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You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.
Chief Joseph
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Chief Joseph
Age: 64 †
Born: 1840
Born: March 3
Died: 1904
Died: September 21
Tribal Chief
Wallowa Valley
Joseph Buruzagia
Hin-mut-too-uah-lat-kekht
Thunder Rolling in the Mountains
Heinmot Tooyalaket
Joseph the Younger
Men
Rivers
Expect
Free
Born
Running
Wells
Penned
Might
Contented
Well
Backwards
More quotes by Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
Finest fur may cover toughest meat.
Chief Joseph
It does not require many words to speak the truth.
Chief Joseph
An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward.
Chief Joseph
We were taught to believe that the Great Spirit sees and hears everything, and that he never forgets that hereafter he will give every man a spirit-home according to his deserts: if he has been a good man, he will have a good home if he has been a bad man, he will have a bad home. This I believe, and all my people believe the same.
Chief Joseph
I am tired of talk that comes to nothing.
Chief Joseph
I did not want my people killed. I did not want bloodshed.
Chief Joseph
Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.
Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
We damaged all the big guns we could, and carried away the powder and the lead.
Chief Joseph
I know that my race must change.
Chief Joseph
Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other, then we will have no more wars. We shall all be alike-brothers of one father and one another, with one sky above us and one country around us, and one government for all.
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 Indian race is waiting and praying.
Chief Joseph
Good words will not give me back my children.
Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
Some of you think an Indian is like a wild animal. This is a great mistake.
Chief Joseph
My father... had sharper eyes than the rest of our people.
Chief Joseph
Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good.
Chief Joseph
When my young men began the killing, my heart was hurt.
Chief Joseph
