Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-15
The Indian Question.
CONFERENCE OF MISSIONARIES AND INDIAN
COMMISSIONERS.


y meeting of the board Of Indian commisr
si0ners is now in session at the Arlington. The
following members OF the board are in attend
anee Hons. +. X. Brunot, Pittsburg, chair
man; VIM. +. Dodge, New York; j. ". Farwell,
Chicago; Nathan Bishop, New York; E. 8. To-
hey, Boston; John ID. Lang, Maine, and Mr.. T.
Cree, secretary Of the board. Hon. George ii.
Stuart Is prevented from attending by serious
sickness. -
To-day, a meeting of conference was held
with the representatives of the mission boards
work. There were present Bishop Hare, Hon
William Welch and Col. +. G. Kembie, of the
Protestant Episcopal church; Bishop Harris and
Rev. j. Dashiell, of the Methodist church; Rev.
j. G. Lawrie, president board foreign missions;
Rev. George Whipple, American missionary So
eiety, n. Y; Rev. DIR. Browne, united Presby-
terrain board missions, Pittsbnrg; Rev. DR. Fer
ris, reformed Dutch church mission, ". Y; Rev.
B. b. Treat, ID. D., secretary 4. 3. g. +. NJ,
Boston; Rev. Father Deshone. Catholic mission,
y. "; pr. VIM. Nicholson, secretary Assn tx.
Com. Friends, Lawrence, Kansas; Benjamin
latham, n. "; >. N. Janney. Va; Ihos. WIS.,
tar, of Philadelphia, and other gentlemen con-
neeted with Indian affairs.
This meeting was called merely to hear state
ments of missionaries and workers in the cause
OF the ameliOration OF the condition of the In
dams, and not for any action; the ANIMAL meet
ing for action being fixed for tomorrow. A
preliminary meeting was held last Iht, but
rot much was done. Many spectators, among
whom were several ladies, wore present; also
delegate from each of the civilized tribes Oh the
Indian Territory.
The meeting was opened with PRAYER by
Bishop Whpple, after which the chairman
stated that it gave him great pleasure TO well
come the members OF the commission and 80
many Of the delegates. He congratulated them
ON what had been accomplished the past year in
the mode of governing the Indians. The repre-
sentatives of the different societies and Organi-
zations had been invited, in order that they
might hear the different opinions, and have an
interchange of ideas, and he thought tour years
longer durationo Of the same policy would perfect
a system of government superior to any ever
adopted. He asked the hearty cooperation OF
al To aid in the good work. One thing OF great
Importance was that the different churches
should exercise the greatest care in selecting
tie proper persons TO recommend a agents. 1t
was a matter OF some regret that tins had to
some extent been overlooked, and that
IMPROPER PERSONS
had been sent out to the Indian country. All
sribordinates employed to aid the missionaries
and agents should be the best men they could
y ok. morallv.
Mr.. Walsh called the attention of the chairman
to one important fact, that their agents and
missionaries were defeated in their purposes by
THIEVES AND ROBBERS
who are allowed to go among the Indians.
The chairman said all these points would
doubtless be discussed by the delegates present.
1t was the object OF all to rid the Indians of
oppression, and to obtain such legislation as will
secure them their lands aud rights generally.
Mr.. Edward Smith, secretary to the American
missionary association in Minnesota, gave an
Interesting account OF the
. WRONGS PEEPETEATED UPON THE INDIANS
in the Northwest. The agency at Superior
was in a prosperous condition. The agency in
Minnesota was much more difficult agency to
manage. 100 houses had been erected with five
rooms each. and the work had been mainly done
by the Indians. Indians sawed the lumber and
did all the labor. Then success as farmers was
becoming more and more apparent every year.
No one doubts the feasibility of civilzing this
people in Minnesota, and il had got to be a fact
that it was cheaper TO educate and lift them out
of barbariSm than to eNterminate them by war
fare, or To keep them i'm the proper subiection
10y this means. He thought that only one gen
Grafton was necessary to keep them in school to
ri'i the state OF bar barism.
E Bishop Whipple was called upon, and said
that he could bear witness to the faithful man
iner in which the agent in his state had worked
for the amelioration of the condition of the
Indians. He alluded to the
LAXITY OF THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS
for the punishment OF crime, especially when
perpetrated upon the Indians. In fact, there
seemed to be no law in that state and the con-
sequence was that the effect was very demon
alizing. He stated that it was the opinion of
General Sheridan that if a just and proper course
was pursued by the government towards the
Indians more would be accomplished than by
any other way.
Mr. Edward Smith remarked that i'm his
agency most Of the Indians could he employed
to labor if there were any money appropriated
by the government to pay them.
Rev. Father DeshOne, of the Catholic church,
from New York, called the attention OF the
board to the fact that that church had no agen-
cies among the Osages, POtowatomies, and the
Indians of New Mexico, who were
LARGELY CATHOLIC IN THEIR RELIGIOUS
VIEWS.
The church had but little means, and none
from the general government; but, 50 far as he
had any knowledge, the Indians who had been
educated i'll the Catholic church made favorable
progress in the various arts of civilization.
The chairman stated tn at Father Deshone had
been connected with the mission but a short
time, and had not fully Informed himself of the
extent of the workings of the commission.
Rev. DIR. Nicholson, representing the Indians
iof the central SUPPLEMENTARY, made extended
remarks in relation to the condition of the In
dams there, more particularly with respect to
the manner of teaching them. He stated that
the readiness of the youth to acquire the various
secular and religions branches of learning was
a subject of surprise to the teachers. He spoke
of the difficulties experienced by reason OF the
remOteness of the agencies from civilization,
and consequent suffering from want OF supplies.
He cited the difficulty experienced from incom-
petent interpreters, who were not always honest
and conscientious men. They are troubled, too,
by intrUders and mean class of white men who
90 among them as Indians and adopt their
habits.
THE ROWING HABITS OF THE INDIANS
are against y thorough system OF educati on
among them, and the effort had been made by
the mission to secure the services of such mis-
sionaries and teachers as would be willing to 90
with the tribes in their wanderings. He cited
an instance where such a man had been en-
plOyed with the most beneficial results. An en-
couraging indication of the effects of education
was the sanctity Of marriage among them,
which Is being more observed every year. 1t
had been observed that tendency to stock
raising had most beneficial influence with the
Indians, and was the best proof that they are
not retrograding in the essentials OF civilization
and education.
Friend Samuel Janney, of Virginia. gave an
interesting account OF his field Of operations.
which is in Northern Nebraska among the
tribes living al the head and tributaries OF the
Missouri; their progress in agriculture and the
various useful arts. He said the custom OF an
ANNUAL ELECTION OF CHIEF
had lately been practced among the Winnie
bagOes with most satisfactory results instead
of the old system OF hereditary chiefs. He gave
a detailed account of the present condition of
the various tribes, their numbers, advancement
in the arts and sciences OF civilization.
The whole number of Indians in the northern
sEperintendency is 8, 29S.
the Jackson statue i'm Court.
SUIT AGAINST CLARK MILLS, THE ARTIST, BY