To the Indian tribes and races
SITTING BULL S MESSAGE.
By their brothers, the pale faces ? Or will they by deeds unholy Still oppress the red man, lowly? Will he still be driven, driven, Naked, hungry, shrunken, shriven? Will the white man still pursue him. Taking what belongeth to him. Leaving him in destitution ? Then, O pale face, restitution Must you make for wrongs committed,-Justice ne'er can be outwitted. Man may plot and rob his brother. But in one sphere or another He the ' utmost farthing ' payeth. This the law of Justice sayeth. This the white man's Bible teacheth, From this text he often preacheth. Sitting Bull oft heard it quoted,— But its spirit had not noted. He but listened to the letter,— White man doeth no whit better. He, too, listens to the reading. But gives to it little heeding. Speaketh Sitting Bull too boldly? Yet not bitterly, or coldly, He the word of truth declareth.
lO SITTING BULLS MESSAGE.
Truth is ever bold! it spareth
None to whom it makes appealing;
But, while wounding, it gives healing,
Giveth ever where it taketh,
Bindeth wheresoe'er it breaketh.
Though his written word sharp stingeth,
Sitting Bull no malice bringeth
From the Hunting-grounds of Spirit.
The quick blood he did inherit
Floweth now more calmly, slowly;
Therefore cometh he more lowly,
In a spirit of contrition.
Gone is all his proud ambition,
Gone his bitterness and hatred,-—
All his anger hath been sated.
From the people long departed.
They, the wise ones, the large-hearted.
Hath he learned a kindlier feeling,
Therefore cometh he appealing
For the good of every nation.
True, with stronger obligation
Turns he to the Indian races.
Yet he seeth that pale faces
Are in bondage and oppression.
Even they have not possession
Of the rights belonging to them.
Of the freedom that is clue them.
What shall rend the cloud asunder,
That the nations now sit under,—
The dark cloud, that sore oppresseth ?
Sitting Bull with pain confesseth
That far distant seems the dawning
Of that glad, redemption morning
Pictured oft in ancient story,—
Not yet seeth he its glory.
Yet, while far the time appeareth,
There is still one sign that cheereth;
He beholdeth every nation
In a state of agitation.
This a better time presages
For mankind in coming ages.
Sitting Bull sees by this token