The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-06-26

COrulaItN invited 10 write ~ uTss
Pinkham if there is anything
about her symptoms She does not
understand. Mrs. Pinkham's
address Is Lynn, Mass.
strict responsibility for violation, and
all our Indian troubles have been
brought about by injustice on the part
of the whites. This was certainly true
of our last great Indian war against
the famous Chief Joseph and his tribe
Joseph was confined down in SiCkly
Indian territory-his native love for
freedom crushed and his heart bleeding
Give me mountain" he said. Just
one little mountain and | will die con-
tent" He fought for what We Ameri-
cans call patriotism. He fought for
freedom from oppression-freedo
from laws, rules and customs which he
could not endure Joseph's fathers had
received the early explorers and settlers
and treated them with great kindness
and manly fellowship. 1t was their
proud boast that they had received
Clark and Fremont and other white
men and had never had a quarrel with
them.
p to the time of Joseph's outbreak
only one white man had ever fallen at
the hands OF one of his braves. though
a number of his luen had been killed 10y
white lt,tflanS. Joseph 5 father Joined
witt! the other independent chiefs IN a
formal treaty 10y which the Indians
gave up all claims to certain large tracts
OF land. JOSEPH! agreed TO this contract
on condition that certain valleys should
remain TO Elm and his children forever.
soon white men wanted these valleys
and another treaty was made With sew
erai chiefs. but Joseph refused to have
anything TO do with it. But despite all
Justice these valleys that had been
guaranteed to Joseph on the honor of
the | :. government We're by the new
treaty. taken from him, and I. :.
soldiers Were sent to compel Joseph
and his people to move to another reser-
walton, Now inst imagine the sorrow
ut that brave hearted man il AN
emergency Ike that. And Yet, with
breaking heart Joseph was Ohedient to
tine demands OF the government In
lis own language lie says, Il said i'll
my heart that rather than have war
would give mp my country. | would
give up my fathers grave: | would give
up everything rather than have the
blood OF white men on the hands of my
people. The young men wanted to
fight At this time chief Joseph rode
one day through his village with re-
volver i'll each hand, saying he would
shoot the first one of his warriors to
resist the government. Finally they
gathered together their herds of cattle
and horses and began to move \ storm
40, nd ca1 ha ,irn ifrh
some of the cattle could not he taken
across. Indian guards were put in
charge of the cattle left behind White
away the cattle Joseph could no
longer restrain his men That was the
birth of the war Put yourself in the
place of Joseph. and blame him if you
can. Nothing in the history of modern
warfare surpasses the daring and
bravery and spirit of Joseph.
Dedicated in hOtly contested battle
he led his great caravan of two thou
sand horses or more, on which We're
women and children. old men and old
women, the wounded. the sick and the
blind, by a seemingly impossible trail
nterlaced with fallen trees through the
ruggedest mountains to the Bitter Root
Valley, where he made treaty of for
bearance with the inhabitants: passing
by settlements containing banks and
stores and near farms rich with stock
but taking nothing and hurting no one
so he pushed on; he crossed The Rock V
Mountains twice, the Yellowstone and
Missouri rivers, and was within one day
march OF Canada when he was taken "
The I. 5, Government spent millions
OF dollars in coping with that Indian.
II Joseph had been of less noble spirit,
he need never have been taken. He
himself says: wv could have escaped if
We had left our wounded behind: we
were unwilling to do this: We had
never heard of a wounded Indian re-
covering while in the hands Of white
men"
| have read the utterances of men in
official positions on the subject who
were too blinded by their own pre-
JUDGES to see clearly the subject about
which they wrote. A distinguished
minister who processes to have had
long years of experience among the In
dams of the West has said:
THE history of our Indian policy is a
record of lamentable blunders To
have ever conceded a national status
to roaming barbarian tribes was a
colossal legal mistake. There is not
and there never was tribe of savages
on the continent possessed of the ele-
ments of national solidarity. We have
for century treated with chiefs who
in turn were unable to hold their fol
lowers to the fulfillment of stipula-
tions. This child of nature, overran
primeval America for centuries. All
the resources were here under his feet
and about his dwelling. What use did
he make of them?" Then he goes on to
say: eve fed and flattered the Indians
into the belief that they were ma
ton, and owned the land; we confessed
to him that we had come to steal his
lands. We still confess that we are a
nation of thieves, but the truth lies in
the opposite direction. When the In.