New-York tribune., 1879-03-13

other 0en0mIndtiOHs are cohcV"'' '"
these assigned agencies, they remain there
only on sufferance; instances have occurred oi
their forcible expulsion at the demand OF the
Government missionary, and even OF the con-
fscation by one church of the missionary
buildings erected at the cost OF an earlier anu
rival denomination.
II does not appear that in the Distribution
of the agencies the preferences OF the lhuians
were at all consulted. General Sherman says
that Protestant Indians are IN the CUSTODY VI
Catholic priests and, vice versa, Cathohc III
dians have BEEN transferred to ProtesIih's'
The scheme seems TO have been to give every
denomination, so far as possible an eagai' OF
at least proportionate, extent OF territory
without much reference to what had already
been done in the cultivation OF the same
fields The result is that the churches which
have maintained extensive Indian missions for
great many years find their spheres VI
usefulness suddenly contracted by an aror
trary edict from Washington. ana chuicnes
which have done little are set up among ip-
dians already converted to some other variety
of Christianity. By grotesque blunder all
the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico were COM
mltted to the Presbyterians, although Iour-
ffths of them are Catholics. If similar trans
fers have been made from PrOtestants 10 Cath-
Olics. this mode of striking balance does not
lessen the wrong, but doubles it. lhe wrong
is not upon the missionary but upon the
savage.
Last MAY, Mr.. Fem, the delegate from
Idaho. made a strong speech on this system
in the House of Representatives. He charged
oh antlOrItlgS
"ferent religious denominations were actu-
ated by "greed and love OF power IN at-
tempting to get control of the agencies. Ihat
was nonsense, for the life of an Indian mis-
sionary offers no temptation except 10 tnoSe
who are actuated by true Christian zeal. But
Mr.. Fem exposed several cases In whlch, II
he stated the facts correctly, the United Sta1es
Government undertook the extraordinary re-
snousibilty of converting tribes wholesale
from one church to another, with the natural
consequence of irritating the Indians ana IN
terposing a serious obstacle to the advance
ment of Christianity and civilization. Inc re-
port of the Commissioner OF lndlan AHaHs
for 1877 contains at least one illustration OF
the danger of letting the Government meddle
with the religion of the Indians. Inc Green
Bay Agency, in Wisconsin, is one OF those as
signed to the CongregatIonalists. 1t includes the
Menomonee Indians, the greater part Ofwhomare
said to be Catholics; there are three Catholic
churches on the reservation. The official re-
port of the agent, Mr.. Joseph Z. BIidgman,
contains the following passage: The four
"day-schools held in different parts of the
reservation were abolished, and boarding.
"school established at Keshena. At first
cit met the determined opposition of the
&" "Romish priest located here, and only two
"boarders remained through the term. The
"priest was assured that SO long as he con-
fined his labors to his legitimate church
.'dutles and did not interfere with the Gov
"ernment school he might remain upon the
"reserve, but if he continued to perstcute
land to excOmmunicate from his church
"parents who sent their children to the school
"he would not be- allowed to labor among the
"people. We have enrolled the past term
"1O2 names. mostly Roman Catholics"
Whether the priest was right OF wrong in
forbldding his people to attend this mission
boarding-school Is not the question: The
scandal is in the spectacle of the United
States regulating the religious beliefs, or
religious practices, or religious policy of In
dams or of anybody else, IN any form. We
need no clearer demonstration of the mischief
of the whole syetem of alIotting missions
than this instance of Government function
ary reporting officially to his immediate
superior the fruit of his years labor in en-
rolling the converts made by another denomi-
nation. General Sherman's rule is the only
one which an American Government can
rightly recognize. 1t is the rule of Hands
"off and fair play for ALL" We want neither
n State church in New-York, nor fourteen
State churches among the Indians.