Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-07-20

The Indians who are making so much
trouble in Idaho and Washington territories,
are the Nez-Perces, Tor nose pierced) tribe.
They are described as fierce, naughty, hon
est, Just, and often charitable, and, in gen
eral, more nearly approaching the mobile
savage" of romance than any other abOrigi-
mes OF the present generation. The arc well
and strongly built, of dark copper color.
Their reservation in Northwestern Idaho
has given for several years past census Of
about 400, but still larger number have
persistently refused to live on the reserya-
ton or 10 recognize the treaties made. They
have hitherto been not only peaceable and
friendly but stea1fast allies of our Govern
| ment in troublous times. The Chief, Joseph
g-Tunder. in 1855, actively exerted him
self to keep his tribe from participating in
the general hostiities in OREGON and Wash
ington, and used his influence Tor peace with
other tribes. Two causes are assigned by
him for the present war upon the whites.
First, he says that his people have been badly
cheated of late by the squatters and Indian
agents and, secondly, that they have been
despoiled of large tracts Of land in the
Wallowa valley. The New York Nation
deems these complaints to be well founded
1t says:
When the treaty of June ., 1858, was
urged upon them, by far the larger part of
the tribe submitted to manifest destiny"
though with obvious reluctance but there
was long delay in its ratification by the
United States, and afterwards further dis
| appointment about the payment OF the an
nuities guaranteed. Worse still, no step
was taken to survey and mark out the reser
yation. so As to prevent encroachment by the
whites, who constantly squatted on the lands
undoubtedly promised to the Indians in per-
| petuity. These squatters abused in every
imaginable mode the Indians in their ycini-
| ty who had surrended themselves to the pro-
lection of our Government, and rendered
their lives burdensome, perhaps not being IN
| DESTROYS to provoke collisions which might
secure the land Jumped" The result was
that for years the few recalcitrant bands who,
if left unsupported, would long since have
been absorbed into the reservation, had any
such been well defined and protected, could
and did assert without successful contradic-
ton that " the whites never meant to keep
any of their promises" The obvious facts
OF broken faith, injustice and fraud, have re-
legsted the majority into the nomadic non
treaty bands. leaving the less spirited or
more credulous to scrape together their pre-
carious existence within the vague bounds of
the " reseryation,' which was finally sur
yeyed in $50, after an additional or supple
mental treaty in 1865 had given increased
occasion for misapprehension.
Chief Joseph, the general of the present
instruction tWhite Bird being its political
head), has always insisted that the fertile
valley Of the WallOwa was not included in
the land ceded; and representations often
urged for its specific reservation ian exchange
even being proposed as last res0rt) have
only resulted in further trespasses and out
RACES by squatters. The want of common sense
and honesty, to say nothing Of gratitude for
tried and valuable fidelity. shown in the
transactions of the general Government with
these spirited though, in disposition. amaz-
ingly law-abiding Indians, has almost ncces-
sarlly driven them into their present desper-
ate outbreak, and if their resistance to our
skeleton army in the Department of the
Columbia shall even for short time con-
tlnue with the success of the action of June
IL, there Is every chance for their reinforce
ment, not only by many of their own
Sahaptin kin, but by Adventures from the
neighboring families of the Selfish and Numa,
who will dropold feuds to Join the prophets
crusade against the common foe. As the
wealthy and prudent Nez-Perce- are said to
have ample supplies OF the best arms and
ammunition. the prospect of at once sup
pressing what perhaps may amount to "A |
costly rebellion, chargeable mainly to official
malversation and neglect, is not very en-
couraging