, 1858-11-19
Gen Harney'S ChaDIain.

We learn, says the st Louis Democrat, that Father
De Smet has received a dispatch from Washington re
} questing him to join Gen. Harney at New York as
chaplain to the army in Oregon. Apart from all con
sideratons OF religious spiritual character there
Is eminent proprety in the selection of Father DE-
Snet Tor this position. 1t be who first preached
the doctrines Of Christianity to the Northern Ultra
montane Indians and he is consequently regarded
with especial reverence by those tribes who dwell il
the country which is the theatre of the Oregon Indian
war. There can be no doubt that his influence over
them VIII facilitate the realization Of the purposes o
the government. In no part of Oregon is the big
| Black Gown" unknown or unappreciated His infa
ence over the Blackfeet nation Is Supreme and the
Flatheads and adjacent tribes scarcely less Sub
mlssye to his counsels.. The government has, there
fore, consulted its intrests in his appointment to
the chaplaincy oft Oregon army.
From the commencement of our Indian
difficulties in these territories, ultra secta-
ran prejudice has been in the habit Of
sncering at the Offices of friendship and
good actions reported to have been perform
cd by the Catholic Missionary Fathers in the
Indian country, towards our citizens on the
other side Of the mountains, as well as the
officers and men of the regular and voun-
teer service, and the charge has not unfre
quently been made against them, as q be-
lief, that they were allied with the hostiles,
and in common with them, sought the
crushing out Of our settlements. Nothing,
in our opinion, could be more unjust to-
wards these pious men-these messengers
of peace on earth, than such an accusation.
On the contrary, in numerous instances,
they have periled their lives in rendering to
the officers of the military the most essen
tial service, and the names of many of them
will go down to posterity identified with
various acts of heroic religious duty and
benevolcnce-brightening up the pages
upon which will be recorded the stirring
scenes that have transpired within our bor-
ders for the past few years. Here is an it,
lustration of the good Offices of one of them,
in which it is claimed by correspondent of
the San Francisco Monitor, written imme-
diately after the defeat of Col. SrEproE,
that that officer owes his life, and that of
his whole command to the prompt action
of one of the Missionary Fathers. The
correspondent says:
The recent defeats of Colonel Steptoe but adds an.
other link to the chain Of evidence which we have al
ready on this subject for it appears that Father
(whose mission is among the Occur d'Aenes; having
heard from some of that tribe to whom overtures
mad been made to join the party that many of the
Indians came to the determination of preventing Colo
mel Steptoe from passing the Nez Perces River he at
the peril OF his life, set out for Colonel Steptoe's
camp and informed him of the ambuscade prepared
for him by the Indians; and learn from q reliable
source that Colonel Steptoe is fully convinced that
were it not for the information which he received
from Father Josef, his whole party would have been
massacred Nor has this been the first time that this
true disciple has risked his life for the salvation of
his fellow men, for am informed that recently while
en- route from his smsiOn u the Dallas he was overta
Ken by an express dispatchedby Vincent the Chief of
the Occur dAens; warning him TO return immedi-
ately, as there great danger to be appTehended
from the Indians through whose country he would be
obliged to pass; aud great the chiefs anxiety
to overtake him, that he followed in person. and at
length overlook him after forced march of eighteen
hours. From the good chief the Father learned that
the Nez Perces were hostile toward the Occur Aenes
in consequence of the latter refusing to join in pro-
ected hOstlites against the whites, and acting upon
the counsel of Vincent the missionary returned home
"a few days afterward Nez Perces Indian ex-
claimed vauntingly in the presence Of Father josef
that the Occur dAlenes would not break out in host
ity to the Americans SO long o priest was among
them, but they meant to put an end to his influence
by killing him. Father Josef, well knowing the char
acteristics of the Indians, and emboldened by the
righteousness Of his cause walked slowly up to the
speaker, and opening his sustane, said. Here am;
strike me;' then holding aloft the cross which he
had suspended from his neck he continued: "Behold
my medicine Possessed of this do do not fear youl"