 Each man is good in the sight of the Great Spirit. |
| If we must die, we die defending our rights. |
| What white man has ever seen me drunk? Who has ever come to me hungry and left me unfed? Who has seen me beat my wives or abuse my children? What law have I broken? |
| I wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle. |
| If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man, he would have made me so in the first place. |
| It is not necessary for eagles to be crows. |
| Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love! |
| They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse. |
| You think I am a fool, but you are a greater fool than I am. |
| Now that we are poor, we are free. No white man controls our footsteps. |
| Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children. |
| They want us to give up another chunk of our tribal land. This is not the first time or the last time. |
| I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place. |
| The earth has received the embrace of the sun and we shall see the results of that love. |
| Is it wrong for me to love my own? Is it wicked for me because my skin is red? Because I am Sioux? Because I was born where my father lived? Because I would die for my people and my country? |
| Every seed is awakened, and all animal life. |
| What white man can say I never stole his land or a penny of his money? Yet they say that I am a thief. |
| What white woman, however lonely, was ever captive or insulted by me? Yet they say I am a bad Indian. |
| Only seven years ago we made a treaty by which we were assured that the buffalo country should be left to us forever. Now they threaten to take that from us also. |
| I want to tell you that if the Great Spirit had chosen anyone to be the chief of this country, it is myself. |
