New-York tribune., 1879-12-09
INDIAN WRONGS.
A RECEPTION TO THE PONCAS.
WHAT 1HRY HAVE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. WHICH
10 unpur, VIII ppr~c PFrTFF

WHAT IHRY HAVE sUFFRRED-MEssUREs WHICH
1T II HOPED WILL BRING BVIIfF.
Josiah VI. Fiske, of No. 900 Fifth-ave.. Raye an
informal reception last evening tn the Ponca Indians
now in New-York. Invitations were sent to many
prominent gentlemen in the city and many
of them were present with their wives. Among
them were the Rev. Drs. S. |. Prime, Roswell ID.
Hitchcock. c. :. Robinson and Thomas Hastings,
+ S Jaffray and S. d. Babcock. Letters Of regret
we're received from the Rev. Drs Adams. Hail.
Tiffany. Bellows, Armitage. Rogers and Chapin
William E. Dodge A. S. Hewitt. William T. Morgan
and Others.
Standing Bear and WoOd-Worker were dressed In
ordinary civilian dress their faces alone indicating
their race Bright-Eyes wore well-itting dress Of
black silk with white ruff at the throat. and
black lace around the neck fastened by gold lace
pin Her shining black hair was fastened neatly III
a braid Their manners were easy. but Standing
Bear was a little reserved. as he does not
speak English. Wood-Worker was d'hiden'
After some time had been spent in social way ana
the guests had become somewhat acquainted
with each other, Dir. Hastings was intro
duced as the chairman of the evening
He read letters received from President
Seelve of Amherst College. and Bishop F..
n Hrntinqton1 wishing MIR Tibble's success
IN his efforts and declaring that the cause OF these
Indians that of justice and humanity. Tie then
which the Poncas have suffered. and explained the
object OF their VISIT to the East. He said that the
case of the Poncas was only sample of the indian
policy rney held their lands before white man
visited the Missouri River. they had always Dceh
friendly to he whites and had never been accused
| of killing one Of them. The Government hti maze
| four treaties with the tribe. These Indians were
not only the original OCCUPANTS OF the Land Dui theN
had pad the G. vernment for IT. too. Incy have a
deed different from that of any other tribe Nh'ch
! il drawn in The same form rs that which gave The
! Union Pacific Railroad Company us land.
| In the Indian Appropr ton Blll there was m
serted. he said. provision that S2o.ouo should ne
| appropriated 20 remove the POncas {" the Indian
| Territory but il was added provided they give
| their consent They would not consent. and were
| then forciblv removed. The story of their re-
| moval IL told IN Yesterdays TRIBUNE IN the
words of Standing Bear as he told 1t
to a reporter with Bright Eyes acting a an inter
prefer This. Mr.. 1ibbles saws. u the way ~ winch
| the Indians are continually treated. The Poncas
| had made considerable advancement IN 9grculiuIc
and civilization. out :bey were ruthiesSiy remove
J to the uow land where more than one-thlfh OF the
! tribe have since died and they were allowed 10
! carry hut few OF their goods with them.
When Standing Rear escaped and reached the
Omaha reservation ne arrested. Nj. lbbles
then took out writ OF haheas corpus. aud the de-
/ fence of the Government was that au IN
| dian could not sue OF ne sueii' ana IN @
! he was not a person before tae law. lie
case was taken before Judge luadf, VINO
said that in his court anv human pcing however
| humble should have his rights. The object oI Mr.
Iibbics and the friends ot the PoEcas l. 10 bring a
suif in te name of the tribe winch Wll De carried
10 the supreme Court. 20 secure the ejectmeut ot
sanafters WHO have settled the reservation. and
return the lands 90 the tribe. II this - successful
Indians viii have rec gnized rights, and u Is
hoped tha; sucn disturbances as inc Lte war
wall be prevented for an Indian can then lie secure
il the pu session Of ms property.
Standing BcaI was also introduced 70 the
company, and ne spoke at length. Bright
Ives standing by Lis side and acting -
bis interpreter. lie thanked his friends for
the iutefcst taken IL Aln. and repeated
very closely us story As d Was published IN yester
d. = TRBvNT. Mg. Lincoln, vino na, arrived from
Boston viii control tAer future movements here.
tie va. present las evening ard slid a few words
explaining the many disadvantages under
which the indians labor. 4 general ana
informal scussou If the subject co-ed the rocep-
ton. On Friday evening public meeting viii be
held at SteinNay Hall, and the POucas Will be
present.