Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 4.djvu/105

Rh discountenance such mischievous practices; and that if this solution appears acceptable to the Poncas no influence be employed to prevent it. On the contrary, I should think that every true friend of the Indians would aid in its accomplishment.

Permit me now a few words about the resolutions passed at your meeting. The first of them denounces the wrong done to the Poncas and demands reparation. The second is in two parts: first, “that it is unbecoming in a free Government to allow its agents to slander, prosecute and imprison those whose only offense lies in befriending the victims of that Government's oppression.” This undoubtedly refers to the arrest of Mr. Tibbles last summer, on the Ponca reservation, by the Indian agent there. The report made to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs by Agent Whiting, upon this occurrence, was as follows:

I have to state that on the 28th ultimo, as I was on my way to Arkansas City, I was informed that Mr. Tibbles had started that morning on horse-back for Ponca agency, and in connection with an accomplice, who was to remain in the State of Kansas he intended to coax the Poncas to run off, a few families at a time, and meet at a point a few miles from Nez Percé reservation, where he (Tibbles) would have supplies furnished to feed them, until quite a number were collected, when he would take them all back to Dakota. The Indians informed me that Mr. Tibbles told them to collect all the property they could and meet him at the above-named point; that he promised them wagons, harness, farming implements, horses, cattle etc., and that they would receive rations until they could raise a crop. Mr. Tibbles told them to run off in the night and to tell no one where they were going. The evening Mr. Tibbles was arrested four families had made arrangements to run off and join him at the appointed place.

On the 29th ultimo I returned to the agency and found Mr. Tibbles under arrest, but being very pleasantly entertained at