Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-05-08

iartner war mas not YET presented itseil
since their capture. As people border
ing the Neg Pesce reservation, We cannot
entertain the proposition that the Gov
I eminent will nflict upon us this band of
Indians. keep them then where they
are, educate them the best You can. They
have no claims to return here. They
made unprovoked war upon the whites
who had been personally friendly to them
ever since the country was settled by the
whites, They made all possible efforts
to involve the treaty Indians Of the tribe
in the war, by coming upon the reserva-
ton and building Notifications within a
short distance OF one Of the agencies, send
| ing emmissaries among the agency Indians,
and running off their stock and cndeavor.
ing to rob them of their guns, ammuni
ton and supplies. They have forfeited
all rights among the Ncz Perces. Before
the war they would not make locations
upon the reservation, nor subject them
selves to any of the reservation regula-
tons, nor accept of the annuitics and
privileges which the Government offered
to the tribe. They continued naughty
and defiant up to the time they commcnc-
ed numbering our citizens. Now their
white sympathisers in the East are max
ing efforts to punish our people by send
ing them back to us. If they do this,
as matter of future selfrrotection, our
people who are here will be rcmiss in
their duty to themselves, Their families and
to the Indians now upon the reservation,
if they do not organize and resist their
coming by force. Neither Uncle Sam,
nor any Of his departments have any NOR
al right, nor any other right to send these
people back here to jeopardise our people,
who have come here and built us up
homes, upon the lands they have opened
to us for settlement, and especially when
they are proposing to leave us exposed,
by taking from our midst the protection
of U. $. troops that have been stationed
here for the last 20 years. But now
to the question Of giving the Nez Perces
who have remained loyal their lands in
severalty and extend over them the cit-
zen's Government. They are as well
qualified as any Indians on this coast.
They are loyal. They stood the test in
1877, when Joseph and his band brought
to bear every means to induce them to
make war, while in 1873, very large
majority Of the Indians on the Umatilla
reservation became alicnated to such an
extent that they joined with the Bannocks
and fought Towards men in several
pitched battles, and when whipped sn ak
ed back upon the reservation and claimed
to be friendly. If the Dawes bill passes
tho House, immediate and strenuous
efforts should be made by our people to
induce the President to take measures to
have the principles of that bill applied
to the resident Nez Pcrces upon their
reservation, and If the Dawes bill fails in
the House, or is likely to fail, let our Del
egate, it possible, have the Slater bill be
SO amended in the House as to include
the Nex Perces, and to this end let our
people one and all make untiring efforts
They never will do anything for us out
here to correspond with our needs unless
We ask it by making ourselves heard
above the din Of the selfish claims that
have no merit, which are constantly be-
Ing pressed before Congress and the de-
partments, to the encouragement Of
large majority OF the people in the North
| west.