Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-05-24

lar expense for them or aid from the gov.
eminent. Now for the sequel, instead Of
the Christianizing and civiliziug efforts of
your religious peace policy having produced !
any beneficial results, twithstaudinR |
large appropriations for that purpose,
there are not one halt as many Indians on |
the reservation n. there were located within |
its limits when the same was established. |
None of the thousands who were expec. |
ted to be located or removed there are to
be found upon the reservation. Those
driven off were scattered abroad, creating |
discord, robbing, stealing, and begging, u
source of alarm TO the settlers over one
third Of Idaho; not only threatening hos.
tililies at the reservation and through.
out the country, but they have
actually commenced their murders.
Troops have been hurriedly assembled there
to protect life and property, and y gen.
eral outbreak is imminent snd will only be
averted by the presence of large military
force, or by the removal of the cause,
namely, the present agent, held there BY
his church, and q change of policy, A. IN
the bill provided, that will remove the root
of the present deplorable state of affairs.
At the Lemhi agency, in Eastern Idaho, W
are blessed with Rev. Mr.. Showers, who By
his want of knowledge of Indian character,
his stealing, plunderng, and general un.
faithfuluess, and inefficiency has driven
one-half the Indians from the reservation
in the last ten months, who are threaten.
ing to return with torch and rife.
| The white settlers in the county alarmed,
are stockading, aud steps are to be taken
to station troops for their protection, and
nothing but speedy change will arrest .
bloody denouement
/ now come to commentary upon the
policy that would to God | had been
spared the duty Of making Irefer to the
late Neg Perez war and its causes and the
present state of that afflicted country, and
the imminent dangers Of another wa- 10
Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington
that will dwarf the Nez Pevce war into
comparative insignifcance. This agency
was assigned to the Prssbyterisns when
the unholy system Of farming out reserva.
tons to churches was iuaugurated. 4
Presbyterian mission had been establi shsd
within what is now the Neg Perez reserva.
ton some forty years ago, by Rev. NJ.
Spaulding, worthy missionary,
who laborcd long and srden,iy
for the advancement of the Nee Perces
At tie time the system of farming out the
agencies to church organizations was il.
"ugurated, there were AS many Metbodists
as Presbyterians among the Neg Perces,
and more Catholics than either.
Under the blighting church influence, J.
B. Monteitb was appointed agent in Febru.
airy, 1871. From the day Of bis entering
upon his duties as agent he commenced
sowing the seeds that during the summer
of 1877 produced their harvest OF Indian
war and desolation. On tho 18th, 18th,
and 18th Of June last twenty Of my neigh.
bors, men, women, and children, were hor.
ribly murdered by the Nez Perez indians.
Wives and mothers were outraged by the
: brutal heuds. Largo numbers escaped,
, wounded and disabled, to carry with ibem
through life An evidence Of Indian mercy
when scourged to madness by outraees
perpetrated by their Indian agent. The
country was lain waste. Tho loss Of life
among our citizens in Northern Idaho ia
defending their homes and families; tha
murders and devastation in tho Territory
CO Montana and iu the county of Lenhi
Idaho Territory, while on their march; ths
heavy losses Of life by the United Statsi
Army in the field and among tho citi3eI
aeldiery Of Idaho and Montana; tho enor
nous expense incurred in the conflicts, arr
familiar to this House and the country.
And here proclaim upon this floor, snt
e l speak from personal knowledge, that II
my opinion and in the opinion of nearly
Il every man who lives anywhere in the vicin
ity Of the scenes of hostilities in Northern
Idaho, | may say every man except . few
# who have been the tools and parasites o
# tho agent, said J. B. Mout:i,h, the Unite,
States Indian agent for the Nez Perces, VA
the primary cause Of every drop of bloot
i that wns she'd and OF every dollars des
. truction Of property and every dollars ex
!. pense either by the Government or BY 10
}. dividuals in the course Of the Nes Perc
IS war; unless i, should be considered be va
l. but n tool in the hands Of Presbyteria,
\. Missionary Society, and, i: so, he may di
y vide with them the responsibility. Thi
s. may appear strange to persons who are no
D. cognizant Of the facts, but such will be th
!. record made by the impartial historian.
! will as brief as possible give the fact
as they existed, as they will prove . strong
!. er argument in behalf of the pending meal
= ure than volumes Of theory. Until tho I'D
y vent OF B. Monteith among them q
!, agent the Neg Perces had been proverbiall
:" peaceful and the friends OF the white sel
y tiers. Very few difficulties had ever OF
:, Cured between the whites and tho Indiana
~ They were considerably advanced 10 civil
zatioc. Large numbers Of them were fal
|
~ laboring faithfully for the white settlers q
remunerative wages. | have not time I
- detail all bis iniqui.ies fully. but will "a
- be frst commenced bitter warfare upo
=. the old missionary. Rev. Ar. Spauldise
H. who was beloved by the mass of the trib
;. Of every faith, aad followed the onslaueh
~ :, upon him by an equally bitter warfare apo
= Rev. Mr.. Cowley, Presbyterian missionary
:. beloved by the Indians under his charRl
~ until he was driven from his field Of Labor
:. and is now proving his usefulness amen
!. the Spokanes without Government ard. n
T. (Mouteith) bitterly opposed allowing Cath
~ Ollie services on the reservation, alsAsug
they were the most numerous deueminAsio
80 Of Christians located on the reservatio
" and of those who lived without Its limit
~ Money was raised for building = Cathoi
~, church upon the reservatiou-much Of
90 furnished by persons not Of the Cashol
faith, the donors knowing full we'll that d
r. Catholic missionaries ever lsbored IN b
an half of peace, qaietude, ard goodwill