of injustice and inhumanity in her late treaties. It seems to us, on the contrary, that no nation has ever furnished more means of civilization. If any one must be blamed on this point, it is rather private persons, new colonists, who act and place themselves in direct opposition with the good intentions of the Government in behalf of the savages."
But while he recognized that the change must come, he deplored the fact that it must be so harsh and accompanied with so much of injustice and wrong. He did all he could to soften the cruelty of it and he always advised the Indians to submit to the Government and not incur its displeasure. His greatest grief was that, in giving this advice, which was followed on more than one occasion, he was compelled to see the promises made them unfulfilled and his advice lead ever to new suffering. The Government, always a friend to the Indian, was weak in the execution of its laws and treaties with them. Exactly there was the fault-that it did not enforce the fulfillment of its promises. There is no more impressive scene in our Indian history than Father De Smet's visit to Sitting Bull's band in 1868. To the Indians he was the representative of truth, the Great Father in Washington that of falsehood. When they saw the banner of Father De Smet they first thought it the flag of the United States and would have massacred every white man in the party; but when they saw it to be the simple emblem of Christ, borne by the valiant missionary, their hatred changed to joy and their hostile attitude to the most enthusiastic friendliness. It was the faithlessness of the Great Father in his promises to them that embittered their minds and called forth all that was savage in their nature. (1)
The Indians revered and loved Father De Smet to the last. They were always looking for him to return among them. From every tribe in the northwest he received peti
(1) "Commissioners and agents of the Government come to us every year. They are affable and prodigal of words and promises on behalf of our Great Father. What is the reason that so many fine words and pompous promises always come to nothing, nothing, nothing."