St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-06-02
THE ELOQUENT NEZ PERCE.
An Indian Chief on the Woes of His
Tribe.
Touching All Hearts With the Story of Els
People.
TPhiladeIphia Times. /


James Reubens, full-blooded Nez Perce
Indian, copper-colored, strongly built and
dressed in genteel black, spoke upon the
wrongs of his people last evening in the
First Baptist church, Broad and Arch streets,
with an eloquence pathetic power that made
his audience blush for the sins of their gov
ernment. The meeting was called under
the direction of the Women's National In
dian sociation and it was expected that Gen.
Clinton B. Fiske, of New York, prominent
advocate of the Indians rights would
preside. In his absence, Geo. H. Stuart
took the chair and briefly sketched the work
for the Indian begun in Philadelphia some
years ago. The speaker of the evening, who
has been styled "the Indian orator. then
gracefully took his stand behind the pulpit
and, gazing coolly upon his audience, delib-
erately arranged a number of papers with
which he had come prepared to fortify his
cause. Reubens, who is apparently about
thirty-two years of age, speaks excellent Eng
lish, and as he dilated upon the gross injus-
tice which his tribe had suffered and the
fragrant violations of all treaty obligations by
the government, he displayed a vigor of
thought and command of language that sur
prised all. His stolid face became animated
and his appeals for the Indian provoked fire.
quent applause. Having arranged his papers,
the Nez Perez began
TREATIES MADE AND BROKEN.
eff could only know your hearts, and
how to address you, and what things you are
interested in, could shape my address so as
to please you all. I will speak, however,
only upon the relations Of my people and the
government. 1 will not be permitted to tell
the facts in detail, and will devote my ad-
dress entirely to the Nez Perez Indians.
You have all heard about the Nez Perce
tribe, yet it may be that there are some of
you who have had not had time to look over
the history and locality of this people" !" Then
rapidly outlining the story of his tribe, from
their first discovery by Lewis and Clark, who
had been most kindly received by them, he
told the subsequent history of treaties made
by the government only to be broken. Some
of the tribe, he said have attained consid-
erabe degree of civilization. "Some are
very rich," said their defender. 'They use
the same Bible as you, they worship the same
God as you, and they pray" A translation
of the New Testament was made by himself
into their language for those who have be-
come Christians and good citizens.
''In all efforts for advancement Chief Jo-
seph took no part, but he cost the govern
ment nothing and was peaceful Forced
upon the reservation with others in 1877 by
General Howard he was driven into war
| and captured by General Miles. Though
promised thathe should be sent to the reser-
vation this was refused him and with $50
of his people ne was transported to the In
dian Territory. Only 270 CT these now sur
vive, unhappy and starving, and in their be-
| half James ReuDens comes east to plead.
NOBLE sELF-sAoRIFIoE.
s;I have come here TO state their case,', he
said 81 wrote to the government asking
permission to take thirty widows and chill
dren, homeless and friendless, back to
Idaho. No attention was paid. At last
wrote to Secretary Teller and he SAYS: you
can do so, provided it is without cost to the
| government I determined that I would
take them and pledged myself before God
that would do something 1 have tried and
succeeded. They are now in Idaho, the hap
piest creatures in the world. Five years I
lived in the Indian Territory and saved ST.
6OO I have spent it all for them. I had
good position, but thought that one man
ought to sacrifice his living for twenty souls,
| thought l will give up that good place and
risk for the future. Better treasure than I
can earn in this world is now in my heart.
the thought that have been good to my
people"
Congress has been asked to provide for the
| return of the remainder Of the Nez Perces.
and the eloquent Indian urged his hearers to
assist in this good work. "Ny heart is true
to you as red man, and you will find that
the red man is just as honest as the white
man. If yon succeed in this object I con-
gratulate you in the name OF God, and be-
| ieve you will succeed. The Indian is a man
and ought to have all the rights of man, A
peroration, in which the Nez Perce described
himself as standing before the picture Of
Jefferson in Independence hall and calling to
mind the words of the Declaration of hide
pendence, ''life, liberty and the pursuits of
happiness" closed the address.