Chief Joseph Quotes

We ask only that the law shall work alike on all men.

I cannot tell how much my heart suffered for my people while at Leavenworth.

Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.

Governor Isaac Stevens of the Washington Territory said there were a great many white people in our country, and many more would come; that he wanted the land marked out so that the Indians and the white man could be separated.

We soon found that the white men were growing rich very fast, and were greedy.

My people were divided about surrendering.

I did not want my people killed. I did not want bloodshed.

War can be avoided, and it ought to be avoided. I want no war.

Suppose a white man should come to me and say, "Joseph, I like your horses. I want to buy them." I say to him, "No, my horses suit me; I will not sell them." Then he goes to my neighbor and says to him, "Joseph has some good horses. I want to buy them, but he refuses to sell." My neighbor answers, "Pay me the money and I will sell you Joseph's horses." The white man returns to me and says, "Joseph, I have bought your horses and you must let me have them." If we sold our lands to the government, this is the way they bought them.

We had good white friends who advised us against taking the war path. My friend and brother, Mr. Chapman, told us just how the war would end.

I pressed my father's hand and told him I would protect his grave with my life. My father smiled and passed away to the spirit land.

All men were made by the Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers.

When the last deer disappears into the morning mist, When the last elk vanishes from the hills, When the last buffalo falls on the plains, I will hunt mice for I am a hunter and I must have my freedom.

Some of you think an Indian is like a wild animal. This is a great mistake.

The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.

I hope that no more groans of wounded men and women will ever go to the ear of the Great Spirit Chief above, and that all people may be one people.

Lawyer acted without authority from our band. He had no right to sell the Wallowa country.

I am ready to talk today. I have been in a great many councils, but I am no wiser. We are all sprung from a woman, although we are unlike in many things. We can not be made over again. You are as you were made, and as you were made you can remain. We are just as we were made by the Great Spirit, and you can not change us ; then why should children of one mother and one father quarrel ? — why should one try to cheat the other ? I do not believe that the Great Spirit Chief gave one kind of men the right to tell another kind of men what they must do.

It required a strong heart to stand up against such talk, but I urged my people to be quiet and not to begin a war.

We are going by you without fighting if you will let us, but we are going by you anyhow!

A chief called Lawyer, because he was a great talker, took the lead in the council, and sold nearly all the Nez Perce country.

The earth is our mother. She should not be disturbed by hoe or plough. We want only to subsist on what she freely gives us.

I only ask of the Government to be treated as all other men are treated. If I cannot go to my own home, let me have a home in a country where my people will not die so fast.

The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark.

My father... had sharper eyes than the rest of our people.

I know that my race must change.

I said in my heart that, rather than have war, I would give up my country.

If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men alike. give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow.

Good words will not give me back my children.

It does not require many words to speak the truth.

Our people could not talk with these white-faced men, but they used signs which all people understand.

The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was. The country was made without lines of demarcation, and it is no man's business to divide it.

I believe much trouble and blood would be saved if we opened our hearts more. I will tell you in my way how the Indian sees things. The white man has more words to tell you how they look to him, but it does not require many words to speak the truth.

We were like deer. They were like grizzly bear.

I have asked some of the great white chiefs where they get their authority to say to the Indian that he shall stay in one place, while he sees white men going where they please. They cannot tell me.

A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal.

It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and the broken promises.

The earth and myself are of one mind. The measure of the land and the neasure of our bodies are the same

We gathered all the stock we could find, and made an attempt to move. We left many of our horses and cattle in Wallowa. We lost several hundred in crossing the river.

When I think of our condition, my heart is heavy. I see men of my own race treated as outlaws and driven from country to country, or shot down like animals.

The eye tells what the tongue would hide.

Finest fur may cover toughest meat.

When an Indian fights, he only shoots to kill.

General Howard informed me, in a haughty spirit, that he would give my people 30 days to go back home, collect all their stock, and move onto the reservation.

An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward.

I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.

We did not know there were other people besides the Indian until about one hundred winters ago, when some men with white faces came to our country.

I am tired of talk that comes to nothing It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the broken promises. There has been too much talking by men who had no right to talk. It does not require many words to speak the truth.