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from their homes, to the Indian Territory," and reported also a bill for their restoration to their old former Reservation, and recommending "that $50,000 be appropriated for the purpose of taking the Poncas back, and restoring their now dilapidated homes." This Bill will be acted upon by Congress at the next session. This able report of the Senate Committee says, that "in dealing with one of the most peaceable and orderly and well-disposed of all the tribes of Indians, the Government has violated in the most flagrant manner their rights of property, and disregarded their appeals to the honor and justice of the United States, and the dictates of humanity."

"The Committee of the United States Senate, find that they were one of the most peaceful of all Indian tribes, that they were dwelling upon a reservation which they had occupied ever since they were known as a tribe, under words of absolute grant from the United States, accompanied by a covenant of peaceable enjoyment during their good behaviour **** that the government failing to obtain their free consent for removal to the Indian Territory, removed them by force, and placed them where they are now, against their will, leaving their houses and all other property which they were unable to take with them, and lodging them in a hot and to them inhospitable climate; that they have suffered greatly from the time of their removal to the present time, and have been thereby greatly diminished in numbers, that they are at the present moment discontented, discouraged and disheartened; that this proceeding on the part of the United States was without justification, and was a great wrong to this peaceable tribe of Indians, and demands at the hands of the United States, speedy and full redress."

This report also says, that "the (Senate) Committee can find no language sufficiently strong to condemn the whole proceedings, and trace to it, all the troubles which have come upon the Poncas, and the hardships and sufferings which have followed them since they were taken by the United States from their old Reservation, and placed in their present position in the Indian Territory."

The Omaha Ponca Relief Committee need no better vindication of their action in behalf of this distressed and outraged people, than these strong and weighty words of a Committee of United States Senators composed of representative men of both political parties.
ROBERT H. CLARKSON, Bishop of Nebraska,
A.F. SHERRILL, Pastor of Congregational Church,
W.J. HARSHA, Pastor of Presbyterian Church,
LEAVITT BURNHAM,
W.M. YATES,
P.L. PERINE.

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REPORT OF MR. T. H. TIBBLES,

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[[italics]] Omaha Ponca Indian Committee: [[/italics]]

GENTLEMEN: In obedience to a resolution of your committee, passed July 6th, 1880, requesting me to make a report in writing of my recent visit to the Ponca tribe of Indians, now located in the Indian Territory, which visit was made under the direction of your committee, I have to report that I left Omaha June 14th, 1880, and at Kansas City was joined by Mr. Henry Fontenelle, who had preceded me, and was to act as interpreter. Arriving at Arkansas City, the terminus of the railroad, June 15th, about noon, I immediately hired a team and drove to the Ponca reserve, and stopped at the first Indian house I saw. I arrived in daylight, the sun was about an hour high. I had no disguise whatever, as was falsely telegraphed by Agent Whiting. Very soon afterward fifteen or twenty men of the tribe assembled. They informed me that the Chiefs of the tribe were absent on a visit to the Cheyennes, and would not be back for several days, but that one of their leading men was there and he desired to speak to me. This Indian made a speech of some length, in which he said the last thing they thought of at night and the first thing in the morning was, "when shall we hear from our friends, and get an order to go back to our homes." He represented that the whole tribe was just as anxious as ever to return and thought of nothing else, to all of which the other Indians present very heartily assented. At the close of this speech I was informed that one of the Chiefs, White Swan, or Frank La Flesche, had not gone with the others but was on the reservation. He was sent for, and after some time arrived. He informed me that some weeks before an order from Washington had been read to the Chiefs in council, by the Agent, Whiting. This order said that the Poncas were free to go where they pleased, but they could not take any kind of property with them, and that, he thought, was just the same as an order for them not to dare to go at all. He said the order also directed the Agent to arrest any member of the Omaha Committee, the attorneys in the case or myself, if any of us came on the reservation. He was certain that if the agent found out I was there, I would be arrested immediately. He thought I had better get away as soon as possible.

I concluded to go after the Chiefs and not wait their return. About nine o'clock the next morning, Mr. Fontenelle drove down to the agency and purchased some supplies. It was after ten o'clock when he returned, and we started on our journey. After two days and a half of hard driving we met the Ponca Chiefs returning. My message was delivered to them and they took the matter under advisement. Mr. Fontenelle went back to