Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1879 — White Eagle’s Appeal. [ARTICLE]

White Eagle’s Appeal.

There are few persons who do not remember having heard with tingling cheeks the noble speech of Logan the Indian chief, describing the woes of his people, which the schoolboy declaims with ardor, but Khe-tha-ska, or White Eagle, head chief of the Poncas, has written a letter from the Indian Territory on subjects similar to those treated of by Logan in his impassioned speech, which will not only be read to-day with interest and pity, but will become a part of Anglo-Indian history and literature. White Eagle says: “In the spring of 1876 we were all living quietly on our farms, when suddenly there came to our reserve a white man who professed to have come from the President. He called us all to the church and we went. We had seen this man before and he appeared to be a good friend of ours. He said to us: ‘The President has sent me with a message to you. He has sent me to tell you that you must pack up and remove to the Indian Territory.’ I replied: friend, I thought that when the President desired to transact business with a people he would consult with them first. This has come on suddenly. Give us time to think about it. I want to knot? and see for myself what I had better do.’ “Hejumped to his feet and said: ‘The President .told me to take you to the Indian Territory, and I have both hands full of money which it will require to move you down tnere. When the President says anything it must be done. Everything is settled and it is just the same as though you were there already.’ “I answered: *1 have never broken any of my treaties With the Government. What does the President want to take my land away from me for? The President told me to work and I have done it. He told me not to go on the war-path, even if the white man took away my horses and cattle or killed my people. I promised I would not, and I have performed my promise. My people have lived and died on this laud as far back as we can remember. I have sowed wheat and planted corn, and have performed all my promises, and now it seems as though the Government was trying to drown me when it takes my land away. The land is our own. We do not want to pa.t with it. I do not think I shall let the President have it. I have broken no treaties and the President has no right to take it from me.’ This man arose and said: Stop talking. Don’t say any more. The President told me to remove you as soon as I got here. The President is going to send all the Indians to the Indian Territory. You can do nothing. What the President has said will be done.’”

After relating a further refusal to leave the land, White Eagle says the soldiers were sent there, and this man sent for him again. He proceeds as follows: “I gave the treaty to the officer and said to him: ‘I have never done any wrong against the white people. I have never broken any treaties. Now,

what have I done that your soldiers stand here all around against me? I have done that which I thought my duty. Now show me,what I have done that you stand here with your soldiers in arms against * me? I have helped your children ? I have helped the white, people who live around here. When the Sioux carried off your cattle and horses I have had them returned to you if it was in my. power. Why do you stand here armed against me? I have always believed that your Government had ordered your soldiers to protect those who were peaceful, and to bear arms against those who committed crimes. Have pity on the tears of the helpless women and children. We would rather die here on our own land than be forced to go. Kill us all on our own laud now, so that in the fhture when men shall ask, Why have these died? it shall be answered, they died rather than be forced to leave their land; they died to maintain their rights, and perhaps there will be found some to pity us and say wn did that which was right.’ “This man answered: ‘lf blood is shed, you only will be the cause.’ ”, After describing in detail the forced removal to the Indian Territory, the loss by sickness of nearly one-fourth of the tribe, and of hearing of the suit to release Standing Bear and his party, he says: “When a people lose all they hold dear to them the heart cries all the time. I speak now to your lawyers who have nelped Standing Bear* "We had thought there were none to take pity on us, none to help us. We thought all the white people hated us. But now we have seen you take pity on Standing Bear when you heard his story, and it may be that you knew nothing of our wrongs and therefore did not ndlp us. I thank you in the name of my tribe, for what you have done for Standing Bear, and J ask you to go still further in your kindness and help us to regain our land. My heart thinks all the time of our dead; I cry day and night for the men, women and children who have been killed by this land, but when I heard of your kindness to some of my people, I felt as if I might open my eyes to see the coming light. 1 want to save the remainder of my. people, and I look to you for help.”