The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-06-29
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE
JEsUlTs AND PROHIBITION.

More than two hundred years ago
Jesuit missionaries and their Indian
neophytes looked upon liquor as the
great demon which was destroying re-
ligion.
The first petition for prohibition
within the present boundaries of New
York state was made in 1868 by
Jesuit missionaries and their Indian
neophytes to Governor Lovelace at
Manhattan (Manhate). The Jesuit Re-
lations, vol. 50, p. 139, says:
"The Agniez (Mohawks) have of
their own accord considered the fact
that a single thing was capable of
destroying their fair beginnings of
Christian piety; and that there was
in their midst a foreign demon, more
to be feared than those that they
worshipped in their dreams. This
| demon is the intoxicating liquor that
was coming to them from New Or
ange. They sought means, in a pub
lie council, to put stop to these dis
orders that were utterly running both
the faith and the bodies of their
youth. Having learned from Father
Pierron that the most eficacious
means was to present personally, a
petition to the governor-general of
Manhate, the most influential men
among them went thither, and pre-
sented to him a memorial that had
been drawn up for them"
Governor Lovelace, who was an ex-
a. nf x~;n
who love to put us off with fair words
and empty regulation promises, adj
dressed the following reply to Father
Lafiteau:
Father: By your last letter learn
your complaint, which is seconded by
that of the Iroquois captains, the
Sachems and the Indians, as appears
more clearly from their petition, en-
closed in yours, touching the great
quantity of liquors that some men in
Albanie take the liberty to sell to the
Indians, thereby causing them to COM
NIT great disorders, more of which are
still to be feared unless measures be
taken to prevent them. In reply, you
will learn that | have taken all posi-
1 OAC NdA e. c1hu VIII CO1tAuuO W SUy W
restrain and prevent, under very Sc
we're penalties, the furnishing of any
excess to the Indians. And | am very
glad to hear that such virtuous
thoughts proceed from the Infidels, to
the shame of some Christians. But
that is to be ascribed to your pious
teachings-you who, being we'll versed
| in ctriot Hicninlinn HOY oh hov
the path of modification, not only by
your precepts, but by your practice"
| Governor Lovelace's assurance that
he had taken all possible care
to prevent the furnishing of any eX-
| cess excessive amount of liquor to
the Indians" bore little or no fruit.
One tribe after another was de-
bauched "The Iroquois and the HUI
rOns are more inclined to the practice
of virtue than other nations; they are
the only savages capable of refined
feelings" (Relations, vol. IS, p. 800.
But here, too, the work of the mission
aries was destroyed by the rum of
the Christians. Father J. de LANDER
vile, in Relation of 1929, says of
the venerable and sanity Iroquois,
GarakOntie: "He frequently asks why
Europeans sell brandy, since the Iro-
quois make such bad use of it. Its
sale should be forbidden"
| The same missionary, in Relation of
| 1898, vol. 81, p. IS, writes from the
| Onondaga mission:
Drunkenness generally causes great
disorders among the Iroquois; it cor
rupts their morals; it introduces the
| liberty of killing or beating with i'm
punity those against whom they have
any spite. While intoxicated they ex-
| hort one another to that spirit of war
and cruelty which makes Iroquois ter
rible throughout North America"
In 1868 Father Bruyas wrote: "The
Dutch bring from Holland such guam
| titles of brandy as to make veritable
pothouse of Onnontaghe (Onondaga)."
Vol. AZ, p. 1876. Of the Oneidas he
wrote: They are drunkards only
| since they have associated with the
French and the Dutch. The former
cannot furnish with brandy on &C
count of the prohibition of our (Can-
| adian) governors, and of the war
which they have hitherto waged
against us, but the Flemish give them
as much of it as they can carry They
have such mania to get possession
of this baneful drink that they do not
complain of going two hundred leagues
to bring three or four pots of it into
their own country; and the worst of it
is that when they have drunk it they
are demons" Vol. 81, p. 1913.
The Relation, 1668-69, says of the
Cayugas among whom Father Carheil
was working: Drunkenness, which
has penetrated as far as the Oiogo-
mems (Cayugas), has wrought much
havoc among them" Vol. SO, p. 193
In the Relation of 1720-36, Father
| Nau says: THE five Iroquois nations,
who are with the English, are visibly
on the decrease on account of their
incessant quarrels and the use of in
toxicants supplied by the English
Vol. 68, p. 279.
Exchange.
IHoIon:a., ul HILl