the lcad with those who would try to give the Indians a perma nent defence against the vieissitudes of party and the greed of men

"I will not forget to add that if the three thousanc and odd hundreds of dollars needed to complete the ten thousand rc- quired to pay the costs of the Ponca suits cannot be raised in the great city of New York, I will myself guarantee to raise it in Bos ton in twenty-four hours if Secrotary Schurz will openly endorse the plan."

The matter stands, therefore, in this slape: If you can say that you approve of the Poncas bringing the suits they wish to bring for the recovery of tlheir lands, all the money for which they ask can be placed in their hands immediately. above letter assured me that she would herself give the entire sum if there were any difficulty in raising it. If you do not ap- provc of the Poncas bringing thesc suits, or making an cffort to bring them, are you willing to give the reasons of your disap- proval It would be a great satisfaction to those Boston fricnds of yours whose action in this matter turns solely on your decision, if thesc reasons could be stated in clear and explicit form

The writer of tho

Yours respectfully,

HELEN JACKsON.

Department of the Interior, Ofmce of the Secretary, Jan. 17th, 1880.

DEAR MADAMI,-I should certainly have answered your letter of the 9th instant more promptly had I not been somewhat over- burdened with official business during the past week. I hope you wil kindly pardon the involuntary delay

As I understand the matter, money is being collected for the purpose of engaging counsel to appear for the Poncas in the courts of tho United States, partly to represent them in tlhe case of an appeal from Judge Dundy's habeas corpus decision, and partly to procure a decision for the recovery of thcir old reservation on the Missouri River. I beliove that the collection of money for these purposes is uscless beas corpus decision can proceed only from the Government, not from the Poncas, for tho simple reason that tho docision was in favor of the latter. An appesal was, indeed, entored by the Unitod States District-attorney at Omaha immediatoly after the decision lad been announced. Some time ago his bricf was submitted to me. On oxamining it, I concluded at onco to advise the attornoy- general of my opinion that it should be dropped, as I could not An appeal from Judge Dundy's ha