abashed in the presence of the
chief magistrate:

RED IRON. 'You can take back your money! We sold our land to
you, and you promised to pay us. If you don't give us the money, I will
be glad, and all our people will be glad; for we will have our land back
if you don't give us the money. That paper was not int