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Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. These laws were good.
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
Gave
Learned
Law
Father
Many
Good
Fathers
Native
Laws
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
An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward.
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
Some of you think an Indian is like a wild animal. This is a great mistake.
Chief Joseph
I will speak with a straight tongue.
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
I did not want my people killed. I did not want bloodshed.
Chief Joseph
When my young men began the killing, my heart was hurt.
Chief Joseph
It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and the broken promises.
Chief Joseph
You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.
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
The first white men of your people who came to our country were named Lewis and Clark.
Chief Joseph
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
I saw that the war could not be prevented. The time had passed.
Chief Joseph
Governor Isaac Stevens of the Washington Territory said there were a great many white people in our country, and many more would come that he wanted the land marked out so that the Indians and the white man could be separated.
Chief Joseph
I am tired of talk that comes to nothing.
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
Cursed be he that scalps the reputation of the dead.
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