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When my young men began the killing, my heart was hurt.

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
Began
Killing
Hurt
Young
Heart
Men

More quotes by Chief Joseph

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The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark.
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A man who would not love his father's grave is worse than a wild animal.
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It does not require many words to speak the truth.
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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.
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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.
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I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of white men by my people.
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Good words will not give me back my children.
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Big name often stands on small legs.
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Let me be a free man - free to travel, free to stop, free to work.
Chief Joseph
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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.
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I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.
Chief Joseph
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All people should be treated the same way on earth.
Chief Joseph
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good.
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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.
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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
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We ask only that the law shall work alike on all men.
Chief Joseph
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My people were divided about surrendering.
Chief Joseph