The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-05-15
ENLIGHTENED IuDGMENT.

To those who spend all their spare
time In sympathizing with the poor,
down-trodden Indians of the Northwest,
OF which Chiefs Joseph and Moses are
representatives, We commend the fol-
lowing statements of General Howard.
than whom no one has had better op-
portunity to judge in the premises. The
letter was published in the Arnly and
Nary Journal:
The statements made by "a correspondent 10
your paper Of the 29th Of March, that Joseph l.
Chief OF the Nez Perces, and his Indians were
humane in their conduct OF the so-called Nez
Perce war, is mistake. How far the chief
himself is responsible, ] cannot say, but more
hOrrid ouirageS than those committed near
the Mount Idaho country cannot be found IN
any annals OF Indian massacres. ] saw a poor
woman who had suffered from repeated acts Of
brutality, one Indian succeeding another I'm
outrage. ] saw a little child with part OF its
tongue cut out The details concerning the
dead-concerning what preceded the final acts
that ended lire-are sickening IN their horrors.
In what purports 10 be Joseph's account OF
the war, you will find a complete answer in
my report, "a part of which ] send You. Joseph
did not az the time complain OF the thirty
days. u was long enough, II his people had
intended 10 comply with the will OF the Gov
ernment. Even with the old ToO-hul-hul-soo
was patient White Bird and Looking Glass
pledged themselves for his subsequent good
behavior after he had dehed the authority Of
the Government and behaved as harshly aud
impudently as any indian could. Upon this
pledge and his own promise released him.
No band OF Indians in the United States We're
ever treated with more carefuluess and con-
sideration than Joseph'S by the officers OF the
army, and Joseph said 10 me at the final cap
ture that il he had taken my advice and sub
mitted 20 the instructions OF the Government,
he would have avoided all trouble.
People not belonging 20 the army were
killed in the beginning OF the war, as we have
seen iu the Horse Prairie country; after pass
ing Lemhi i'm that vicinity; along the stage
road in the National Park, several OF different
parties Silled or wounded; on the Clark's Fork
upper waters; a number of miners, several
near Hart Mountain; and, scattered along tc
the crossing OF the Missouri, every white man
was killed OF badly wounded that came in
their way, so Tar as I can learn.
The only exceptions We're when a truce ar
rangement was made in crossing the Bite
Root country, and when Joseph spared the tw,
ladies and "a brother with them in the Natioua
Park, also a couple Of white men that he use,
as guides
Joseph's Indians had primary provocatioi
when the whites OF WalIowa killed one OF thel
number; but these savagcs were not saints
and 90 is not we'll 10 attempt TO use thei
treacherous memories 10 ntlsify history
Again, the Government had 20 require obe
dience 10 its authority, and believe this 10 b'
right throughout our domain.
We do not redress the wrongs OF the Indians
because the army is called % make the indians
obey, and cannot from our system be called iI
20 make the white man DO the same. We did
our best in Joseph's case, and have done ou1
utmost under the law in all other eases q
help the civil authorities punish white me1
who murder Indians and steal their property
but tine posse comitatus law finally hindered
this help. The balances Of justice are not in
equilibrium; but % is the fault OF an made
quate and one-sided system, and not so much
the fault OF the executors Of IL.