New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-15

that the Government owS5 then over 11nO'ooo.
No Just canse for complaint
Mr. Teller Senator from Colorado. has been max
ing for two years unwearied bat vain eifo-ts 10 in
ducc the Commissioner of Indian Affairs % tax" the
steps necessary for the payment OF this money
Mr. Teller has warned the Department repeatedly
that Ute war weuld surely break out before long
If this money was not raid.
" How many OF the American people know any
thing Of the present condition and present feelings
Of the P0nca Indians. OF whom this same ably
wooded repor by the Secretary of the Interior says
that they are now content and acciimated III
their new home in the Indian Territory and that
:" the Department has done all that was in us
power to indemnity them for the wrong done
ther and that il is an open question whether II IL
worth while TO make any effort to restore to them
the lands of which they were robbed, because IL
would be mere vindication of right to piece
of land
Yes; that is ali it Tguld be. But a great many
men have laid down their lives forjust such mere
vindication of right to apiece of land" 1t is aston
ishinc the hold a mere " piece of land can get
on a mans affections. Men have deserted IN face
of the certainty of being shot to get look at a
mere piece OF land and have dled OF none race
sickness for " mere piece OF lana. 70 Ih'e
In the world except the Swiss has ever shown
stronger love of mere" land" than
the race 10 which the Honorable Secretary OF
the Interior belongs. No poets have so I'M
nortalized their Fatherlaad as have the poetsof
his own country Il was strange phrase 10.
German TO use ; but he has used ii and IL Is hkeN
TO be remembered. u is a " precedent somewhat
startling in official document. treating
of a case of indisputable and confessed
robbery. Official though it be, however, II
stands for nothing more than the Secretary pri-
vate opinion the Secretarys individual standard
tho SecrefaTys peculiar estimate OF the relative SIG
nIticarce and importance of ownership and pos
session.
The simple truth IS IN regard to the Poncas 1t
II, hat fhsr- are m
cOutented and never will be. They are waiting
with the stralning tear and hope Of exies Tor me
result OF the effort now being maze oS
redress for their wrongs and restoration OF tneH
stolen la ds White Eagle. Their head chief, has
sent word, by a runner, within three months, that
he can keep them quiet, he thinks, till Springs but
he promise no longer.
Big Snake" Standing Bears brother, was shot
dead, by United States soldiers, only monih ago,
for endeavOring TO escape. and stir up others 10
escape with him.
IL Is marvellous what an effect it has on q man,
sometimes, just to remove hun by force from one
"merev "pece Of land y which he loves
and calls home 70 another which he hates
so that be would rather die than stay IN II.
Even in the official documents OF the Department
Of the Interior find touching records OF the sOr,
rowing of these Indians. The words bring 10 NINA
some of the words written about captives an Tar
back as the days OF jeremiah.
There a restless, discOni ented feeling pervad-
ing the whole trb be. They seem to have lost faith IN
the promises OF the Government, ana often say tnat
the Great Father forgotten them by the
time he again remembers them none Will be lett 10
receive what he has promised them" Report Of
the Agent for the POucas. Annual Report u Ina.
Com. for 1873. p. 80.
IL cannot be too strenuOusly urged npon the at
tentou OF the people az tins time, that the appeal
OF these POnca Indians 10 the Supreme Court Will,
if successful, do for the Indian race pre-
cisely what the Emancipation act did
for the negro. When the Omaha lawyers
served a writ on the Army officer. holding Standing
Bear and his band as prisoners, and commanded
hm 20 show cause why he held them PRISONERS
the United States Distrct-AttOrney endeayOred
| 10 have the writ dismissed on the ground
| that Indians stand wards 10 the
! Government. a. minors 10 parents or guar
! dians and no attorney could appear for an In
| dian unless an horned TO do by the Indian Blu
! reaG. judge Dundy, with burst of indignant eln-
| quence. declared that there no man
! living white. black OF red, who could
not come into his court, and he set
the only free Indians in the United States to-day
except few IN some of the Eastern States. who are
uLder the protection Of the State laws.
How have the eyes OF The American
people been long blinded to this evl-
! dent and fragrant oppression 1t has been
| ably SAID by Governor seymour Every
! human being born upon our Continent. OF
| who comes here from any quarter of the world,
whether savage civilized. can go To our courts for
protection, except those who belong TO the
tribes " no once owned. this country. The cannibal
from Europe, ASIA Africa appeal To the law
ID Courts tor their rights Of person aud property
al save native Indians, who. above all, should
be protected from wrong" VIII the American
people allow this wrong 10 continued H. II.
Ne1c- York Dec. II. 1879.