The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-05
CHIEF JosEFH's SPEECH.

The correspondent of the Indianap-
oils Sentinel. in describing the visit
of Chief Joseph of the Nez Perces to
the national capital says:
Chief Joseph of the Nez Perez In
dams came to Washington a few days
ago to make a plea before the great
father in behalf of his little band IF
followers. They are a remnant of a
once powerful tribe of Nez Perces, who
are descended from the common stock
of Shoshon, or -'Diggers." Joseph was
not accorded an interview by President
Mckinley, but he saw the secretary OF
the interior. and the commissioner of
Indian affairs. Joseph's speech, as
translated by the interpreter, is given
verbatim. 1t will be observed that he
makes a pitiful attempt to quote the
classic lines:
The missionaries first fell on their
knees.
Then Oh the aborigines.'
I. He said in his speech as reported by
the stenogrApher:
The maker of the earth was dear 20
us and we lived upon such fruits as
the earth produced and were happy.
Then came Christopher Columbus, who
discovered the same and it has been
fearful that Christopher first landed
on American shores and he fell down
upon his knees and prayed. He then
fell upon the Indians. They have been
fallen upon ever sine. until they have
been driven from the Atlantic to the
Pacific ocean. We have brought with
us, MIR. President. a copy of a news
paper printed in our part of the coun-
try and noted for its fearless stand
for the rights of the miners and labor
inb men. and has had the courage TO
state the effects of the Indian out
breaks. | have c0nle-acrOss the coun-
try TO see you. as the chief Of the great
government of 7O,O00,000 people. and TO
ask you at this late day to do tardy
justice to the few of US left by allow
ing me TO take my $50 people and go
north on the Snake river in Idaho and
take up land in severalty, and | would
like to have the government put in a
sawmill and an industrial school so
that the young men can learn trades
until they are capable of running it
themselves.
In view of the fact that my people
wer. robbed of $4,000 of the $4,000
sent to Governor Lyon by the govern
ment for us, and. that my property
was scattered and LOST / think it but
Just and right for the government to
allow me a pension of 81, 900 per year
from now until my death. ] want my
interpreter to be an assistant teacher
where he came from, that is, in Mes
Chief Joseph's requests were denied.
and on the following day the commits
sioner of Indian affairs wrote the fol-
lowing note to the secretary of the in
terror: Buffalo Bill wants Joseph and
his associates to fill a two weeks en-
gagement in New York. He promises
to pay them 500 and give them suit
of clothes apiece and their expenses.
TIE note was returned endorsed: p
mission to go TO New York granted. C.
n. Bliss, secretary Joseph and the
other tnree Indians are now in New
York. They win earn $25 each.
This was indeed q pathetic ending to
Joseph's visit to the great father. He
was not Permitted 10 see the president.
He received no promises of compensa-
ton for the money and lands of which
he and his tribe had been robbed. but
the United States, with great magnan-
imity. gave him and his associates per-
mission to earn 800 and some cloth
ing by exhibiting themselves in New
York for two weeks.