, 1881-01-30

- ~-.*,' .REFo1t8- TUE CUAro3TTTEE. --"--
/, WAsn1NGTos, D. G., Jan. 29.-The Senate
! Select Committee OIL the removal Of the
.Poncas met to-day: William Stickney anil
)Walter Allen, of the Presidential Commits
| sion to the Poncas, were intetrugated BY the
| Committee and Secretary Schurz in regard to
the facts and evidence upon which they
based their published conclusions. h1r.
Stickney testified that the Commission found
| the Poncas in the Indian Territory unani-
| lnously and enthusiastically In favor Of stay
| ing there; tint the health Of the tribe was
| good, and they preferred their lands in the
| Indian Territory in point Of quality and fer
tllity to the old reservation III Dakota, and
they were generally satisfied, and in express
ing a desire to stay there no"inf1uence had
been brought to bear on them, either by ar
gument or promise, or threat. They mani
Tested their determination to stay there.
EVEN IF THEY 10 Nut RECEIVE ANY CON-
PESsATIoN :
for their Dakota lands, because they consider
1t their first interest to become settled, and
prefer the country In the Indian Territory
where they are. Mr. Stickney further states
that lie had drawn up a report different from
the one Signed by the Commission, embody-
Ing these facts, they believing 1t their duty to
base their report on the evidence obtained
and not travel out Ut the record, ana, for thf
sake Of harmony, he had been induced to
yield his views III that regard. As to the
Poncas that had gone away from the Indian
Territory and were now In Nebraska, he said
twas their desire to stay there.
II { Mr.. ALLEN
sllbstantlated the main statements of Mr.
6tlckney with regard to the condition and
wishes of the Poneas In the Indian Terri
tory. Being asked by Secretary Schurz
whether he had any reason to suppose their
expressed determination to stay In the Indian
Territory was not sincere, he said that he
had no evidence to show that it was not, but
for philosophical reasons he supposed they
might not,be. Mr. Allen said that when Mr..
Tibbles was In the Indian Territory last sum-
mer to Iuluce the Poncas to leave White
Eagle might have been willing to do so had
he not been fearing arrest ... I
- a.. SECRETARY 'sCuuRZ.:
quoted from the testimony taken hy tha |
Commission itself in the Indian Territory,
Mr.. Allen said, also, that the Indians might
have, been induced TO express desire to re- !
main in the Indian Territory, In hope Of re-
cefylng money. in compensation for their
DAKOTA land. A1r, Schurz asked him whether
the l}oncas had not manifested desire to
stay iq the Indian Territory by a letter ad- |
dressed TO; Secretary Scilurz on the o5th Of |
October. before any pecuniary consideration |
was spoken OF. Mr.. Allen said that it was |
so, but pecuniary consideration might have !
been in their mind.
Mr. Schurz then produced from the testi- |
mony furnished the President with the re- !
port of the Commission. the questions and |
answers taken from the report Of.
THE COUNCIL
between the Commission and the Poncas in
the Indian Territory. "''
BIZ. Alien-1f the Great F ather wanted to
send you back there, and give you all you
had before, would you want to so or stay?
White Eag1e-1f the Great Father should
make tfat for me 1should think he would |
nave me wandering around, and for that rea-
on should be unwilling to go, and should
want to remain here. ...
A[r. Allcn-If the Great Father should give
lin strong paper for that land, would he
'e willing to go back thers and remain per
White Eagle"
WOULD EENA1y HERE. !
me matter Is finished, and so will sft here.
Mr, Allen asked him IT the houses they
ave here are as good as those they had in
be old home.
White Eagle-We think these houses here
re little good. Those houses up there were
ad. They had dirt roofs. These are better