Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-04-08
Chief Joseph in Defense of his People.

Chief Joseph in Defense of his People.
Missionary Bishop Hare, of Niobrara,
introduces to the readers of the current
number of the North American Review
a long and deeply interesting paper by
Chief Joseph, of the Nez Psrces, in de-
fense of his people and in explanation
of his course. The Bishop vouches for
the authenticity Of the paper. which he
rightly calls "2n extraordinary narra-
tive" He says Of it, moreover, that
"this apologize is 20 boldly marked by
the charming na5vete and tender pathos
which characterize the red-man that it
needs ne introduction, much less au-
Identification /; while in its smothersd fire,
in its deep sense of eternal righteous
full lOngings for the coming of better
time, this Indian chiefs appeal reminds
US of one of the old Hebrew prophets of
the captivity" Chief oseph begins by
saying: "My friends I have been
asked to show you my heart. I am glad
to have = chance to do 80. I want the
white people to understand my people.
Some of you think an Indian is like a
wild animal. This is a great mistake.
l will tell you all about cur people,
and then yeu can judge whether an In
dian is man or not. What have to
say will come from my heart, and will
speak with straight tongue. The Great
Spirit is locking at me, and will hear
me-" His name, he says, is Inmuttoo-
yahlatlat. (thunder travelling over the
mountains;) J he is chief of the tribe of
the Chutepalu or Nez Psrces Indians,
and was born in Eastern Oregon thirty
eight years ago. His father, baptized
Joseph by Mr.. Spalding, the missionary,
was chief before him, had never stained
his hand with the blood of q white
man, left good name on earth, and
advised his son well for his people. The
tribe had good laws handed down from
their ancestors. These laws "told us to
treat all men as they treated US; that
bargain; that it was disgrace to tell
a lie; that We should speak only the
truth; that it was a shame for one man
to take from another his wife or his
property without paying for it. We
were taught to believe that the Great
Spirit sees and hears everything, and that
He never forgets; that hereafter he will
give every man spirit home according
to his deserts; if he has been a good
man he will have good home ; if he has
been bad man he will have bad home.
This believe, and all my people be-
lieve the same" Every one will con-
fess that to live up to this creed will
make good man not merely of the
''untutored savage" but of the full
strained product of high pressed civili-
zation as we'll.
The Nez Perces did not know there
were other people besides the Indians,
says Chief Joseph, until hundred
years ago, when the French fur traders
came into their country. These voya-
geurs did net make an altogether good
impression. can Indian respects q
brave man, but he despises coward.
He loves a straight tongue, but he hates
a forked tongue. The French trappers
told us some truths and some lies"
After lhe Voy0gcurs came Lewis and
Clarke, who made friends with the Nez
Perces. and the latter agreed with them
never to war upon the white man.
This promise the Nez Perces have
never broken" Missionary Spalding
came among them later and won their
affections. Then more white people,
but. as there was room fer all, they were
suffered to settle in peace Then came
Governor Stevens, who invited the Nez
Perces to great council, told them
there were many whites in the land
and more coming, and proposed to di-
vide the land with them. Old Moses
refused, saying that mo man owned
any part Of the earth, and a man could
not sell what he did not own,n Some
of the chiefs, however, signed and re-
csived presents, and then, and at q sub
ssquent treaty in 1868, bartered away
nearly all their lands. Old Moses twas
firm as rock, and would not sign
away his home" He set stakes mark
ing the limits of his reservation, as he
understood it, and here he lived in peace
until 1870, when the whites began to en-
croaoh upon them. There was another
council, in which young Joseph took
his father'ssp place, the latter being old
and feeble. The result was that the
agent ordered the Nez Perces to remove
to the Lapwal reservation, and Joseph
refused peremptorily. Then old Joseph
died, enjolning his son with his last
breath never to sell his country. "'My
son, never forget my dying words. This
country holds your fathers body. New
er sell the bones of your father and your
mother. I pressed my fathers hand
and told him would protect his grave
with my life. My father smiled and
passed away to the spirit-land. I bu-
ried MIN in that beautiful valley of
Wlndlng waters. 1 love that land more
than all the rest Of the world. A man
VINO would not love his fathers grave
is worse than a wild aninaI.n Then
trouble thickened upon the poor Nez
Perces. Gold was found near them.
The whites overran them. They lost
their horses. Their lands were claimed,
but Joseph would never yield them.
AT last Gen Howard came, said he was
a great war-chief, with plenty of SOL
diers, and was determined to force Jo-
seph to &c to the Lapwal reservation.
The upshot Of the council, in. which
Gen. Howard behaved brutally, if Joseph
relates truthfully, was that the Nez
Perces received peremptory notice to
leave, and prepared for war, which they
begun in spite of Joseph's voice being
still for peace. Joseph says: IT would