, 1856-03-07

U
eiiieea of French descent, killed on his way
to the Colyille mines in the month of Au
gust.
On the 18th Of July, the day that the
/ expedition was to leave the Bitter Roo
valley for Fort Benton, the Flat HeaC
council having terminated the previous
day, Mr.. Wm. Craig and Mr.. Tappan, In
dian agent, arrived in our camp, accompa
MED by several Nez Perces. Those gen
tlemen had been left behind to bring up O
large dcputatiOn Of the Nez Perces who
were to accompany us to the council. They
brought word that just before leaving, an
express from Kamiakn, the Yakima chief,
overlook at the Camash ground, Looking
Glass, the war chief of the Nez Perces,
saying "do not 20 to the Blackfoot cOun-
Gil, one of my people has killed q whit
man, and l am afraid there will be trouble
come and counsel with me-"
Looking Glass returned an answer that
he had already started-it was too late
now to turn back-Kamiakin must attend
to his own affairs. Whether there was
truth in the report, or it was merelya cum
ningly devised scheme to get this powerful
chief over into the Yakima country, trust
ing to persuasions to induce him to join,
| am unable to decide. l merely state the
fact. l leave others to draw their own in
ferences.
Bitter as may be the reflection TO hu-
manity, it seems as though the fiat had
gone forth that the Indian was to pass
away, scarcely leaving behind trace Of
his existence.
was never more forcibly remindSd Of
this sad reflection, when at the council
Lawyer, the head chief Of the Nez Perces,
the most intelligent amongst the Indians,
gave brief history of the early settlement
of the continent. He said the whites were
called A-tim-ma," the name which they
now apply to all persons other than Ameri-
cans, meaning the people from the other
side. The indians owned all this land
the whites all on the other side Of the great
waters. The region Of the whites reached
from sunrise to noon-the Indians from
noon'to the setting sun his people, point
to Delaware who was acting as interpre-
ter, owned the land on the borders of the
great waters when the whites first landed.
They first were friends, but very soon quar-
rels grew up between them-war broke out
and oil that land is red with blood. Step
by stop they have been driven back, till
now they are not far from us who live near
the great waters on this side Of the moua-
tains. Indians said they had been trampled
on by the whites and forced back till soon
there would be no place for them but be-
meath the waves Of the great waters. He
too thought so at one time, and his heart
was bad, and he felt that where his father
slept he would lay his bones also. Then
he thought, and he asked himself why was
it the white man had always the advan-
tagei he was not so much stronger than
the red mau and after he had thought,
he believed it was because the white man
used his head as well as his hands.
His was o poor people-they had no
chance Of learaing what the white people
knew perhaps if they did, they would be
equal. He spoke for his poor people-he
was their chief-he meant to be a good
chief by doing all he could for them. 1t
was time to give up being beasts and learn
to be men. He wanted schools for the
children-farms for the families, and mills
aud workshops, so that they could become
carpenters and blacksmiths This was a
better way to stop the whites than to 90
out with arms in their hands to meet peo
pie as numerous as the leaves upon the
trees.
Il thankyou, Gov. Stevens, and through
you, our great Father at Washington, that
be offers US these things. We are poor
you are rich, and l take them for my peo.
pie, and feel that am doing right. The
other tribes may refuse if they do they
are foolish, and do not know, their own
good. 1t matters not, my people shall
have them, and when leave them, and
my days are not many, the poor fellow
was suffering from q wound which mus
eventually kill him, On old wound in the
hip bone which, strange to say, he had re
ceived as far back as 1888, in the celebra
ted fight of the trappers and Noz Perces
ct Pierre's hole, with the Blackfeet1,
shall give this warning 10 my children
listen to the words Of the good white man
there are bad white men as well as baC
Indians, but you can tell your friends
you listen to what they say you will become
like them. a rich and happy people"
Thus spoke Lawyer, eand would thai
there were more like him. The education
Of the Indians would not then be visiona
ry dream. They would become, as | doubl
not the Nez Perces will.indeed they have
alread made some progress towards it-s
well organized community, governed by
laws similar to the whites, and enjoying
the same benefits and immnnities.
Gentlemen may say the treaty was un
fortunate-that to it alone is due the pres
ent war. 1 doubt it very much. The
present state Of affairs would have existeC
without the treaty. The train that was tC
cause this devastation had been laid long
prior to last spring. Certain it is they haC
determined to expel every settler from theil
country, as friendly Indians had absolute