The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-12-22
sehurz and the I.oara-

From the Omaha Herald.
The Don Quixote of tho Interior Do
partment out in an adroit paper
on the Ponca Indians which he addres
ses 10 Governor Long of Massachu-
sets.
In this letter he admits that the great
wrong done the Poncas was originally
perpetrated under his administration,
and he excuses il on the ground Of his
ignorance OF the duties Of his Office n
"a time ween he had not yet sufficiently
f~amiliarized himself with those duties.
II would appear he presents this fact
ms nm excuse for the continuance OF the
injustice done them in dcpriying them
of their lands.
Schurz is noted for his skill in beat
ing about the bush, hut this time he has
got himself into controversy with u ina
who will bring him to the face about
and Governor Long Is a republican too.
lie did the wrong through Ignorance
OF his duties, and In spite OF the pro-
testations Of the whole country, he re
fuses to undo the wrnngl This is cer-
tainly the most ri diculous statement
ever made 10y n public official in pallia-
tion Of u breach Of official duty. lie
quietly looked on while the poor help
less Indians were dying ono by one from
malarial diseases that were directly
caused by their location.
Schurz says the reason for not undo
ing his act was that he feared other
tribes would want To 60 back 10 their
former lands; that the Sioux, TO whom
the Poncas' lands were given, were
threatening war, and that there was
no appropriation for moving the Pom
cas- back.
lie must have n high opinion OF the
Government of which he is n ''shining
light" What n fine opinion he nus,
have OF our brave little Army, to think
IL could not move the Poncas back be-
cause the Nez Perces might want to 10
hack too!
Does Don Quixote Schurz know that
when the writ OF cjectment in the suit
for the recovery OF the land, brought by
the friends of the Poncas. was sought
to be served on the Sioux, not u soul was
found TO be on the lands? There is alb
solutely nothing in this excuse, and it
is from beginning to end not only alb
surd, but false.
Besides, the Sioux were, and still are,
friendly to the Poncas, for Spotted
Tail, chief of the Sioux, was the first
man to tell White Eagle, Chief Of the
Poncas, that lie and his tribe were
about to be moved.
Schurz started out by doing n great
wrong and instead of righting that
wrong, like a man, has tried TO defend
it. and cover it up and even to stop the
present agitation for the tribes rcsto-
ration TO its old home. lie has inflict-
ed death upon nearly three hundred
unofiending. peaceful human beings
enormously, rs he now admits, and from
the ignorance of his duties, but that Is
no excuse. lie did the wrong and
could have undone IL at once, hut prob
ably he thought that would bring dis
credit upon his administration. lie
oven went so far rs 10 try and influence
the public mind b, cndcavoring TO show
that the Poncas were well and happy
where they We're.
A great meeting took place in Bos-
ton the other evening TO protest against
the outrage on the Poncis. Cover!
o Long spoke during which, he re-
marked:
"And now, at the last hour, just as
public sentiment is called 10 this mat
ter, we are told that they are content,
and that they have signed n petition
Logging us to let them stay. 1t is the
pretence that iniquity always makes
when It presumss to speak for its vic