Start for Fort Hall Agency.--Meeting in Portage.--In Malad.--Reach
the Reservation.--Meet Indians.--Pitched tent.--With two Bishops
Lorenzo visits the agent.--Describes Mr. Cook.--Lorenzo asks the
privilege of preaching to the Indians.--Prevarication.--An incident.--A
discussion.--Mr. Cook says nothing so much needed as a farmer.--Brother
Snow proposes to furnish one.--Mr. Cook will not accept.--Grows uneasy
and will not have preaching.--A grave responsibility.--Mr. Cook
shoulders it.--The school teacher enters and "brothers" Mr. Cook.--The
brethren start for camp.--Meet Indians.--Visit school.--Little Chief,
wife and daughter.
We now transcribe from Lorenzo's journal, as follows: I started for the
Fort Hall reservation, June 15th, 1883, accompanied by Bishop I. E. D.
Zundel, his brother, Elder Abraham Zundel, Bishop Hoskins, and Elders
May and Jones, traveling with one carriage and one baggage wagon. Two
intelligent Lamanite Elders joined us at our Indian colony.
We held meeting at West Portage, and three very interesting meetings on
Sunday, at Malad City, Idaho. On reaching the reservation, we traveled
but a short distance before we enjoyed opportunities for renewing
acquaintances with our dusky brethren and sisters--all manifesting the
highest pleasure at this, though unexpected visit. Several who had not
been baptized expressed a willingness whenever an opportunity presented.
We told them we were now going to visit Mr. Cook, the agent, requesting
the privilege of holding meetings on the reservation, to preach, also
baptize those wishing to embrace the opportunity.
We pitched our tent and camped on the banks of the Portneuf, seven
miles from the agency. The next morning, in company with Bishops
Hoskins and Zundel, I proceeded to the agency, where we found Mr.
Cook in his office. After introducing ourselves, we entered into
conversation, which continued nearly three hours.
Mr. Cook is about sixty years of age, affable, intelligent and
prepossessing in appearance. A variety of questions were asked and
answered in reference to the management and prosperity of our Indian
colony, after which the conversation turned upon general topics,
carried on in a pleasant, sociable spirit. He professed acquaintance
with the president and professors of Oberlin College, with whom I had
formed acquaintance while there--had traveled and done business in
the vicinity of my birthplace in Ohio--was born and brought up within
thirty miles of where Joseph Smith discovered the plates from which he
translated the Book of Mormon. Mr. Cook said he was acquainted with the
early history of the "Mormons," and had attended some of their meetings.
Having established friendly relations, I ventured to approach the
subject, which, to us, was the all-absorbing proposition, viz.: Will
you allow us to preach on the reservation? I remarked that I supposed
the Indians possessed very crude notions of revealed religion, having
little opportunity of improving themselves in this direction; though I
think, said I, you had a minister living at the agency not long since,
but none at present. Mr. Cook replied, "A Methodist minister came since
I took charge of the agency--remained three or four days, and having
observed our surroundings and the primitive state of affairs, left in
disgust, not wishing to forego the pleasures of cultivated regions and
civilized society for the gloomy outlook which here forced itself upon
his tender and delicate nerves. But," continued Mr. Cook, "government
has now changed its policy and placed the reservation in the keeping
of political men, instead of professors of religion, as formerly." I
replied that I had been pleased in hearing of this change of policy,
being confident it would result in greater good to the Indians
occupying the reservations; and that no partiality would now be allowed
to one religious denomination at the expense of another, and all would
enjoy equal privileges in their endeavors to reform and civilize these
unfortunate people.
Mr. Cook immediately changed the drift of conversation by remarking
that the farming interests on the reservation were in a deplorable
condition--the wagons, harnesses, plows, harrows, reapers, mowers,
etc., were not properly cared for, there being no suitable person
to oversee or instruct the Indians in these matters, especially how
to farm properly, as the government was too stingy and niggardly to
appropriate means for employing a farmer; in fact, he continued, there
is nothing which would conduce so much to the interest of the Indians
of this agency as a good, intelligent and experienced farmer.
I then said to Mr. Cook, "We will furnish you just such a man as you
have described--one of large experience, and who will feel an interest
in this calling, who will follow your counsel and observe your rules,
subject to immediate dismissal upon neglecting to carry out your
instructions. Of course, Mr. Cook, I suppose the man will be what
is called a 'Mormon,' but from your remarks, I understand you are a
politician and not biased by sectarian influences or religious bigotry,
therefore, his being a 'Mormon' will be no detriment." He hesitated a
moment, then replied, he believed there might be such an opening, and
that he would lay the subject before the Indian Department, to which
I replied, "Mr. Cook, there is no necessity for delay in applying to
the department; this man shall be furnished without expense to you or
the Indian Department." At this he appeared to be much confused, and
said, "Mr. Snow, the man certainly cannot afford to employ his time
for nothing." Said I, "Mr. Cook, there are thousands of our people
who have labored years for those less deserving such sacrifices than
these poor, simple sons of the forest, without emolument, except the
consciousness of doing their duty, and such a man will be furnished, as
I before stated, and without expense." This closed that branch of the
conversation.
His looks of uneasiness plainly indicated the idea was not relished.
I then concluded to bring him directly to the point, and said, "Mr.
Cook, Mr. Zundel is here to talk with the Indians, desirous first to
obtain your consent." He was puzzled for an answer; finally said, "Mr.
Snow, I do not know how I can allow you to preach on this reservation
without exposing myself to censure and jeopardizing my position." "Are
you forbidden," I asked, "to allow ministers of the Gospel to preach
to these Indians?" "O, no," said he, "our school teacher, who is a
Presbyterian, preaches occasionally." "Yes," said I, "ministers of
every denomination are allowed this liberty on all the reservations."
"That, I suppose is true," said Mr. Cook, "but your people are made an
exception--the government is jealous and suspicious that the influence
which you might gain over the Indians would be employed against the
interest of the nation, on some future occasion; and furthermore, you
teach plural marriage, which the government now is exerting itself to
suppress among the Indians."
I then said, "Mr. Cook, when we use such influence against the
government, we will then talk about it; as yet it never has been done,
and there are no grounds for such suspicion. And as to teaching plural
marriage to the Indians, it never has been done, and we do not now
propose to begin; there is no occasion even should we wish, as they
already practice it from the influence of long established customs
before the white man was known upon this western continent."
Mr. Cook then drew a paper from his secretary, containing instructions,
in which he was required to assess a fine of twenty dollars and twenty
days' work against every Indian on the reservation guilty of second
marriage, and upon a repetition of the offense, a deprivation of their
portion of meat, flour, sugar, tea, coffee and clothing--in fact of
every gift and advantage which they received from government. He said
he employed Indians as policemen, but suffered no polygamist to occupy
that or any other official position--that he had just discharged a
polygamist from officiating as policeman, and, "in fact," said he, "I
furnish no employment for that class of Indians."
I said, "Forbidding the preaching of the Gospel to people living in a
land over which float the 'stars and stripes' of our boasted republic,
looks to me to be a _grave responsibility_. Will you allow us to see
those instructions in which our people are denied this privilege?" He
said it would require some time to find the paper, as it was mixed with
many others in his secretary, but was reading it not long since--that
those instructions were given to Mr. Danielson, former agent, against
some grave accusations against the "Mormons," for having influenced the
Indians to leave the reservation; and complaints of this serious nature
have been entered against you since I came: one in the case of an
Indian boy, another (mentioning the name) was influenced to leave this
reservation, I have been informed."
Bishop Zundel explained that the Indian boy referred to had come to his
colony voluntarily, saying there was no school at Fort Hall agency, and
begged admission to his school, but stopped only three or four weeks.
Concerning the other case the Indian was a transient, roaming here and
there, as fancy led. Respecting the charges made by Mr. Danielson,
they were unfounded, as he had proven to his entire satisfaction by
visiting the colony and finding none of his Indians; and he left a
written statement to that effect, which he, Bishop Zundel, now had in
his possession.
I then said to Mr. Cook, "Will you oblige us by looking over that
paper again, for I am satisfied those instructions relate only
to those groundless charges of inducing the Indians to leave the
reservation; and as to any fear of our influencing them to abandon
their reservation, we have no place for them, nor can we imagine where
they could live any length of time away from the agency."
"Well, Mr. Snow," said he, "I will write to Washington for more
explicit instructions, and inform you of the result; but, in the
meantime I cannot feel authorized to permit you to preach; I was told
to be careful regarding this Mormon question relative to the Indians,
etc., etc."
At this point Mr. Bristol, the schoolmaster, _alias_ Presbyterian
minister, entered the office. After introductions, he turned to our
political (?) friend, saluting him, "Brother Cook," which _brothering_
being constantly repeated, surprised us and exceedingly annoyed Mr.
Cook, who, as he asserted, owed his position solely to his political
status. This circumstance annihilated all hopes of obtaining favor from
that quarter.
I spent a few moments in pleasant conversation with Mr. Bristol--asked
him permission for myself and party to visit his school the next day,
which was cheerfully granted. We then repaired to our carriage and
proceeded to camp.
We had gone but a short distance when we were met by a large party of
Indians, mounted upon fine horses; they were chiefs and head men, and
very happy to meet us, and their hearts warmed in clasping our hands in
theirs. They turned and accompanied us to our camp, where we enjoyed an
interesting conversation. They were exceedingly incensed at Mr. Cook's
refusal to allow us to preach, insisting persistently that we should
return and talk the matter over in their presence. We pacified them as
best we could, saying, Mr. Cook promised to write to Washington, asking
the authorities to grant us the privilege; when he received a favorable
answer, we hoped to have an opportunity of returning--of stopping and
preaching. They stayed until dark and some remained until the next day,
when they were joined by many others, some of whom were also chiefs and
head men.
According to appointment, we visited the Indian school, composed of
four girls and six boys (a sufficient number to cheat Uncle Sam out of
a fat salary), who were put through their exercises with considerable
credit. Their copybooks were neat, and their acquirements in arithmetic
exhibited mental culture.
While encamped at the Portneuf, Little Chief, with his wife and
daughter, visited us. He stated that while at the agency the day
before, with many other Indians, for the purpose of drawing their
rations, Gibson Jack, _alias_ Weiragan, one of their principal chiefs,
asked Mr. Cook, that inasmuch as he had refused to allow us to baptize
their men and women, would he permit us to baptize their children? He
answered, _No_, they must have nothing to do with the Mormons; if they
did, their fate should be as ours: _when we were sent to prison, they
should be sent to prison; when we were killed, they would be killed; if
they wished to be safe, they must neither follow or listen to us for a
moment_.
Little Chief said it made the Indians feel bad when Mr. Cook threatened
them in that way and talked of shedding blood.