The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-11-08
THE INDIAN MESSIAH.
General Miles Lays the Outburst of this De-
lusion at the Mormons' Doors

ST. PAUL, Nov. General Miles, com
mander of the division of the Missouri, is
here on his return from his western tour.
Regarding the causes and nature of the
religious craze existing among the Indian
tribes, be says: 81 have been in Utah. Mon
tana and atsthe Cheyenne reservation in
vestigating this craze. You no doubt have
heard that the Indian tribes are reported
to believe that a Messiah will come who is
; to restore them TO their former glory, bring
back the buffalo and drive the whites from
the land. l have learned this belief exists
among various tribes OF Sioux, Cheyenpes,
blackfeet, Shoshones and other tribes. In
all the craze extended to sixteen tribes, the
Snake Indians being the only ones to repu-
date 1t. There is no doubt that many In
olans holding this belief in an Indian Mes
slah are sincere and few have certainly
some person to whom they look to be that
messiah. Several small parties of Indians
nave gone westward from their tribes to
some point which, as near as l can locate, is
IN Nevada. There they have been shown
somebody disguised as the Messiah and
spoken with him. L am inclined to believe
there is more than one person impersonat-
ing this Messiah, as when the Sioux have
spoken with him he replied in the Sioux
language, and to the Backfeet he has
spoken their tongue, and with representa-
yves OF each nation or tribe speaking their
own language to each.
Whom do you think responsible for this
imposition upon the Indians!''
II cannot state positively, but it is my
oelef that the Mormons are the prime
movers in it. This is not hard statement
to believe for there are 100000 Mormons
ana they themselves claim to believe in
prophets and spiritual manifestations, and
they even now claim to hold intercourse
with the spirit Of Joe Smith Besides.
they have had missionaries at work among
the Indians many years and have made
many converts"
"Do you think this new beleI of the In
dams VIII lead to an outbreak and blood
shed?n
II do not think so, but where an ignorant
race become religious fanatics it is hard to
tell just what they will do. 1t is note
worthy, however, that this so-called Mes
slab tells the Indians when he comes to
reign over them he says firearms will no
longer be used or necessary. He tells them
also that with his coming the dead Indians
will all be raised to life, the
buffalo return, and he will draw
line behind on which he will
gather all the Indians and then he
will roll the earth back upon the whites.
This has naturally excited the Indians,
and large numbers have accepted the new
belief. Among those who have done so
none are more ardent than Setting Bull.
who is intensely an Indian in ali his IDEAS d
DO you think the person who is imper-
sonating the Messiah is white man or
Indian!n
Those who have seen him say he is
mutf1ed up and disguised so they do not see
his face, but believe he is full-blooded
white. The argument the Indians use in
discussing the matter is, the whites have
had their Messiah, and the Indians now
have theirs. The situation is not alarming
IN any way, and l do not know whether
any action will be taken by the govern
ment regarding the matter until after I
have made my report