New-York tribune., 1900-04-01
GOSSIP OF THE CAPITAL.
CHIEF JOSEPH A NOTABLE FIGURE IN
WASHINGTON.
HIS REMARKABLE RECORD-GOvERNoR BRAD
BURY's PRESCRIPTION-A SAD
DENED JUDGE.
DENIED JUDGE.

Washington, March ol.--That picturesque ana
noble Indian statesman Joseph Chief of the Nez
Perces whose proud boast has always been that
they the faithful friends of the white man,
has come, after an absence of many years. to
visit the Great Father and petition the
thorities for those civil rights his people stiI
hope will he granted them. Chief Joseph is
companied by Il delegation, among whom
his nephew and interpreter, Steven Reuben a
brother of General Miess faithful scout, who
was killed by his own tribe. and an alumnus OF
the school at Carlisle. Chief Showeway. The
other day Indian, one of Chief Josaph's
socates was brought before the local police
court the charge of carrying concealed
weapons and threatening negro. The Chief |
testified in behalf of his friend who re-
leased on JoSeph's unsupported word. In
nouncing the prisoners discharge the Judge
paid a high tribute to the Chief of the Nez
Perces, referring to his dealings with Toward
and Miles and his honorable action both during
and after the famous war, concluding his lauda-
tion by saying he deserved and had won the re-
spect of every one
Chief Joseph has lost much His tribe, through |
the greed of the white man, were hunted from
their old homes, and their present holdings are
not those handed down to them by their fathers,
but lands allotted the tribe by the Government
Conventions made have been repeatedly broken,
and there must be in the heart of this proud de-
and chagrin; but it is doubtless some compensa-
tion to know that when he was weighed in the |
balance he was not found wanting and that he
succeeded, msrepresented and misquoted as he !
often was in winning the regard, respect and |
esteem of his old enemies.
Chief Joseph commanded in that war which |
the official accounts term zone of the most ex- |
traordnary Indian of which there is any |
record" The Indians throughout displayed a
6cl-i tl.t ,Ii1;+o.
They abstained from scalping. let the captive |
women go free, did not commit indiscriminate |
murder of peaceful families, which is usual and
fought with almost scientific Skill using advance |
and rear guards, skirmish lines and field fortf- |
cations and one thinks of him at that time, 1871 |
as a middle aged man and now as a patriarch !
This veteran warrior is, on the contrary Just |
turned fifty, his face is the face of a man in the
prime Of life, his head sits proudly on his shou- |
ders, and his eyes look into the eyes of his white
brother with truth and sincerity as of old He |
wears. as a rule, the garb of civilization but |
has always at hand his chiefs costume and is a |
brave figure in his paint and feathers.
Chief Joseph, it will be remembered belonged |
10 the non-treaty band of the Nez Perces which !
occupied the Wallowa Reservation in Oregon
and long ago was charged with opposing the in |
PRODUCTION of schools on his reservations His |
reasons, however even from a civilized point of
those religious sects who too often occupv them
selves with the notes in the eyes of their savage
Drothers without concern for the beams in their
own eyes. When interrogated by the commits
sion regarding his reported opposition to the in
PRODUCTION of schools Chief Joseph said:
NO, we do not want schools or schoolhouses
on the Wallowa Reservation"
Why do you not want schoos?" asked the
Commissioners
They VIII teach to have churches
And why do you not want churches?"
They will teach to quarrel about God as
the catholics and Protestants do on the Nez
Perces reservation and other places We do
not want to learn that. We may quarrel with
men sometimes, but never quarrel about |
God We do not want to learn that"
When Chief Joseph and his band finally con-
scented to move from the country granted to |
them by the Government but coveted by white
settlers the Chief said finely:
l said in my heart that, rather than have
war would give up my country. l would give |
up my fathers grave l would give up every |
thlng rather than have the blood of white men
upon the hands of my people"
Following this, when it seemed as if he could
not Keep his covenant because the young men
of the tribe chatting under the injustice longed +!
TO fight, he rode through the streets of the viii !
age, loaded revolver in each hand threaten |
ing to shoot the first one of his warriors who re-