Chief Joseph Quotes
The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark. They brought many things that our people had never seen. They talked straight. These men were very kind. The Indian race are waiting and praying. The white men told lies for each other. They drove off a great many of our cattle. Some branded our young cattle so they could claim them. Treat all men alike. Give them the same law. Give them an even chance to live and grow. War can be avoided, and it ought to be avoided. I want no war. We ask to be recognized as men. We damaged all the big guns we could, and carried away the powder and the lead. We did not know there were other people besides the Indian until about one hundred winters ago, when some men with white faces came to our country. We gathered all the stock we could find, and made an attempt to move. We left many of our horses and cattle in Wallowa. We lost several hundred in crossing the river. We gave up some of our country to the white men, thinking that then we could have peace. We were mistaken. The white man would not let us alone. We had a great many horses, of which we gave Lewis and Clark what they needed, and they gave us guns and tobacco in return. We had good white friends who advised us against taking the war path. My friend and brother, Mr. Chapman, told us just how the war would end. We soon found that the white men were growing rich very fast, and were greedy. When an Indian fights, he only shoots to kill. When my young men began the killing, my heart was hurt. Words do not pay for my dead people. You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.
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