The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-14
A National Disgrace.

A National Disgrace.
The War Department and the Interior De
partmcnt are ia busy consultation over the
nucstion what shall bc done with the cap !
tured Ncz Pcrcts. What will be done with
them we do not pretend TO say but we well
know what ought TO bc done with them
They ought to be restored To the lands from
which they were driven 10y Government out
rage and all possible reparation should be
made to them for the grievous wrongs they
have suffered.
Chief WAL-LAM- MUTE-KINr, or, as MS Eng
fish name goes, YUUNG JOSEPH, who, with
few score warriors rcpulscd for nearly
four months large odds of our finest troops,
outmarching, outiighting and outgcneral-
ling them with ease, was peaceful Indian
until the outbreak Of last June; and even
had he been wrong Ia his view of his claim
on the Wallowa valley, the uniformly
friendly conduct, for seventy years, of all
the Ncz Perez Indians, whether the treaty
bands or the non-tr,aty bands. should have
prevented the use OF violence In driving the
latter from their homes. The Government
was not dealing with thicving, numbering
miscreants, it was dealing with constant
friends. faithful allies; and its atrOcious
conduct in resortmg 10 force, because the
Nez Perccs had never yet taken up arms
against the white man, makes an indeliUlc
blot on our history.
But Chief JosTPH's title to his homo In
Wallowa valley was sound in law as well as
in equity. II has been SO held not only by
army officers acquainted with the Ncz Perez
treaties and their meanings but by legal
authorities. Judge DEADY Of the United
States District Court for Oregon after cX-
amining the evidence. declared IL TO be APP
parent that the treaties of 1855 and 1858 do
not affect JosEPn's right to the occupation
of the Walowa valley" 1t has been uni
formy held that where land * possessed in
common by Indian bands ot the same tribe,
The ccssion Of the land by few bands can
not bind the rest; and a recognition Of this
fact caused the issuing Of an order from
Washington four years ago, In which Agent
Mn,-rutau "a- Instructed bV the Secretary
OF the Interior to inform J0sEPH's band that
they should "bc permitted to remain in said
valley and occupy it according to their pre-
Vious custom, and that assurances hc given
them that it j. not the intention of the de-
partment to disturb them 50 long rs they
remain quiet and peaceublc. and com'nt II,
deprcdations upon white settlers Tn,
Secretary Of the Interior also directed that O
proper description of the valley should b,
obtained, for the purpose of issuing an cNccu
tive order, setting apart this valley for tn,
exclusive use Of said Indians, and that whit,
settlers bc advised that they are prohibto,
from entering or settling in said valley
Finally, the agent was instructed to give
such of the Wallowa valley Indians AZ ma,
be in his vicinity the assurances Of the de
partment that they will be permitted To re-
main in undi-turbed possession of the Wal
Iowa valley, and that the same will be So
apart 10y executive order for their cXcusiV
use"
That executive order was shortly aftc
issued. II did not confer any original right
on JOSEPH but ii tacitly recognized hi
existing rights and ii pledged the faith q
the Government to keep away the whit
men from this land 80 set apart. The ordr
was signed 10y President GEANr. After de
scribing TIA" tract Of country, which IN
cludcs a great deal more than ll-etirTc
JoSLPH ever claimed, it withheld this trac
"from entry and settlement as lublic land,
and that the same J." set apart as a rcserva
ton for the roaming Ncz Perccs" Tw
years passed, and this hrnclccnt order wa
revoked hy the same hand that issued it
but without the assigning Of any reason.
In this shameful act Is contained IN
origin Of ia" Noz Pores prosecutions I'll
white men Immediately began to enter o
the land of the nOn-trcaty NcI Porc'S, an
TO insist that the Indians should b" cypellc'
JOSEPH resisted and appealed to his right
to hi, status for years a. a non-trcaiy Ii
dian. and To- the Government pledges II
appealed in vain. The military officer
summoned to execute 10y force Il want,
violation Of national pledges and with /
great relish for the task thus imposed b
orders from Washington, warned JOSEF
that they had troops enough Ia drive hil
upon b." reservation whore the treaty \,
pcrco- W'ro. JosrrH pleaded for his hon
until p'a.hug was useless. and then. ma,
doned b., thi- injustice, and 10y the murd,
Of on" 81 his baud, hr and his fellow chic
resolved TO defend their rights with the
live.
We mistake the temper and the -or-c
imstir" of tine American people if they fail
demand That this dark series of m~,i.n,
shall bee brought to the light, and that II
WRONG ~ the Nrz perccs shall even at III
lat day, bo rishtcd