Chief Joseph - White Quotes

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

Chief Joseph
If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.

Chief Joseph
For a short time we lived quietly. But this could not last. White men had found gold in the mountains around the land of winding water.

Chief Joseph
I know that my race must change. We cannot hold our own with the white men as we are. We only ask an even chance to live as other men live. We ask to be recognized as men. We ask that the same law shall work alike on all men. If an Indian breaks the law, punish him by the law. If a white man breaks the law, punish him also.

Chief Joseph
The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark. They brought many things that our people had never seen. They talked straight. These men were very kind.

Chief Joseph
In the treaty councils the commissioners have claimed that our country had been sold to the Government. Suppose a white man should come to me and say, "Joseph, I like your horses, and 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 were bought.

Chief Joseph
I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of white men by my people.

Chief Joseph
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.

Chief Joseph
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.

Chief Joseph
We gave up some of our country to the white men, thinking that then we could have peace. We were mistaken. The white man would not let us alone.

Chief Joseph
The white men told lies for each other. They drove off a great many of our cattle. Some branded our young cattle so they could claim them.

Chief Joseph
My father was the first to see through the schemes of the white man.

Chief Joseph
Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other then we shall have no more wars. We shall be all alike — brothers of one father and mother, with one sky above us and one country around us and one government for all. Then the Great Spirit Chief who rules above will smile upon this land and send rain to wash out the bloody spots made by brothers' hands upon the face of the earth. For this time the Indian race is waiting and praying. I hope 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.

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

Chief Joseph
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.

Chief Joseph