, 1858-08-06

by no bad conduct OF our people, but caused
, altogether by the feeling Of antagonism
between the two races. The Indians there
bad heard of Indian difficulties on this side
Of the Rocky mountains, and it was com
bination with them to drive the whites out
Of the country. ......
Mr.. Curtis, wish to say to my friend,
at this point, that his country, in respect
to this charge of the Indian difficulties
having been commenced by the whites is
precisely in the same situation that our
whole Indian frontier has been for the last
ten years. Whenever there have been hos
tilities, there are traders and others who
have carried abroad the idea that the first
assaults were made by the whites. Never
mind what atrocities have been committed
by the Indians, such are the reports circu-
lated 1t has been my experience, and l
have no doubt that such is the case in Ore
gon and Washington, that the Indians are
always the aggressors. ....... ..
And | accord my testimony to that of
the gentleman, that these charges against
the white people of the frontier are most
unjust, / had no opportunity before to re-
ply to the remarks Of the gentleman from
Virginia, (Mr. Garnett), who insinuated
that all these Indian wars were got up on
speculation. recollect that many years
ago Indian wars we're quite as common as
on the frontier aud l would like the gen
tleman to say whether, when John Smith
had charge Of the Virginia colony, he was
not provoked by Indian warfare, and had
not his calamities with them as we have at
this day
Mr. SAITH. of Virginia. They we're not
so expensive.
Mr.. Curtis. But they destroyed your
colonies. There was nothing but your
bones left. Your soil was red with the
blood shed in the Indian wars, and the his
tory of the country shows that that has
been the character Of this warfare.
Mr.. STEVENS, Of Washington. 1 am
greatly obliged to my friend from Iowa for
the remarks which he has made. 1 know,
myself, that in 1853, l had strong feel
ing that there was much of outrage com
mitted by the whites upon the Indians, aud
that that was the prolific cause Of Indian
wars. But, as l became acquainted with
the frontier population, and as l came to
know facts as they were, my mind was
changed, and here declare, on my re-
sponsibility, that the charges are utterly
unfounded.
Mr. Chairman, in regard to the military
operations undertaken in these two Terrific
ries, desire to say few words. / shall
mainly confne my observations to the ope-
ratiens at WaIla-Walla, for that is the sail
ent point OF the whole business. II is adj
mitled on all sides that there was a war in
southern Oregon and on Puget Sound, in
the Territory Of Washington, and that it
became absolutely necessary that the white
settlers should organize for defense. But
it has been said that the advance Of the
volunteers upon Walla-walla, drove the In-
dians into hostility that the Walla-walla
chief, Pee-pu-mox-mox, was friendly; and
that even when the volunteers reached the
valley he endeavored to make peace; that
he was treacherously slain under the pro
lection Of q flag Of truce that the volun-
teers commenced the attack, and that The
Indians resisted simply to get ii safety
their women and children, The ight Of
the Walla-walla was a four days fght. /
was moving at the time from the Spokane
to tho Nez Perce country. I was in the
midst Of an Indian council with the Nez
Perccs, making my arrangements with that
tribe TO get the services Of lis warriors, to
force my way through the hostile Walla-
wallas. Cayuses, and other tribes under the
lead Of Pee-pu-mox-mox, to the settlements,
when the news came Of that fght. The
Indian, who had rode one hundred miles
the previous eighteen hours, told all the
circumstances OF that 6ght, at one end OF
tho council lodge, to the Indians there as
sersbled, and it was interpreted to me, sit
ting in council, at the other end. bad
previously conferred with the chiefs OF the
Nez Perce tribe and with the chiefs on the
Spokane, in order to satisfy myself Of the
attitude Of Pee-pn-mox-mox. / became
satisfied it was one Of unmiiigated hostility.
When l reached the Nez Perce country
the chief Joseph, the third chief OF the
tribe, an old man Of over seventy years Of
age, had returned but short time from a
mission Of peace to the Walla-walla. BE
had endeavored to dssuade Pee-pu-mox-
mox from going to war. But Pee-pu-mox-
mox drove him away with scorn and con
temely, telling him, am the chief here;
| am like yonder mountain, above other
men. / counsel with no man. Go home I
Perhaps your own people will listen to
you" Joseph then went to the Cayuses,
and saw their chiefs-ths Young Chief,
the Five Crows, and Camespello-and CO.
treated them to continue friendly They
treated him with the same scorn and con
tumely as did Pee-pu-mox-mox, the more
significant, as he was allied to them by
blood, being a half-Cayuse. And Joseph
went home discouraged aud heart-broken
These same facts | had, on reaching the
! Walla-Walla, from the friendly Cayuse and
Walla-walla chiefs, small 10 number, who
persisted in their refusal to join the war
party. Howlishwampo, Tintemitse, and
Stickas, Of the Csyuses, and Pierre, Of the
Walla-walas, with their followers, had
maintained theiT friendship at the hazard