This is a letter authorized by the Bishop, Michael Heiss, of La Cross to obtain rights and justice for the Catholic Chippewa Indians in the Lake Superior Agency. He solicits the appointment of a Catholic agent for the Lake Superior Agency. This letter rests upon the petition presented to the Indian Department the year before, to which he adds certain observations. Since 1835 there has been almost 3,000 Indians baptized and the statements of Mr. Felix Brunot are incorrect insofar as all the Indians are Catholic with the exception of several pagans and now almost all of them are Catholic. Secretary Delano in answer to the petition of 1873 said that it would be inexpedient to disturb the present arrangement and the Indians themselves have remarked that they have no confidence in the Protestant ministers. In 1854 there was a Church on the opposite bank of the river but it was shown to be on the grounds of the Protestant Mission House and was therefore taken over by them, so that the Indians were compelled to worship at an old chief's home until the present church was built in 1863. Brunot says that under the Protestant Commissioner the conduct of the Indians has been good but he attributes this to the Catholic missionaries. The only Protestant Mission house in the Lake Superior region is in the Red River Reservation. Dr. Baird, the minister there, offers temporal inducements to entice the Indians but they are unwilling to accept any faith other than the Catholic. Dr. Baird attempts to convert 25 children at the Mission Home to Protestantism, but there are among these children 8 Catholics, who are not given the chance to attend Mass or receive instructions in the Catholic Faith. Therefore an appeal is made that these children may not be prejudiced in the practice of their religion. The Indians as well as the Bishop and the priests wish that the Indian Department will grant to the Catholic Church her just claims. He has frequently asked the agent that a Catholic teacher be appointed for the school of the Red Cliff reservation but has been refused so he makes an appeal that Catholic teachers be named for both the Red Cliff and the Lake Court Oreill reservations as there are only Catholic children there and the Indians threaten not to send their children to school as long as a Catholic teacher is not granted to them. It is his purpose to build a Catholic school and church in Red River. He also appeals to the Indian Commissioner to aid the Indians in a temporal way as they are in need. The Indians had sold some of their land to the government and were in return to receive cash and provisions but these payments have falled off until they are at the present about to cease entirely. The chiefs went to Washington with the treaties but they were stolen and hence they did not wish to press their claim without them. The Indians had been promised that every male of majority would be given 80 acres of land, but only a few had received theirs, and those do have not the implements to cultivate it. The Indians are in great want and need and some are compelled to beg. They are unable to receive pay for their service rendered to the agency since the agent says there is no money with which to pay them. Mr. Bell appointed by the Indian Department to examine the accounts of the Lake Superior Agency found that there was still $80,000 payable to the Indians. :: I-2-a A.L.S. 14pp. 4to. In the James Alphonsus McMaster papers.