TO MISS EMMA ALLISON
Washington, Jan. 24, 1880.
Private.
I have received your kind letter of the 12th inst. and
beg leave to express to you my sincere thanks for the
encouraging sentiments it conveys to me.
Yesterday I had my last interview with Chief Winnemucca and the delegation accompanying him. It gave me the most heartfelt pleasure to comply with all their requests, and they appeared to be completely satisfied. I hope they will now become permanently settled, and if Congress gives me the legislation I have asked for, I expect to be able to make those of them that will occupy land in severalty, proprietors of farm lots in fee simple before I go out of office. I shall do all I can to make such arrangements on the Malheur reservation as will answer that object. They appear to be well meaning people and I shall befriend them as much as I can. I am very glad I have had them here, and they expressed their thankfulness in a very touching manner.
For whatever information you may be kindly disposed to give me concerning the condition and wants of the Indians on the Pacific Coast I shall be much obliged to you.
TO MRS. HELEN JACKSON
In reply to your letter of the 22d instant, I beg leave to say that if an Indian tribe could maintain an action in the courts of the United States to assert its rights, I should object to it just as little as I would object to the exercise of the same privilege on the part of white men. What I do object to is the collection of money from philanthropic
