The Coolidge examiner., 1932-09-09

membered with that of XenophOn's
Ten Thousand" is always recalled
when Joseph's name is spoken.
He was born in Oregon about
1910, and was a hereditary chief of
the Nez Perce. His natural gift for
oratory was of considerable use in
his dealings with the white men,
and though it is said that he never
spoke in English, his translated
speeches are worthy Of notice, and
have been quoted many times.
His father, Joseph the elder, was
careful to teach him not to sign
treaties nor to sell the land Of his
people. This principle was faithful
ly adhered to by the chief, and it
was the cause Of the war between
his people and the white men. Ac-
cording to Joseph's own story,
Nez Perce called Lawyer assumed
rights which he did not possess, and
sold the Wallowa country (belOng-
ing to Joseph's band), with all the
rest Of the Nez Perce land outside
the Lapwai reservation, to the
whites.
The elder Joseph and his son,
who did not want to part with the
land, had no share in this treaty
and felt that they were wronged.
Then the old chief died, and was
buried in the beautiful valley where
he had lived, and this was one
more tie binding Joseph to his
country.
More and more sternly, the white
men demanded that the Nez Perces
should leave the valley and 60 on
their reservation. Each time the In
dians reiterated that they had not
sold the land, and continued to live
there, hoping for an adjustment in
their favor. The white men moved
ever closer, and took more land.
The Indians complained, but were
told to go on the reservation. Final
ly, affairs came to a climax. Both
sides were guilty Of attacks and
depredations. War was declared
The whites suffered severe losses
at first, as Joseph's generalship
and use of tactics were brilliant
1t later. became necessary for the
Indians to retreat, and this move
ment is one of the most famous in
the history of Indian warfare. With
about 800 warriors, their wives and
children, the band started for Can
ada, hoping to join Sitting Bull. Be
hind them was General Howard
and Colonel Sturgis and his Indian
scouts were on their flank. Colonel
Miles, that adept in the art of In
dian warfare, was rapidly march
ing in to intercept them before
they could reach the border.
Almost 1000 miles through enc
my territory, the remarkable lead
er brought his people. Their few
warriors were opposed by nearly
seven times as many soldiers.
Finally, fresh troops in front
compelled a halt, and for four days
the Nez Perce battled against the
soldiers. General Howard had
come up to join Colonel Miles. and
the odds were too great to be long
er resisted.
Eighty-seven warriors, almost
half of whom were wounded, 1S4
women and almost as many chill
dren were the remnant who submit
ted to the white soldiers Joseph
sent a message of surrender, in
which he lamented the woes of his
people.
After their surrender, the Nez
Perce were taken to Indian terri
tory, where they longed for their
Idaho lands, and about half of them
were later allowed to return, but
Joseph and the rest were sent to
the Colville reservation in Wash
ington. Here he became interested
in the advancement Of his people
under government rule, and bent all
his energies to furthering the cause
of education and discouraging
drunkenness and gambling.
In 1897, worried by encroaching
whites, the grand old chief went to
Washington, ON behalf of his tribe.
However, General Miles, the only
white man whom he trusted, prom
ised him that his people should re-
main unmolested, and he returned
to the reservation, confident Of
peace.
Six years laer, Joseph made an
other trip to the Capital. This was
friendly visit, during which he
took part in an Indian exhibition.
This was to be his last journey, for
he died September %, 1904.
Cyrus Townsend Brady, writing
of the famous chief, has described
his death as follows: "The other
day a gray-haired old chief, nod
ding by the fire, dreaming perhaps
Of days of daring and deeds of
valor, by which, savage though he
was, he had written his name on
the pages of history, slipped quiet
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