The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-10-27
move the whites from the now wealthy


that country to himself and his follow
ers. In the pursuit of this dream he
made many fruitless Journeys to Wash
ington, where he was always a notable
and striking figure, even among states
men and diplomats. To this day his
little band on the Colville reservation
refuse to take UP the arts of peace.
They hunt and fish and live in tepees.
After the chiefs refusal to discuss a
division of lands the Government notl-
fed him that unless in reasonable
time he consented to be removed, he
should he forcib!y taken with his peo-
pie and given land on the reservation.
He answered this ultimatum by taking
to the warpath, and the famous Indian
war of 1877 was the result. In the run
ming battle which Joseph led General
Howard for ten weeks, Towards men
marched 1,5oO miles. He was surround
ed many times by General Towards
forces, but always eluded capture, and
effected mastery retreat.
Joseph always referred to General
Howard as the sBible warrior" but for
General Miles, who captured him in the
Bear Paw mountains, he always had
the greatest admiration and respect,
and was his lifelong friend. This feel
ing was fully reciprocated by General
Miles who used to pay the old chief a
great deal of attention on his numerous
visits to Washington where he made
yearly pilgrimages to beseech the
| "Great Father" to permit his return to
the valley of his boyhood.
One who has known the old chief in
timately for 90 years says OF him:
Joseph was d man whose life's motto
seemed to be, "Never wrong a friend,
never forget the good that comes from
true friendship" His loyalty and fl
deity to the few friends that he select
ed has proved that he was absolute mas
ter of this dogma. In Indian life, and
in the life of the heroic, no man would
prove a better example than Joseph.
| His resolve made in early life never to
be the slave of another race was lived
up to until death claimed him. While
others Of the Nez Perces succumbed
and became residents of the reserva-
tions set aside for them. Joseph and
about 125 of his followers continued to
live IN the tents of their ancestors, and
came and went. and hunted and tished.
1t was beside the campfire of his tepee
that he died. In the forests and IN his
camp it was his habit to wear the
blanket of his ancestors. This rule he
broke only when he went to see the
White Father.
His sudden death is rendered doubly
sad to his friends by the fact that the
Government had practically decided to
allot him and each of his devoted fol-
lowers quarter section of land in his
beloved Wallowa valley. Thus this
Latent Moses had almost viewed the
promised land, when death came and
gently led him away, let us hope, to a
land which may be the fulfillment of
his vain earthly longing.
The fact that Chief Joseph was a
strict teetotaler, denying himself even
tea and coffee, is another trait which
shows his character to have been an un-
usual strong one. He always claimed
that the immediate cause of the war Of
49,, was whiskey given to two young
bucks by white men, and lie ever after
set good example before his people by
abstaining himself and admonishing
them to do the same.
A likeness of Chief Joseph taken
some years ago, is a good representation
of him before the cankerworm Of
inconsistencies and dissatisfaction, had
left its traces on his noble features.
The face shows intelligence and nobili-
ty as well as grim determination. At
the time of his death he was older than
has been currently reported, being be-
tween 65 and 70. A lady residing in this
city who has known him all her life puts
his age at about IS. His splendi ply
sique and robust appearance has caused
him to be thought much younger than
he really was.
His disease was diagnosed as 'heart
failure" but to call it a broken heart
would came nearer the truth. He was
naughty, proud, defiant; and crushed,
but never conquered. He was unwil-
lingly and unwittingly chained to the
civilization of the white man, which he
at heart despised. During the last years
of his life he chung more and more to
his early belief in the "happy hunting
grounds" that awaited his prosecuted
people after they had passed on, and let
us hope that through the waves he
breasted as he passed on and out from
the receding shores of time, he saw the
fulfillment of his dreams and Lopes.
HELEN n. PACKARD.
John w. Luce & Company an
nounce the second book in their Fool
.,l, Co. - ~ IL '~%c - i