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[betw. Feb.4-8, 1882]

Hon. Henry L. Dawes.
U. S. Senate Washington

Dear Sir:

[[underlined]] Senator Morgan sent me the Record wherein [[strikethrough]] I can [[/strikethrough]] your favorable address upon the presentation of the petition from the Omaha asking for title to the land on which they have worked.  [[strikethrough]] I read becau [[/strikethrough]] Your chairmanship of the Com. on Indian Affairs makes me bold to address you personally concerning these Omahas, and their needs.

My scientific study has taken me directly into the homes of the people, when I have become a familiar friend.  It is now some months since I have be living in the [[strikethrough]] months of [[/strikethrough]] among the Omaha's, consequently the daily life of the people has been fully open to me & I have been able note not only their present condition but the struggles by which it has been attained.  The statistics which I appended to the petition [[strikethrough]] commission [[/strikethrough]] [[?merely]] convinced that the Indian toil & endeavor of the [[strikethrough]] native [[/strikethrough]] Indian hardly found space to be appreciable to the [[?]].

Many men who at the time I drew up the petition were off trapping have since returned and asked if their names could be added.  Many of these men are good workers.  The Omaha have mainly brought out their own advancement.  They have had little outside help and manage well.  [[strikethrough]] Aparan [[/strikethrough]]  The invisible line which separates and identifies off an Indian Reserve arrests [[strikethrough]] every [[?]] and every find to advancement helps [[/strikethrough]] all familiar incentives of action.  Beyond that fateful boundry the busy world of thought & action, can hardly awaken an [[?]] [[strikethrough]] Dr John [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] thoroughfares cross the hills - no trains come or go - [[strikethrough]] no centers [[/strikethrough]] there is nothing to mark the time - civilization is block out by loyal enactment.  And a few Gov't officials are to be substituted for the number [[?]] forces social & civil which [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] are better in our strong unchecked for life.  Yet one expects the people I have named in to adopt a life they have hardly seen & become like a people with house contact has a disaster to all their traditions [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]]
beliefs & social too far from after presented the [[?]] [[?] of two & all for the contemplation of an Indian.  This may sound over [[?drawn]], but living 

[[marginalia]]  Members business.[[????]] O's
both by themselves, impoverished but unless ?
food impoverished tribe. lack of veg. change of food with ? of life
 

Transcription Notes:
Best guess