Harper's Weekly

“ The question now raised is whether peaceable Indians can be forcibly removed by the government from lands once confirmed to them by treaty, and returned to a reservation upon which they have not bound themselves by treaty to remain. Obviously this can not be done by any government which pretends to have any respect for treaty rights or justice. It can be done only by a government which proposes to do merely what it chooses to do; and it is because of this bad faith which has been constantly shown by us to the Indians that they distrust our overtures, and are taught to hate us. ”

“ If the white pressure is sure sooner or later to require the lands that have been ceded to the Indians by treaty, let us take care to make no cessions. If we mean to do with the Indians just what we please, let us say so frankly, and put an end to a pretense which is constantly irritating and vexatious and costly. It is evidently absurd to treat the Cherokees as we treat the wild Sioux and the savage tribes of the plains. But the wilder tribes are to be treated with humanity and justice. Honesty is still the best policy ”

“ Storrs said at the meeting in his church in Brooklyn in favor of the Poncas, and after Standing Bear had spoken, “As this man has told you, in his singular oratory, of the sufferings and oppressions of his people, it belongs to us to see that our magistrates secure them their rights, to crystallize the right feelings into law and justice, and to understand that it is wrong for a nation to oppress the weak.” ”