New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-20
An IND11NS VIEW OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.
WHAT CHIEF JOSEPH CANNOT UNDERSTAND, AND
WHAT NO ONE HAS EXPLAINED TO HIM-HIs
HEART MADE SICK BY BROKEN PROMISES.
-....a u.ri. for AnriL

HEART MADE SICK By BROKEN PROMISES.
From The NORTH Ataertcan Rerie,0 for April
I have shaken hands with q great many
friends, but there are some things want TO Know
which 10 one seems able 10 explain cannot under
stand how the Government sends out TO fight us,
such a Government has something wrong about
1t. cannot understand why so many cniels are a.
lowed talk so many different WAYS, ahd promise 80
many different things. have seen the Great Father
tine PRESIDENT the next Great CHIEF Secretary OF the
INTERIOR. the Commissioner CIlei lhayu, tto
Law Chief General Buter) and many other law chiefs
and they al b say b Iey e fT months ali
talk night do not undersland Why n3ihhG Is gone i2t
f aSns aoSnt T TO so@StnnS Words do not
p for nv country, Low overrGn by white They
do protect my fathers grave IN 40 NOT pay Ior
bach NV children. Good words will not make good the
promise OF your War Chief General Miles Good words
them from dying. Good words will not get my
people home where they can i've IN pesGS
that nothing 1t makes ny heart sick when
remember all the good words and all the broken pr2
tses There TOO much taking by men VINO had
hn made foo many ndinGs have come up
Seea the White men a6cG the INDIANS II the white
man wants to live IN peace with the INDIAN
ne can live In peace. There need be no trouble.
Treat all men alike. GIVE them all the same
law. Give them oil an even chance 10 I'VE s ana
Sbief Thcy are all brothers The earth ia the mother
OF al people and all people should Rave equal rGhts
backward as that any man who was born q free man
should be contented when penned up and denied
liberty to 70 where he pleases. III you Tic
n horse TO a stake, do you expeot ne
will grow fat IfyOu pen Indian MP on small spot
of earth and compel him TO stay there, he Will not DE
contented, nor VIII he grow and prosper have asked
some OF the great whitc chiefs where they get their
authority 10 say 10 the Indian that he shall stay IN one
place, while he white men going where they please
They eau DOT tell me. .-.-, >,
/ only AJAX OF the Government TO be treated as all
other men treated II can not go to my own home
let me have a home in some country where my people
will not die 81 fast would like 70 go 10 Bitter Root
Valley There my people would be healthy; where they
are now theY diving. Three have died since lett
nv camp to come to Washington -
When thinL OF our condition my heart "a heaVy'
see men OF treated outlaws and driven from
country to country, or shot down ike animals -
1 know that my must change. We can
not hold our own with the white men as we
are. We only ask even chance TO live
as other men live We aek 10 be recognized as NEIL
We ASK that the same law shal work alike on all men,
II the udiap breaks the law, punish hln by the law
II the white man breaks the law, punish him also.
be tree man'rec 70 travel, fee 10 stop Tree
10 work free TO trade where choose free 10 choose my
own Teachers free to follow the religion Of my IA hers
freo 10 think and talk and act for nIysef-snd will
obey every law, submit TO the penalty.
Whenever the white man treSts the Indian aS they
treat each other, then We VIII have no more wars We
shall all alikCbrOtCrs OF one father aud one mother
with one sky above us and country around
MS and one government for all. Then the
Great Spirit Chief who rules above VIII smile
upon tins land, and send rain TO wash out the
bloody spots made by brothers hands from the
face of the earth. For this time the Indian race
waiting and PRAYING. Ikope that no more groaDs OF
wounded mon aud Will ever 20 10 the ear OF the
Great spt Chief above, and that all people may be one
people. ,..,