The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-19
.yOsEPHs REBELLION.
The Causes Which Led to the Rising of
the Indians.
IN. Y. Herald. |

LEWISTON, L. T., June 2S.-The causes
Of Joseph's outbreak are chain of cir
cumstances, which I present here as
briefly as possible In 1856 @ treaty
was made by the United States with all
the Indians in this section of the coun-
try by which they were to relinquish all
lands, except the reservation, in con-
sideration OF annuities and certain spe-
Gifted presents. Joseph claims to be a
mont treaty Indian, and that his father,
II ne did sign the REIMBURSEMENT Of
lands, did so unknowingly, and
told him so prior to his death
Joseph, therefore, would not go
on the Nez Perces reservation at lap
wal, preferring to go to the buffalo
country in the season and spend the
rest Of his time in the Wallowa Valley.
| This valley, about which there has
lately been SO much trouble, is in
Oregon, close TO the Idaho line, and is
q small greenpatch in the mountains
which is ffsitM by frost almost every
night. Very little grows there except
the eamas roottwhich Is eagerly sought
by Indians in this section. The place is
rather good for grazing, and here
Joseph, with ex-President Grants per.
mission, was happy. For some reason
Grant revoked bis tacit gift-perhaps
lodge the fifty eight families Of Joseph's
band for his own benefit-and after q
few threats Joseph and his brethren
gave up the land to settlement. Last
spring a couple Of white men named
McNail and F'inlay lost some caynse po-
MES, and suspecting that the Indians
had stolen them started for their camp.
On the way they found two Indians
whom they disarmed and were making
preparations to leave when another
Indian came up, who was also
armed. They ordered him to throw
up his hands, and, on refusing,
struggle ensued, when one of the Two
whites shot and killed him. It was
very evident that these Indians had not
stolen the horses, and when Joseph
heard OF the murder he was very indig-
nant, had the men identified and imme-
diately arrested. When the day ar
rived for a preliminary trial before q
justice Joseph was unable to get law
yer to prosecute his case, on account Of
the unpopularity OF such course, and
the case was dismissed.
This ranked in Joseph's bosom, and
on leaving the court he was heard to
say that ian Indian can find no justice
for himself" Closely following this
came the instructions from Washington
to force this roaming band to the reser-
walton with the other Nez Perces.
Joseph clustered considerably at first,
but on Gen. Howard's arrival there
he promised to obey orders, and
asked for thirty days i'm which |
to gather his focks and other
effects. The request WAS granted, but |
the suddenness with which Joseph &C.
cepted the situation leads old frontiers
men In this country to say that he wished |
merely to pull the wool over Gen. How
ards eyes in order to get time to send |
runners to all the disaffected and nom
treaty Indians in the neighborhood to
the effect that he intended to make an
attack upon isolated travellers. In sub
sanitation OF this several squaws
who do washing for families at the
Dalles, in Oregon, several hundred |
miles from the scene Of the outrages,
told week in advance OF this trouble.
and half-breed herder told Moore, q
big cattle buyer Ia Eastern Oregon from
the Willamette Valley, the very day OF
the fight that there was plenty Of shoot
ing going on at that moment on Camas
Prairie. 1t therefore seems likely that
Joseph, goaded on to desperation by
dwelling on the injustice done him, had
the whole affair.