St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-04-11
From the Springfield Republican,
Chief Joseph Speaks.

Chief Joseph OF the Nez Perces,
speaking through the pen of an in
terpreter, contributes to the North
American Review for April Il singular
ly interesting Indian view of Indian
affairs. 1t is prefaced with an intro
duction by Missionary Bishop Hare of
Niobrara, who well says that Sin its
smOthered fire, in its deep sense of
eternal righteousness and of present
evil, and in its hopeful Ionglngs for the
coming OF better time, this Indian
chiefs appeal reminds us of one of the
Hebrew prophets OF the days of the
captivity" This Nez Perce chief is one
of those splendid figures that occasion
ally tower in Indian story to prove to
us that the romance OF Cooper is not
all fiction, that the noble Indian does
exist. Physically imposing i'll stature
and flame, his story, as we heard ii at
the first from white men and as we
have ii now from his own lips, is as
truly that of Il patriot us ashington's
was, and in his grave and humane
character he suggests that great name.
The war wagcd by Joseph and his peO-
pie was only the protest of free men
against injustice and slavery,-so his
tory will be sure to record, and we gain
| nothing by refusing to recognize it.
The narrative illustrates our shallow,
blind and unprincipled dealing with
the led men with uncommon force, be
cause of the absolute clearness of the
case and the superior quality of these
particular victims.
The chief tells us that his name is
Observation-Disclosures, or "Thundel
Travelling Over the Mountains" chief
of the Wallam wat-kin band of Chute
pa-lu, who are called Nez PercGs. They
were given that name by the French
because it was il hundred years ago
their custom to wear rings in theiI
noses. He is called Joseph because his
father, whom he succeeds, was called
so by missionary named Spaulding
| This father died a few years ago, and
says the son, "There was no stain on
his hands of the blood of white man.
He left good name Oh the earth. He
advised me we'll for my people" They
had laws given by their fathers. ''They
told us to treat all men as they treated
us; that we should never be the first
to break a bargain that it was dis
grace to tell lie; that it was a shame
fol one man to take from another his
wife, or his property, without paying
for it. We were taught that the Great
| Spirit hears and sees everything, and
that he never forgets that hereafter
he will give every man spirit-homt
according to his deserts if he has beer
good man, he will have good home
if he has been bad man, he will have
Il bad home. This | believe, and al
my people believe the same" TIL,
moral precepts are not quite up to tn,
level of Christian theory, but somewhat
better than Christian practice, it mus
be allowed.
Chief Joseph tells how Lewis ant
Clarke, explorers in the early part o
the century, won the friendship of tn,
Nez Perces, so that they agreed neve
to make war upon white men; {;
promise they have never broken. Abou
twenty winters ago white people begar
to come into their country "and built
houses and make farmsn At first tn,
red men made no complaint, for the,
thought there was room enough for all
But the old chief became suspicious o
men $50 anxious to make money.
Then Chief Joseph tells of the treat,
councils which followed, in which every
band of the Nez Perces but his sole
away its part of their country. Hi
father staked out the boundaries o
their land, the WallOwa country, ant
claimed the right to keep it. Whel
he died he left his son the charge: "Al
ways remember that your father neve
sold his country. :. Never sell til,
bones of your father and your mother.
But the white man stole their horse
and cattle, branding the young cattl,
SO that they could claim them. |
seemed that they wanted to prOvOk,
war. Presently the band gave up par
of their land to have peace. The,
helped the government against othe
Indians when they were asked. The,
only desired to be left in possession
of their own. The commissioners il
the treaty councils, says Chief Joseph
have claimed the country was sold, an,
this is the way he puts the case =
Suppose white man should come t,
me and say, "Joseph, like your horses
and l want to buy them" say t,
him, "No, my horses suit me, will no
sell them" Then he goes to my neigh
Dor, and says to him "JOseph has som,
good horses. l want to buy them, but h,
refuses to SELL" My neighbor answers
''Pay me the money, and l will sell yOl
Joseph's horses" The white man re
turns to me, and says, 'Joseph, have
bought your horses, aad you must lie
me have them." If we sold our land