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Omaha Agency, April 21, 1879
To the Omaha Herald

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  [[underlined]]To the friends of the Poncas, now held as prisoners at Omaha barracks.[[/underlined]] [[proofreading paragraph symbol]] We the undersigned, Omaha Indians for
ourselves, and on behalf of the Omaha tribe, wish publicly
to declare that in consideration of the relationship existing between our tribe and those Poncas, and under a sense of the dictates of common humanity to our race, we are anxious for their return to our reservation, and an
willing to share with them our lands, and to assist
them until they can, by their industry, support themselves,
They are our brothers and our sisters, our uncles
and our cousins, and although we are called savages,
we feel that sympathy for our persecuted brethren
that should characterize Christians, and are willing
to share what we possess with them, if they can only
be allowed to return and labor, improve and provide
for themselves, where they may live in peace, enjoy good
health, and the opportunity of educating their children
up to higher state of civilization. They came here to our
reservation about the first of March, from the Indian Territory. And as they believe from the jaws of death, even
bring sickness with them. We received them kindly and
hospitably, and afforded them such assistance as we could
in the way of land to raise a crop this summer, and they