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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
Expect
Free
Born
Running
Wells
Penned
Might
Contented
Well
Backwards
Men
Rivers
More quotes by Chief Joseph
I will speak with a straight tongue.
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
Treat all men alike. Give them the same law. Give them an even chance to live and grow.
Chief Joseph
Some of you think an Indian is like a wild animal. This is a great mistake.
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
The Indian race is waiting and praying.
Chief Joseph
Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good.
Chief Joseph
If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.
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
My people were divided about surrendering.
Chief Joseph
The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
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 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
Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.
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
We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit Chief made them. They were not and would change the rivers and mountains if they did not suit them.
Chief Joseph
Big name often stands on small legs.
Chief Joseph
I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.
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
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
