Council Proceedings, May 29, 1868

This is the transcript of one of the discussions leading to the signing of the U.S.-Navajo Treaty of 1868.

[ Note: while spellings and punctuation in this document have been maintained from the original transcription of these proceedings, paragraph breaks and colored text have been added to make it easier to read. ]

You will need Quicktime to hear the audio files:

Fort Sumner, New Mexico
May 29th, 1868


The Council met according to adjournment. Present the Commissioners on the part of the United States Government. On the part of the Indians the Navajo nation or tribe.

 

General Sherman said:
We have come from our Capital, Washington, where our Government consists of a President and a great Council. We are empowered to do now what is necessary for your good, but what we do must be submitted to our Great Father in Washington. We heard that you were not satisfied with this Reservation, that your crops failed for three years and that you wanted to go somewhere else.

 

We know that during the time you have been here the Government has fed and done for you what was considered necessary to make you a thriving people; Yesterday we had a long talk with your principal chiefs and then told them, that any Navajo could go wherever he pleased in this territory and settle with his fammily but if he did he would be subject to the laws of the Territory as a citizen, or we would remove you as a nation or tribe to the lower Canadian and Arkansas if you were pleased to go there--but if neither of these propositions suited you, we would discuss the other proposition of sending you to your own country west of the Rio Grande. Barboncito yesterday insisted strongly on going back to his own country in preference to the other two propositions.

 

We then asked him and all the Navajos to assemble here today and for them to select (10) ten of their number as delegates with whom we would conclude terms of treaty. We want to know if these ten men have been chosen; the ten men then stood up, viz:
Delgadito
Barboncito
Manuelito
Largo
Herrero
Chiqueto
Murerto de Hombre
Hombro
Narbono
Armijo
and the Navajos upon being asked if satisfied with these ten men, unanimously responded--Yes--

We will now consider these ten men your principal men and we want them to select a chief the remaining to compose his Council for we cannot talk to all the Navajos. Barboncito was unanimously elected Chief --now from this time out you must do as Barboncito tells you, with him we will deal and do all for your good. When we leave here and go to your own country you must do as he tells you and when you get to your country you must obey him or he will punish you, if he has not the power to do so he will call on the soldiers and they will do it. You must all keep together on the march. Must not scatter for fear some of your young men might do wrong and get you all into trouble. All these things will be put down on paper and tomorrow these ten men will sign that paper and now we want to know about the country you want to go to,

 

We heard Barboncito yesterday, if there are any others who differ from him, we would like to hear them, we want also to hear if you want schools in your country--Blacksmiths or Carpenters Shops. We want to put everything on paper so that hereafter there may be no misunderstanding between us, we want to know if the whole Navajo nation is represented by those present and if they will be bound by the acts of these ten men--unanimous response of yes.

 


Barboncito said:
What you have said to me now I never will forget. It is true I never liked this place, and feel sorry for being here, from here I would like to go back the same road we came by way of Teralote, Bernal, Tijeras and Taralto. All the people on the road are my friends. After I cross the Rio Grande river I want to visit the Pueblo villages, I want to see the Pueblo Indians to make friends with them. I then want to go to Canon de Chelly leaving Pueblo village Laguna to the left. I will take all the Navajos to Canon de Chelly leave my own family there--taking the rest and scattering them between San Mateo mountain and San Juan river. I said yesterday this was the heart of the Navajo country. In this place there is a mountain called the Sierra Chusque or mountain of agriculture from which (when it rains) the water flows in abundance creating large sand bars on which the Navajos plant their corn; it is a fine country for stock or agriculture--there is another mountain called the Mesa Calabasa where these beads which we wear on our necks have been handed down from generation to generation and where we were told by our forefathers never to leave our own country. For that reason I want to go back there as quick as possible and not remain here another day. When the Navajos go back to their own country I want to put them in different places, it would not do to put them all together as they are here, if separated they would be more industrious. There is one family whose intention I do not know, the (Cibollettas) I do not know whether or not they want to go back to their own country.

 

General Sherman said:
If the "Cibollettas" choose they can go and live among the Mexicans in this Territory but if they do they will not be entitled to any of the advantages of the treaty.

 

Barboncito said:
I merely wished to mention it for if they remain with the Mexicans I cannot be held responsible for their conduct. You spoke to me yesterday about putting us on a reservation with a boundary line. I do not think it right to confine us to a certain part we want to have the privilege of going outside the line to hunt and trade.

 


General Sherman said:
You can go outside the line to hunt--you can go to Mexican towns to trade but your farms and homes must be inside the boundary line beyond which you have no claim to the land.

 

Barboncito said:
That is the way I like to be and return the Commissioners my best thanks. After we get back to our country it will brighten up again and the Navajos will be as happy as the land, black clouds will rise and there will be plenty of rain. Corn will grow in abundance and everything look happy. Today is a day that anything black or red does not look right everything should be white or yellow representing the flower and the corn. I want to drop this conversation now and talk about Navajo children held as prisoners by Mexicans. Some of those present have lost a brother or a sister and I know that they are in the hands of the Mexicans. I have seen some myself.

 


General Sherman said:
About their children being held as Peons by Mexicans--you ought to know that there is an Act of Congress against it. About four years ago we had slaves and there was a great war about it, now there are none. Congress our great council passed a law prohibiting peonage in New Mexico. So that if any Mexican holds a Navajo in peonage he (the Mexican) is liable to be put in the penitentiary. We do not know that there are any Navajos held by Mexicans as Peons but if there are, you can apply to the judges of the Civil Courts and the Land Commissioners. They are the proper persons and they will decide whether the Navajo is to go back to his own people or remain with the Mexican. That is a matter with which we have nothing to do. What do you say about schools, Blacksmiths and Carpenter Shops for the purpose of teaching your children.

 

Barboncito said:
We would like to have a blacksmith Shop as a great number of us can work at the trade, we would like a carpenter's Shop and if a school was established among us I am satisfied a great number would attend it. I like it very well. Whatever orders you leave here you may rely upon their being obeyed.

 

General Sherman said:
Whatever we promise to do you can depend upon its being done.

 


Colonel Samuel F. Tappan asked:
How many Navajos are among the Mexicans now?

Answer: Over half of the tribe.

Question: How many have returned within the five years?

Answer: Cannot tell.

 


General Sherman said:
We will do all we can to have your children returned to you. Our government is determined that the enslavement of the Navajos shall cease and those who are guilty of holding them as peons shall be punished.

All are free now in this country to go and come as they please if children are held in peonage the courts will decide; you can go where any Navajos are and General Getty will give you an order or send a soldier and if the Navajo peons wishes to go back or remain he can please himself, we will not use force, the courts must decide.

Tomorrow we will meet with those ten men chosen and enter into business with them committing it to writing which they must sign.

 

The Council then adjourned until 9 o'clock tomorrow the 30th instant.

 


Original documents formatted for the web by the Regional Educational Technology Assistance Program and Techshare Project, working in cooperation with the Museum of New Mexico Office of Statewide Programs and Education.