United States Senate,

WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar. 3, 1889.

Capt. R. H. Pratt,
Carlisle, Pa.

Dear sir:

Yours of the Md did not reach me until after both the Sioux bill and the Indian appropriation bill had become law. I regret that I did not get your suggestions before, because I should have been glad to incorporate some of them into those bills. The appropriation to pay the Red Cloud and Red Leaf bands is expected by friends of the bill to have a great deal of influence in procuring the consent of the Indians. It was the suggestion of Dr. Bland and his friends, who have acted as Red Cloud's attorneys here for a good while. It has gone into the bill not in the shape that Dr. Bland wanted it, but so that the money will be paid to each individual Indian who lost a pony. If there are other Indians who suffered in the same way they also ought to be compensated, for it was promised them when the ponies were taken from them that they should be paid. I do not know what steps the Department will take in reference to obtaining the consent of the Indians. I suppose nothing can be done until the new Secretary gets well in his seat.

You will observe that in the appropriation bill the Superintendent of Indian Schools is made an entirely different officer from what he has been. This is considered only temporary, and probably in time a more definite shape will be given to the matter.

Yours truly,