New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-05
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
JUSTICE TO CHIEF JOSEPH.
THE REQUEST OF THE NEE PERcEs AND THE
WRONGS THAT THE GOVERNMENT
SHOULD RIGHT.


SHOULD RIGHT
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: This Administration should do Itself honor by
performing an act of justice TO Chief Joseph and
the small band OF Neg Perces Indians. They should
be allowed 10 to their old home and friends
and relatives in Idaho General Miles has strongly
recommended this. and no one is more qualified TO
fudge OF matter Of this kind. The history OF the
Joseph outbreak is briefly as follows:
A reservation had been given them in the best and
most picturesque part of Idaho. Every year they
made long journey TO the Judith basin. favorite
Of the buffalo where they killed their winter
supply of meat and obtained buffalo robes. On this
annual pilgrimage they always camped at Fort Ellis.
Montana. for several days. Here first became ac-
ouanted with the tribe. But the greed and envy OF
the white man in 1876 and 1877 destroyed all this
content and happiness. Up 10 that time II had been
the boast of the tribe that they had never killed
white man At this time the whites thought the
land too good for the Indians and began depreda-
tions The Indians retaliated. An Indian was
killed. then a white man. and finally the tribe. or
about one thousand members of 1t. started for the
Canadian line with the evident intention OF Joining
Sitting Bull who had been driven into Canada.
Here is where the Government made its great mis-
take which cost the lives OF many gallant offi-
GERS and men. The Government should have pro-
tected the Indians in their rights on the reserva-
ton. as long they behaved themselves and kept
the white away. But. alas for the honor of
the country, this has rarely been its policy The
this.
shall never forget General Shermans answer
TO a question: How DO you account for the out
break He sitting on General Miess stocp
at the cantonment Tongue River. now Fort
Keogh. His reply was 1T was the old story OF
the survival of the ttest, the inferior giving
way to the advancement Of civilization The
buffalo were giving way TO the beef herds. the
ally being driven from the Continent. The old
TO in good faith by the Indians But as emgraiO9a
that the Indians had the best land, or gold was
discovered on it, The struggle for possession sion
peration and committing some overt act United lnsi
saes r Troops o%ey w Sae spent h Resulting IN
the end disastrously to the weaker party the Ind.
S er9 fGr ned States caVay and me
the truth Of it. and there never Mas Mas d noes
General o. O. Howard gathered what troops s. he
sod sso ana nq The ndans
really cared for this pursuit They kept ahead b OF
Wanted wan o 10 0 do so The indians certainly would
have gone through this country without; molestns
ipefhaps the most desperate. fight record at ths
He fought b as@nst sa Of SSas ana
fans shown by the fact thai they p eaRfu aed
SsveT offered any indgn,s to the q The
They were canned at The Bad fS c"mmad
to come up. when they would either have f S{g
him or br eeeG days 6ard ean catd them
After they had surrendered General M9 for tb
winter and use his influence TO have them SEM
back to their in hs Spdd not IKE Know
thing about the Administration at Washington.
h hi: sh 6Spfh have 'nf be %9Fs
nent the as the provisions OF rd ihf 70 Genera
Miless honor will say he has done all III HIS
But now let US see what has happened to this
brave chief and his little band Of waT 1S fegte
to say more righteous cause than The Struggling bn1
colone; had in their war foI were sent
70 eI Fort Scott Kan where being aeclimated
1nsa,cne thew died Ike sheep From there they
were transferred TO reservation IN I'm me P apa
reservation This not much better d maaras
fever a anf G 9n H M they
Colvilie Wash, there were only 90 out OF TIE Ivy
left SSw n f ehera Miles cher joseph who
has kept his word when he said he would hgh b Sns
is left Of the lco-ssbe allowed TO return 10 their
PF Sadey fn and Nj Bliss backed By the
recall action q General GraT when her Predeo o
johnson Vas e Ink Se ali
through this matter, but 1t l. not 100 ia'e 10 10
II was wise resolve the old Hudson Bay Com Com.
made t. be T Ss hs6fsT e has
followed this precedent The result Is that
tw Of nsn T s0SSs
1ecognize Justice II is fact that does not speak
uei for the United States Government that so
many treaty stpulations have been violated by IT
tn Ire dealings with the Indians. Twenty long
Eaars ~ banishment and the loss of great number
Of his people have certainly atoned for what Gh1ef
sand the Nez Perces home at once. Repair the
wrongs the Government did In not protecting
nreing this upon the Administration: Blu! cannot
toet man 10 let man. days pass now that the
jug. re been brought to his attention. without
signing the order - LoNf1LL "a Jr-hOhr>'
Network. May J. 1871