Morning journal and courier., 1880-11-16
Tuesday Morning, Nov. 16, 1880.
THE wRoNGED PoNcAsAGA1N

l THE WRONGED PONCAS AGAIN. l The Indian office at Washington has sent out dispatch representing that the exiled Poncas in the Indian Territory are well and l happy and anxious to come to Washington to
 "sign away their rights" in Dakota. If these ill-treated Indians are really happy and con- tented they have met with very sudden and unaccountable change-so sudden and unac- countable that it may well be doubted that it 1 has taken place. One very good reason for doubt is that the tribe has been the victim of | deception several times within the last five or 1 six years Again and again they have been l induced to sign papers giving up one right after another, which, when the time for exc
 cutting them came, were found to contain pre- visions to which they never consented and
 never even heard of. The evidence in SUD- port of this statement is set forth by many independent witnesses in the testimony taken by the Senate committee hardly six months ago, and most impressively and most earnest
 ly by White Eagle himself, whose name is
 now used at the head of what appears to be
 another imposition upon their helplessness
 and credulity.
 Another reason for doubting the truth of
 this dispatch is its appearance just as
 great public meeting was to be held in Bos-
 ton to protest against the wrongs inflicted on
 the poor Poncas and also to criticise the whole
 heartless Indian policy The publication of
 the dispatch did not, however, have any dis
 coverable effect upon the meeting, which was
 held Sunday evening, and at which addresses
 were made by Governor Long, MT. T. H.
 Tibbles, who has done great deal in behalf
 of the Indians, Rev. E. E. Hale, and the young Indian lady Bright Eyes. Governor Long began the speaking, saying that the gathering was the first of series of meet ings which will be held to call attention to the wrong which has been inflicted upon the Indians and to awaken the sentiment of
 Massachusetts to sense of the wrong and the necessity of setting it right. It is movement, he announced, which will not be given up till the Indian is placed where he belongs and is recognized a man and cit izen. He also told the story of the Poncas, wrongs They numbered few years ago 75O persons living on their reservation in Dakota in peace and prosperity. Suddenly, without their consent, in violation of law, and with great hardship, they were removed by the strong arm of the government to the Indian Territory, to a climate which was fatal to many of them, and where in a short time POO of them died.
 MT. Tibbles related the circumstances of the bringing of the suits in the courts of Ne braska and Dakota to protect the rights of the Poncas. They had title in fee simple &o% %bni, o4r o1 .o o&1,a tribe in the country The Ponca land had been ceded by blunder to the Sioux, and if there were any defendants in the case it must be they. Great trouble was experienced in serving the legal notice upon them, because the agents opposed them. It took about $1, 300, which the people of the East gave last winter, in order to get the case into court be- cause of the opposition which was made on the part of the government officers. The friends of the Poncas had said that they would put their case into court, and the gov ernment tried its best to prevent them from doing so, though all that was wanted was to do justice to the Indians. Another thing which the government did was to prevent the Poncas from consulting with their counsel, Messrs. Peppleton and Webster of Omaha, privilege which in the East is not denied to the meanest of criminals. MT. Tibbles de- tailed the story of his visit to the Indian Ter ritory and the piteous appeals of the Poncas to be taken back to their own home He also told how he was arrested during his visit to the Poncas, imprisoned for two days, and then escorted out of the Indian Territory.
 We have not space for an account of the other addresses made. It is evident that in Boston, at least, good people are. aroused to the duty of doing something for the wronged Indians. It is the purpose of the committee in Boston having in charge the relief of the Poncas, in conjunction with other persons in other parts of the country to push the meas ures now before the Senate which involve the question of reparation and justice to the Poncas, and also the legal status of all the h. dians within the limits of the United States. Further than that, it is desired to assist the Poncas who have fled from the Indian Terri tory and are now trying to make living on their old reservation in Dakota. It is also desirable that the public be kept informed of the progress of the efforts to secure justice to the Indians and become familiar with view of the subject of Indian rights and wrongs which it can get in no other way. For these purposes MT. T. H. Tibbles and Miss Bright Eyes will be in the East during the season, and will speak wherever there is desire to hear them. Why cannot they be asked to come to New Haven?