The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1928-11-29

Il IS Of interest 20 note, however,
that in both great Indian wars fought
out IN this state the hostiles were
from outside our borders. The Me-
Perees came from Idaho, and the
Sioux, before whom brave Custer and
all his command fell, from the Black
Hills Of South Dakota
Chief Joseph, hereditary leader Of
the Nez Perez, was, according to
Cyrus Townsend Brady, " a wonderful
specimen of the Indians, standing six
feet tall, straight as an arrow and
wonderfully handsome Most Ger
tainly he was remarkable man and
a great warrior, a veritable red Ma
poleon, skilled in the strategy Of war
fare He led his tribe against United
States troops Il different times,
fought five pitched battles, of which
he won three; drew one, and lost one
all in single campaign. The total
force opposing him numbered about
1000 men.
According to Henry Buck, one of
the party of Montana volunteers, JOS
eph had about 1000 head of horses,
not including the cattle. Early in the
campaign the Indians were without
food and supplemented their supplies
by eating roots and the inner bark of
pine trees.
But Joseph was more than war
rior. He represented the best of the
Indian. He was a peace time advocate
of the rights of his followers, logical
in reasoning powers. In this volume
we are letting him tell his own story,
not that there is not another side to
the tale but because the Indians side
is seldom related.
On his trip to Washington in 1897
Joseph first "opened his heart" to the
reporters with lofty bit of Ne7
Perez philosophy. He said;
MY friends, have been asked tC
show you my heart, | am glad to have
a chance to do so. want the white
people to understand my people, Some
Of you think an Indian is like a wilC
animal. This is a great mistake.
will tell you all about our people, ant
then you can Judge whether an In
dian is man or not. believe mucl
trouble and blood would be saved i
we opened our hearts more. | will
tell you in my way how the Indian see
things The white man has NOR,
words to tell you how they look t,
him, bat it does not require man!
words to speak the truth.
And again,
Our fathers gave US many laws
which they had learned fsem theii
fathers. These laws were good. Tbs.
told us to treat all men as thes
treated US; that We should never be
the first to break bargain that il
was "A disgrace to tell lie; that wf
should speak only the truth; that il
was shame for one man to take
from another his wife, or his property
without paying for it. We were taught
to believe that the Great Spirit sees
and hears everything, and that lie
never forgets; that hereafter He will
give every man a spirit-home accord
ing to his deserts; if he has been g
good man, he will have a good home
if he has been bad man, he win have
bad home This | believe, and al
my people believe the same"
Joseph then tells how long his PEG
pie had lived upon their land and how
much they loved the soil He describes
the arrival Of the first Americans ant
claims that his tribe withdrew farthe
into the mountains to avoid conflict
OF the first meeting with soldiers an
his father his account reads:
"He Governor Stevens) said Their
were a great many white people i
the country, and many more woul
come that he wanted the land marke
out so that the Indians and white PEG
pie could be separated. If they wer
to live in peace it was necessary, h
said, that the Indians should have
country set apart for them, and il
that country they must stay. M.
father, who represented his band, re
fused to have anything to do will
the council, because he wished to b,
free man. He claimed that no MAJ
owned any part part Of the earth, ant
man could not sell what was not hi
own.
"Soon after this my father sent fol-
me. | saw he was dying. took hi!
hand in mine. He said: My son, my
body is returning to my mother earth
and my spirit is going very soon tC
see the Great Spirit Chief. When
am gone, think of your country Yol
are the chief Of these people. They
look TO you to guide them. Away.
remember that your father never sole
his country. You must stop your ears
whenever you are asked to sign {
treaty selling your home. A few years
reTe, ard the white men will be al
zxSzI yoe, Thy bav. their eyes OF
ri sesa- VI eDa, neger forget ms
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fz<asTes 5o1y 0egsv seil Ghe bDDst
~ gser sseher md goDr Motaer "
Ege re whites e0aGaDe5 70 CONE
Lr.ae7 raies esdeTg mot win J0sepk
xfeT sne 6es6n 81 4ig fafder They