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Translation.
To THE IToN. Mr. Lanoevin, C. r>.,
Minister of Public Works.
Sir,
I exceed ino-lj' veirvct not to be able to dofer 1113- departiiro
for m}' missions. J sliould liave boon very i,Had to have had an
opportunity of meetin^^ several of the honorable members of the
Government; but unfortunately they are absent, and the atlvanced
Heason does not admit of ni}- slayin<i^. J will say then to you
Sir, what I would say to all, and if you will kindly be my inter-
preter to the other ministers, I shall be very ••raleful. Much is
said of civilizin^i;- the Indians, of renderini-- them capable of living
by their labour, and so to save them fi-om the destruction with
which they are threatened. The Government, with that object,
makes efforts which do it honour; but while applaudni; it for
those generous efforts I have the .sad conviction that they will
not liavo the result that is expected. To desire to make colonists
of adult Indians is absolutely labour in vain. JIow, said an
Indian Chief to me, can 3'on oxi)ect us to cultivate the earth, we
who have never had in our hands but a gun or an ai-row? If von
wish us not to die, give us fathers and bi-others who shall show
our children Ijow to build houses and cultivate the land, as do the
whites. In effect, the Indian, although he lives one might say
by misery and privations, is incapable of withstanding the labor
required for the culture of land, if he has not been trained to it
from infancy. Habituated as he is to live by the chances of the
chase and the rod, it will be veiy difficult, not to say impossible, to
'1
iiidiicc lii'.i) ti» I;iy lt_v :i ])orti(>n of liis crop^, oven hlioulil ho
li:ii-\rsl t'lioiiLi'li, to sow his l.'iiids the I'ollowiiii;- yoar. Pei'haj)s in
huildiiiL;' houses for (he liidiiiiis, pi'ovidiiii;" acconiiiKuhilioii Cor
their animals, puttinu' at their head inissioiiarios whorn.thoy like,
(•aj>al>lc ol' direetiiii;- their works wliih' hihoui'inj^' willi them, —
who would juit hy each yeai' in reserve the seed rec^uired for the
siieet'edini;' year. — perliaps, thus, some ivsults would he ohtuineih
I >ay perhaps. I»eeause the means have always heen wanting- to
enal»h' mh' to try this phiii. Ilowevei'. if it isa (piestion ol'eivili/.in_<^
the liidiaii^ liy means of little childn-n, 1 will not say '' per-
hajis" — on thai point my mind is lixed, having made the ex])eri-
ment.
I allow myself to attach to this a letter I formerly addressed
to a lady unhappily without fortune, hut I'ich in heart and
H'ooij will, and who would have heen very i;-lad to have helped
nu'. This letter was not written to he placed hefore the honour-
ahle memheis of the (Jovei'nment. and will all the hettcrmake
plain my naUi'd thoughts on the suhjeet of the Indians. I am
convinced thai t!u' oidy eliicacious means of savinir the hidians of
the Xoi'th-wi'st IVom <lestructio?i, ami of civiliziniji; them, is hy
comiUiMicini;' with the yount;; children. All expenditure made in
other ways with this ohject will he almost piii'e loss. No douht
schools will do «;-oo(l, hut the young Indian, while \vitl» his family,
will never lre<iiu'nt them regularly ; and if, notwitlistanding
that, he learns to read and u rite, he will none the less live
as did his father, l»y the rod and the chase only; he will remain
savage. To civili/t' him it is necessary to take him, w'itli the
consent of his relatives, and make hijn one of us; it is necessary
to proviile for him a new home, to accustom him to a kind of life
(piite distinct from that of his relations; it is essential, moreover,
as much as |>()ssihle, to make him foi'get the usages, hahits and
language of his ancestoi-s. Those atlopting him should- not only
keep him in their charge until the age of 12 or 13 — he would be
suhjeet at that period loo much to Fndian influences — he should
he taken care of until his marriage. It is to Indians thus trained
3
that the ifovfriiinont can with a<lvaiitai;-t' (iH'cr lin-ni ^l(»^■lv, and
llie iinj)lonionts noecssarv tor the lilliii-;- (»!' hind. Tliat wonid
he a very pi-ojKM' way ol helithiij Ihoni. 1 state, wilh iho ronscnt
<)!' those interested, that these |)()oi- sava_<;'es (le>iie nothing- so
nuieh as the haj)piness oi' their chililren — they (iiiile foresee the
future whieh awaits them, and they often hei;' that we will take
them, and prepare for them u more promisini;- fntiin\ luit we are
oiilii^ed to j'efnse to receive them for hick of means. When we lake
them it is with the express condition that we shall have conlrolof
them until their marria,ii;e, oral least until they have arrival at
a liL ago to marry. In three dilVeriMil olahlishrrM n-s in my
diocese we are hringing up 100 children, and 1 can say that we
are not meeting the expenditure that this woi-k entails, except hy
im}K)sing on ourselves privations; hut at least we have ^ucceede(l
in proving that the civilization of Indians through (ln-ii- children
is possihie. It would not be ])roper for njo to render testimony
to the etl'orts we have made, hut this work has not heen done in
secret, ^lessieurs the memhers of the governmeni, .M.M. the
officerH of the Hudson Uuy Co., travellers of all nations and
every religious denomination, who have visited our estab-
lishments, have been able to ascertain themselves the result
of our otVorts. J may cite amongst other witnesses, HIh Ex-
cellency Lord Dutferin. Ue did not visit our North-west estab-
linhmentH himself, but he and his suite visiteil the Si. Honiface
Orpbanage, where the Indians were very numerous. So that full
information on the subject can be had from jjcrsons capable of
bringing a soiukI judgment to bear upon ''* \ place of 100
children, whom we are educating, we cou . ! '■ ■ 000 or more,
we could marry each year a good numbei .^ . Indians, who,
doubt' ss, would not be such industrious settlers as those emigra-
tion brings us, but who \vould cede to no one in iMobity and
fidelity to tho Government.
1 would wish, then, to-eidaige oui- thi'ce eslablishmenis, and
create at least three or four othei-s, so that Indiar.s from all jiarts
may experience less dilliculty in placing their children with us.
T
We \\'A\v injttle i) triiil to hce il' wo ^ll(tllI^^ succeed. \m\ the (i(»vei"ii-
nieiit iiifuriii \\>v\\' ;is to the results olitained ; if it is not satisfied
fiom tlieni, let it also make a trial; let it pay, for instance, at least
half the cost of hoai'd, kv., say SlO a yvi\\\ tor a certain numher
of children that it may confide to us at the ai^e of live years. 1
ask nothini;' after they have reached 15 j-ears of ajjjo ; it (the
(lOvernnuMit) nii^ht put aside the cost of the keep of these children
[aftcj- that a^o], and give the fnoney to them on tlier marriage,
and so assist them to get on to a little farm. If this experiment
satisfies the (Jovornment, it should contiinieand eidarge the work;
if not, renounce it.
I venture to suggest another plan, having for its ohjcct rather
to save fi'om destruction than to civilize — at least, immediately —
those of the Indians who inhabit the North west lands not sus-
ceptible of colonization. These Indians, beset as they are by
traders of all sorts, hunt and destroy everything in their country
in order to supply the traders not oidy with furs, but also with
provisions. The result is, the land is greatly impoverished, and
it is also the cause of the Indians suH'eringfrom hunger, and will
end by their disa])pearing. I am therefore convinced that it would
be rendering a true service to these poor Indians only to allow
trading to bv, carried on by a single company under the control
of the Government. This would also be a powerful remedy against
the immorality that this multitude of strangers cannot fail to bring
with it. This company having authority, to the exclusion of all
others, would evidently make large j)rotits, and it would be just
that the Indians should profit a little by them. Besides a reason-
ai)le payment for their furs, it would be necessary that this com-
pany should maintain in each district at least one establishment,
where orphans, the aged, intirm, idiots ami the sick, could be
received and charitably and intelligently cared for. The life of
the poor Indian is a very sad one, but that of the aged and sick,
and generally of those who are not able to help themselves, is
most dej)lorable, and could not be more wretched. One might
say that the savage dies rather from want of care than from sick-
da
1
i
noHH. Tn almost every mission we rescue nOiiio of these poor
abandoned ones, but what wo do only servos to fill us with sorrow
that wo are not able to aeconiplish more. Is it not just that those
who enrich themselves at the expense of the Indians should be
compelled to como to their assistance ? A company, under a wise
and just control, hay iu}!; no compeWi'um to tear, mi«;ht be ablo to
prevent the total destruction of the animals of the country, those
at least on which the Indiana subsist.
Here, Sir, are the means which seem to me etH('aci<Mis not
only to civilize, but to save from destruction, the poor Indians of
the North-west. It is not a question of religion -ill iiMUL;-h for
us religion is a moans absolutely essential for their civilization.
It is a question of saving the Indians, of receiving thoso little
unsavoury (d^goutants) beings into our family. Fortius, however,
such abnegation — such a contempt for all the enjoyments of lite,
and of oneself is required that one cannot reasonably expect this
self-denial of persons obliged to provide for the wants of a
family. I pray your honorable governments to reflect on this,
— that they simply and solely desire the well being of the Indians
— that these Indians themselves love what is good when they can
distinguish it; — and your governments will not be far from
thinking as I do.
While begging you, Sir, to excuse this too lengthy letter
which I am not able to write so carefully as I could wish, I pray
you to kindly take in hand the interests of these poor Indians,
and if gratitude is not their virtue, I can assure you that I regard
as done to myself the good that it may be thought fit to do for
thom.
Believe, Sir, and Hon. Ministers who kindly join you in this
benevolent object, in my respect and gratitude.
(Signed,) f VITAL I.
Iiisho[» of St. Albert,
O. M. I.
Ottawa, 4th September, 1871).
fl
THANSI.\'l"((tN.
Madam.
F'oRTMAIN, l7.Kniii;irv, 1S7S,
You linvo Ikvi, ,m)(,.| ciH.nol, ,<> .,,[, „„> (•„, i„fi„ „,..,(!„„ ,o-
.-IHVtin- my inissicn.,, ll,i„l<ii,.;- _v..u ini-l,l ,n:iko ii:-.,' ..f it ;m.l
1"'<"""''^' '<"' 'm.. I.y this „H-ai,s, iVom y.u.r .•..•., „..,i„l..n.rc ...n.l
Inon.ls. niW i;,,- this work. I n-ill nut ...ntinc .uysrir cnti.vlv to
N|H>al<in- to you of our nii.-.ions. 1 .U-sir. W ,., <|,,nv voui- at-
'^'"<i""-*'>i<llI.:itoryour iVinMls, to a Work u-l,i<l, I roixani as
voiy in.portant, aM<l wl.ic-l, 1 vci.t.nv to ivvnuuuvuA oan.ostly to
your zoal and chaiity.
Aflor l.avin- passed noa.ly hvcMly-tluvr years of n.y lilb
amoi.osttl.o Indiaus in (l.o Ku^U^U posM^ssionsofNc^rth AnuMic
now annoxcl to Oana.Ia, I l.avo l.con able to satisfy n.ysolf
that our poor Indians can be made i-ood Christians, hut that wo
can only s.ieeeed in eivilisin- them siiftieientiy to make of them
good eiti;cens, hy takin- ehar-e of ihem wh(.n quite youn- ehil-
Uren. Woaroaeq.uunted with Indians, of ditleren. races, adopted
in infancy hy haltihreed (Metis) fan.ih-es, who arc quite civil-
isod-equally so as the Metis, who have hrou-ht tliem up. Fov
the last twelve or fifteen years especially, thanks to the infelli-
i^ent and <levoted zeal of the n,>o<l Sisfe.-s of (M.arity of .Montreal,
who lend us their powerful aid, we have taken :nhl\)rou-ht up in'
ditlerent establishments, a certain number of small Indian chil-
dren, of whom many write and sj.eak tolerably well, Fi-euch and
Eni;-lish. All are habituated to civilised life, and the existence of
the savao-e |,as become no lon-er possible for them. The Cana-
dian Government, which seems to have at heart tJie civllisutiJn
1
of till' .'-.•iv.'iiic, li;i> kindly |ii(iiiml:;;ili'(l ;i law wliicli is ol' iiical
assisliiiH'c to IIS ill lliis iiii|iiirt:iiii woiU ; it i^ixcs td whooviT
adopts an aiiaiidoiu'd cliild, a liilln'i's rit'lit over this iiilaii', so
that tlicsi- cliildrc'ii do not Ivnw u> vA tiir ai^c of I'i^lit to I'Icvoii,
as tVcqiioiitly l)a|i|ic'iu'd ■])i"ovioiisly, Wii'trlu'd ii-lalions, wlio
\vislu'<l to prolil l>y tlu'.-i' {•liildicii tliiis traiiiiMl, pcrsiiadt'd tlu-ni
that tlicy wvvv sla\('s wiili us, tliat tlu-y would lio lictttT I'imI and,
aliovo all, I'rcci' on tlu^ |tlainsaiid in llu' foicsis. The child allow-
ed hiiiiself to he eiilieed away ; lu' leanti (iui(d<ly tlie niistaho hi'
had iiia(U\ hui they cont iniie(l to make him hidieve that if lie re-
t iiiiied he would he sevi-iely juinished ; t li(> lit I le deserter shunned
us. In'came a sava_i.';e a^ain, and our expenditure ami troiihio wore
almost eiitireh- thrown awaw The < io\eriunent has niiieli faeiii-
tated our work hy passim;- this law, hut it is lu'eessai'V, further,
that they should ij,ive to the missiimarie-- who are ahle thus to
( hai'u'e themselves with the I'diiealion of these litile ehildri'ii,
ecrtain funds for the inereasiiiM,' of the ii;imher()f these estahlisli-
mcnts, and 'or the reelaimini;' of lari^e numhers of these poor
Indians. iln}' would haw nothini;' of tin savage (so phieod), in
their morals or manners, and in iliis wa^ ihe Indians would dis-
aj»[»ear as sa\:i<i,es — hut they woiiiil not die out. Already we arc
al)le to marry those we have hroiiiiht uj) with the Metis, and,
oeeasionally, even with civilised straiiL,-ers ; we mak-e u-ocxl farm-
ers ol them, exeelliMit citizens, as civilised as a ij;o(Kl nunil>er of
the farmers and jieasants of I'lirope The mis- ionarios litiveonly
])i>en ahle to carry on this iinjiortant work' on a small scale; up
(o the jiresent it lias only heen. so to speak, an issay. They have
only lieen ahle to :ipi>Iy a portion of the alms uiven for the Pi'o-
pagalion of the Paitli, and the)- have not heen ahle to carry on
these two works siinultaneously, excej)t in u small way, and hy
their economies, their lalxuirs, and, I may s;.y, their [)riva(ioiis.
They have had to lefuse to take little (diildren who had relatives,
and, even amoni;' the orphans, they havi* had to choose the nioBt
unfoi-tiinate — those who were exposiMl to almost eei'tain death.
Koi' example: — A little hoy, of the Blackfeet trihe, Imricd alive
witli Ills dciid iiKilluT, Mini savo<l l»y llu' i^rc'iU'st cliaiiro ; jiiiotliiT
lillli' l»iiy, (»r (lu> i'i(>c trilu', \vli(», iil'li'i' lia\iii<4' lost liis falluT iiiid
mot I If r, was luiiiid aloiu-, aliamloiu'tl, near llic ('orpst' nl'liis latlioi';
st'i'iiii;' \\\v <\i)ixs (U'Noiir it, ho ran away liM'riru'il ; lio Wwd
many days in tin' woods, catini^; wiM triiits, and ita^scd Hi'voral
ni,i;'Ids in this way diirini;' the cn\i\ autninn reason; at last
ho was di.x'ovt'i'od \>y an Indian and l»roiii;ht ( * tho mis-
sionary. Is it lu'ci'ssavy to cite tho case oC a yomi^ ;;'ifl of
the same trihe, whom a misorahU* heathen wislu'd lo devoiii-
(() a|>|)('ase jus hiini;'er! We have taken \>y ])reterenee liltio
cii|)|»i('s, the Mind, lame and idiots, who prohahly would not
have lived ha<l it not hecn lor the missionai'y ; We have* thus tho
consolation of havint^ saved tln'ir lives, htil we have not also that
of i^ivin^' to>o('iely eivili/ed enildren — tiny I'cmain always on our
hands, a ehai'i^e on our ostaMishnionts, and making' it impossihio
lo I'oplaco thorn. For this important woi'k— llu^ odneation of tho
suvai^o — money is neeossaiy, hut ahovo all devotion and aiine^a-
tion. This (Miristiani/iini;' and civilizini;' u'(»rk, as it can only
he ('arrie(| oul hy memhers of a rtdigious hody [having" no
family lies], and consequently hy C.itholie missionaries, tnany
ricii persons, olhei'wise uell disposed, will not have any connec"
lion with it. Our (Jovermnent, which professes not to favoui* any
religious denomination, as .such, has, no douht for this reason, up
to tho present refused to assist in our work, at least, hy furnish-
ini;' us with mono}'. It is quite willini^ to assist us in the matter
of Indian schools, but it is not with the modest salary of a teacher
that wo can build numerous and vast establishments, whicli in
order to be complete, should be double; it is necessary that tho
sexes should be sepai'ule, and that the boys shoidd be under tho
dii'oction and supervision ofpriests or brothers, while tho littleyirls
should be under the absolute direction of tho sisters. It would be
almost necessary even to have a third eslahlishmont, where idiotic
and cripi)led children should go when tliey are of maturer age.
Tlioy are then often more troublesome than when they are small,
and the impossibility later on of placing them in a pottition, nuikes
9
I
llu'in wvy (lhiigi"«'i';il)K' l<»\v;ii(h tlic oilier cliiMri'ii, .'iimI oIUmi
• latiitcroiis. Hilt I would console (nysi-lf tin' not linviiii;' tin' tliiid
t'sliiMisJinuMit it' I could ohtiiiii tlic two otliors in acconlancc with
our r('<|uii'(.Mn('nls. So tlnil, to \nkv lriili:in clMldrcii, ol' toiider
!ii;;o, civili/i' tJicni \^y a ( 'lii-istinn lito, mnkr i;-o(ul i-jt i/A'ns ol" llictn,
alik' to live liont'stly l>y tlioir lalMtur — is a work lliut I'vccy one
slioiild Hnd important and !j;(»od. This woi'l< is possiiilc, loi* wo
have lrie(| it and suceeetled. I do not s|)eaU here of th(> Oi'phan-
a,ue of the St. M )nifaee Aieh-diocese. and of (he Maekonsje
Vicariate — I am .,o( commissioned to do so; let in(|uiry l)C made,
if desiivd, of the employes of the Flon. IIudson'H Hay C'o., of
l']n,i:;lish, Canadian and Am(>rican travellers, who have hoen al»lo
to visit oui' establishments at St. Albert, Lac <le la Biche, and lie
i\ la (!rosse, and thevwill learn from those i;'ontlemen of ditferont
rc^lii;-ious opinions, whether wo havo suocooded or not. liut still
I say, onco mort\ what we have done is oidy an o-oay; to obtain
a real benefit, this woi'k must be done on a lai'«;o scale.
The Coni;T(5!.>'ation of Obhitsdc >rai'io Immaculee will fi'i-nish
mo for this purpose with Priests and 15 others. The Sisters of
Charity, called the drey Nuns of Montreal, will siip]»ly mo with
Sisters. Those I'riests, those I'rotheiN antl Sistern, would forsake,
for the success of the Work, thoir family, their country, and, one
mi.i;'ht say, every hope of enJo3'ment of the woild an<l of life; they
will not I'ocodo before any sacrifice, they will devoto thom«olve.s to
these little savai;-es, who nevertheless havo nothing to win the
alVection ; — 1 mistake — they havo their misery, and they are tho
pi'ice of the blood of a (Jod. It is certainly moie than is required
to make them love the |)oor (h'votees of religion wiio havo loft all
to follow Jesus (Mu'ist. Moreover, foi- this work' I can find tho
men and women necessary if the (Congregations who obtain
them for mo, at ju'osont, could not liirnish iiu' with them in
sulHcient number. Other religious institutions would bo hajip}'^
to come to our assistance so soon as they had the niearis
of doinir li'ood. I can tborefore tiii'l men and delicate
young womoii who will givo thoiustvos with pleasure, and
10
expend llu'ir shH'ni;th ;iiiil (lu'ii- lil'e foi* lliis cmiiioiitly cliris-
liaii and (ivili/ini;- woi-lv, hut il is nuich more ditlieiilt I'oj" nu' to
lind persons who are willini;' — not to i^-ive me, l»iit oven to open
litr me, ti.eir parse. I >hoidd remark, howevef, that I havo Couiid
in this ('(Mnu'clion ha|»py exceptions — exam[>ies ot' the most
toiiehins;' clarity. Il' it were noeossary to found in France or
I'aiu'land, or in any town of ('ana<hi or the United Stales, a work
«»fthis character, we should not h«.' wantini;- liie moans; rich people
are yet easily to he I'ound whi» ,i;'ivo i;'enorously for a work in
their own country — lor alloviatini;' miseries of which they are oyo
witnesses. Hut who will i^ivo Ihoiii^hl to Iho poor suvui^'os (d* tho
blnii'lirdi American [)ossessions of the Xorlh-wost ? If one
traverses llie immense |)lains of the Xi>rlh-wi'sl. one will tind in
all the Indian c.imi)s, or in places whei'o they are in the liahit of
fre<pientini;', sti'ani;ers of vai'ious origins livini:^ ih tlieiu some-
times in very ([Uc-;lionaMe intimacy — liviui^' even cii famiUti with
them — duiinj;- the time they are in the country; when liny go
they leave hchiixl them for our (> phanai;'os little ehildi'on wild an
their mothei-s. — (Jo<l «;-rant that it may hi' jiossihh^ foi- us to take
all these little ones and i;ive them that education, thai civili^^ation,
of which their fathers are |ui>uil ! I trust they would make
bettei' use of it than theii- falhei-s! Ves, \ repeat, there ai'O
strangers who think of the Indians, hut it is to enrich ihemselvos
at their expense ; the}' teach them hy theii* oxamjde to lie and
cheat, insomuch that the most immoral Indians, and those the
most dillicult to reclaim and civilize, are those wlio are tutored in
this way hy slranj^'ei-s. Yet are we happy thatthe commerce in
intoxicating- drinks has been put a slop to hy the ({overnment.
I'he work of tho Propa«^'ation of tho Faith procures for us, as much
as it can, tho means of announcing' the gospcd to the heathen —
that of St. {'iufance assists us under the same conditions to take
charge of and educate llio>e little ones; hut yet again I would
Hay this work should he taken up on a large scale, and we havo
not been able to do that hitherto, and cannot do it with tho alniH
alone that wi^ receive from these admirable associations. If 1
11
If J
spoke Eno-lish more readily I would not liosltato lolnivcl llirongh
Kiio-hmd, Irelund and Scotland, and a portion ofllu' United Slates
and Canada, in oi-der to awaken an interest i?i this work of the
civilization of Indians throiii;-h their youni,' children. 1 would
addresss myseli", l»y preference, to the inhahitants olthis country,
because 1 reii;ard them as more under oMii^^ations to do something-
for the Indians who live in their country. I would address
especially Catholics, on whose symi)athy I thiidv 1 am nioiv
wan-anted in couutini;-. Kx|>ericnce, howevei-, has shown me,
that 1 can i-eckon as much on the m-nerosity of oni' hrothers
who do not participate in our i'eli,«;ious convictions. There
are Pi'otestants, especially, who have visitiMJ our establishments,
and 1 could mention a numbei- who have shown themselves
truly f.'-enerous. I venture to name His Honor the Lieutenant-
Governor Morris, who has been kind enoui;h to adopt a little In-
dian _i'-irl. She bears his name, and. thanks to his charity, .slie
has ceased to bo a sava<;-e. She will, 1 hope, be a wife aiul a
Christian mother, who will do honoui- to her yenei-ous j)rotector
and to those wlio will have educated hei-. How many rich, of
all creeds, might obtain for themselves the same honour and the
same credit! With the dilficulties that we experience in procur-
ini>; the necessaries of life in this inhospitable country, each child
costs not less than $80 (400f.) each year. How many niioht
either themselves, or by associalini;' themselves with others,
adopt a child at this cost, and so extend the reign of God and of
civilisation! The greater number may not bt^ able to help this
work ver}" considerably— let them give at least their mite, and
thene wmall contributions, added together, may, as they have in
the Propagation of the Faith, have great results. Is there a
young woman in the boarding schools, or a young man at
colle<re. who could not economise in her or his expenditures on
trifling gratifications, the sum of SI (5s.) each ^ear ? And if such
an example could be extended, what could not be the hnpj>y
results ?
Some years ago, while crossing the ocean, I had an opj)or-
12
tunity of eonvorsin<]j wi(li my fellow voyagei'H on tlio Bubjoct of
my fjivorilo Work. A noble Aniei'icHU, formei'ly Governor of
one of tlie States of the Union, whiles sjK^akin^ to the others pre-
Hont, gave utteranee 1o a beautiful remark that I shall nevei*
forget: " J do not hold the religious eotivictions of Monscignenr,
" but I looe what is (jood wherever I see it. We cannot deny
" that this is an eminently civilizing and religious work. We
" cannot consequently be inditferent (o it." Then taking his liat
he went round the saloon himself and placed in ni}' hands fiOO fcs.
whicli lie received ti'om the ])assengers of various nationalities
and I'cligiouH convictions.
At St. Albert I have often been visited by Protestant »minis-
ters, with whom I tirid myself in oj)en opposition, since our doc-
trine is not the same ; they none the less gave me a very precious
contribution from themselves for my little Indians. They also
without doubt, " love what is good wherever they tind it. "
ii", as you say, Madame, you can through your friends, make
my plans known, and interest in them j)ersons in a position to
aid me in realising them, I shall be for ever gi'atel'ul to you.
You could remit the contributions they are kind enough to give,
to the E. 11. P. P. Oblats, They have establishments in Fi-ance,
England, the United States and Canada,
All these Missionaries, my brothers in religion, would be
happy to procure for me thus the means of doing good, in
sending me the remittances destined for my hands.
Excuse, >iadame, the length of this letter, which is never-
theless very incomplete.
And believe me
Your respectful servant in J. C. & M. I.,
f VITAL I., ^v^QUE DE St. Albert,
O. M. I.
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