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Post by Diane Merkel on Jan 6, 2008 10:46:27 GMT -6
Here's an excerpt from an article describing how Cody obtained some of his performers: Despite Cody's history of fighting American Indians, he respected them and promoted their rights. In March 1891, Cody petitioned the federal government to allow him to employ the Sioux incarcerated at Fort Sheridan. General Miles stated that Cody's offer "would give them (Sioux) occupation for a year and a half without expense to the government; they would be away from the Sioux country during that time."
The government agreed and permitted Cody to "take a number of Sioux … provided they wanted to go … (it) will educate them as to the extent, power and number of the white race." The Sioux warriors toured Europe with Cody, and returned to Illinois to perform at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Once no longer employed by Cody, the U.S. army allowed them to return to their homes. Article: www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=106380&src=3 |
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Post by crawdaddo on May 27, 2008 23:56:50 GMT -6
It seems to me that old Bill treated the indians quite fairly and held them in high esteem. There isn't any record of complaint that I know of and Sitting Bull worked with him which speaks volumes 'cos SB didn't have a lot of time for wasichus. I think Buffalo Bill was quite a character,larger than life and a great showman.
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Post by "Hunk" Papa on Jun 1, 2011 15:16:50 GMT -6
Here's an excerpt from an article describing how Cody obtained some of his performers: Despite Cody's history of fighting American Indians, he respected them and promoted their rights. In March 1891, Cody petitioned the federal government to allow him to employ the Sioux incarcerated at Fort Sheridan. General Miles stated that Cody's offer "would give them (Sioux) occupation for a year and a half without expense to the government; they would be away from the Sioux country during that time."
The government agreed and permitted Cody to "take a number of Sioux … provided they wanted to go … (it) will educate them as to the extent, power and number of the white race." The Sioux warriors toured Europe with Cody, and returned to Illinois to perform at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Once no longer employed by Cody, the U.S. army allowed them to return to their homes. Article: www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=106380&src=3I have come across information that puts the above article in proper perspective. Whilst the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show was on tour in Europe in late 1890, rumours began in the U.S.A., that the Indians taken abroad by Cody had been badly treated and were surrounded by degrading influences. When the Show went into winter quarters in Strasbourg on October 27 1890, Cody, having been advised of these rumours, took all his Indians back to the States to Washington, in order for the Indian Commissioner, Thomas J. Morgan, to see that the rumours were false. Morgan however, refused Cody an interview for quite some time until the intervention of a prominent Cabinet officer. Before an interview could take place, the Ghost Dance troubles, ending in Wounded Knee, broke out and Cody, with his Indians, was asked by the Government to go to Pine Ridge to help, which he and they did with good success. But when Cody wanted to take his Indians back to Europe, Morgan flatly refused to permit a single Indian to leave the reservation. He believed the rumours that the Indians did not have proper accomodation abroad and considered it would be better that they should remain on the reservation and avoid being demoralized by foreign travel. Cody tried everything and everybody to try to get Morgan to change his mind but without success. Even the recommendations of Gen. Miles and Col. Forsythe were ignored. In fact, all these blandishments only succeeded in Morgan issuing an order for the arrest of any agent of Cody who tried to take an Indian away from the reservation. The matter was finally resolved by the Secretary of the Interior, Mr. Noble, overruling Morgan and issuing an order directing that Cody be allowed to take as many of the Lakota Indians as he liked to Europe. Towards the end of March 1891, Cody with 100 Indians sailed for Europe. This matter was the subject of an article in the NY Times of March 4, 1891. Morgan continued to be heavily involved in Indian Policy and wrote Reports in October and December 1889 that are monuments to racial prejudice. They can be viewed on the following website:- www.alaskool.org/native_ed/historicdocs/use_of_english/prucha.htm They are extracted from Paul Prucha's work "Documents of United States Indian Policy". Hunk |
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