Art, II In consideration of the cession or release of that portion of the reservation above described by the Ponca tribe of Indians to the Government of the United States, tlhe Government of the United States, by way of rewarding them for their constant fidelity to the Government tlhereof, and with a view of returning to the said tribe of Ponca Indians their old burying-grounds and cornfields, hereby cede and relinquish to the tribe of Ponca In dians the following described fractional townships, to wit, town ship thirty-one (31), north range, seven (7) west; also fractional Lownship thirty-two (32), north ranges, six (6), seven (7), eight (8) nine (9), and ten (10) west; also fractional township thirty-three (83), north ranges, seven (7) and eight (8) wcst; and also all that portion of township thirty-three (33), north ranges, nine (9) and ten (10) west, lying south of Ponca Creek; and also all the islands in the Niobrara or Running Water River lying in front of lands or townships above ceded by the L'nited States to the Ponca tribe of Indians."

A correspondence which was held with tlhe Secretary of the In terior in the winter of 1879, in regard to tlıe Poncas, is so excel lent an illustration of the metlhods and policy of the Interior De- partment that it is worth while to give it at length here.

New York, Frlday, Jan. 9th, 1880..

To the Secretary of the Interior:

Dear Sir,I have received from a Boston lady a letter which has so important a bearing on the interests of tle Poucas that I take tho liberty of asking you to read and reply to the following extracts. I sond them to you with the writer's permission:

"In Boston most of those who are likely to give most largely and feel most strongly for the Indians havc coufidence in Secretary Schurz. They think that so far lhe lhas shown himself their friend, and they feel unprepared to help any plan with regard to the Indians wbich he opposes. The greatest service which could