Memphis Daily Appeal

A Talk with Father De Smet.

[From the New York Tribune.]

The Rev. Father De Smet, widely known for his missionary labors among the Indians, departed recently for Europe in the steamer City of Baltimore. A Belgian by birth, Father De Smet at an early age entered the Jesuit Order, and after having been ordained priest, was sent to the Rocky Mountain region in 1842 to prosecute the perilous and toilsome duties of Christianizing and civilizing the savages of the plains and mountains of the "far West." At various periods within the past twenty years he has crossed the Atlantic for the purpose both of obtaining missionary help and the means of purchasing goods for the Indians. He makes his present voyage for the object of bringing over a dozen or more of religious women and men who will establish schools among the Ricarees, Crows and Sioux inhabiting the region through which flows the main branches of the upper Missouri. The Sisters are expected to teach the Indian children the rudiments of an English education, and also instruct the girls in sewing and embroidery. Father De Smet intends also to bring with him a few blacksmiths, tailors, and carpenters. The blacksmiths are wanted for wagon work, horse-shoeing, and the requirements of the household; the carpenters for church and hut building, and to instruct the male youth in their craft, and the tailors to instruct in the knowledge of the manufacture of comfortable garments.

The condition of the Indians on the western side of the Rocky Mountains is, in the opinion of the good Father, such as would make good men rejoice. Nearly the whole of the Flatheads, Nezperces, Spokanes, Kalispels, Snakes, and other tribes inhabiting Oregon and Washington are, he says, converted, and have laid aside their predatory habits for the peaceful avocations of agricultural life. The Catholic missionaries have supplied them with seed and taught them to raise abundant crops. The tribes inhabiting Montana, Dakota and Wyoming Territories, and all the region extending from Northern Kansas to British America and from Minnesota to the Rocky Mountains, appear to cause Father De Smet great anxiety as regards their present and future condition. Although wishing to deal charitably with all, and having no desire to be censorious or condemnatory, he feels that the treatment of the tribes by the Government agents has been far from what it ought to be. The greatest number of the latter have, in their treatment of the Indian, been influenced almost solely by a desire for gain. The result has been that not more than twenty-five per cent. of all the goods sent out have ever been distributed, the boxes having been previously opened, and the greater part retained by the agents or their subordinates. Last year matters were better managed. All the boxes remained unopened until they were brought into the presence of the various tribes for whom they were intended. This fair and open dealing had a happy effect, and Father De Smet is of the opinion that should it be continued, there will be little to fear from the red men. The Father is desirous that the Government should exercise more care in marking out reservations for the Indians, and in guarding the latter, as much as possible, from the corrupting habits and fraudulent practices of traders and adventurers. Most of the Indians on this side of the mountains, he remarked, are at present very poor; their chief support, the buffalo, and nearly all other kinds of game, having become very scarce. Should the buffalo continue to decrease in the same ratio as during the last ten years, it will not be long until they will have almost disappeared from the regions watered by the upper Missouri and its affluents. The manners and habits of the Indians, are, as a general thing, very little studied by the whites. When one of the former is killed, his relatives believe they are disgraced until his death is avenged. If a white person is killed, it is not unusual for the whites to attack and murder all the Indians of a lodge. The butchery of six hundred Indians, nearly all of whom were women and children, by the order of Major Chivington, while under the latter's protection, very naturally aroused the spirit of vengeance among all the surrounding tribes. Helpless old women and young girls were fiendishly murdered, and the dead bodies were in some cases subjected to outrages. In his journeying among the various tribes, Brules, Blackfeet, Crows, Utahs, and other tribes, many of whom are at present giving evidence of a hostile feeling, Father De Smet was received everywhere with kindness. About a year ago he visited hostile bands of the Sioux to the number of six thousand, at the request of the United States officers, and was everywhere well received and listened to with attention. Father De Smet says the Indians will be kind and docile if treated kindly. During the whole of a twenty-five years' residence among them, he never was addressed with an angry word. He spoke of the visit of Messrs. Doolittle and Foster of the Senate, last year, to St. Mary's Mission Station, among the Ricaries, with evident pleasure. These gentlemen were present at an examination of one hundred and fifty children in reading, spelling, grammar, arithmetic, United States history, sewing and embroidery. They were extremely pleased with the good deportment of the children and their progress in learning. In speaking of the Indian children, the countenance of the Father dilated with joy, his thoughts having evidently recurred to the droll sports and uncouth jocularity of the tender ones who are under his care. The Indian boys, were, he said, the best behaved boys he had ever seen, and the adults were so eager for instruction that they would listen to the teachings of the missionary from dawn until dark. He had no doubt but that they will become a useful portion of the American people, if the Government exerts itself in their behalf, and puts aside the destroying sword. All can be easily taught to cultivate the soil and practice the arts of civilized life.