Share
×
Inspirational Quotes
Authors
Professions
Topics
Tags
Quote
You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.
Chief Joseph
Share
Change background
T
T
T
Change font
Original
TAGS & TOPICS
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
Free
Born
Running
Wells
Penned
Might
Contented
Well
Backwards
Men
Rivers
Expect
More quotes by Chief Joseph
The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
My people were divided about surrendering.
Chief Joseph
I believe much trouble would be saved if we opened our hearts more.
Chief Joseph
We damaged all the big guns we could, and carried away the powder and the lead.
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
Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.
Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
When my young men began the killing, my heart was hurt.
Chief Joseph
I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of white men by my people.
Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
Big name often stands on small legs.
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
All people should be treated the same way on earth.
Chief Joseph
I labored hard to avoid trouble and bloodshed.
Chief Joseph
Look twice at a two-faced man.
Chief Joseph
A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal.
Chief Joseph
Finest fur may cover toughest meat.
Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
We do not want churches because they will teach us to quarrel about God. We do not want to learn that. We may quarrel with men sometimes about things on this earth, but we never quarrel about the Great Spirit. We do not want to learn that.
Chief Joseph
