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I do not believe that the Great Spirit Chief gave one kind of men the right to tell another kind of men what they must do.
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
Must
Great
Chief
Chiefs
Kind
Gave
Believe
Tell
Men
Spirit
Another
Right
More quotes by Chief Joseph
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.
Chief Joseph
Lawyer acted without authority from our band. He had no right to sell the Wallowa country.
Chief Joseph
I would have given my own life if I could have undone the killing of white men by my people.
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
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
I saw clearly that war was upon us when I learned that my young men had been secretly buying ammunition.
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
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 will speak with a straight tongue.
Chief Joseph
Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good.
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
The earth is our mother. She should not be disturbed by hoe or plough. We want only to subsist on what she freely gives us.
Chief Joseph
The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
Chief Joseph
If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace.
Chief Joseph
When my young men began the killing, my heart was hurt.
Chief Joseph
I believe much trouble would be saved if we opened our hearts more.
Chief Joseph
Our chiefs are killed. . . . The little children are freezing to death. . . . My people have no blankets, no food. . . . My heart is sick and sad. . . . I will fight no more forever.
Chief Joseph
An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward.
Chief Joseph
