Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-03-07
Chief Moses to Gen. Howard.
SIMcoE INDIAN AGENCY, w. r.,
February 10, 1879
To Gen. o. o. HoDard:


First Of ALL wish to say you have
always been good to me. I understood
you correctly at Priests Rapids, aud
took you to my heart. The ak which
you had with us there was taken to our
hearts. After that interview all the
eyes Of the Indians in this upper coun
try were upon Gen. Howard, aud they
came TO me saying. "When. when,
when is.that paper coming back?' Now
this day this paper has come back and
There is no land given. We have un
derstocd to day that there is no land
fn' us-for Moses, H achenic Homily
and all the Others; therefore we must
think the situation over. Now this day
| have hard knot given me to unite
1t is au awful undertaking for ne to
go back to all these people and tell
them they have been refused have
nothing for them. It is bard task
We had sothoughf uucn this reserva-
tipn matter and talked Of it so often
that our hearts had become as one; tie
people were unit. Now. when I tell
them this. | fear they NAV scatter in
many directions. according to their in.
terests. and they will | ugh at me. 7 am
afraid because told them Gen. How
ard would surely get this for us. For
my part, am ashamed, and I expect
you, Gen. Howard are ashamed; far
we are defeated men, and the Indians
will l,ueh at us. We are both beaten.
and those that have opposed US have
won; we have been outwitted.
| have been looking to you hereto
fore; and though you have po'hing ia
do with us now, | waat to ak You t.
use yonr influence to let us work slowly
and do not drag us and jerk us on ia
any reservation. | always, always. al
WAYS had perfect confidence in YOU and
MY heart loves yon now. Happen wha,
will. yon and | will always be friends;
| will never. never take arms against
you
| 1t seems very strange that the bad
men are always successful have KEEP,
my rife behind me. have tried to be
good, but the bad are in the lead; they
can go ahead of the ,hiefs ,and gener
ais.
With all the humiliation | have beer
ubiected to, dragged away. disarned
maireated, thrown into irons, disgrace
keapeh upon me as dirt. my heart t. i
very bottom has been faithful to Gen
Howard.
There are many, many many Indians
they won't all come to this reservation
If there were two reservations properly
arranged, they might divide and par
go on one. part on the other; but I an
not at all sure of their coming here.
You Americans have many means o
communication. aud the newspaper,
bring she news to all of you at once
hut with us we have no such things
Soon. now, this news you have sent me
will begin to spread. 1t will fly from
camp to carp; it will in time travel fa'
and near; some will hear it and will
saw II will en see. Moses hips.lf.'
They viii come to my camp. To al
snch will tell the truth. All ,he
various neople That sprak my tongue
will talk it over together Some vii
curse; the good will try to pacify tn,
bad. They will weigh il long 10 thsi
hearts. They will look At it on ever,
side to see what they would gain b,
going to war: they will decide as SCENT
hest to them and according to the per
suasions os the chiefs. This cannot bs
done in dsv; the whites must he pa
tent and give US time II is bv hurry
ing such things that they bring Of
trouble.
As long as you remain n general
th,nk We can manage these things yer,
well. The Indians like .you3snd the
like me. hut you ought to have SOM
mower and control over the people.
wonder if the whites know wha,
have done far them? | know they don't
hut YOU do. During vour war will
Joseph. I worked as hsrd as You aid
NJ peorle were crazy; | held then
back with both hands. Last wear H.
same. They abused me: I had slmos
to fgNt them: they showed me wha
they conld make hut I held them down
Now what have | fnr reward! Nh
what I a.ked for--uothing but outrage
that humiliate me.
l have bnt one mind--but one speech
viii not fight; my rife must stny be
hind me aTl the time.
Gen. Howard, that is all have t
say.
his
CHIEF-MosEs
mark.
Witness: c. E. s. WOoD,
1st Lieut.. 2lst Iuft., A. d. c.