Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-07-24

This salary, together with plOugEs,
blankets, &c, Joseph Obstinateiy re-
fused until the day of his death. He
has been dead some ten or twelve
years. His son Joseph. man now
about twenty-seven years of age, has
inherited his fathers obstinacy and
conceived the same idea-that his
father, by not signing the p'pers, has
not parted with his lands.
This tribe, the Nez Perces, have al
ways held the balance of power on the
Pacific coast, and for intelligence and
physical ability have never had AT
equal on the continent or at least not
superior. Their average stature Is
equal to the Americans, many of
them standing from six feet TO six feet
five Inches in their moccasius. From
the time of the arrival Of Lewis and
Clarke, who were the first white men
they ever saw, il has been the boast Of
the tribe that they never shed "a white
mans blood in war. The Walla Wal
las and Cayuses have twice engaged in
hotilities with the whites, and each
time the Nez Perces have come to the
rescue, and saved from the tomahawk
all the whites that were left in the
country after the first outbreak by the
u
Chief Joseph would not commit deeds
that would bring disgrace upon his
peoples good name. but sullenly re-
tired to what he claimed as his own
section Of country, and spent the bal
ance of his days with but little inter
course with the whites. Now, the
country on each side of Snake River,
above the mouth of the Salmon, was
his country. This embraced the Wal
Iowa Valley, i'm Union county, Or
Here he spent the most of his time
until his death. and his son continued
to live here in almost total seclusiou
until the Graude Roude Valley was
quite thickly settled, and more room
was needed, and the people first began
to drive their stock over to the Wallo-
wa Valley for summer range, and
bring them back in the winter, ii be-
ing only about twenty miles. To this
the Indians made no serious objection
until five years ago, when the whites
began to settle in the WallOwa. Then
the Indiars did object, and quite Sc
rious trouble originated, which result
ed in the settlers being ordered out of
the valley by the Government, and a
commission appointed to appraise the
improvements with a view to giving
up the valley to the claim of Joseph
Jr. Oregon Senators interposed, and
the matter was recOnsidered and the
valley declared to be subject to settle
ment, and again emigrants flocked in
to the country and again conflict of
races ensued, and the military was
called out to protect the settlers, who
had been threatened with death if
they did not leave.
Pending these troubles the settlers
all left the valley, leaving large farms
and fine improvements, and driving
their stock. they fled, not fearing an
attack if they left, but knowing it was
sure death to remain. Now came the
United States Army and ordered Jo-
seph to remove all his people across
Snake River to their reservation in
Idaho Territory. This he did, but
when there he complained that there
were white people living on the reser-
walton who had no connection with
the Indian Department, and demand
ed that they should be removed. TO
understand the matter fully, will eX-
plain that the treaty stipulated that
public highways should be located
across and through the lands of the
reservation as the public needs re-
quired, and that statiOn-keeper should
be permitted to resi- e at convenient
places for the accommodation of trav-
ellers and one Colonel Craig, an old
mOuntaineer and sOn-in-law OF one of
the chiefs, was granted a section of
land on Lapwai Greek, in the heart of
the reserve. Colonel Craig is dead
his lands are divided among his chill
dren and sold to other parties, so that
OF haa. thpra a iWRntU
sons here and as many more probably
living at stations. All these this
young warrior must demand the Co
Vernment 20 remove.
Now comes n rather difficult task. -
Colonel Craig's lands were coded to
the Government, and by the Govern
ment conveyed by patent to Colonel
William Craig, who actually resided
there over forty years, and died there,
leaving his sons and sOns-in-law in
possession of the land with govern
ment title, To appease this young
buck Commissioners were again APP
pointed to appraise the value of va
rious Improvements, with view to
removing some thirty or forty people.
Thus matters were about to be settled
but determined not to settle down and
behave himself Joseph deliberately
went upon the war-path, starting in
the direction of his old home, and
killing the first settler that he met af-
ter leaving the reservation lines.
As | am now residing some distance
from the agency, l cannot give exactly
the combinations which Joseph was
enabled to effect with other portions
of the tribe. But there are White
Bird and old Eagle of the Light, al
ways sour and unfriendly towards the
whites, and | understand he has Sc
cured them in his move, and, if so,
his war force will number near one
thousand men, exclusive of renegades,
of which there are many always ready
to flock to the standard of a wealthy
chieitain, and | presume Joseph and
White Bird are worth more than any
of their tribe. | have no doubt they
have 10000 head of stock, which is
sufficient to employ many n renegade
warrior from adjoining tribes. All
these stories about SmOhalla, the
dreamer, are only imaginary nonsense,
manufactured by some one who wants
to say something and does not know
of anything to say. All these Iu-
dams are thoroughly educated i'm refer
ence to all matters pertaining to their
connection with the whites. Il ey
know full well the results of n cont, 81
with them in bloodshed They know
that they will "clacetpa uOoutin"-